411 REFERENCE · Wikibooks
Interlingua/Curso de conversation/Capitulo 8, Scenas 1 e 2 (anglese)
Reference material by Wikibooks contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
SCENE 1: The offices of Geneva: Peter dictates
to his secretary a letter to Mr. Floret in Paris
in which he reveals his intention to stay in Geneva
and expresses his hope that Floret will be able
to intervene in his favor
Petro: The first letter goes to Transportes de
Mexico. You will find the address in the file.
The date is today's. Dear Patricio, comma, new
line. Thank you for your letter, period. After
having reflected a long time, comma, I have decided
to stay in Geneva, period. No that's not gonna
work. The first letter goes to Marex Mundial, Paris,
to Mr. G. Floret, ef, el, oh, are, ee, tea. The
address, etc., are in the file. Dear Gerardo, I
am writing you because of a problem I have that
is a bit delicate. For several reasons, I wanted
to leave Geneva, comma, and now I want to reverse
this decision, period. New line. Would it be possible
for you to help me and use your good offices in
my favor, question mark. Giving you my thanks in
advance, I want to extend you, etc., etc., etc.
Use yesterday's date. Very well. That's all for
now.
SCENE 2: The Geneva offices: Francesca wants to
talk to Petro about the first commission meeting.
There is a new problem because the meeting will
take place on the third day of the month, but the
Paris office says that it will be impossible to
send out their senior engineer before the fourth
day of the month. Petro gets angry and wants to
know who Francesca talked to, but she doesn't know
this. Petro then tells her to call up Paris and
talk with Mr. Dumont in person (and no other person
who works in the Paris office) and to tell him that
he will have to be in Geneva on the third of the
month without fail.
Petro: Good morning, Francesca.
Francesca: Good morning, Petro. Can I talk with
you?
Petro: Yes, of course.
Francesca: There's a problem with the first meeting
of the commission.
Petro: The technical liaison commission?
Francesca: The meeting will take place the third
day of the month, won't it?
Petro: Yes, exactly. Is everything ready?
Francesca: Yes, but there is one problem with the
engineer in Paris, Mr. Dumont. He won't be able
to be here on the third, and he's gonna arrive on
the fourth.
Petro: Who told you that?
Francesca: Someone called me from Paris. I don't
know exactly who.
Petro: But we can't have the meeting without him.
It is absolutely necessary for everyone to be there.
It is, after all, a liaison meeting.
Francesca: Yes, I know that, but he says that he
can't come before the fourth.
Petro: You didn't talk to Dumont in person?
Francesca: No. He wasn't the person who called
but someone else in the Paris office.
Petro: Fine. Here's what you're gonna do. Call
up Paris and ask to talk with Dumont personally.
Don't talk to anyone else. We want only the senior
engineer, no other person. Contact Dumont and tell
him that we will be having the meeting on the third
of the month.
Francesca: Okay.
Petro: If there's any problem, tell me, and I'll
call Paris up myself.
Francesca: Fine. I'll do that immediately.
EXERCISE 2: Giving instructions:
Guide: There have already been problems with the
Paris team. Wtihout doubt, it isn't easy to organize
a meeting. In this scene Petro gave some instructions
to Francesca. I myself would like to hear another
sequence of instructions:
A woman (talking on the phone: I have a problem.
My boss's tie is caught in the photocopier. What
am I gonna do?
A man: Try to relax now. Don't worry. Is your
boss with you right now?
A woman: Yes.
A man: What kind of machine is it?
A woman: A B-60.
A man: Good. First, tell him to calm down and
relax.
A woman: Calm down and relax.
A man: Tell him that he should not pull on his
tie.
A woman: Don't pull on your tie.
A man: Fine. Tell him that he should disconnect
the electricity.
A woman: Disconnect the electricity.
A man: Now, tell him that he should open up the
cover.
A woman: Open up the cover.
A man: Tell him that he should push the left button.
A woman: Push the left button.
A man: Tell him that he now should lift up the
main platen.
A woman: Lift up the main platen.
A man: Tell him not to let it fall down.
A woman: Don't let it fall down.
A man: Tell him that he should now turn the other
platen.
A woman: Now, turn the other platen.
A man: Is the gear train now disengaged?
A woman: Yes, it is disengaged.
A man: Can he remove his tie now?
A woman: Yes, he's now taken it out.
A man: Good. Tell him that he now should put the
main platen back into the machine, close the cover,
and reconnect the electricity.
A woman: Now put the main platen back into the
machine, close the cover, and reconnect the
electricity.
A man: And tell him also that he should not wear
a tie when he is close to that machine.