UNIIT 1 Using the Telephone

Warming Up

The following questions may help you understand what you are going to learn in this unit. Work in pairs or groups and try to answer the following questions：

1. Is it very important to use the telephone? Why？

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using telephone compared with other means of communication？

3. Can you think of any commonly used phrases and expressions in telephone conversations？

4. Do you know any professional telephone etiquettes？

Part 1 Telephone inquiries

Tony Smith, anemployee from AuchanGroup in Paris, iscalling Wuhan ProStar ElectronicsCo., Ltd.inWuhan, China, asking for prices fornotebook computers, Series A45 E.The latter agrees to send the catalogue and price lists by email to Tony Smith.

Operator: Good morning.Wuhan ProStar Electronics.Can I help you？

Tony: Good morning. Can I speak to someone in Sales Department, please？

Operator: Please hold the line. I'm connecting you.

Tony: OK. Thank you.

（A few seconds later）.

Operator: The number is ringing for you now.

Tony: Thank you for your help.

Mary: Sales Department. Mary Wong is speaking. What can I do for you？

Tony: This is Tony Smith from Auchan Group in Paris. I've read your advertisement on the Internet and I'm very interested in your notebook computers. Can you send me your latest catalogue and price lists of your notebook computers, Series A45E？

Mary: Certainly.Mr.Smith.I'll send you right away.But where shall I send them?

Tony: Can you send them to me by email? My email address is:tonysmith@auchan.com.

Mary: Okay…tonysmith@auchan. com. So the name of your company is Auchan Group.

Tony: Yes, that's right. Auchan Group S. A. in Paris, France.

Mary: All right. Mr. Smith. I'll send you by email our latest catalogue and price lists of our notebook computers, Series A45E.

Tony: Thank you for your help. Goodbye.

Mary: You're welcome and thanks for calling. Goodbye.

Target Vocabulary

Sales Department销售部

hold the line别挂电话，请勿收线

connect给…接通电话

notebook computer笔记本电脑

series系列

catalogue产品目录

price list价目表

Notes

1. Good morning. Wuhan ProStar Electronics. Can I help you？

当接听电话时，除了要问候对方外，还要立即告知对方接电话人的姓名或公司名称或所在部门名称或电话号码，以示礼貌。所以这里公司的接线员报出了公司的名称Wuhan ProStar Electronics。而在对话的后半部分销售部的人接电话时，报上自己的部门名称和姓名，她说：Sales Department.Mary Wong is speaking.What can I do for you？

2. Can I speak to someone in Sales Department, please？

我能找一下销售部的人吗？/我能跟销售部的人通电话吗？

这里法国公司的人是第一次打电话来咨询产品的信息，还不太确定要跟谁通话，所以用了someone一词，表明了通话的对象是销售部的某人。

通过电话要找某人可以说：Can I speak to…? /May I speak to…? /Can I talk to…? /I'd like to speak to…．还有一些比较随意的表达法，比如：Is Andy in? Is Jackson there？如果需要转接到某人或某部门的话，还可以说Would you like to put me through to…？比如Would you like to put me through to the General Manager's office？如果知道分机号的话，也可以直接报上分机号，比如：Extension 426, please.

3. Please hold the line．不要挂电话。

接电话的人要为打电话的人转接或叫某人的话，可以请打电话的人别挂电话或稍等。类似的表达法还有Hold on, please./Just a second, please. I'll get him./Hang on one second./Please hold and I'll put you through to his office./One moment please．等

4. I'm connecting you．我把电话给你接过去。

转接电话还可以说 "I'll put you through。”

5. This is Tony Smith from Auchan Group in Paris．我是巴黎欧尚集团的托尼·史密斯。

电话接通后，打电话的人通常会主动讲明自己的身份，一般不用“I am…”而要说“This is…”或“it' s…”如：Hello, this is Julie Madison calling./Hi, it's Gerry from the dentist's office here．接电话的人有时会主动问询来电者的身份，可以说：May I know who is calling, please？

Comprehension Questions

1. Why does Tony Smith make this phone call？

2. In what way does Mary Wong send Mr. Smith the information he wants？

Part 2 Leaving a message on the phone

Franck Ribery, Purchasing Manager from Auchan Group S.A.in France, is calling Mr.Lee, Sales Manager of Wuhan ProStar Electronics Co., Ltd.SinceMr.Lee is not available at the moment, Mr.Ribery leaves a message.

