FSI-Chinese/OptionalModule-POT/FSI-StandardChinese-OptionalModulePOT-StudentText.txt

FSI - Standard Chinese - Optional Module POT

Objectives

General

The purpose of the Post Office and Telephone Module (PST/TEL) is to provide you with the linguistic skills you need to mail things, make phone calls and send telegrams.

Specific

When you have finished this module you should be able to:

1. Locate a mailbox. Locate the nearest post office.

2. Buy postage for an air mail letter, a registered letter,   aerogram, regular letter or postcard.

3. Buy letter paper, envelopes, aerograms and postcards.

4. Ship packages by sea or by air.

5. Insure packages or letters you send.

6. Locate a telegraph office.

7. Send a telegram.

8. Find the nearest public telephone.

9. Ask for help in using a phon? directory.

10. Make a phone call, ask to speak with someone. Understand simple replies such as ’’that line is busy”, "he is not here now" or "he will call you back".

11. Answer the phone and understand who the caller wishes to speak with. Tell the caller you will look for that person. Tell him whether the person he wishes to speak with is there, is busy, or not there.

12. Ask someone to speak louder or tell him you cannot hear him  clearly.

Post Office and Telephone Module, Unit 1

PART I

1.	Qǐngwèn, zhèr fùjìn yǒu yǒuzhèngjú ma?	May I ask, is there a post office in the area?
2.	Wǒ yào jì yìfēng xìn.	I want to mail a letter.
3.	Zhèicēng lóu yǒu meiyou yóutǒng?	Is there a mailbox on this F1oor?
4.	Nǐmen zhèige fúwùtái mài bu mài yóupiào?	Does your service desk here sell stamps?
5.	Wǒ yào jì yìfēng guàhào xìn.	I want to send a registered letter.
6.	Lóuxià xiǎomàibù mài bu mai xìnzhǐ, xìnfēng?	Does the variety store downstairs also sell letter paper and envelopes?

NOTES AFTER PART I

yìfēng xìn: -fēng is the counter for letters and other things with envelopes.

-céng; Counter for f1oors of buildings.

guàhào xìn: Guàhào is the verb “to register”. It is used here as a modifier. It precedes the noun it modifies.

Peking:

On his way out to mail some things, an American asks the service attendant for the fs1oor of his hotel for some information.

M:	Nǐ yǒu shì ma?	Can I help you?

F:	Duì, Fàndiànlǐ yǒu yóuzhèngjú ma?	Yes, is there a post office in the hotel?

M:	Yǒu, zài yìlóu, xiàle diànti wàng yòu zǒu. Guòle màishūde jiù shì yóujú. Kěshi xiànzài yóujú yǐjīng guān mén le. Rúguo nín jiù yào mài yóupiào, wǒmen zhèr yě mài.	Yes, it’s on the first f1oor. When you get off the elevator go to the right. When you’ve passed the bookshop there’s the post office. But they have already closed. If you only want to buy stamps, we sell them here.
F:	Wǒ yào yóupiào, hái yǒu liǎngfēng xìn yào guàhào.	I need some stamps, there are also two letters that I need to register

M:	Ou, jì guàhàoxìn nín děi dào yóujú qù jì.	Oh, if you want to mail registered letters you’ll have to go to the post office.

F:	Yóujú jǐdiǎn zhōng kāi men?	What time does the post office open?

M:	Qīdiǎnbàn kāi mén, xiàwu liùdiǎnbàn guān mén.	It opens at seven-thirty, and closes at six-thirty in the afternoon.

F:	Zhèicéng lóu yǒu méiyou yóutǒng?	Is there a mailbox on this F1oor?

M:	Méiyou, yóutǒng zài yóujú ménkǒur.	No, the mailbox is by the door to the post office.

F:	Nǐmen zhèr yě mài xìnzhǐ, xìnfēng ma?	Do you also sell stationery and envelopes here.

M:	Wǒmen bu mài, jiù yǒu fàndiànde xìnzhǐ xìnfēng. Lóuxiàde xiǎomàibù mài.	No we don’t, we just have the hotel stationery and envelopes. The variety shop downstairs sells them.


