Unit 46: When will it be ready?

1. When will the car be ready?

(Ann and Fred want to go to France and Germany during the holidays. Fred is checking the car while Ann is talking to her friend Sally.)

Fred	Ah-ah, coffee! Yes, please.
Ann	Here you are. When will the car be ready?
Fred	Soon. In a few minutes. Leave it to me!
Ann	Good. He's getting the car ready. We're going to France and Germany during the holidays.
Sally	Oh, that's good.
Ann	Yes. Not like last year. It was terrible. We stayed at home during the holidays last year.
Sally	All the time?
Ann	Yes. Fred did jobs in the house. At least during the first three days he did, but he had one or two little accidents.

(Flashback: Fred drops hammer on toe. Fred unscrews water tap).

Sally	I see. So you cleaned up the house during the rest of the holidays?
Ann	Yes.
Sally	When are you going away?
Ann	In a few days' time. Not till, Friday. Ah, there's Fred. Finished, Fred?
Fred	Well, no. I've got one or two little problems, Ann. Where do these go?

2. I used to cook all the time.

Ann	It's a pity George isn't here. Oh—sorry.
Sally	It's all right, Ann. I don't mind. We're not married anymore. But I can still talk about him. Yes, it's a pity, because George was very good with cars. The problem was he wasn't very good with people, and he wasn't a very good husband.
Ann	So now you're single again. What's it like?
Sally	Now that I'm single again? Well, when I was married I used to cook all the time, and I used to clean the flat, and I used to wash clothes. Now I go out more.
Ann	Visit old friends more. But George used to help you in some ways.
Sally	Yes, he used to help me when he was at home. But he wasn't at home very often. And I used to wait for him. When I was married I used to be a very weak person, Ann.
Ann	And now you're not?
Sally	No, now I'm strong.
Fred	Ah! I need a strong person.
Sally	Oh?
Fred	I want to push the car to Gosport's garage. It's not far.
Sally	All right.
Ann	I'll help too. We must have that car during the holidays. Fred isn't like George. He is always at home and always tries to help. I wish he wouldn't.

3. It'll be ready by Thursday, the 22nd.

Fred	Ah-ah. There! It's finished.
Ann	What is it?
Fred	The plane. Ah-ah. Look!
Sally	Very good.
Ann	Well done! Er—Fred. Are you going to ring the garage now? They said you could ring at five o'clock.
Fred	OK. (On the phone) Hello, Gosport's Garage? This is Mr. Bennet. I brought my car in this morning. When will it be ready, please? Pardon? Oh, yes, all right. They're putting me through to the Service Department. Hello. Yes, my name's Bennet. That's right. When will my car be ready, please? Ah, I see. Yes? Problems? A lot of problems. Yes, I understand. OK. Thank you. Good-bye.
Ann	When will it be ready?
Fred	Well, by Thursday.
Ann	Not till Thursday?
Sally	That's all right, Ann. You're not going on holiday till Friday.
Ann	Yes, that's true. So it will be ready in three days' time.
Fred	Well, no. Not in three days' time exactly. In two weeks' time. It'll be ready by Thursday, the 22nd.
Ann	Oh, no! In two weeks. But we're going to France and Germany during the holidays. We must have the car.
Fred	We could stay at home, Ann. We stayed at home during our last holidays. I could do some jobs in the house.
Ann	No!

4. That's very good of you.

Sally	It's all right, Ann. You can use my car during the holidays.
Ann	Oh, can we really, Sally? Thank you. Thank you.
Fred	That's very good of you, Sally. That's really very nice. And when we come back, I'm sure there'll be something I can do for you ...
Sally	No! No, thanks, Fred. Thank you very much, but no.