Chapter Two Making & Answering Telephone Calls
Section 1 Putting through Telephone Calls
Situational Conversations
Conversation A
Background:Mr.Bruce Wagner calls a client and has to put through the call by the secretary.Someone gives him a wrong name，so he needs the assistance of the secretary to find the right person to talk to.Anne Wang is the secretary to the general manager of Bosideng Corporation.
(A：Anne Wang B：Mr.Bruce Wagner)
A：Bosideng Corporation，how may I direct your call?
B：I'd like to speak to Charles Xu，please.
A：I'm sorry we have no one with that name working here.
B：Are you sure? I was referred to him by a colleague who recommended him highly.
A：I'm absolutely sure there's no Mr.Charles Xu here.I'm the secretary to the general manager.May I ask what it is about? Perhaps I can figure out who you should talk to.
B：My colleague said he once worked with Charles Xu.Charles Xu does the purchasing for your company.
A：Okay，that must be Charley Xu.He is the head of the purchasing department.
B：Would you please do me a favor by putting me through to his office then?
(After a while.)
A：I'm sorry，Charley is not available right now.He has an assistant named Jolin Zhang，who should be able to offer you some help.Shall I put you through to her or would you like to leave Mr.Charley Xu a voice mail message?
B：Let me speak to his assistant，please.You've been of much help.Thank you very much.
A：Not at all.One moment，please.I'm putting you through now.
Conversation B
Background:Daniel calls to his former employee.Norah，the secretary，does what she can to help Daniel find the right person to talk to.
(A：Norah B：Daniel)
A：Good afternoon，Youngor Corporation.How may I direct your call?
B：May I speak to Mr.Jeff Zhao，please?
A：I'm sorry Mr.Zhao is no longer with this firm.
B：Really? May I ask who is speaking?
A：This is the secretary to Manager of Designing Department speaking.My name is Norah.
B：Norah，I'd like to know who's handling his calls now.
A：Actually，Mr.Zhao hasn't been replaced and his calls are being taken by several people，depending on what the business is about.
B：Jeff wanted to know about the design of a new shirt.He hopes that I could phone him when I am ready.
A：I see.How about putting you through to his supervisor?He might be able to help.
B：We can try that.Does his manager handle designing work?
A：No，actually he doesn't.Those calls are being handled by Mr.Michael Smith.Shall I put you through?
B：To tell you the truth，I don't really get along very well with Michael.Is there someone else I could talk to?
A：Sam Tang also works in the designing department.They have been colleagues for two years.
B：Sam would be great.Put me through to him then，please.
Conversation C
Background:Recently Larkin Tyler bought a mobile hard disk at the Pacific Digital City.He is disappointed to find that there is something wrong with the memory function.He gets so dissatisfied and wants to have a change.Catherine Obama，the secretary to the manager of the Complaints Department of the Pacific Digital City，manages to help him.
(A：Catherine Obama B：Larkin Tyler)
A：Good morning，how may I help you?
B：Hello，is that the Pacific Digital City?
A：Yes.
B：I'd like to speak to the manager of the Complaints Department.
A：I'm sorry the manager is on another line.I'm her secretary.Could I ask what it is about?
B：I'm dissatisfied with a purchase I made in your store and I want to have a change.
A：All right.May I ask what you bought，so I can know how to direct your call?
B：Oh，it's a mobile hard disk I bought at the digital city a few days ago.
A：What's wrong with the disk，may I ask?
B：When I plugged it into the computer，it didn't work.
A：Did you install the drive for the mobile hard disk?
B：Yes，but it doesn't work properly.I don't know what the real problem is.
A：I hear a certain computer virus called “Trojan Horse” is rampant now.It is doing harm to millions of computers.Perhaps your hard disk has been infected.
B：I hope not.
A：May I ask which dealer you bought the disk from?
B:Shanghai Huacheng Co.，Ltd.Its booth number is PDC-1253.
A：OK，I'll transfer your call right now.
B：Thank you for your cooperation.
A：You are welcome.
Key Patterns
1.Hello，may I speak to Mr.Connor?
你好，我可以和康纳先生通话吗？
2.Can you put me through to Tom Bush?
请帮我接汤姆·布什。
3.Would you transfer this call to Ms.Lucia Needham?
请帮我把电话转给露西娅·尼达姆女士。
4.Could you please connect me with the import department?
请帮我接进口部。
5.May I ask who's that speaking/calling?
请问您是哪位？
6.Who shall I say is calling，please?
请问您是哪位？
7.Just hold the line a minute.I'll see if he is in.
请稍等，我看看他是否在。
8.I'd like to make a long distance call to London.
我要往伦敦打一个长途电话。
9.I want to make a collect call.
我要打一个由对方付费的电话。
10.Would you let me know the time and charges after the call?
请告知这次通话的时间和费用。
Exercises
Ⅰ.Translate the following sentences into English,and make an oral practice.
1.您要转接到哪里？
2.请帮忙把电话转给我的客户。
3.我要和格林通电话。
4.请稍等，我现在就把电话转接到经理办公室。
5.王先生已离职了，他的所有电话由他的助手来处理。
6.麻烦你把我的电话转到贵公司的投诉部。
7.说实在的，我与主管相处得并不好。
8.请问如何拼写您的姓名？
9.抱歉，他现在很忙，不能接您的电话。
10.我想打一个对方付费的电话。
Ⅱ.Make up conversations according to the situation given.
Situation：Linda wants to know the flight number of a plane which will arrive at the airport on 5:05 pm.The plane is from American Southwest Airline with an office at the airport.Linda telephones to the airport switchboard operator.
Ⅲ.Mini Presentation.
Directions: You are asked to give a short talk about three minutes on a business topic with one-minute preparation.
What is important when making a call?
·Introduce yourself at first.
·State your purpose.
·Speak clearly.
……