PART II

7.	Láojià, wàng Shànghǎi jìde hángkōng xìn yào tiē duōshao qiánde yóupiào.	Excuse me, how much postage do you need to put on an air mail letter to Shanghai?
8.	Wàng Měiguo jìde hángkōng yóujiǎn yào tiē duōshao qiánde yóupiào?	How much postage do you have to put on an aerogram to America?
9.	Dào Guǎngzhōu qùde píngxìn shi duōshao qián?	How much postage do you have to put on a postcard to Hong Kong?
10.	Jì dào Xiānggǎng qùde míngxìnpiàn shi duōshao qián?	How much postage do you have to put on a postcard to Hong Kong?
11.	Guónèide hángkōng xìn dōu shi yìmào.	All air mail within the country is ten cents.
12.	Jì dào guówài qùde hángkōng xìn shi yìmáo.	Air nail letters going out of the country are seventy cents.
13.	Běnshìde píngxìn sìfēnqián.	Regular mail within the city is four cents.
lit.	Wàidìde píngxìn bāfēnqián.	Regular mail outside the city is eight cents.

NOTES AFTER PART II:

tiē: This is the verb “to stick something on or to something else”.

Běnshìde píngxìn/wàidìde píngxìn: In the PRC mail rates differ depending on whether something is going to someplace in the city, out of the city, or out of the country. For the last two categories air mail service is available.

běnshì: “This city”.

wàidì: “Foreign place”, “outside this city”.

Peking:

A conversation at the Post Office.

M:	Láojià, wàng Shànghǎi jìde hángkōng xìn yào tiē duōshao qiánde yóupiào?	Excuse me, how much postage do you need to put on an air mail letter to Shanghai?

F:	Yìmáo. Guónèide hángkōng xìn dōu shi yìmáo.	Ten cents. All air mail within the country is ten cents.

M:	Guówài hángkōng xìn ne?	And if you send outside the country?

F:	Jì dào guówài qùde hángkōng xìn shi qīmáo. Hángkōng yóujiǎn shi sānmáowǔ.	Air mail letters going out of the country are seventy cents; aerograms are thirty-five cents.

M:	Jì dào guówài qùde míngxìnpiàn ne?	And post cards mailed out of the country?

F:	Hángkōngde liǎngmáoèr.	Air mail ones are twenty-two cents.

M:	Guónèide píngxìn shi duōshao?	How much is regular mail within the country?

F:	Běnshìde sìfēn. Wàidìde bāfēn.	Within the city, it’s four cents. Outside the area (city), it’s eight cents.

M:	Qǐng ni gěi wǒ shízhāng yìmáode yóupiào, wǔzhāng hángkōng yóujiǎn, hái yào shízhāng qímáode hángkōng yóupiào.	Please give me ten ten-cent stamps, five aerograms, and ten seventy-cent stamps.

F:	Hǎo. Yígòng jiǔkuài qímáowǔ.	Okay. Altogether it's nine dollars and seventy-five cents.

M:	Zhèi shi shíkuài qián.	Here's ten dollars.

F:	Zhǎo ni liǎngmáowǔ.	Here’s twenty-five cents change.

NOTES AFTER DIALOGUE IN PART II:

shízhāng yóupiào, wǔge hángkōng yóujiǎn: Notice how both the counter -zhāng and the counter -ge are used here to talk about F1at objects. Although the counter -zhāng would be correct for both nouns, the speaker feels free to use -gè also.

PART III

15.	Wǒ yào wàng Měiguo jì yige bāoguǒ.	I want to mail a package to the United States.

16.	Wǒ yào hǎiyùn.	I want to send it by sea mail.

17.	Wǒ zhèige bāoguǒ yào bǎoxiǎn.	I want this package insured.

18.	Wǒ bú huì xiě Zhōngguo zì. Qǐng ni tì wǒ xiě, hǎo bu hao?	I can't write Chinese characters. Please write it for me, all right?

