商务英语

UNIT 1UNIT 1

Meeting a Trade Delegation

4

Additional Words5

1 Reading 2

Listen and Talk 11

Exercises3

Contents

Case Study

Listen and Talk

Dialogue

Listening Comprehension

Role Play

Dialogue One

At the Airport

Li: Excuse me, but aren’t you Mr. John Smith and Mr. David Brown from Canada? Smith: Yes, I am John Smith of Pacific Trading Company, and this is David Brown. Li: We have been expecting you. I’m Li Mei, an interpreter of Beijing Industrial Produc

ts Import & Export Corporation. May I introduce our Manager who has come to meet you?

Smith: Yes, please. Li: Mr. Smith, Mr. Brown, This is Mr. Wang Ning. Mr. Wang, this is Mr. Smith, and th

is is Mr. Brown. (They shake hands, and there are general chorus of ‘How do you do’s.) Wang: Welcome to China. Glad to meet you. Smith: I’m pleased to meet you too. It’s very kind of you to come and meet us. Wang: My pleasure. We are very happy about your coming. How was your flight? Smith: Very nice. The weather was fine throughout the flight. Wang:I’m glad to hear that. I hope you’ll have a pleasant stay here. Smith: Thank you. I’m sure we’ll enjoy it.

Dialogue One

Wang: How long do you intend to stay? Smith: About two weeks. Wang: Good. We’ll have enough time for business talks.

And in the interval, We’ll arrange some sight seeing for you.

Smith: It’s very kind of you. Li: Your luggage is all here, isn’t it? Brown: Yes, it is. Li: We have already booked rooms for you. Shall we go

to the hotel now? Brown: Oh, yes. Thank you. Is the hotel very far from

here? Wang: About half an hour’s drive. You must be quite

tired and have a jet lag after the journey. I’m sure you will find the hotel service satisfactory. If there’s anything special you want, you may always tell the interpreter there.

At the Airport

Dialogue Two

Li: Here we are. We’ll have to check in first. This way, please.(At the reception)Receptionist: Good morning. What can I do for you?Li: Good morning. I’m Li from Beijing Light Industrial Products Import

& Export Corporation. I’ve reserved two single rooms for our guests.Receptionist: (To the Canadians) Welcome to our hotel. Do you have any

preference for the room?Smith: A quiet room for me, please.Brown: I’d like to have a room with a good view of the city.Receptionist: Just a moment, please. Let me check … Yes, You’ll have

1506, which is very quiet, and 1509, which faces Chang An Street, Beijing’s longest thoroughfare.

Smith, Brown: Thank you. That will be fine.Receptionist: You are welcome. May I look at your passport for a

moment?Smith, Brown: Certainly… Here you are.Receptionist: Thank you. Would you please fill in this form?( The Canadians have finished the registration)Li: I’ll get a porter for you. (To a porter) Excuse me, would you please

send their luggage to the fifteenth floor? Thank you. (To the Canadians) Let’s take the lift over there.

At the Hotel

Dialogue One At the Customs

Customs Official: May I see your , please? Smith: Yes, here you are. Officer: Is all your luggage here? Smith: Yes, and . Officer: Your briefcase is from examination. Will you please

open this suitcase? Smith: certainly. Officer: Have you anything to ? Smith: Oh, I have only . Officer: What’s in this carton? Smith: Cigarettes. Officer: We allow each passenger … cigarettes. We’ll let in the restricted

amount and pass the rest against payment of duty. Now you can close your suitcase. Smith: Is that all? Officer: Yes, pass on, please. .

Goodbye! Smith: Thank you. Goodbye!

a suitcase

passport and declaration form

a briefcase

declarepersonal effects

free of duty

Wish you a very pleasant stay in China

exempted

Brown: How far away are we from the downtown?

Li: About 40 Kilometers, or 24 miles.

Brown: not very far. , isn’t it?

Li: Yes, if .

Brown: Is our hotel downtown?

Li: Yes. We’ve for you at Sheraton hotel, one of the best hotels in town. I hope you will enjoy your stay here.

Brown: Thank you. I’m sure we’ll enjoy it.

Li: Is this the first time that you come to China?

Brown: Yes.

Li: In that case, we shall try to make your trip as pleasant as possible, so that you will .

Dialogue Two On the Way to the Hotel

Half an hour’s drive

the traffic is normal

reserved two single rooms

take home happy memories.

Role Play

1. Imagine you meet an American businessman at the airport. Greet the guest and introduce yourself, then take the guest to his hotel.

