买卖过招第一回 Buy and Sell* q3 S* s j$ d2 N
Dan Smith是一位美国的健身用品经销商,此次是Robert第一回与他交手。就在短短几分钟的交谈中,Robert即感到这位大汉粗犷的外表下,藏有狡黠如脱兔的心思--他肯定是名沙场老将,自己绝不可掉以轻心。双方第一回过招如下:
1 c( D) ]( }/ i0 y. V& d% b; L' j 英文正文
) t) ^6 T" L; G" B Dan: I'd like to get the ball rolling by talking about prices.
- U6 i; ~& {! @9 k Robert: Shoot. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have.5 A, g% _4 K$ t p) }/ Y1 \
Dan: Your products are very good. But I'm a little worried about the prices you're asking./ l( n* T, d- U* f4 |
Robert: You think we should be asking for more?
0 ~3 P' V8 k4 y( k9 n3 C! m Dan: That's not exactly what I had in mind. I know your research costs are high, but what I'd like is a 25% discount.
, W2 i, c, Q* J4 ~$ \; f$ Y+ N; w Robert: That seems to be a little high, Mr. Smith. I don't know how we can make a profit with those numbers.+ d& F9 K$ r* Z8 }3 e2 Y9 R
Dan: Please, Robert, call me Dan. Well, if we promise future business -- volume sales that will slash your costs for making the Exec-U-Ciser, right?: X+ R) q9 M$ _
Robert: Yes, but it's hard to see how you can place such large orders. How could you turn over so many? We'd need a guarantee of future business, not just a promise.
$ a7 W2 {: {) l3 a Dan: We said we wanted 1000 pieces over a six month period. What if we place orders for twelve months, with a guarantee?
9 X/ N) v# L% m8 P4 j1 \ Robert: If you can guarantee that on paper, I think we can discuss this further.
8 H( q, H3 G* x$ Z" j 中文翻译
5 t% y; ]& [, X9 J& ]+ b' M1 ? D: 我想就从价钱方面开始谈吧!
; q* b0 i& U5 s7 j+ r R: 洗耳恭听!我很乐意答复任何问题。% N5 e% ]& N2 h9 B( I# ^
D: 贵公司的产品很出色;但你们开的价码,让我觉得有点困难。. V; D" N3 r( V" i( v
R: 你是觉得我们应该把价钱开高一点啰?. X% ?3 }. w* A3 z( ?- ^6 s
D: 我不是这个意思。我知道你们投入很高的开发费用,但是,我想要七五折。
! n& `3 s: ?! g R: Smith先生,这个折扣似乎多了点。这样的价格,我们公司怎么能有利润可赚!
, v$ W, `$ v8 J7 S6 u5 C' ` D: Robert,请叫我Dan好了。这样吧!若我们答应以后继续合作,而且是大笔的生意,就可以使你们大幅降低‘健你乐’的制造成本,对不?- ^. N% ?6 V7 h: t a3 W2 t0 J& h
R: 嗯!不过,我看不出您怎能下这么大笔的订单?!贵公司如何销售这么多的货呢?我们要的可是保证,而不是随口答应就算数的哦!
' C6 b9 h# T o D: 我们本来说半年内订货1000件。如果现在我们保证一年内都会跟你们订货,你意下如何?
0 J0 J- o- P. F3 t0 H R: 如果你们能以书面保证,我想我们可以再谈。
+ S1 }: n6 u2 n; L& @ 短语解说5 g/ Y1 \( C, ^+ @' T3 W
get the ball rolling 开始: n* U, ?! n5 B* o. ?- ~ f( F
"get the ball rolling"字面意思是‘让球滚动’。此词组乃源自足球惯例:由一位球员开球,把球传给队友,借此展开一场比赛;因此这个‘让球滚动’的动作,就引申为‘开始某活动’。; \0 `5 ?; I9 C" u% U
We can get the ball rolling on this deal by talking to the company's vice president.% m- }$ I) i$ t1 s# O B/ d! s7 K
关于这笔生意,我们可以先找这家公司的副总谈。
5 r* u% h3 J" Q$ v shoot 有话直说;洗耳恭听3 A7 K" D" N( K
"shoot",当动词有‘发射’的含意。在本文中为感叹语,作用是鼓励他人踊跃发言,意思是‘有话尽管说,我洗耳恭听’,为美式口语。; M& y, j( Z0 g" Z! k4 D# [
If you think you have a better idea than this, shoot.' L' T& K% d: N
如果你觉得还有比这更好的意见,尽管直说吧!
" c1 l7 d, ]: i make a profit 赚钱;获利3 ~1 I5 T7 ^; y0 r9 W1 b
‘赚钱’这个词组的动词为 "make" -- 用法是 "make a profit"。请注意 "profit" 要加冠词 "a" ,或改为复数形 -- "make profits "来使用。: D! w0 }" a2 c4 c" ], q
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