19.	Xiāngzi shàngtou xiězhe shénme ne?	What is written on top of the box?

20.	Wǒmen yào jiǎnchá ni yào jīde dōngxi.	We want to inspect the things that you want to mail.

21.	XIǍOXĪN, QĪNGFĀNG.	CAREFUL, FRAGILE.

22.	Nǐ zuìhǎo zài xiāngzi wàimian xiěshang XIǍOXĪN, QINGFĀNG.	It would be best if you write on the outside CAREFUL, FRAGILE.

NOTES AFTER PART III:

tì: This is the prepositional verb meaning “in place of, for”.

Mèimei tì wo qù mǎi cài.	Little sister is going to go buy food for me (instead of me).

shàngtou: -Tóu is a syllable like -biar. When added to a direction word, it changes it into a place name. The syllable -tóu, however, cannot be added to as many different direction words as -biar can. (See also final reference notes Directions Unit Five.)

Xiǎomàibù zài fàndiàn lǐtou.	The variety shop is in the hotel.

Fàndiàn wàitou yǒu yige yóutǒng.	Outside the hotel is a mailbox.

xiǎoxīn: “To be careful”.

qīngfàng: “Fragile”, or more literally “to put lightly”.

zuìhǎo: This word acts as an adverb, coming after the subject nǐ and before the verb phrase. The word zuìhǎo is used in politely offering advice to someone, not in warning them what they'd better do.

Taipei:

A conversation at the Post Office.

F:	Wǒ yào wàng Měiguo jì yige bāoguo.	I want to mail a package to the United States.
M:	Nǐ yào jì hángkōng háishi hǎiyùn?	Do you want to send it by airmail or by sea mail?
F:	Hǎiyùn.	Send it by sea mail.
M:	Zhèi shi nǐ yào jìde dōngxī ma? Wǒmen yào jiǎnchá.	Are these the things you want to mail? We want to inspect them.
F:	Hǎo. Qǐng ni jiǎnchá ba.	Okay. Please inspect them.
M:	Ōu, yítào pánziwǎn.	Oh, a set of dishes.
F:	Zhège kéyi bǎoxiǎn ma?	Can this be insured?
M:	Kéyi.	Yes.
M:	Nǐ zuìhǎo zài xiāngzi wàimian xiěshang XIǍOXĪN, QĪNGFÀNG.	It would be best if you write on the outside CAREFUL, FRAGILE.
F:	Wǒ bú huì xiě Zhōngguo zì. Qǐng ni tì wǒ xiě, hǎo bu hao?	I can't write Chinese characters. Please write it for me, all right?
M:	Hǎo. Wǒ tì ni xiě.	Okay. I'll write it for you

PART IV

23.	Wǒ yǒu yíjiàn zhòngyàode shì yào gàosong wo fùmǔ.	I have something important that I want to tell my parents.
24.	Wǒ xiǎng dǎ yìfēng diànbào.	I think I’ll send a telegram.
25.	Dào diànxìnjú qu zěnme zǒu?	How do you get to the telegraph office?
26.	Diànxìnjú gēn Tàiběi Yóuzhèngjù zài yìqǐ.	The Telegraph Office and the Taibei Post Office are located together.
27.	Nǐ bǎ dìzhǐ gèn yào shuōde dōu xiě zài zhèzhāng zhǐshang.	Write the address and what you want to say on this paper.
28.	Diànbào Dàlóu 	The Telegraph Building (Peking)

NOTES AFTER PART IV

bǎ dìzhí: In sentence No. 28 the object comes before the verb and is preceded by the marker bǎ. Although it is common for an object to come before the verb marked by bǎ, not all objects can do so. The object in a bǎ-phrase is the direct object of an action verb. It is a particular know thing, not a new idea about to be introduced into the conversation. The action verb in the sentence is usually more than one syllable or followed by something else, such as a place name. For more on bǎ. see Transportation Unit 3 and Meeting Unit 5.

Qǐng ni bǎ shū fàngzai zhuōzishang.	Please put the book on the table.

Tā bǎ tāde chē mài le.	He sold his car.

diànxìnjú: “Telegraph Office.” In the PRC the word used is diànxùnjú.

