The excessive bill

Once a man received an exorbitant bill for legal services. He considered the amount excessive, so he went right to the lawyer's office. The conversation went like this:

Client: Is this really my bill?

Lawyer: Isn't this your name on the bill?

C.: Yes.

L.: Who handled it?

C.: One of your secretaries. The tall one with blonde hair and...

L.: Yes, yes. Miss Thompson. She's very accurate. There's no doubt that the bill is correct.

C.: But this is too much for the service I received from your office. I didn't even have the professional services of a real lawyer.

L.: That doesn't have anything to do with it. Here the charge is the same, whether I do the work person­ally or a secretary takes care of a routine matter such as yours.

C.: But... but it's too much!

L.: Sir, you take care of your business and I'll take care of mine!

C.: Obviously you don't know who I am!

L.: And who are you, sir?

C.: Now I understand this exorbitant bill.

L.: What do you mean?

C.: Simply that I belong to the same profession as you do.

L.: Oh, well! Then there was an oversight. My secretary didn't make a note of that fact. I'm very sorry

about the mistake.

C.: Oh, that's all right. It could happen to anyone.

L.: So you're a member of my profession, eh? Well, in that case, I'll give you a discount of seventy-five

percent.

C.: That's better! Now that bill is for a reasonable sum, I'll pay it right away. Here's the money.

L.: Thank you very much. I hope that you'll forgive this mistake.

C.: Naturally. After taking the money, the lawyer sees his client to the door with great respect and courtesy, and says:

L.: But tell me, friend, where is your office?

C.: Oh, I don't have an office.

L.: But you just told me that you had the same profession as I do.

C.: Yes, I did. I'm a thief too!

17.8.2. Can you complete each sentence in the first list with the appropriate phrase from the second?

1. The telephone operator A. lack of hard work

put through B. by their younger brothers

2. I have out by or sisters

3. She was dreadfully put C. his shoulder, playing

out Rugby

4. If it rains we shall D. enough money for a win-

have to put off ter holiday

5. How can you put up E. your address before I

with forget it

6. George has put out F. the barbecue in the gar-

7. I must put down den tonight

8. We would be happy to G. the noise and fumes of

put you up town life

9. We put his failure H. I shall stop smoking

down to I. by his unkind remarks

10. If cigarettes are put up J. if you would like to stay

11. Older children are the night

often put upon K. a warm jumper and hea-

12. When he began to vy coat

shiver he decided to L. the call from London

put on

UNIT 18

Фонетика: sounds [b], [p]

Словообразование: сложные существительные типа witness-box

Грамматика: придаточные подлежащие, придаточ­ные сказуемые

Текст: «Pete and Nell go to the pictures» (cont.)