Interlingua/Curso de conversation/Capitulo 3, Scenas 1 e 2 (anglese)

SCENE 1: In this scene, the agent that Alan Tanner introduced to Catherina shows her a vacant office. From what he says, the office is in one of the most elegant districts of Geneva. Catherina examines everything in detail and makes plans to change some things. She wants a smaller reception area with more space for the offices.

The agent confirms that such changes should not present any problems. Afterward she verifies some details about the lease, including the rental rate and the term of the lease (three years with an option to renew). Catherina and the agent return to his office to conclude the formalities.

The agent: I am a real-estate agent, and I know Geneva. I can tell you that this is a good office. It is well situated. Do you know Geneva at all?

Catherina: No.

The agent: Well, you are in one of its most beautiful neighborhoods.

Catherina: Oh yeah?

The agent: Yeah, an excellent neighborhood--and also centralized and practical. And the building is modern. It is on the third floor. Do you want to use the elevator or the stairs?

Catherina: The stairs.

The agent: Here's the office.

Catherina: How much space does it have?

The agent: About sixty square meters.

Catherina: That should be enough.

The agent: The reception area is very big.

Catherina: What was the last organization that occupied this office?

The agent: The last tenants worked in television or something similar. I don't know exactly.

Catherina: I understand. I was only curious.

The agent: Here's an office over here.

Catherina: My, but it's very small.

The agent: Yes, you're right. It isn't very big. Here are the toilets. Over there is another small room.

Catherina: Yes. A drink machine can be installed there.

The agent: Yes, that could be done very easily. There you have a conference room. It's a very beautiful room.

Catherina: What is its size? Thirty square meters?

The agent: Yeah. Its dimensions are six by five meters, making thirty. Right. Almost thirty square meters. Maybe a little more.

Catherina: Yeah. It would make a very beautiful office.

The agent: It's a beautiful room, clear, with big windows.

Catherina: Where does the sun come from?

The agent: The sun? Wait. Where is the south? It should be there. Let's see. The sun turns like this. You have it here in the morning. There are connections for phones and electricity.

Catherina: Very good.

The agent: I think there is also another small room over there.

Catherina: Yeah.

The agent: Here it is.

Catherina: For this reception room, we could put a wall here and remove the wall there to make this part here bigger.

The agent: Yeah, reducing a little the area of the reception room.

Catherina: Would that cause problems?

The agent: No, no, no problems. You can put up a wall here. Yeah, this could be done very easily.

Catherina: Are there some formalities that we must finish?

The agent: That depends on what you want to do. But in principle there aren't any problems. Many of our clients make small structural changes that are similar.

Catherina: And the rent?

The agent: Yeah. Three months in advance.

Catherina: And a lease for three years.

The agent: Three years, yes. That's correct.

Catherina: And if we want a lease for more than three years?

The agent: We can discuss that later. I think that there would not be any problem in extending it.

Catherina: Fine. It seems perfect to me.

The agent: Very well. All right, let's go to my office to take care of the formalities, if you want.

Catherina: Fine.

EXERCITIO 1: Description del officio.

Guide: We have been presented with many technical words in this conversation, words about rent, etc. But first, let's hear something about the ways of describing an office.

A man: An office is made up of four parts. What is the part where a person enters?

A woman: That's the reception area. Its dimensions are generally three meters by four. The total space of this is ...

A man: Twelve square meters. And then there is a big room for meetings. What is its name?

A woman: A conference room. It is six by five meters. What is the total space for this?

A man: Thirty square meters. Then there are two rooms for working. They are called ...

A woman: ... the offices. They generally are some about three meters by three meters. This is how much in square meters?

A man: Nine square meters each one, or a total of eighteen square meters.

A woman: And what is the total surface area? Twelve, plus thirty, plus eighteen meters all together would be ...

A man: That would be a total of some sixty square meters. The office is near the train station, near the banks, near stores. It is in the downtown area of the city. There is space for parking cars and bus stops. In other words, ...

A woman: ... it is well situated. And what is the building itself like?

A man: It is a modern building.

