Interlingua/Curso de conversation/Capitulo 4, Scenas 1 e 2 (anglese)

SCENE 1: Catherina and Petro are talking about their work. Petro says that he hasn't seen her for a long time, Catherina answers that the cause of this is that she has been very busy. Peter then indicates that he is unhappy because he doesn't have much to do.

Catherina asks him what is on his schedule for next week. Peter says that Wednesday he is going to take a three-day trip to Paris and that today he is going to interview a possible secretary/receptionist. Besides this, he doesn't have anything to do. Peter finds this a bit depressing.

Catherina tries to comfort him, saying that the company really hasn't started its operations and that before too long everyone in the Geneva office will be very busy. In the meantime, she invites Petro to go with her to see the computer center, but Petro can't do this because Catherina is going there during the hour of his interview. At the end of the scene, Peter is bored, not knowing what he can do to keep busy.

Catherina: Petro. Petro.

Petro: Good Morning, Catherina. How are you?

Catherina; Very well, thanks.

Petro: I haven't seen you for a long time.

Catherina: I've been very busy.

Petro: More than me?

Catherina: What are you doing?

Petro: As you can see, I'm reading the paper. I'm drinking coffee.

Catherina: Oh, good. I came her to talk to you about your program this week.

Petro: My program?

Catherina: What do you have on your schedule?

Petro: This week?

Catherina: Yes, this week.

Petro: Okay. I'm going to Paris on Wednesday for three days.

Catherina: Oh yeah? For the liaison commission?

Petro: Yeah.

Catherina: And afterwards?

Petro: Nothing. Today I'm gonna interview a candidate for the secretary position.

Catherina: And for the rest of the week?

Petro: I don't have anything planned. Nothing on my schedule. It's a little depressing.

Catherina: How so?

Petro: I don't have anything to do here, no work. Staying here waiting for the telephone to ring bores me a lot.

Catherina: Listen. Our work in this office is only beginning. A certain amount of time is needed to launch this kind of project.

Petro: Yes. But I don't like staying here with nothing to do.

Catherina: Before long you will have a lot to do.

Petro: I hope so.

Catherina: Say, if you want, you can come with me to the computer center.

Petro: To do what?

Catherina: It's interesting.

Petro: When are you gonna go there?

Catherina: I've got to see them at noon, and I'm gonna leave the office around eleven thirty.

Petro: No. I can't go with you. The candidate for the interview will be here shortly after you've gone.

Catherina: Okay, it isn't important. I'll see you later.

Petro: Okay, see you later.

Catherina: See you.

Petro: And I've just finished reading the paper. What am I gonna do next?

EXERCISE 1: Programs:

Guide: Catherina and Petro were talking about their programs. I would like to hear once again some other possible ways of describing their activities.

A woman: What is your progrm for this morning?

A man: My program?

A woman: Yes, what are you going to do this morning?

A man: I have three things to do. I must see the boss at ten o'clock.

A woman: Oh yeah?

A man: And then I have to study the sales reports between eleven o'clock and noon.

A woman: Okay. And then?

A man: Then I'm gonna eat something.

A woman: I see. I'd like you to give me this information once again. What are you doing at ten o'clock?

A man: I'm gonna see the boss.

A woman: He is very busy. Have you made an appointment?

A man: Yes. I have an appointment for ten o'clock.

A woman: That'll take up how much time?

A man: An hour.

A woman: Then it will last an hour. And at eleven o'clock? Where will you be at eleven o'clock?

A man: I will have returned to the office, if everything goes well.

A woman: And then what are you gonna do?

A man: I'm gonna study the sales reports.

A woman: That will take up how much time?

A man: An hour, more or less.

A woman: And then are you gonna eat lunch?

A man: Yeah. Afterward that I'm gonna eat lunch.

Guide: It seems that there certainly are different ways of expressing the future in Interlingua.

A man: I will be seeing Anna Tuesday; I'm seeing Roselie Wednesday; I'm gonna see Valerie Thursday. Mmmm.

Guide: It seems that all these constructions mean the same thing.

A woman: Are you gonna go away?

A man: No, I'm gonna eat here.

A woman: I'm also gonna eat here.

A man: I'm gonna eat here today and tomorrow.

Guide: All these constructions are used.

A woman: Fine. In that case I'll see you here later, around one.

A man: Fine. See you then.

Guide: I now understand better now. It seems that Petro had to have an interview with a candidate for the secretary's job. Let's se how it will go.

SCENE 2: The Geneva offices: Petro is interviewing Francesca for the job of secretary. He starts by offering her a coffee, and afterwards he starts his questions. First he wants to know what she is doing at this moment, how she uses her languages, what her shorthand and typing speeds are, if she likes to type. Finally, he asks her if she likes to work independently and why she wants a new position. Petro then says thanks to her and informs her that they will notify her at the end of the week.