Taipei:

Mr. White, an American, is talking to a Chinese friend.

M:	Wǒ yǒu yíjiàn zhòngyàode shì yào wàng Měiguo dǎ yìfēng diànbào. Dào náli qù dǎ?	I have something important, I want to send by telegram to America. Where do I go to send it?
F:	Dào Diànxìnjú qù dǎ.	You go to the Telegraph Office to send it.
M:	Zài náli?	Where is it?
F:	Zài Buóài Lù. Gēn Táiběi Yōuzhèngjú zài yìqǐ.	It's on Buóài Lù. Together with the Taipei Post Office.
M:	Hǎo. Xièxie ni. Wǒ xiànzài jiù qù dǎ.	Okay. Thank you. I'll go right now to send it.

(Now he speaks to the clerk at the telegraph Office)

M:	Qǐngwèn, wǒ yào wàng Měiguo dǎ yìfēng Yīngwénde diànbào zěnme dǎ?	May I ask, I want to send an English telegram to the U.S. How do I send it?
F:	Nǐ bǎ dìzhī gēn yào shuōde dōu xiě zài zhèzhāng zhǐshang.	Write the address and what you want to say on this paper.
M:	Yíge zì duōshao qián?	How much is it per word?
F:	Yíge zì Táibì èrshíèrkuài wǔmáo qián. Zuìshǎo èrshige zì.	One word is 22.50 Taibi. The minimum is twenty words.
M:	Hǎo.	Okay.

(He writes down what he wants to say and hands it to the clerk) 

M:	Yígòng èrshiyíge zì.	Altogether it's twenty-one words.
F:	Yígòng èrbǎisìshiqīkuài wǔmáo qián.	Altogether it's 247.5O
M:	Hǎo.	Fine.

Peking:

An American staying at the Peking Hotel asks the service attendant on her f1oor for some information.

F:	Wǒ xiǎng dǎ yìfēng diànbào. Zài fàndiànli kéyi bu keyi dǎ? Hàishi wǒ děi dào Diànbào Dàlóu qù dǎ?	I’d like to send a telegram. Can I send it in the hotel? Or do I have to go to the Telegraph Building to send it?
M:	Búbì dào Diànbào dàlóu qù dǎ. Nǐ kéyi dào fàndiànlǐde yóujú qù dà.	You don’t have to go to the Telegraph Building to send it. You can go to the post office in the hotel to send it.
F:	Hǎo. Xièxie ni. Nǐ zhīdao duōshao qián yíge zì ma?	Good. Thank you. Do you know how much it is a word?
M:	Wǒ yě bù zhīdaò. Nǐ wèn tāmen ba.	I don’t know. You ask them.


Vocabulary

bǎ	(object marker)
bāoguǒ	package
bǎoxiǎn	to protect by insurance, to insure
bènshì	this city
-céng	counter for F1oors of buildings
dǎ diànhuà	to make a phone call, to telephone
diànbào	telegram
Diànbào Dàlóu	Telegraph Office
diànhuà	phone call
Diànxìnjú	Telegraph Office
-fēng	counter for letter
fúwùtái	service desk
guàhào	to register(something)
guàhàoxìn (yìfēng)	registered letter
guówài	outside the country, foreign
guónèi	within the country, domestic
hǎiyùn	sea mail
hángkōng	air mail
hángkōng yōujiǎn	aerogram
-jiàn	counter for matter, affairs
jiànchá	to inspect examine
jì	to mail, to send by mail
lóuxià	downstairs
míngxìnpiàn	post cards
píngxìn	regular mail, surface mail
qíngfàng	fragile(lit, put down lightly)
shì(yíjiàn)	matter, affair,thing
tì	in place of (someone), for
tie	to paste on, to stick
wàídí	outside the local area
wàimian	outside
xiāngzi	box, suitcase, trunk
xiǎoxīn	to be careful
xiěshang	to write on (something)
xìn (yìfēng)	letter
xìnfēng	envelope
xìnzhǐ	stationery
yíqǐ	together, together with
yóujú 	post office
yóupiào(yìzhang)	stamp
yǒu tǒng	mailbox
yóuzhèngjú	post office
zhòngyào	to be important
zuìhǎo	the best; “it would be best”
zuìshǎo	at least, at the minimum

