Ex.1. Read and translate the dialogue.

CHECKIHG IN AT A HOTEL

— (Mr. Reese, speaking to room clerk) I should like a room for tonight.

— Single or double? [1]

— Single, please.

— Have you a reservation? [2]

— I wrote you last week from New York but I received no answer.

— What is your name, please?

— Reese. Benjamin H. Reese.

— (Room clerk, examining sheet of paper [3]) Yes, we received your letter, Mr. Reese. We have a room reserved for you. [4] We wired you last Tuesday that we would hold a room in your name. [5]

— That’s strange. I never received any telegram. However, I left New York on Tuesday night and went first to Philadelphia. It’s possible your telegram arrived after I left. I wanted a room with private bath.

— This particular room has a private bath.

— Is it an inside room or an outside room? I prefer an outside room, as I mentioned to you in my letter.

— It’s an outside room on the eighth floor — Room 816.

— And what is the price of the room?

— Five dollars a day.

— I don’t suppose you have anything cheaper.

— All outside rooms with bath are five dollars and up. [6] I can give you an inside room without bath at $3.50. It’s a room on the top floor, has plenty of air and light.

— Where is the bathroom?

— The bathroom is down the hall a short distance. [7] You can take a look at the room if you like.

— I think I prefer the outside room. I assume that it’s quiet and that the street noises won’t bother me. I don’t sleep too well.

— It’s on the Eleventh Avenue side of the hotel. Eleventh Avenue has little traffic, and is a very quiet street. Besides, on the eighth floor you don’t hear much noise anyway. How long do you plan to stay, Mr. Reese?

— Probably until about Wednesday. According to my present plans I’ll be checking out sometime [8] Wednesday morning.

— Will you sign the register, [9] please. The bell-boy will take your bags and show you to your room. Are you here on business, Mr. Reese?

— It’s partly business and partly pleasure. This is my first trip to Washington and I'm very eager to see the city. [10] So I may spend the first day or two just sightseeing. By the way, do you have a dinning room in the hotel?

— Yes, we do.

— At what time do you serve meals? [11]

— We serve breakfast from eight o’clock to eleven; we serve lunch from twelve to three-thirty, and we serve dinner from five to eight.

Heavens! That doesn’t leave me much time to see the city, does it?

 

[1]Single or double? — Одноместный или двухместный?

[2]Have you a reservation? — У Вас предварительный заказ?

[3]examining sheet of paper — изучая лист бумаги

[4]We have a room reserved for you — Мы оставили Вам комнату

[5]in your name — на Ваше имя

[6]and up — и дороже

[7]a short distance — невдалеке

[8]I’ll be checking out sometime — Я буду выписываться, прибли­зительно

[9]Will you sign the register — Распишитесь в журнале

[10]I’m very eager to see the city. — Я очень хочу осмотреть город.

[11]At what time do you serve meals? — Когда Вы подаете на стол?

 

Ex.2. Answer the questions

1. Does the above dialogue take place in a hotel or in a restaurant?

2. Between what two persons does the dialogue take place?

3. What do we call a person who works at the desk of a hotel and has charge of renting the rooms?

4. Why is it often necessary to make a reservation In advance for a hotel room?

5. What does the hotel usually do after it receives you request for a reservation?

6. Why did Mr. Reese in the dialogue above not receive any answer to his request for a reservation?

7. What kind of room did Mr. Reese ask for?

8. Which is more expensive: a room with bath or a room without bath?

9. Which do you prefer when staying at a hotel: an inside room or an outside room?

10. What is the„average price today in the usual hotel, of a private room with bath?

11. What is meant by the terms “to check in” and “to check out" when speaking of hotels?

12. What are the duties of a bell-boy in a hotel?

13. What are the duties of the room clerk?

14. What is Mr. Reese’s comment when the room clerk tells him in detail the various hours at which meals are served?

 

Ex.3. Use these word combinations in your own situations

Five dollars “and up", to take a look at, according to, to check out, on business, by the way.