BBC初級商務英語第5期:如何用英語預定飛機票
Introduction
Modern business often involves international travel. When booking a flight, what questions do you need to ask?
現代商務經常涉及到國際旅行，當預訂航班的時候你需要詢問什麼樣的問題。
Dolores: Hello! Dolores speaking…
Tim: Ah yes, hello. I’d like to enquire about flights to Hong Kong from Kennedy Airport in New York, please. I’m off to a conference at the end of the month - Thursday 22nd until Tuesday 27th. Could you tell me about the flight availability and prices?
Dolores: Certainly. Do you want to go economy, business or first class?
Tim: Well, I’d like to go first class, but unfortunately I’ll have to go economy -company rules, you see.
Dolores: Yes, sure, I understand. How many of you will be travelling?
Tim: Ah, it’s just me.
Dolores: Okay, so that’s one seat …economy … New York - Kennedy to Hong Kong Airport.
Tim: And how much will that be?
Dolores Let me see … to qualify for the discount rate, you need to stay over a Saturday, which you are doing …Yes, that’ll be $830.
Tim: Right, and does that include airport tax?
Dolores: No, tax is another $70 on top of that.
Tim: Okay. Can I book that, then?
Dolores: Certainly.
Dolores: Can I help you with anything else?
Tim: Yes, I’d like to book a hotel room too, for the full five nights. Could you check if the Regency Hotel has any rooms free?
Dolores: Yes, they do.
Tim: And is there a discount rate for conference delegates?
Dolores: Yes, there is. I think it’s 10% but I can check that for you.
Tim: Okay, do you mind if I book it provisionally for now and I’ll call you back later to confirm? I just need to check one or two details.
Dolores: That’s fine, sir. Can I help you with anything else?
Tim: No, that’s all for now. As I said, I’ll call you back.
Useful Phrases
I'd like to enquire about flights. 我想詢問下航班情況。
Could you tell me about the flight availability? 你能告訴我有哪些機票出售嗎？
Do you want to go economy, business or first class? 你是想坐經濟艙，商務艙還是頭等艙？
Does that include airport tax? 那包括了機場稅了嗎？
No, tax is another $70 on top of that 沒有，機場稅另算，是70美元。
I’d like to book a hotel room 我想訂一個賓館房間。
Could you check if the hotel has any rooms free? 你能不能查一下賓館裏是不是有空房間？
Is there a discount rate? 提不提供折扣？
Instructions: Finish the sentence with the correct phrase.
1. I'd like to ___________ about flights.
A find
B enquire
C question you
D tell me
2. Tax is $50 on ________ of that.
A plus
B end
C bottom
D top
3. I'd like to book a hotel room ___________.
A proficiently
B provisionally
C professionally
D prescriptively
4. I'll call you back later to ___________.
A speak
B assure
C confirm
D certify
Answers
1. I'd like to ___________ about flights.
A find : Wrong – you can say ‘find out about' but not ‘find about'
B enquire : Correct – this means to ask questions and find out about something
C question you : Wrong – this is grammatically correct, but we only use this phrase in formal situations like a police investigation
D tell me : Wrong – it should be ‘I'd like you to tell me…'
2. Tax is $50 on ________ of that.
A plus : Wrong – you can say ‘plus $50' but not ‘plus of that'
B end : Wrong – we don't say ‘on end of that'
C bottom : Wrong - we don't say ‘on bottom of that'
D top : Correct – $50 ‘on top' of some money is an extra cost, added to the total at the end
3. I'd like to book a hotel room ___________.
A proficiently : Wrong – if you do something ‘proficiently' you do it well
B provisionally : Correct – if you do something ‘provisionally' it means that you might change your mind later
C professionally : Wrong – if you do something ‘professionally' you do it as your job
D prescriptively : Wrong – if you do something ‘prescriptively' you follow the rules very closely
4. I'll call you back later to ___________.
A speak : Wrong – we would say ‘speak to you' or ‘talk'
B assure : Wrong – you need an object here
C confirm : Correct – this means he will call back to agree his statement or plan finally
D certify : Wrong – ‘to certify' is to say that something is genuine or true, but we can't use it in this context