Post Office and Telephone Module. Unit 2

PART I

1.	Qǐng ni gěi wo jiē Měidàsī.	Please connect me with the Department of American and Oceanic Affairs.
2.	Qǐng Tán Sīzhāng jiē diànhuà.	Please have Bureau Chief Tán come to the phone.
3.	Tā xiànzài zài bu zai bàngōngshì?	Is he in his office now?
U.	Qǐng xiān bié guà.	Don't hang up just yet?
5.	Wǒ gēi ni zhǎo tā.	I'll look for him for you.
6.	Tán Sīzhǎng xiànzài yǒu shì.	Bureau Chief Tan is busy right now.
7.	Tā bù néng lái jiē diànhuà.	He can't come to the phone.
8.	Tā děng yìhuǐr gěi ni huí diànhuà.	He will call you back in a little while.
9	Wàijiāobù	Ministry of Foreign Affairs

NOTES AFTER PART I;

jiē: This is the verb “to connect”, “to join”. It is also the verb “to receive a message or mail”.

bié: This is the negative imperative “don't!”

Bié gēn ta shuō!	Don't talk with him!
Bié zài shuō ba!	Don't talk about it again.

zhǎo: This is the verb “to look for”. It is also sometimes translated as “to find”.

Wǒ qù zhǎo ta.	I'll go look for him. (I'll go find him.)

néng: “to be able to”. Although this verb overlaps in meaning with kéyi, “can, may”, there are definite differences. The verb néng is more general, while kéyi has the narrower meaning “be able to” the sense of “be permitted to do so by someone”.

Peking:

F1:	Wèi! Wàijiāobù.	Hello, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

M:	Qǐng ni gěi wo jiē Měidàsī.	Please connect me with the Bureau of American and Pacific Affairs.

F2:	Měidàsī.	Bureau of American and Pacific Affairs.

M:	Qǐng Tán Sīzhǎng jiē diànhuà.	Please have Section Chief Tán come to the phone.

F:	Tā xiànzài bú zài bàngōngshì. Nín shi nǎr?	He’s not in the office right now. Who’s calling?

M:	Wǒ shi Jiānàdà Dàshiguǎnde Dàwèi Andésēn.	I’m David Anderson of the Canadian Embassy.

F:	Nǐ xiān bié guà. Wǒ gěi ni qù zhǎo ta.	Don’t hang up just yet. I'll go look for him for you.

	...

F:	Andésēn Xiānsheng. Tán Sīzhǎng xiànzài yǒu shì, bù néng lái jiē diànhuà. Qǐng ni gàosu wo nǐde diànhuà hàomǎr. Tán Sīzhǎng děng yìhuǐr gěi ni huí diànhuà.	Mr. Anderson. Bureau Chief Tán is busy right now, and can't come to the phone. Please tell me your telephone number. Bureau Chief Tán will call you back in a little while.

M:	Hǎo. Wǒde diànhuà hàomǎr shi sān-sì-wǔ—liù-liù-yāo.	Fine. My telephone number is 345-661.

PART II

10.	Qǐng jiē sānshièrhào fēnjī.	Please connect me with extension number 32.
11.	Qǐng dà yìdiǎr shēng shuō.	Please speak a little louder.
12.	Wǒ tīng bù qīngchu.	I can't hear you clearly.
13.	Wǒ shi yige Měiguo shāngrén.	I'm an American businessman.
1U.	Nǐde míngzi wo xiěxialai le.	I wrote down your name.
15	Wàimàobù	Ministry of Foreign Trade

NOTES AFTER PART II:

Qǐng dà yìdiǎr shēng shuō: Notice that the phrase describing the manner of action, dà yìdiǎr shēng (with a little bit lender voice), comes before the main verb shuō, “to speak”.

qīngchu: This is the adjectival verb “to be clear”.

