English Conversation - In The Post Office

English Conversation - IN THE POST OFFICE
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Vikram : goes to the post office to buy letter forms and to register a letter.
Vikram :(At the stamp selling counter). I want twenty inland letter forms, please.
Clerk :(Counting off twenty letter forms Here you are.
Vikram :How much do they cost?
Clerk :Each inland letter form is for 75 paise. So twenty inland letter forms will be worth rupees fifteen.
Vikram :Here are fifteen Rupees. Where do I register this letter?
Clerk : please go to the Registered letters counter.
Vikarma:(Going up to the Registered letter Counter) I want to register this letter, please.
Clerk :Have you given the complete address of the addressee and also the sender’s address?
Vikram : Yes, Sir.
Clerk:Right. Now let me weigh the letter. (Put the letter on the scale) That’ll be Rs 2.75 worth of stamps. Please go back to the stamps counter, buy stamps worth two rupees and seventy-five paise, stick them on this envelope and then come back to me.
Vikram buys the stamps and comes back to the Registered Letters counter.
Vikram: Here you are. The stamps have been affixed.
Clerk :That’s good. Now I’ll give you a receipt and frank the stamps on the envelops. There you are, here is your receipt.
Vikram:Thank you. What else can you send from here?
Clerk : I also register parcels. And the gentleman at the other end of the room sends off elegrams.
Vikram : (walking over to the telegram counter). How do I send a telegram, Sir?
Clerk : You fill out this form. Fill in the name and address of the person to whom you want to send the telegram. Then you write out the message. Finally you write your own name and address.
Vikram: Do I have to put stamps on the telegram?
Clerk : No. You pay us for every word used in the telegram. The rates per word for ordinary and urgent telegrams are different.
Vikram : Thank you.
Vikram: goes back to the stamps vendor’s counter.
Vikram : Excuse me sir, can I write a letter to my pen friend in England on this Inland Letter form?
Clerk : No. For writing a letter to a person who lives outside India, you have to pay more money. If you write a letter enclosed in an envelope, you have to pay Rs.6.50 for stamps, if the letter is sent by air-mail. If you buy an Airmail letter form, that will cost you Rs 4.50.
Vikram : What is the Airmail Letter form?
Clerk : It is just like the Inland letter form except that it is used for writing letters to people outside the country.
Vikram : It seems to be very expensive to write to friends abroad.
Clerk: You could right by sea-mail. That would be cheaper but your letter will take longer to each your friend.
Vikram :I think I’ll write to my friend by airmail. Can you give me one such form?
Clerk : Certainly. Here you are.
Vikram And I’ll pay you Rs.4.50.

(B) VOCABULARY

scales money –order
letter-box postcard

Phrases

fill in postal order
to make a phone call to post a letter

Meanings

scale weighing machine
postal order a form for sending money by post.
fill in write the necessary information
addressee the person to whom the letter is addressed
frank to stamp over
vendor seller

(C) Study the following responses:

1 What are the various functions of a post office?
Response: A post office receives the mail meant for distribution in the relevant zone. These letters are sorted out and given to postman for house to house distribution. Letters posted at the post office and at various letter-boxes in the locality are collected and then dispatched to post office of their destination. A post office sells stamps, registers letters and parcels, sends telegrams and receives money orders. The latest facilities offered by post offices are receipt of payments for telephone bills and radio licences.

(D) Make suitable responses.

(1) What other facilities are offered by a post office?
Response: ______________________________________
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(2) What do you understand by an “insured parcel”?
Response: ________________________________________
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