Francesca: May I come in?

Petro: Yes, come in.

Francesca: Uh, I'm Francesca Cardano.

Petro: Ah, yes. Come in.

Francesca: I have an appointment for an interview with Mr. Petro Minelli at eleven thirty. It is for the secretary position.

Petro: Yes, I understand. I am Petro Minelli.

Francesca: Ah, yes. I came a little early.

Petro: A little, yes. But that isn't important. You can sit down here, if you want.

Francesca: Thanks.

Petro: I have your letter here. Yes, here it is. Would you like a cup of coffe before we start?

Francesca: Yes, thanks a lot.

Petro: It is really excellent, this machine. I prefer to make my own coffee myself. I had a very good electric coffee maker, but I have lost it. Would you like a little milk? Some sugar?

Francesca: No, thanks. I like it black.

Petro: Here it is.

Francesca: Thanks.

Petro: Now we can start out. What is your situation at this moment?

Francesca: I am the secretary of a marketing services director.

Petro: In your letter you say that you speak English well and German a little and also Spanish.

Francesca: Yes, exactly.

Petro: How do you use all these languages?

Francesca: All right. The company I work for at this moment has clients of different nationalities, and all these languages are useful for me.

Petro: Obviously. I understand. What is your level as a stenogrpher and your typing speed?

Francesca: As a typist I can do eighty words a minute. As a stenographer, I do eighty, but I don't use it a lot. In the office where I work we now use dictating machines.

Petro: Do you like to type?

Francesca: I don't do it very often because in the office where I work now there is a typing pool.

Petro: And can you work alone most of the time?

Francesca: Yes. I myself prefer to work like that if I can. At this moment I am doing most of my work completely without supervision.

Petro: I don't mean only working independently. I'm speaking of being the only person present in the office.

Francesca: I don't know. I never have tried this type of work. I always have worked in large offices.

Petro: But do you think that you could work in a small office like this one without any trouble?

Francesca: I don't believe that such an environment would bother me. But it would certainly be different for me.

Petro: What do you know about urban transport?

Francesca: I beg your pardon?

Petro: What do you know about the industrial sector? The transport sector?

Francesca: To tell the truth, I don't know a lot about it.

Petro: And what attracted you to this type of company? I would like to know the reason why you want to leave the position that you now have for this one.

Francesca: Well, my boss is leaving. And the next person who's gonna take his position already has his own secretary. They can move me to another position, but at a lower level. It is because of this that I have decided to look for another position.

Petro: I understand. Very well. Thanks a lot, Miss.

Francesca: Thanks.

Petro: We want to arrive at a final decision rapidly, and I believe that we will be able to give you an answer toward the end of the week.

Francesca: Fine.

Petro: Okay. We will contact you when we have made our decision.

Francesca: Thanks a lot. See you later.

Petro: See you later.

EXERCISE 2: Interviews:

Guide: It seems to me that this young lady was good, don't you agree? Before continuing with our story, I would like to hear once again the kind of questions that are made during an interview.

First man: Ask him his name.

A woman: What is your name.

Second man: Eric Jensen

First man: And his age.

A woman: What is your age?

Second man: I am thirty years old.

First man: And his nationality.

A woman: Where are you from? What is your nationality?

Second man: I am Danish, from Copenhagen.

First man: Ask him what his qualifications are.

A woman: What are your qualifications. What diplomas or certificates do you have?

Second man: I have a certificate of commercial studies.

First man: Ask him how much time he has studied.

A woman: How long have you studied?

Second man: Two years.

First man: Ask him where he has studied.

A woman: And where have you done your studies?

Second man: In a technological institute.

A woman: Your qualifications then are a certificate of commercial studies, two years in a technological institute.

First man: Ask him what his experience is.

A woman: What do you have as experience? For how long have you worked?

Second man: I have three years of business experience.

First man: Ask him what is the work he is now doing.

A woman: What kind of work are you doing now?

Second man: At this moment, I don't have any work. I'm unemployed.

First man: Ask him what his previous position was.

A woman: Fine. What kind of work did you do in your last position?

Second man: I worked for an insurance company. I was an office worker.

First man: Ask him how long he did this work.

A woman: How long did you do this work?

Second man: Three years.

First man: Ask him if he speaks other languages.

A woman: Do you speak other languages?

Second man: The English I learned in school and German.

A woman: Fine, thank you. Soon I will let you know of our decision.

Guide: It is now lunch time. Catherina and Petro are now eating in a cafe in the area near their office.