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,
(我们第一次和中方伙伴的会谈在我还没在座位上坐稳就结束了，双方达成会谈时间表)
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.
（依我看李薇是个非常爽快的人，她对约翰GOODWIN提出的供货，长期合作和可能的合资都同意）
Our second day is however, a much longer day than I am prepared for, because the negotiations get down to brass tacks.
（我的第二天就是一个比我预期的很长的一天，因为会谈涉及实质内容了）
GOODWIN: Well, Madam Li, we are here to discuss a new contract with you.
（那么，李女士我们来谈谈新的合同吧）
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现实，开始之前，我们应该处理一下以往合同出现的一些问题，你同意吗？）
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.
（那是当然的，我们来访问的目的之一就是看看如何改进我们为你们的服务， 我想请你评论下我们过去的表现， 你知道，我们尽最大努力让我们的客户满意。）
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?
（总的来说，你们的交货是及时和满意的，但是，如果我可以这么说，有一两次明显的例外。我想现在该是谈论这个问题的时候了，对吗？）
GOODWIN: Of course. Proceed.
（当然， 请继续）
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.
（谢谢，我们租的船 M.S圣玛利亚号去年12月12日停泊在温哥华港，装载合同号C70084项下的15000吨用来生成泳装布料的化纤原料）
The loading time. according to the terms of the contract. should have been 10 days, but it actually took 12 days to complete.
（根据合同条款，装载时间应该是10天，但是实际用了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，发生了两天的滞期，我们因此有权按到每天500美金计算滞期费，共10000美金。 我不知道您是否愿意就此发表评论。 ）
PARKER: I think the question rests with an interpretation of the time for loading.
（我想问题在于如何解释装货时间）
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.
（你说的那艘船有五个仓口，合同规定装货率应该是没个可用仓口在每个晴朗工作日装载300吨）
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.
（圣玛利亚号每个船舱最大容量是4500吨，所以，装载时间应该是，按照你的计算，是15天）
Actually, we used only twelve days, instead of paying demmurage, we ought to receive despatch which is half demurrange.
（实际，我们只用了12天，我们不仅不需支付滞期费，相反我们应该收取速遣费，是滞期费的一半。）
Now, calculated at USD2,500 per day, you will see that we are, in fact, entitled to USD7,500.
（喏，按每天2500美金计算，你看我们 事实上，有权收取共7500美金的速遣费。）
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?
（我很高兴你提出的装货率，我可以提醒你查看合同条款5吗？）
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.
（在条款五，你可以看到平均数，不考虑每个船舱的容量，便于不明船只计算装货率。这个平均数已经被国际普遍接受。）
and I hope you will not mind my drawing your attention to that fact.
（我希望你不会介意我让你关注那个事实）
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，那是国际认可的。在这种情况下，但是，我们没有每天都用5个船舱装货。）
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.
（我想那是你们自己那时的决定，这船，无论如何，把所有的船舱让你使用。你完全可以使用它们，这样，你就可以收取速遣费了。）
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，我想问题已经清楚，我们同意支付你们滞期费，请你相信我们，我们一回到温哥华我们就电汇给你）
LI:Thank you very much.
（非常感谢）
DIALOGUE: The Language of Business.
（对话：商业语言）
SARAH: I'm home Father.
（爸爸 我回来了）
FATHER: Oh. hello dear. Have a good day at the office?
（哦，你好吗亲爱的，在办公室的一天好吗？）
SARAH:Not bad. We had a call from Beijing.
（不坏，我们接到北京的电话）
FATHER: What was that about?
（电话谈啥了？）
SARAH: Mr. Parker called to let us know how the negotiations were going.
（PARKER先生打的电话，告诉我们谈判的进展情况。）
FATHER: How are they going?
（进展如何？）
SARAH: All right I think. They're trying to extend the Swimwears material contract. The old one expires any time now.
（我想一起顺利，他们试图续订泳装原料的合同，老的合同马上到期了）
FATHER: What on earth is Swimwears material?
（到底什么是泳装原料？）
SARAH: Just a kind of fibre powder to use manufacture swimwears clothings. I think they want to start a joint venture as well.
（只是一种化纤粉末用来生产泳装布料的，我想他们想开始一个合资项目）
FATHER: We don't seem to speak the same language any more. What's ajoint wenture?
（我们好像根本不在一个频道上，什么是合资？）
SARAH: That's when a Chinese company sets up a business in cooperation with a foreign business.
（那就是一个中国公司建立一个和国外公司合作的业务）
FATHER:Well never mind all that now. Let's have our dinner. I've got you a nice piece of steak.
（现在不再提这些了，我们吃晚饭吧，我给你做块好的牛排。）