A: First of all, I would like to thank you for your kind invitation to visit your beautiful country. I hope my visit will help to promote a friendly relationship between us.

　　-- 首先，我想感谢你盛情邀请我访问你们美丽的国家。我希望这次访问将有助于促进我们之间的友好关系。

　　B: We’ve been looking forward to your visit. It is a great pleasure for us to have you as our guest. It is always more convenient to discuss things face to face.

　　-- 我们一直在盼着你的到来。有你来做客，真是我们的荣幸。面对面的谈判总是比较方便。

　　A: I would like to tell you that my clients are very satisfied with the last delivery of your slippers. The styles and colors are very much to the taste of our market.

　　-- 我想告诉你，我们的客户对你方的最后一批拖鞋非常满意。拖鞋的式样和颜色很符合我们市场的需要。

　　B: We’ve received some similar comments from other Australian firms too.

　　-- 我们从其他澳大利亚公司那里也听到了类似的反映。

　　A: I understand you are selling the same products to some other Australian importers. This tends to complicate my business. As you know, I am experienced in the business of slippers and enjoy a good business relationship with all the leading whole- salers and retailers in that line. I have a mind to expand this business in the years to come. One of the reasons of my visit here is to sign a sole agency agreement with you on these items for a period of 3 years. As it is to our mutual interests and profit, I am sure you’ll have no objection to it.

　　-- 我知道你们也向其他澳大利亚进口商出售同样的产品。这使我们的生意很难做。你知道，我方在经营拖鞋业务方面很有经验，而且和这一行业中的所有大批发商和零售商有很好的业务关系。我打算将来扩大这项业务。我来访的原因之一就是想和你们签订一项为期三年的独家代理协议。这符合我们双方的利益，我确信你方不会有任何反对意见。

　　B: We appreciate your good intention and your effort in pushing the sale of our slippers. As you know, the demand for this item in your market is quite substantial. However, according to our records, the total amount of your order last year was moderate, which does not warrant an agency appointment. Unless you increase the turnover we can hardly appoint you our sole agent.

　　-- 谢谢你方好意以及在推销我方拖鞋上所做的努力。但是你知道你方市场对这一商品的需求很大。然而根据我们的记录，你方去年的订货总量不大，不够资格做代理。除非你方增加营业额，我们无法指定你方为我们的独家代理。

　　A: I’ll come to that. My proposal is: Plastic slippers of all sizes. 50, 000 pairs annually within the area of the whole Australian market. We expect a 5% commission, of course.

　　-- 我就要谈这一点。我的建议是：各种尺寸的塑料拖鞋，每年销售五万双，地区是整个澳大利亚市场。当然，我们希望5%的佣金。

　　B: As far as I remember, we sold about 40,000 pairs last year to you alone. Don’t you think this annual turnover is rather conserva- tive for a sole agent?

　　-- 我记得，光去年我们就向你们出售了大约四万双拖鞋。对独家代理来讲，你不认为这个年销售量数字太过保守了吗?

　　A: Well, I admit I always do business on the safe side. Could you let me have your proposal then?

　　-- 是，我承认我做生意从来谨慎从事，那么我听听你的建议，好吗?

　　B: Let’s put it this way. I propose a sole agency agreement for Ladies and gents plastic slippers (excluding children’s) for a duration of 3 years; 60,000 pairs to be sold in the first year, 70,000 pairs in the second year, and 80,000 pairs in the third year, the area is to be within the continent of Australia (excluding any neighboring island), commission 5%.

　　-- 这样说吧，我建议订一个专销男、女塑料拖鞋(不包括童鞋)为期三年的独家代理协议，第一年销六万双，第二年销七万双，第三年销八万双，地区是整个澳大利亚(不包括任何邻近岛屿)，佣金是百分之五。

　　A: You certainly drive a hard bargain, Mrs. Brown.

　　-- 你真会还价，布朗夫人。

　　B: On the contrary, Mr. London, we value your friendship more than anything else. We both understand our slippers are very popular in your market on account of their superior quality and competi- tive price. And with the sole agency in your hand, there will be no competition and you can easily control the market, which would naturally result in bigger sales. I’m sure you can fulfill the agreement without much difficulty.

　　-- 恰恰相反，伦敦先生，我们很珍惜你方友谊。我们双方都知道我们的拖鞋价廉物美而畅销于你方市场。你取得了独家代理权之后，你就可以轻而易举地控制市场，没有其他竞争，其结果自然是销售量增大。我确信你完成这一协议不会有任何困难。

　　A: Well, if you put it this way, I’ll have to comply. When shall we sign the contract, Mrs. Brown?

　　-- 好吧，如果你这么说，我只好同意了。布朗夫人，我们什么时候签协议?

　　B: Tomorrow afternoon.

　　-- 明天下午。

　　A: Tomorrow afternoon will be fine.

　　-- 行，明天下午。