Peking:

F1:	Wài, Wàimàobù.	Hello, Ministry of Foreign Trade.

M:	Qǐng jiē sānshièrhào fēnjī.	Please connect me with extension number 32.

F1:	Hǎo.	All right.

(The receptionist puts the call through.)

F2:	Wài.	Hello

M:	Qìng Lǐ Dàming Xiānsheng jiē diànhuà.	Please have Mr. Lǐ Dàming come to the phone.

F2:	Wài. Qǐng dà yìdiar shēng shuō. Wǒ tīng bù qīngchu.	Hello. Please speak a little louder. I can’t hear you clearly.

(He speaks a lottle louder)

M:	Qǐng Lǐ Dàmíng, L Xiānsheng Jiē diànhuà.	Please have Lǐ Dàmíng, Mr. Lǐ come to the phone.

F2:	Ōu, nǐ zhǎo Lǐ Dàmíng jiē diànhuà. Hǎo, qǐng ni děngyiděng.	Oh, you want Lǐ Daming to come to the phone. Okay, please wait a moment.

M:	Hǎo.	All right.

F2:	Ōu, tā qù chī fàn qù le. Nín shi něiwèi?	Oh, he went out to eat. Who is calling?

M:	Wǒ shi Qiāozhì Dàfēi. Wǒ shi yige Měiguo shāngrén. Wǒ zhùzai Běijīng Fàndiàn 5O4 hào.	I'm George Duffy. I'm an American businessman. I'm staying at the Peking Hotel, room 504.

F2:	Hǎo, nǐde míngzi wō xiěxialai le. Děng Lǐ Dàmíng huílai wǒ gàosu ta gěi ni huí diànhuà.	Okay, I wrote down your name. When Li Darning returns, I'll tell him to call you back.

M:	Xièxie ni.	Thank you.

PART III

16.	Sānshièrhào fēnjī zhànzhe xiàn ne.	Extension 32 is busy.
17.	Wǒ méi tīngdǒng.	I didn't understand.
18.	Nǐ yào děngyiděng háishi guò yìhuǐr zài dǎlai?	Do you want to wait or call back in a little while?
19.	Nǐ yào liú ge huà ma?	Do you want to leave a message?
20.	Bú yòng le.	No need to.
21.	Wǒ gěi ni jiēguoqu.	I’ll connect you.

NOTES ON PART III:

... zhànzhe xiàn ne: -Zhe is the marker of DURATION of actions and states. It indicates that an action or state lasted (or lasts) for an amount of time. The marker ne marks ONGOING actions and states. In this expression the marker -zhe tells us that at some time the line CONTINUES to he occupied, and the marker ne tells us that this is GOING ON now. -Zhe is used in sentences to describe activities which last over a period of time, whether that time is past, present or future. A verb plus -zhe in Chinese often corresponds to the “-ing” form of the verb in English.

Zǒuzhe qù kéyi ma?	Can you get there by walking?
Tā hái bìngzhe ne.	He is still sick.

tīngdǒng: This is a compound verb meaning “to understand (by listening)”.

guò: This is the verb “to pass, cross, go through.” It can be used when talking about time or space.

Guò liǎngtiáo jiē, wàng zuǒ zǒu.	Go past two streets and go to the left.
Guò liǎngfēn zhōng, wǒ zài lai.	I’ll be back in two minutes.

Taipei:

F1:	Wài, Táiwān Yínháng.	Hello, Bank of Taiwan.

M:	Qǐng ni jiē sānshièrhào fēnjī.	Please connect me with extension number 32.

F1:	Hǎo. ...Duìbuqǐ, zhànzhe xiàn ne.	All right. ... I’m sorry that line is busy.

M:	Nǐ shuō shénme? Wǒ méi tīngdǒng. Qǐng ni zài shuō yícì.	What did you say? I didn’t understand. Please say it again.

F1:	Sānshièrhào fēnji zhànzhe xiàn ne. Jiù shi shuō yǒu rén zài shuō huà ne.	Extension number 32 is busy. That's to say there is someone talking.

