Тема 13. Обмен денег (Changing money)
Text
In the evening a few participants went to a bureau de change next to the hotel to change some dollars into pounds.
In London money can be changed either at banks, at bureaux de change or at customers' services desks in big department stores.
Banks are usually open from 9.30 a. m. until 3.30 p. m. Some are open on Saturday, but never on Sunday. They accept plastic cards Visa, Access as well as Eurocheques, traveller's cheques and, of course, cash. Many banks have cash dispensing machine services.
Bureaux de change are usually open for longer hours and every day. They often charge a bigger commission than banks.
The exchange rates are often shown in the running lines placed in the windows or on the walls of the bureaux de change for everybody to see.
Now Sergei comes up to the counter of the bureau de change:
Sergei: Good evening.
Cashier: Good evening, sir. Can I help you?
Sergei: Could I change two hundred dollars into pounds, please?
Cashier: Yes, certainly.
Sergei: How much will it be?
Cashier: About one hundred and twenty pounds.
Sergei: Good. Here you are.
Cashier: Thank you. And how would you like it, in twenties, tens or smaller notes?
Sergei: In tens, please.
Cashier: Fine. Here is the money and your receipt, please.
Sergei: Thanks. Excuse me, will you be open tomorrow, on Sunday?
Cashier: Yes. But we work shorter hours on Sundays. We'll close at 7 p. m.
Sergei: Thank you. And one more thing. Can I change these coins of fifty cents each.
Cashier: I'm afraid 1 can't take small change. We change only notes.
Sergei: Do you believe I can change them somewhere else?
Cashier: I'm afraid you can't. This is a rule with banks and bureaux de change.
Sergei: I see. Thank you. Cashier: You are welcome.
Words and expressions
| bureau de change | обменный пункт, пункт обмена валюты |
| bureaux de change | обменные пункты Note: вывеска "Обменный пункт" — Burean de change, Change (Exchange — Биржа) |
| desk | письменный стол |
| at the customers' services | в отделе обслуживания |
| desk | покупателей |
| department stores | универсальный магазин |
| never | никогда |
| to accept | принимать |
| as well as | а также |
| traveller's cheque | дорожный чек |
| cash | наличные (деньги) |
| cash dispensing machine | автомат, выдающий на |
|
| личные (деньги) |
| longer | более длинный |
| for longer hours | дольше |
| to charge | взимать, брать |
| to charge a commission | взимать комиссию |
| rate | курс |
| exchange rate | курс обмена валюты |
| to run (ran, run) | бежать |
| running | бегущий |
| in the running lines | бегущей строкой |
| window | окно |
| hundred | сотня |
| two hundred | двести |
| two hundred pounds sterling | двести фунтов (стерлингов) |
| receipt | квитанция |
| short | короткий |
| shorter | короче |
| We work shorter hours | Мы закрываемся раньше. |
| to close | закрывать |
| cent | цент |
| There is one hundred cents in one dollar. | В долларе сто центов. |
| small change | сдача |
| to believe | полагать, верить |
| else | еще |
| somewhere else | где-либо ещё |
| rule | правило |
| I see. | Понятно. |
Exercises
1. Find the answers in the text and write them down:
Where can money be changed in London?
Can only cash be changed?
Where can exchange rates be seen?
2. Complete as in the text:
Banks are usually open from ... until ... Some are ... on Saturday but never ... Many banks have machine services. Bureaux de change are usually ... longer hours and .. day They often charge than banks.
3. Read the following:
bureaux de change
either at banks or at bureaux de change or at customers' services desks
They are open every day.
They are open every day but not on Sunday.
They charge a commission.
They charge a bigger commission.
The exchange rates are shown in the windows.
They are shown in the running lines.
The running lines are sometimes placed on the walls for everybody to see.
4. Write down what the text said about:
| • exchange rates • forms of money to be changed • working houis | • commissions • cash dispensing machines • place, where money can be changed |
5. Underline the answer true to the text:
| • Where did the participants go to change some money? | To a bank. To a bureau de change. To a departments store. |
| • Where was it located? | In the hotel. Near the hotel. Rather far from the hotel |
| • What money did they want to change? | Roubles. Pounds. Dollars. |
| • How much money did Sergei want to change? | 200 roubles. 200 pounds. 200 dollars. |
| • For what sum did he change that money? | 120 roubles. 120 pounds. 120 dollars. |
| • In what notes did he get the money? | In tens. In fives. In twenties. |
| • Did he also change the coins he had? | Yes, he did. No, he didn't. |
| • Where can small change be changed? | At banks. At bureaux de change. Nowhere. |
| • Was the bureau de change open on Sunday, as the cashier said? | Yes, it was open 24 hours. No, it was closed. Yes, it was, but only till 19.00. |
6. Read the following:
| • Here is the money. Here is the receipt | • I'm afraid you can't change it. I'm afraid banks don't accept coins either. I'm afraid other bureux de change do not accept coins either. I'm afraid customer's services desks don't accept coins either. |
7. Complete the dialogues and act out similar ones:
•
— Good ...
— Good ... Can I help ...?
— Could I ... 200 ...
— How much ...?
— About 120 ...
— Good. Here you ...
— Thank you. And how ... smaller notes?
— In ...
— Fine. Here is receipt, please.
— Thank you.
•
— Excuse me, will ... Sunday?
— Yes, but ... shorter ... We'll close ...
•
— One more thing. Can I .. coins .?
— I'm afraid I can't ... We .. notes.
— Do you believe ... somewhere else?
— I'm afraid ... This is a rule ...
Артикли
В английском языке существует два артикля:
неопределенный,
определенный.
• Неопределенный артикль употребляется с существительными в единственном числе, когда просто называется данное существительное. Например
This is a bank.
This is a bureau de change.
Во множественном числе в этих случаях не употребляется никакого артикля. Например.
These are banks Jhese are bureaux de change.
Money can be changed either at banks, at bureaux de change or m_big department stores.
Существует две формы неопределенного артикля — a, an. Например.
a bank an office
a dollar an Englishman
a pound an hour
• Определенный артикль употребляется с существительными в единственном и множественном числе, когда о данном предмете говорится как об уже известном. Например.
The participants are at a bureau de change now.
The bureaux de change are open on Sunday till 7.
Существует только одна форма определенного артикля — the.
В некоторых сочетаниях употребляется только определенный артикль. Например
• с наименованиями аэропортов, гостиниц:
the Sheremetievo airport
the Russia hotel
the Sherlock Holmes hotel
• с частями дня
in the evening
in the morning
in the afternoon
В некоторых случаях не употребляется никакого артикля. Например.
• с наименованиями городов, стран, улиц, площадей с именами людей.
England
London
Trafalgar Square, Baker Street
Mr. Hill
• с существительными, после которых стоят числительные.
Room 437
Unit 26
Exercise 10
в некоторых сочетаниях:
to go on business
to be on holiday
to have breakfast
to have lunch
to have dinner
8. Underline the articles in the text and explain their usage in every particular case.
particular — отдельный, частный, определенный
9. Say up what you have learned from the text and dialogue about changing money in Great Britain.
10. Say what you know about:
• changing money in Moscow
• current exchange rates
current — текущий, последний
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