Dialogue 3

　　A: Mrs. Miller, you are an old friend of ours. In order to encourage fu ture business and as a gesture of friendship, we are pre pared to cut our price by 5%. Will that satisfy you?

　　B: That’s great. Thank you for making this concession. I accept.

　　A: Now I repeat: 5,000 transistor sets, spec i fi ca tions as shown in our catalogue at $ 20 each C.I.F. Los Angeles.

　　B: Good. Now that the price is decided on, we can discuss the packaging.

　　A: As to packaging, we’ll pack them two dozens to one carton, gross weight about 25 kilos a carton.

　　B: Carton?

　　A: Yes, corrugated cardboard boxes.

　　B: Could you use wooden cases instead?

　　A: Why use wooden cases?

　　B: I’m afraid the cardboard boxes are not strong enough for ocean transportation.

　　-- 米勒女士，你都是我们的老朋友了。为了将来业务进一步发展，也 作为友好的表示，我们准备削价5%，这样做你满意吗?

　　-- 太好了。谢谢你作出这一让步。我接受了。

　　-- 现在我重复一下，五千台半导体收音机，规格根据我方目录所示， 每台20美元洛杉矶到岸价。

　　-- 好，既然价格已定，我们可以讨论一下包装问题。

　　-- 关于包装问题，我们一只纸板箱内装两打，每箱毛重25公斤。

　　-- 是纸板箱吗?

　　-- 是瓦楞形硬纸箱。

　　-- 你们能否改用木箱?

　　-- 为什么用木箱?

　　-- 恐怕纸板箱用于远洋运输不够结实。

　　A: Cartons are comparatively light, and there fore easy to handle. They’ll not be stowed away with the heavy cargo. Besides, we’ll reinforce the cartons with metal straps.

　　B: All right. Carton or no carton, the packaging must be waterproof as well as strong enough to stand shock and rough handling.

　　A: You needn’t worry about that. Cartons are extensively used in our shipments to foreign countries and there have never been complaints from our clients. Now, as regards payment, we have agreed to use dollars, am I right?

　　B: That’s right. As soon as I get home, I’ll see about the opening of the letter of credit.

　　A: Please open the letter of credit 15 to 30 days before the date of delivery so that we’ll have enough time to make all the nec es sary arrangements. Another thing, the L/C should be val id until the 15th day after shipment.

　　B: No problem. That can be done. I understand you’ll ship the goods before the end of May?

　　-- 纸板箱比较轻，便于搬运。纸箱不会和别的笨重货物堆放在一起 的。此外，我们会用铁条加固纸箱的。

　　-- 好，不管是不是纸箱，包装必须防水，而且必须坚固，经得起震动 和粗鲁地搬运。

　　-- 这个你不必担心。我们发往国外的货中广泛使用纸箱，从未听到 过国外客户有什么抱怨。至于付款，我们已同意使用美元，对吗?

　　-- 对，我一回去就着手办理开立信用证。

　　-- 请在交货前15天到30天内开立信用证，以便我方有足够的时间作 好必要的安排。另外，信用证应在装船后15天内保持有效。

　　-- 没问题，可以办到，你们将在5月底前交货吗?

　　A: Right. We’ll ship the goods according to the agreed time schedule. Last, but not least, the inspection is to be carried out by Hous ton Commodities Inspection Bureau, which is final and binding on both parties.

　　B: Yes, we agreed to that. We have great confidence in your inspection institution. Through years of dealing with you, we’ve convinced of your commercial integrity.

　　A: Thank you. You can rest assured that we’ll do ev ery thing

　　possible to prevent de fec tive commodities from going abroad. However, if there should be any disputes, we wish to have them settled through friendly discussions.

　　B: Exactly. That’s what we have done in the past.

　　A: Well, it seems we have covered everything. We’ll have the

　　con tract ready in a couple of days.

　　B: Can you speed it up and let me have it today? I’m leaving tomo- rrow. I’ve been here for almost a month now, you see. My corpo- ration is urging me to return. I’ve booked the tick et for to mor row afternoon’s flight at 3: 00.

　　A: Let me see. If we can’t get the contract ready by then, we’ll send it to you by airmail for your signature.

　　B: That’s fine too.

　　-- 对，我们将根据规定时间交货。最后一点，但并不是最不重要 的一点是，商检由休斯顿商品检疫局执行。其检疫结果是最后依 据，对双方都有约束力。

　　-- 是的，我们同意了这条。我们对你方商检机构很信任。通过多年的 和你们打交道，我们确信你们的商业信誉可靠。

　　-- 谢谢。你们尽可放心，我们将尽一切可能去防止次品出口;但是万 一有争议的话，我们希望通过友好协商来解决。

　　-- 正是这样，我们过去就是这么做的。

　　-- 好吧，看来我们各方面都谈过了。我们将在几天内把合同准备好。

　　-- 能否加快点，让我今天拿到，行不行?我明天回国，你知道我在这 儿呆了近一个月了。我的公司催我回去，我已经买了明天下午三点 钟的飞机票。

　　-- 让我想想。如果到时合同还没有准备好，我们将航空寄给你签字。

　　-- 也好。

　　Words and Expressions

　　bid [bid] 出价

　　tunnel driller 地道钻孔机

　　technical data 技术资料

　　shipping marks 唛头

　　dampness 潮湿，湿气

　　moisture [5mCistFE] 水分，湿气

　　rust [rQst] 锈

　　leeway [5li:wei] 余地

　　corrugate [5kCru^eit] 成波状，使起皱

　　unsettled [5Qn5setld] 未解决的

　　cardboard [5kB:dbC:d] 硬纸板

　　stow away 理舱，把货物堆放好

　　bind [baind ] 束缚，约束