EPISODE 187
LEVEL A2
READING COMPREHENSION
Telephoning: Wrong Number
Male: Hello, this is the press office.
Michelle: Rachel Andrews please.
Male: I’m sorry, you must have the wrong number. There’s no-one of that name here.
Michelle: Oh. Can I check the number I’ve got…. is that not 5568790?
Male: No, it’s 5558790.
Michelle: Oh sorry about that. I must have dialled the wrong number.
Male: No problem! Bye!
Male: Hello, press office, can I help you?
Ruth: Hello. Paul Richards, please.
Male: I’m sorry, you’ve got the wrong number, but he does work here. I’ll try and put you through. In future his direct number is 5558770.
Ruth: Did I not dial that?
Male: No you rang 5558790.
Ruth: Oh, sorry to trouble you.
Male: No problem. Hang on a moment and I’ll put you through to Paul’s extension.
Ruth: Thanks.
Ex.1 Complete the conversation with these missing words:
about / check / dial / direct / got / hang / have / help / here /
name / please / problem / put / sorry / this
Male: Hello, _______ is the press office.
Michelle: Rachel Andrews _______.
Male: I’m _______, you must _______ the wrong number. There’s no-one of that _______ here.
Michelle: Oh. Can I _______ the number I’ve got…. is that not 5568790?
Male: No, it’s 5558790.
Michelle: Oh sorry _______ that. I must have dialled the wrong number.
Male: No _______! Bye!
Male: Hello, press office, can I _______ you?
Ruth: Hello. Paul Richards, please.
Male: I’m sorry, you’ve _______ the wrong number, but he does work _______. I’ll try and put you through. In future his _______ number is 5558770.
Ruth: Did I not _______ that?
Male: No you rang 5558790.
Ruth: Oh, sorry to trouble you.
Male: No problem. _______on a moment and I’ll _______ you through to Paul’s extension.
Ruth: Thanks.
Ex.2 Say these sentences in English using expressions from the dialogue:
1. Nie ma tu nikogo o tym nazwisku.
2. Czy mogę sprawdzić numer, który posiadam?
3. Przepraszam, że panią kłopotam.
I know English idioms:
One of the dialogue’s sentences reads: “Oh, sorry to trouble you.” using a common word “trouble”. This one can be part of many idiomatic expressions. Here’s one of them:
• (to be) looking for trouble = behaving in a way that is likely to cause problems (szukać kłopotów)
➢ Parking illegally in front of the police station is looking for trouble.
Phrasals, phrasals…
A sentence from the text says: “Hang on a moment and I’ll put you through to Paul’s extension.” The underlined part is a very common, in telephoning language, phrasal verb:
• to hang on = to wait for a short time (poczekać)
➢ My boss is on the other phone – would you like to hang on?
➢ Hang on a minute – I’ll be with you shortly!
Grammar corner…
Let’s study these fragments of the text: “I’m sorry, you must have the wrong number”, “I must have dialled the wrong number.”
Both sentences use the same modal verb: “must” but accompanied by different structures: the first one – together with the verb “have” in its basic meaning (“mieć”), the second one – with the past structure “have dialled”, which can translate as “musiałem wybrać”.
GLOSSARY
wrong number – niewłaściwy numer
press office – biuro prasowe
no-one – nikt
of that name – o tym nazwisku
to check -sprawdzić
sorry about… – przykro mi z powodu…
to dial – wybrać (numer)
no problem – nie ma sprawy
can I help you? – słucham?
to put sb through – połączyć
in future – na przyszłość
direct number – bezpośredni numer
to ring – zadzwonić
sorry to… – przepraszam, że
to trouble somebody – kłopotać
to hang on – poczekać
extension – wewnętrzny (numer)
>>Answers
ANSWER KEY
Ex.1
Check answers in the dialogue.
Ex.2 1. There’s no-one of that name here. 2. Can I check the number I’ve got. 3. Sorry to trouble you.
hide
