PARKER: Our first meeting with our Chinese counterparts was over before I had even got comfortable in my chair. The two parties agreed upton an agenda for our discussions, 

(我們第一次和中方伙伴的會談在我還沒在座位上坐穩就結束了，雙方達成會談時間表)

and it seemed to me that LI Wei was in a very accommodating mood. She agreed to everything John Goodwin laid before her on the table: supply, long-term arrangements, and the possibility of a joint-venture. 

（依我看李薇是個非常爽快的人，她對約翰GOODWIN提出的供貨，長期合作和可能的合資都同意）

Our second day is however, a much longer day than I am prepared for, because the negotiations get down to brass tacks.

（我的第二天就是一個比我預期的很長的一天，因為會談涉及實質內容了）

GOODWIN: Well, Madam Li, we are here to discuss a new contract with you.

（那么，李女士我們來談談新的合同吧）

LI. That's fine, but before we start Mr, Goodwin, we ought to clear up problems arising from the old contract, don't you agree?

（好呀，但是GOODWIN現實，開始之前，我們應該處理一下以往合同出現的一些問題，你同意嗎？）

GOODWIN: Naturally. One of the purpose of our present visit is to see how we can improve our services to you. I wonder if you'd like to comment upon our past performances, You know we try very hard to satisfy our customers.

（那是當然的，我們來訪問的目的之一就是看看如何改進我們為你們的服務， 我想請你評論下我們過去的表現， 你知道，我們盡最大努力讓我們的客戶滿意。）

LI:On the whole, your delivery has been punctual and satisfactory. However, if I may say so. there have been one or two natable exceptions to this, I feel it's time to discuss them. do you?

（總的來說，你們的交貨是及時和滿意的，但是，如果我可以這么說，有一兩次明顯的例外。我想現在該是談論這個問題的時候了，對嗎？）

GOODWIN: Of course. Proceed.

（當然， 請繼續）

LI:Thank you. One of the vessels we chartered, the M.S. Santa Martia. Called at Vancourver on the 12th of December last years to load 15,000 metric tons of  fibre material for making swimwears  clothing under Contract No.C70084. 

（謝謝，我們租的船 M.S圣瑪利亞號去年12月12日停泊在溫哥華港，裝載合同號C70084項下的15000噸用來生成泳裝布料的化纖原料）

The loading time. according to the terms of the contract. should have been 10 days, but it actually took 12 days to complete. 

（根據合同條款，裝載時間應該是10天，但是實際用了12天完成）

Hence, demurrage of two days occurred. We're therefore entitled to a demurrage of USD10,000, Calculated at USD500 a day. I wonder if you'd care to comment on this.

（因此，發生了兩天的滯期，我們因此有權按到每天500美金計算滯期費，共10000美金。 我不知道您是否愿意就此發表評論。 ）

PARKER: I think the question rests with an interpretation of the time for loading. 

（我想問題在于如何解釋裝貨時間）

The vessel you mentioned is equipped with five hatches. the contract stipulates that the rate of loading should be 300 metric tons per workable hatch per weather working day. 

（你說的那艘船有五個倉口，合同規定裝貨率應該是沒個可用倉口在每個晴朗工作日裝載300噸）

The biggest hold of the M.S. Santa Maria has a capacity of  4,500 metric tons. So, the time allowed for loading ought to have been, according to your calculations, fifteen days. 

（圣瑪利亞號每個船艙最大容量是4500噸，所以，裝載時間應該是，按照你的計算，是15天）

Actually, we used only twelve days, instead of paying demmurage, we ought to receive despatch which is half demurrange. 

（實際，我們只用了12天，我們不僅不需支付滯期費，相反我們應該收取速遣費，是滯期費的一半。）

Now, calculated at USD2,500 per day, you will see that we are, in fact, entitled to USD7,500.

（喏，按每天2500美金計算，你看我們 事實上，有權收取共7500美金的速遣費。）

LI: I'm glad you brought up the rate of loading. May I prefer you to Article 5 of the General Terms and Conditions of the contract? 

（我很高興你提出的裝貨率，我可以提醒你查看合同條款5嗎？）

There you will find an average figure. irrespective of the size of hatches. for the convenience of  calculating the rate of loading unknown vessels, This average figure has been accepted internationally. 

（在條款五，你可以看到平均數，不考慮每個船艙的容量，便于不明船只計算裝貨率。這個平均數已經被國際普遍接受。）

and I hope you will not mind my drawing your attention to that fact.

（我希望你不會介意我讓你關注那個事實）

PARKER: I agree, that is acceptable internationally. in this instance. however, we did not use all the five hatches every day we loaded the vessel.

（我同意，那是國際認可的。在這種情況下，但是，我們沒有每天都用5個船艙裝貨。）

LI:I'm afraid that was your own decision at the time. The ship, however, put all her hatches at your disposal, and , of course, you could have used them. In this way. you could have expected despatch.

（我想那是你們自己那時的決定，這船，無論如何，把所有的船艙讓你使用。你完全可以使用它們，這樣，你就可以收取速遣費了。）

GOODWIN: Yes. well, I think the situation is clear. We will agree to pay you the demurrage, You can depend on us. the money will be remitted to you as soon as we return to Vancouver.

（是的，那么，我想問題已經清楚，我們同意支付你們滯期費，請你相信我們，我們一回到溫哥華我們就電匯給你）

LI:Thank you very much.

（非常感謝）

DIALOGUE: The Language of Business.

（對話：商業語言）

SARAH: I'm home Father.

（爸爸 我回來了）

FATHER: Oh. hello dear. Have a good day at the office?

（哦，你好嗎親愛的，在辦公室的一天好嗎？）

SARAH:Not bad. We had a call from Beijing.

（不壞，我們接到北京的電話）

FATHER: What was that about?

（電話談啥了？）

SARAH: Mr. Parker called to let us know how the negotiations were going.

（PARKER先生打的電話，告訴我們談判的進展情況。）

FATHER: How are they going?

（進展如何？）

SARAH: All right I think. They're trying to extend the Swimwears material contract. The old one expires any time now.

（我想一起順利，他們試圖續訂泳裝原料的合同，老的合同馬上到期了）

FATHER: What on earth is Swimwears material?

（到底什么是泳裝原料？）

SARAH: Just a kind of fibre powder to use manufacture swimwears clothings. I think they want to start a joint venture as well.

（只是一種化纖粉末用來生產泳裝布料的，我想他們想開始一個合資項目）

FATHER: We don't seem to speak the same language any more. What's ajoint wenture?

（我們好像根本不在一個頻道上，什么是合資？）

SARAH: That's when a Chinese company sets up a business in cooperation with a foreign business.

（那就是一個中國公司建立一個和國外公司合作的業務）

FATHER:Well never mind all that now. Let's have our dinner. I've got you a nice piece of steak.

（現在不再提這些了，我們吃晚飯吧，我給你做塊好的牛排。）