第18课　THE STRESS OF THE MISSING PARCEL

This is the letter that Mr Tan could have sent Jane:

GBLD INSURANCE PTE LTD

(Office Tower, Singapore)

Dear Ms Wheeler

Policy No. AN/357/PQ/RSCV-1

Thank you for your telephone call yesterday. I am pleased to tell you that we can extend your insurance policy for another six months.

Please sign the enclosed application form and return it to us within 10 days. I will send you a new cover note as soon as I have confirmation of the extension.

If you have any further queries, I will be happy to help. My direct line is 123 4567.

Yours sincerely

Patrick Tan

Nora is working when Gary comes to find her...

Gary: Nora, Jane wants to know what's happening with the parcel for SHATEC. It was very urgent, you know.

Nora: He bring it back already.

Gary: Er... Don't you mean he brought it back already?

Nora: (laughing) Oh yes! Your English is so good now, Gary! Past already, so ...he brought it back already.

Jane arrives and overhears the conversation...

Jane: Who's brought what back?

Nora: The parcel...

Jane: (cutting in) Not the parcel for SHATEC?

Gary: It's OK, Jane - courier got the parcel and...

Jane: (cutting in) Korea? - you mean you sent it all the way to Korea? It was only supposed to go to Orchard Road.

Gary: Don't worry so much Jane - he (proudly) brought it back already.

Jane: But why's he brought it back? - it was supposed to go express to Orchard Road! (worried) I knew I should've taken it myself. I'll do it now - can you get me a taxi please, Nora?

Gary: No need Jane, he brought it back already!

Narrator: By the time they've all finished going round in circles, the parcel will probably have arrived safely at its destination in Orchard Road! So why did Jane seem so untrusting of her colleagues?
You've got it - another problem with their English:

Replay...

Nora: (laughing) Oh yes! Your English is so good now, Gary! Past already, so... he brought it back already.

Narrator: They still haven't got their grammar right here, but what's more serious is that they're using the wrong word:

Replay...

Gary: No need, Jane, he brought it back already!

Narrator: You see, there's a big difference between bring and take in English. What did you understand, Jane?

Jane: To bring back means to return, so I understood that the parcel had come back - back here - to HotDotCom.

Narrator: When really the parcel had been taken to the delivery company all the time. He's taken it back with him would have been clearer, but in good English you'd say: he's picked it up, or collected it.

Nora: I see. The Korea has picked it up, or collected it.

Gary: Well not quite, Nora - not your pronunciation. You said Ko-REA, which sounds like the country. You must stress the first part of the word like this:

Jane: COU-rier.
Nora COU-rier ... COU-rier

Narrator: 'Practice makes Perfect', Nora. See you tomorrow!

《联合早报》

Speak Good English Phone-in Lesson
打电话·听课文 1800 7341015

Speak Well, Be Understood.　好英语，利沟通。
Written by Laraine Bamrah, Paul Tolton, Delphia Choo, Alaisdair Raynham and Steve Adams for the British Council in association with the Speak Good English Movement.
©Ministry of Information and The Arts and British Council Singapore 2001

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