Receptionist: Good morning! Wuhan ProStar Electronics Co., Ltd. How may I help you？

Ribery: Good morning! This is Franck Ribery calling from Auchan Group S. A. in France. I'd like to speak to Mr. Lee in Sales Department.

Receptionist: OK. Hold the line, please. I'll put you through.

Ribery: Thank you.

Linda: Hello, Mr. Lee's office. Who is calling please？

Ribery: Hello, this is Franck Ribery calling from the Purchasing Department of Auchan Group S. A.. May I speak to Mr. Lee？

Linda: I'm afraid Mr. Lee isn't available now. Would you like to leave a message？

Ribery: Yes.Please tell him that we are interested in your notebook computers, Series A45E, and we've got your price lists.But we'd like to know if there is any discount on large orders.Could you ask him to call me back?

Linda: Sure.May I have your number please？

Ribery: Yes, my number is（00）33-1-48168097.

Linda: And would you like to spell your name, please？

Ribery: Yes, f-r-a-n-c-k, Franck, r-i-b-e-r-y, Ribery.

Linda: OK, Mr. Franck Ribery from Auchan Group S. A. in France, and the number is（00）33-1-48168097. Is that right, Mr. Ribery？

Ribery: Yes, that's right.

Linda: OK.I'll give him the message.

Ribery: Thank you for your help.

Linda: You're welcome. Goodbye！

Target Vocabulary

put through接通电话

Purchasing Department采购部

available可取得联系的；空闲的，有时间的

leave a message留言，留口信

discount（价格、货款、债款等的）折扣

order订单，订货

Notes

1.Who is calling please？请问您是哪一位？/请问怎么称呼您？

类似的表达还有：

May I ask who is calling, please？

May I know who is calling, please？

Who shall I say is calling, please？

Can I ask who's calling？

Whom am I speaking with？

Whom am I talking to？

And you are？

2. I'm afraid Mr. Lee isn't available now．对不起，李先生现在不在。

这一句是非常笼统地表明要找的人不在，还可以给出一些非常具体的理由，如：

I'm afraid she's in a meeting.

I'm afraid she's on holidays.

3. Would you like to leave a message？

您愿意留言吗/你愿意留个信息吗？你愿意留个口信吗？

如果打电话的人要找的人不在，或忙着不能接电话。接听电话的人可以提议让对方留言，还可以说：

Can I take a message for him？

打电话的人也可以请求留言，但说法不同：

Could I leave a message？

Could you take a message？

当然，如果打电话的人要找的人不在，或暂时忙着不能接电话，打电话的人也可不必留言，而选择换个时间再打过来，可以这么说：I'll call back later.

4. May I know your number？能告诉我你的电话号码吗？

还可以这么说：Could you tell me your number？

5. And would you like to spell your name, please？您能拼读一下您的名字吗？

在打电话时，特别是要做电话记录时，对电话号码、人名、公司名、时间地点等重要信息要务必弄清楚，如果不太确定，可以请求对方告知，或拼读，或重复，或提高声音，下面是在这些情况下的表达方法：

Would you mind spelling that for me？

Could you please repeat that？

Could you speak up a little please？

Can you speak a little slower please？

Can you call me back? I think we have a bad connection.

6. OK, Mr. Franck Ribery from Auchan Group S. A. in France, and the number is（00）33-1-48168097. Is that right, Mr. Ribery？

这里是Linda重复Mr. Franck Ribery的主要信息，以确认她的的记录没有错误。当来电者讲完自己的留言内容后接听电话的人一般要重复一下主要内容，以保证记录或理解没有错误。

Comprehension Questions

1. What's Franck Ribery's purpose of making this phone call？

2. What does each part of the phone number（00）33-1-48168097 represent？

Oral Practice

Individual Work

1. Substitution Exercises

Drill 1 A: I'd like to speak to Mr.Smith, please.

B：________________________

Complete the above dialogue by using the following：

—Hold the line, please.I'll put you through.

—Hang on, please. I'm connecting you.

—Just a moment, please. I'll get him for you.

Drill 2 A：________________________

B: This is Mr. Fox from United Textiles.

Complete the above dialogue by using the following：

—May I ask who is calling, please？

—May I know who is this speaking？

—Who shall I say is calling, please？

Drill 3 A：________________________

B: This is Mr. Smith speaking.

Complete the above dialogue by using the following：

—Mr.Smith, please.

—Is Mr. Smith there？

—Is Mr. Smith in？

Drill 4 A：________________________

B: Certainly.

