Brush Up On Your English, фразовые глаголы, учебник. Учебник и рабочая тетрадь для годового курса изучения фразовых глаголов - стр. 8
· A LOSING BATTLE / бесперспективное/заведомо проигрышное/обреченное на провал дело/гиблое дело/дохлый номер
– составьте текст из 4—5 предложений с данной идиомой.
4. TEXTS
♦ A LOCAL CALL
An old Russian immigrant, feeling he didn’t have long for this world, decided to visit his homeland one last time and stay with a distant cousin living just outside Moscow. Together, they drank whiskey & vodka and joked about the good old days.
The old American boasted to his cousin that he could call anywhere he liked from America, even Hell if he so pleased. His cousin replied that this could even be done in Russia, so gave him a telephone. The old American looked the number up>1 in his diary and dialed it. Soon, the call was answered:
Operator: ‘Hello….This is Hell….How can I help you?»
Old American: «Is that the operator? No? Cerberus? I can’t hear very well – there’s barking on the line. Can you speak up>2? What company is this? No matter – put me through>3to the chief, please. Tell him it’s Jimmy from the USA calling!»
Operator: «Please, hold on>4 and I’ll put you through… (waiting) I’m sorry to have kept you waiting, but I’m afraid, Mr. Satan is very busy at the moment. However, we can see that you’re going to visit us soon, so would you like to make a reservation? We can put you up>5 directly on your way to purgatory…»
Old American: «No thanks, not this time – not quite ready yet. Tell Mr. Satan I’ll call him back>6 later on. Goodbye!»
The old man hung up>7 the phone and turned to his cousin: «You know, last time this call didn’t work from my house in Iowa. The line was breaking up>8 and I seemed to be hanging on>9 for ages, so I cut the call off>10. This time the connection was great with no delays – fantastic!»
Next morning, a postman delivered the phone bill. The old American opened it and was once again surprised.
Old American: «Is this right? The charges are ten times less than I had in the USA. This is way too cheap.»
His Cousin (grinning): «Yes, but in the USA it’s long-distance… from Russia it’s just a local call!»
>1 look smth up – смотреть, искать ч-л. (информацию)
>2 speak up – говорить громче
>3 put smb through to smb – соединять к-л. с к-л.
>4 hold on – подождать
>5 put smb up – пустить, дать приют, приютить, предоставить кров к-л.
>6 call smb back – перезвонить к-л.
>7 hang up – положить трубку
>8 break up – плохая связь, связь прерывается
>9 hang on – ждать ответа на линии
>10 cut smb off – бросить трубку, оборвать к-л.
· EXERCISE
1. Это неправильный номер. Поищи другой номер, пожалуйста!
2. Вас плохо слышно! Говорите громче! Ужасная связь.
3. Не могли бы вы соединить меня с мистером Смитом?
4. Подождите на линии, пожалуйста.
5. Слушай, можно я у тебя переночую пару дней?
6. Если у тебя сядет батарейка, перезвони мне позже.
7. Положи трубку и забудь о нём.
8. Вы меня хорошо слышите? Связь прерывается.
9. Вот, попросили подождать. Сижу, жду.
10. Он бросил трубку, и я ничего не успел сказать.
1. It’s a wrong number, I am afraid. Look up another one, please!
***
2. You are breaking up! Speak up, please! It’s a terrible connection.
3. Could you pt me thriough to Mr. Smith, please?
4. Hold on a second, please.
5. Listen, could you pt me up for two days, please?
6. If you run out of power, call me back later.