M:	Òu, wǒ dǒng le.	Oh, I understand now.

F1:	Nǐ yào děngyiděng ne, háishi guò yìhuǐr zài dǎlai ne?	Do you want to wait or call back in a little while.

M:	Wǒ děngyiděng.	I’ll wait.

F1:	Wài, sānshièrhào fēnjī méiyou rén shuō huà le. Wǒ gěi ni jiēguoqu.	Hello, there's no one talking on extension number 32 now. I’ll connect you.

M:	Xièxie.	Thank you.

	...

F2:	Wéi!	Hello.

M:	Qǐng Fāng Mínglì, Fāng Xiáojie jiē diànhuà.	I'd like to speak with Fāng Mínglǐ, Miss Fāng.

F2:	Òu, duìbuqi tā bú zài. Nǐ yào liú ge huà ma?	Oh, I'm sorry, she’s not here. Do you want to leave a message?

M:	Bú yòng le. Wǒ xiànzài yào chūqu, wǒ xiàwu zài dǎlai.	No need to. I’m going out now. I'll call back this afternoon.

PART IV

22.	Qíngwèn, zhè fùjìn yǒu gōngyòng diànhuà ma?	May I ask, is there a public telephone in the area?
23.	Wǒ wàngle dài tāde diànhuà hàomǎr.	I forgot to bring his telephone number.
2U.	Wǒ bú huì chá Zhōngguo diànhuàbù.	I don’t know how to look things up in a Chinese phone book.
25.	gōngguǎn	residence, home (a polite reference to another's residence)

Taipei:

M:	Qǐngwèn, zhè fùjìn yǒu gōngyòng diànhuà ma?	May I ask, is there a public telephone in the area?

F1:	Zhèige gōngsī ménkǒu jiù yǒu.	There’s one at the doorway of this company.

M:	Òu, jiù zài zhèli. ... Duìbuqǐ, wǒ xiǎng gěi wǒde péngyou Wáng Dànián dǎ diànhuà, kěshi wǒ wàngle dài tāde diànhuà hàomar.	Oh, it’s right here. Excuse me, I want to call may friend Wang Danian, but I forgot to bring his telephone number with me.

F1:	Gōngyòng diànhuà nàli yǒu diànhuàbù.	The public telephone has telephone book.

M:	Wǒ bú huì chá Zhōngguo diànhuàbù. Qǐng ni tì wǒ cháyicha, hāo bu hao?	I don’t know how to look things up in a Chinese phone book. Please look it up for me, all right?

F1:	Hǎo.	Okay.

(After the young lady finds the number, he dials it. A servant picks up the phone.)

F2:	Wài, Wǎng gōngguǎn.	Hello, the Wáng residence.

M:	Qǐng Wáng Dànián, Wáng Xiānsheng shuō huà.	I'd like to speak with Mr. Wáng, Mr. Wáng Danian.

(He hears the servant say...)

F2:	Xiānsheng, yǒu nǐde diànhuà.	There's a call for you, Sir.

Vocabulary

bàngōngshì	office
bié	don’t 
bú yòng	no need to
chá 	to look up (information)
dài	to bring with one, to carry along
diànhuàbù	phone directory
fēnjī	telephone extension
gōngguǎn	residence, home (a polite reference to another’s residence)
gōngyòng	public, for public use
guàshang	to hang up(telephone)
guò	to pass(some time)
huí diànhuà 	to return a phone call
jiē	to connect, to join
jiēguoqu 	to connect, to put through (phone call)
liú ge huà	to leave a message
Měidàsī	Bureau of American and Pacific Affairs
míngzi	name
néng	can, to be able
qīngchu	to be clear
shāngrén	businessman
shēng 	sound, voice
ting	to listen to, to hear
tīngdong 	to understand (by listening)                    
Wàijiāobù	Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Wàimàobù	Ministry of Foreign Trade
wàng  	to forget      
xiàn	telephone line, wire
xiéxialai	to write down
yìhuǐr	a short while, a moment
zhàn	to occupy a space
zhǎo	to look for, to find