Conversation Practice

Car RentalBy Paul Chen

Outline

Starting Questions What to Be Noticed Sample Conversations

(1) (2)

Vocabulary (1) & (2) Useful Expressions Reference

Starting Questions

Have you ever rented a car? If so, how did you do it?

What should one pay attention to before and after reserving a car?

What certificates should one bring with while renting a car?

What to Be Noticed

Conduct a survey on the Internet beforehand. Check out what the company have available. Check out the car rate. Tell the agent what kind of car you want. Leave some of your personal information to the agent.

e.g. names, address, the driver’s license information How many days you would rent the car for (pick-up a

nd drop-off date) Where and when you would like to pick up the car (lo

cation and time) How would you pay? (by cash, by check, or by credit

card) Reconfirm the reservation before your pick up the car.

Sample Conversation OneAt the counter of the car rental company.A: Agent, C: CustomerA: May I help you?C: Yes. I’d like to rent a car. What do you have available?A: What kind of car do you want? We have small, mid-side, full size, and vans.C: What’s the rate for a van?A: 3,200NT per day including 500 km, plus 50NT per km.C: That’s fine. I’ll take it.A: When will you pick up and drop off the car?C: I’d pick it up here next Tuesday at 10am and return it next Friday by noon.A: Would you like the insurance with it? It’s 300NT a day.C: Okay.A: Can I have your ID card and driver’s license? C: Here you go.A: How will you like to pay?C: Just put it on my credit card.A: Please sign your name on the contract here. The car will be ready for you then.

Sample Conversation TwoOver the phone.T: Tourist; C: ClerkT: I need a car. What do you have available?C: What kind of car do you want? We have compact, mid-size, full size, and v

ans.T: What’s the rate for a compact?C: Our weekend special is 18,00NT with 300 km, 50NT per km.T: That sounds reasonable. I’ll take it.C: How many days would you like to rent it for?T: Three days. I will pick it up at 10am this Friday and drop it off by 9pm this

Sunday.C: Sure. The car will be ready for you then. May I have your name and addre

ss? T: Robert Adobes. No.510, Zhong-zheng Rd., Xin-Zhuang City.C: May I also have you credit car number, sir?T: 3388-4524-8746-5566.C: Thank you, Mr. Adobes. Your reservation number is 00563. Be sure to inf

orm the clerk of the number when you pick up the car. Thanks for your calling.

Vocabulary (1)

rental 租金 car rental company 租車公司 rental car agent 租車代理員 on weekends 週末假日 on weekdays 非假日 = during the week hourly/ daily rate 每小時 / 每日費 by cash/ by credit card 現金 / 信用卡付費 to get insurance for the car 替車子保險 pick-up location 取車地點 pick-up date 取車日 drop-off date 還車日 driver’s license 駕照 registration (of motor vehicles) 行照 (license) plate 牌照

Vocabulary (2)

capacity 容量 brake 煞車 shift the gear 換檔 (reverse gear, neutral gear 倒車

檔、空檔 ) gas pedal 油門 airbag 安全氣囊 cruise control 恆速行駛操縱裝置 air conditioning 空調 manual transmission 手動排檔 automatic transmission 自動排檔 ABS=anti-lock brake system 防鎖死煞車系統 unlimited mileage 不限里程 car maintenance 汽車保養

Useful ExpressionsC: Clerk; T: TouristT: Can I rent a car for five days? 我可以 ( 租車 ) 租五天嗎？C: Certainly, sir. 當然可以。

T: What do you have available? 有什麼車可以租的呢？C: We have compact, mid-size, standard, and full-size. 我們有大中小和標準型車款。

T: What’s the rate? 租車費怎麼算？C: 1,800NT per day. 一天 1,800 塊台幣。

C: Would you like insurance with that? 車子要加保險嗎？T: No, I don’t want to pay the extra cost. 不，我不想付這比額外的費用。

C: How will you be paying, sir? 請問您的付費方式是？T: Just put it on my credit card. 算在我的信用卡上。

C: Can I have your driver’s license? 能借一下您的駕照嗎？T: Sure, here it is. 當然，拿去吧。

C: What kind of car do you want? 您需要什麼樣的車？T: I’d like a premium wagon. 我想要一輛優質休旅車。

What Kind of Car Do You Want?

Compact

2 adults, 2 children

1 large bag or 2 small bags

a/ c, dual airbags

am / fm radio

Economy

2 adults, 2 children

1 large bag, 1 small bag

a/ c, driver airbags, ABS

am / fm cassette

Full Size

5 adults

1 large bag, 2 small bags

a/ c, dual airbags, ABS

am / fm CD player

cruise control

V6 engine

Luxury

6 adults

3 large bags, 2 small bags

a/ c, dual airbags, anti theft, ABS

cruise control

V8 engine

Cars of Different Kinds Economy car 經濟型轎車 Compact car 小型車 Mid-size car 中型車 Standard car 標準車 Full-size Car 全型車 Premium Car 優質車 Luxury Car 豪華車 Convertible 有活動摺篷的汽車 Compact SUV 小型運動休閒車 Standard SUV 標準運動休閒車 Full-size SUV 全型運動休閒車 Premium SUV 優質運動休閒車 Luxury SUV 豪華運動休閒車(SUV=Sport-Utility Vehicle)

All-Terrain 越野車 Compact Truck 小卡車 Standard Truck 標準卡車 Full-size Truck 全型卡車 Mini Van 迷你箱型車 / 房車 Standard Van 標準箱型車 / 房車 Full-size Van 全型箱型車 / 房車 Premium Wagon 優質休旅車 Luxury Wagon 豪華休旅車 Specialty Sports 特殊跑車 Premium Sports 優質跑車 Specialty Luxury 特殊豪華車 Extra Special Car 特別專用車

Reference

Travelocity <http://travel.travelocity.com/car/ CarLegend.do>

Avis Car Rental <http://www.avis.com/ AvisWeb/home/AvisHome>