Complete the above dialogue by using the following：

—May I leave a message？

—Could you give him a message？

—Could you tell him Mr. Smith called？

Drill 5 Could you put me through to…？

Complete the above sentence by using the following：

—the Finance Department

—the manager's office

—the extension 506

2. Practice Sentences

1）I'm sorry. Mr. Smith is not in at the moment.

2）Mr. Smith, Mr. Li from United Textiles wants to speak to you.

3）I don't expect him to be available until 2:30.

4）Shall I ask him to call you when he returns？

5）Yes. Please tell him to call Mr. Zhang at 231-4567.

6）Sorry I can't hear you clearly. Would you please speak a little louder？

7）The line is bad. Would you please say that again？

8）Sorry.Something is wrong with the phone.It's not clear.Please repeat that.

9）Please ask him to give me a call as soon as he returns.He has my number.

10）I'm afraid he's stepped out.Would you like to leave a message？

3. Oral Translation Exercises

1）你好，请帮我接裘德先生。

2）请转234分机。

3）请稍等（请别挂断）。我这就给您转过去。

4）对不起，电话占线。您是等一下还是过会儿再打来？

5）我想留话给裘德先生，让他给我回电话。我的号码是580-4329转234分机。

6）对不起，这里没有叫史密斯的人，您肯定是拨错电话了。

7）安德森先生，有你的电话。

8）我是安德森，请问您是哪位？

9）您能声音大一点吗？我听不清楚。

10）史密斯先生现在脱不开身。您愿意留个言吗？

Pair Work

Work in pairs.Construct dialogues based on the following situations.

Task 1

Student A: You are calling M & M and want to speak to Ms Grunwald.If Ms Grunwald isn't in the office, leave the following information：

● Your name

● The name of your company

● Your telephone number:8677-8910（or use your own）

● Ask Ms Grunwald to call you back. You can be reached until 5 o'clock at the above number. If Ms Grunwald calls after 5 o'clock, she should call 8458-2416

Student B: You are a receptionist at M & M.Student A would like to speak to Ms Grunwald, but she is out of the office.Take a message and make sure you get the following information：

● Name and telephone number—ask student A to spell the surname

● Message student A would like to leave for Ms Grunwald

● How late Ms Grunwald can call student A at the given telephone number

Task 2

Student A: You need to purchase ten new computers for your office.Call JA's Computer World and ask for the following information：

● Current special offers on computers

● Guaranty

● Possibility of discount for an order of six computers

Student B: You work at JA's Computer World and now answer student A's questions using the following information：

● Two special offers:Multimedia Monster—4,500 yuan; and Office Taskmaster—4,200 yuan

● One year guaranty on all computers

● Discount of 5% for orders of more than five computers

Group Work

Students will work in groups of 5～6 and have a discussion on the following questions：

1. When answering the phone call, what should be paid attention to？

2. When making a phone call, what should be paid attention to？

3. When taking a telephone message, what should be paid attention to？

4. When leaving a telephone message, what should be paid attention to？

Cultural References

The telephone is an amazing invention, allowing people to communicate over any distance. Especially nowadays, with the invention of the cellphone, people can talk to the others at any place. And with the globalization, making or receiving international calls is also very common. When you pick up the phone, what you should say and how you should speak to the other side are all very important, because that may not only represent yourself, it may also represent your company or decide whether you are providing a quality service. And yet many people have trouble in using it for effective communication, something which is especially important in the business world. Therefore, learning how to communicate well on the telephone is one of the top priorities for many students who need to use English at work.

In this unit, we've already tried to introduce some basic expressions used in making or receiving a phone call. Knowing some telephone etiquettes and telephone communication skills may also be very important.

Telephone Etiquettes

● Before answering the phone call

1. Turn away from you computer or other work

2. Have pens, pencils and notepaper at hand

● When answering the phone call

1. Answer the calls promptly, by the second or third ring

2. Make sure your greeting is professional

3. Identify yourself and your company/department/unit

4. Keep a happy mood

5. Always sound polite, professional, understanding, helpful, and friendly

6. Avoid putting callers on hold for too long time

7. Be an "active" listener

8. End the call appropriately: recap what you discussed; ask the caller if there is anything else you can help with before hanging up; let the caller hang up before you do

● When leaving a telephone message

1. Do not speak too fast

2. Pronounce your name clearly

3. Slow down when saying your telephone number

4. Give your company name, your title and why you are calling

5. Let them know when to call you back

6. Always sound professional