—How shall I do it, sir?
—Just tidy it up a bit, please.
—Do you want some spray?
—No, nothing at all. Thank you very much.


—Is anybody looking after you?
—No. I'm after a size 40 V-neck pullover in grey.
—The best I can do is a 36.
—Could you order me one?
—I should imagine so, yes. If you leave your address, I'll contact you.


—How much is this greetings telegram to Germany, please?
—I'll just make sure. Anything else?
—Yes. Half a dozen air mail labels and a book of stamps.
—Seventy-five pence exactly, please.


—I keep feeling dizzy, and I've got a headache.
—How long has this been going on?
—It came on yesterday.
—I should say you're generally run down.
—What ought I to do?
—It's nothing serious, but you'd better stay in bed for a day or two.


—Mrs. Hughes, this is Peter Brown.
—How do you do?
—How do you do?
—How do you find things over here?
—If it wasn't for the climate, I'd like it very much.
—It won't take you long to settle down.


—If you'll excuse me, I really should be off now.
—Not yet surely. Have another drink at least.
—No, thank you all the same.
—Oh dear! What a pity!
—Thank you very much indeed for the delicious meal.
—Thank you for coming.


—I'm afraid I didn't quite hear what you said.
—I said, 'There's no rush. I can take you in the car.'
—Won't it make you late?
—No, I'm going right past your place.


—That radio's terribly loud. Could you turn it down a fraction?
—Sorry! Is it disturbing you?
—Yes, and something else—wouldn't it be an idea to buy your own soap?
—Sorry! I didn't realize you felt so strongly about it.


(Two customers are at the "Happy Hamburger".)
Waiter: Can I take your orders, please?
1st Man: Yes. A Maxi Quarterpounder for me, please. With chips.
Waiter: Anything else, sir?
1st Man: A banana long boat, I think.
Waiter: What would you like to drink with your meal?
1st Man: Can I have a beer?
Waiter: I'm sorry sir, we are not licensed to sell alcohol.
1st Man: A cold milk then, please.
Waiter: And for you, sir?
2nd Man: I'll have the cheeseburger with a green salad, please.
Waiter: And to follow?
2nd Man: I'll decide later.
Waiter: And to drink?
2nd Man: Cola, please.


—Can I get breakfast in my room?
—Certainly, sir. It's served in your room from 8 until 10.
—How do I order it?
—Just ask for Room Service on the phone, or I can make a note of it if you like, sir.
—Yes, I'd like it at 8.30 tomorrow morning—that's the continental breakfast.
—Very good, sir.


—I've just spilled some soup on my best dress, and we're leaving first thing the day after tomorrow. How on earth can I get it cleaned?
—If you hand it in for dry cleaning before 9 tomorrow morning, it'll be returned to you the same day. I can get you Room Service and arrange it now if you like, madam.
—Oh, could you really? That would be wonderful.


—I'll be needing an early call tomorrow—can you fix that for me?
—There's an automatic waking device in the panel at the head of your bed. You just set it to the time you want.


—I thought you had TV in all your rooms here.
—I'm afraid not, sir, but we can install one in your room.
—Will that be extra?
—Yes, sir. Our charge for a color TV is four Finnish marks per day.
—Well, I'll have to ask my wife what she thinks.
—Very good, sir, and if you decide to rent one, would you please call Room Service?


—(Sarcastically) Are you free to answer my question at last?
—Yes, of course, madam—as you see, we've been rather busy today.
—So it seems. I tried to find a maid this morning, but there wasn't anyone there.
—When you want Room Service, madam, just lift the phone in your room and ask for Room Service.
—Oh, that's how you do it—and how was I supposed to know?


(Background sound of voices / glasses clinking / ice. Interrupted by doorbell.)
Mrs. Phillips: How nice to see you, Mrs. Adams. Do come in. I'll take your coat. Henry ... Henry ... Mr. and Mrs. Adams are here.
Mrs. Adams: It's very kind of you to invite us. Is it a special occasion?
Mr. Phillips: Good evening, Mrs. Adams. Good evening, sir. What would you like to drink?
Mr. Adams: My wife is driving tonight so I'll need something strong.
Mr. Phillips: Follow me. Everyone's in the sitting room.

(Background sounds of subdued merriment, voices, glasses, interrupted by the sound of metal on glass. Pause while noises stop.)
Mr. Phillips: Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to tell you the reason for this party. Of course, we're always delighted to see all of you but ... what I want to say is ... Helen has just won a prize. She entered a competition and we're going to Bermuda on a free holiday.

(Background sounds of congratulations. 'Well done, Helen.' 'Congratulations.' 'What a surprise. When are you leaving?')
Mr. Phillips: Now I'd like to ask my wife to tell you about her success. Helen?
Mrs. Phillips: Well, all I can say is: what a surprise! I had no idea I was going to win. I didn't even know I was going to enter the competition. Henry did all the work, didn't you, Henry? He told me how to fill in the form, how to answer the questions and how to write one sentence about Fluorex Toothpaste. The strange thing is ... we've never used it.


James and Patrick were alone in the office.
Patrick: You're not looking very cheerful. What's the matter with you?
James: Oh, nothing special. I'm just a bit fed up.
Patrick: With the job?
James: With everything, with catching the same train every morning, sitting in the same office all day, watching the same television programs ...
Patrick: You need a holiday.
James: It wasn't always like this, you know.
Patrick: How do you mean?
James: Well, our great-great-grandfathers had more fun, didn't they? I mean, they hunted for their food and grew their own vegetables and did things for themselves. We do the same sort of job for years and years. There's no variety in our lives.
Patrick: You need a holiday. That's what's the matter with you.


Imagine you are being interviewed for a job you really want. How would you answer these questions?
1. What was the worst problem you encountered in your present job?
2. How did you handle it?
3. Why do you want to leave your present job?
4. What are you most proud of having done in your present job?
5. Why do you think you are qualified for this job?
6. What sort of boss would you most like to work for?
7. Supposing a member of your staff was frequently away from work, claiming to be ill, what action would you take?
8. If you were working as a part of the team, what unspoken rules of behavior would you observe?
9. How long do you plan to stay in this job?