A woman: The office is at street level?

A man: No, it is on the third floor. A store is at street level.

A woman: How much is the rent each month?

A man: Forty-eight thousand euros per year. Payments are made every three months.

A woman: Then I must pay how much in a three-month period?

A man: Twelve thousand euros every three months.

A woman: I want the offices for three years. Is this possible?

A man: Yes. We can get a lease for three years.

Guide: Ah, I'm starting to understand. In any case, let's now see if Petro and Catherina have run into each other.

SCENE 2: The Geneva office: Peter finally finds Catherina after losing himself a few minutes on the third floor. Catherine shows him their new offices, and Petro finds them rather impressive. He verifies that the phones are working, and they talk about the need to hire a new receptionist/secretary. Petro says he will call up Alan Tanner to ask his help in finding a suitable candidate. At the end of the scene we find out that Petro will have to go on another trip.

Catherina: But where is Petro? We were gonna get together at ten o'clock.

Petro: Catherina? Where are you?

Catherina: I'm here.

Petro: Ah, there you are. I have been looking for you everywhere on the third floor.

Catherina: I was here.

Petro: You told me that I should go to the right after getting off the elevator on the third floor.

Catherina: Yeah, that's true.

Petro: But I made a mistake. I went to the left. It's because of this that I got here late.

Catherina: Don't worry. That's nothing important. What do you think of our new offices?

Petro: They're nice. Everything is well illuminated. The atmosphere is nice. There's enough space for all of us.

Catherina: Yes. Once we are in complete working order, there will be six or seven of us in these offices.

Petro: We have enough space. Even in this room there is enough space for six people.

Catherina: The last tenants used it as a conference room.

Petro: It's nice. Do the phones work?

Catherina: I've been told that they do.

Petro: Let's see. Hello? Excuse me. I've made a mistake. I wanted another number. Yes, they work.

Catherina: Here we can put the telex.

Petro: Fine.

Catherina: And here there is enough space for a xerox machine.

Petro: Excellent!

Catherina: Here's your office.

Petro: Very good. A desk, a lamp, an office chair, a more comfortable chair, a telephone--perfect!

Catherina: I think we should tear down that wall to make this room bigger.

Petro: Yes, obviously. That's an excellent idea. Two or three days will be necessary for that work, which will be rather easy.

Catherina: They want to do it this weekend.

Petro: I'm glad we can do it so rapidly!

Catherina; Here we will have a secretary/receptionist.

Petro: Yes, another excellent idea.

Catherina: Fine. What do you want to do now?

Petro: You're the boss.

Catherina: You can find a secretary. We will need someone who can type.

Petro: Naturally.

Catherina: Mr. Tanner of Marex Mundial can help us.

Petro: The American?

Catherina: Yes, him.

Petro: I know him.

Catherina: He has helped to solve our problems in finding these offices.

Petro: Perfect. I'll call him up.

Catherina: I'm sure you will be able to make a good selection. Very well, I want to install the necessary machines, especially the computer.

Petro: And me, I've gotta make another trip to Paris on Wednesday. Is there something else I can do for you?

Catherina: Not right now. You already know what we need.

Petro: Yes, an office that works.

Catherina: Exactly.

Petro: Okay, I'll see you tomorrow.

Catherina: Fine. See you then.

EXERCISE 2: Office equipment.

Guide: I'd like to verify the names of the things they have in their offices:

A man: I'm wondering what people call the things where they put letters, papers, and documents. You put all the letters in ...

A woman: ... file folders. There's a file folder for each file. Where are the file folders?

A man: The file folders are in a file cabinet. There are photocopies of all the letters in the file folders.

A woman: Maintaining photocopies of all documents is an excellent idea. And that, I know, is a typewriter.

A man: What is that?

A woman: A telex.

A man: Really?

A woman: And that machine is a photocopier.

A man: And what is this machine that people use to add up columns of numbers, an adding machine?

A woman: Yes, an adding machine or a calculator.

Guide: Ah yes. Good. Petro has gone to another office and is asking for help. Let's see what's happening.