2 Suppose you are accompanying your guests to the hotel. Make a short dialogue including the following points.

1) About the weather for this time of the year in your city.

2) The distance between the airport and the hotel.

3) About your city’s development, such as industry, economy, foreign trade and scenic places.

A common definition of the act of negotiating is that two or more parties, who have both common and conflicting interests, interact with one another for the purpose of reaching a mutually beneficial agreement. The successful negotiator must choose the appropriate strategy, protect the correct personal and organizational images, do the right type of homework, ask the most relevant questions, and offer and request the appropriate types of concession at the right time. Being a skilled negotiater in any context entails being an intelligent, well-prepared, creative, flexible, and patient problem solver. It should be apparent that success in negotiating international business contracts requires a deep understanding of the culture of those on the other side of the table. Here we will draw upon some of the most positive experiences of successful intercultural negotiator.Concerntrate on Long-term Relationships, Not Short-term ContractsThere exists considerable variation throughout the world in terms of why people enter into business negotiation in the first place. In some societies, such as U.S., business people may enter into negotiation for the sake of obtaining the signed contract; other societies, however, view the regulations as primarily aimed at creating a long-standing relationship and only secondarily for the purpose of signing a short-term contract.

Effective Strategies for International Negotiators

Reading

For many Americans a signed contract represents closing a deal, whereas to a Japanese, signing a contract is seen as opening a relationship. With those cultures that tend to emphasize the relationship over the contract, is is likely that there will be no contract unless a relationship of trust and mutual respect has been established.Building relationships requires that negotiators take the time to get to know one another. Frequently this involves activities eating, drinking, visiting national monuments, playing golf--- that strike the typical North American as being outside the realm of business and consequently a waste of time. But this type of ritual socializing is vital because it represents an honest effort to understand, as fully as possible, the needs, goals, values, interests, and opinions of the negotiators on the other side. It is not necessary for the two sides to have similar needs, goals, and values in order to have a good relationship, for it is possible to disagree in a number of areas and shall have a good working relationship. However, both parties need to be willing to identify their shared interests while at the same time work at a reconciling their conflicting interests in a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect.

Reading

Focus on the Interests behind the Positions After the parties in a negotiation have developed a relationship, the discussion of

positions can begin. This stage of negotiating involves both sides setting forth what they want to achieve from the negotiations. From a seller’s perspective, it may involve selling a certain number of digital cameras at X dollars per set. From the perspective of the purchaser, it may involve receiving a certain number of digital cameras within 3-month’s time at X minus $50 per set. Once the positions have been clearly stated, the effective international negotiator will then look behind those positions for the underlying needs of the other party. But often the position of one side is in direct opposition to the position of the other side.

If the negotiators focus just on the positions, it is unlikely that they will resolve or reconcile their differences. But by looking beyond the position to the basic needs that gave rise to those positions in the first place, it is likely that creative solutions can be found that will satisfy both parties.

In the following example, a win-win solution was possible because the negotiators were able to concentrate on the needs behind the positions rather than on the positions themselves. The representative of a U.S. telecommunications firm had been negotiating with the communications representative from the Chinese government. After months of relationship building and discussing terms, the finalization of the agreement appeared to be in sight. But at the eleventh hour the Chinese representative raised an additional condition that took the American by surprise. The Chinese representative argued that since they were about to embark on a long term business relationship between friends, the U.S. firm should give its Chinese friends a special reduced price that it would not give to other customers.

Reading

The problem with this request was that the U.S. firm had a strict policy of uniform pricing for all countries with which it did business.

If we look at this situation solely in terms of the positions of the two parties, it would appear to be an impasse. Let us consider the needs behind the positions. The Chinese position was based on two essential needs: to get a lower price, thus saving money, and to receive a special favor as a sign of the American’s friendship and commitment to the relationship.

The position of the U.S. firm was based on its need to adhere to the principle of uniform pricing. In fact, the U.S. negotiator offered another proposal: to sell the Chinese some new additional equipment at a very favorable price in exchange for sticking with the original pricing agreement. Such an agreement met all of the needs of both parties. The Chinese were saving money on the new equipment and they were receiving a special favor of friendship from the U.S. firm. At the same time, the U.S. company did not have to violate its own policy of uniform pricing. Once the negotiators were willing to look beyond a prepackaged, non-negotiable, unilateral position for having their own needs met, they were able to set out to explore new and creative ways of satisfying each other’s needs.

Reading

1) How do you understand the statement “At times the two sides at the negotiating table are like two persons in a canoe who must combine their skills and strength if they are to make headway against powerful currents, through dangerous rapids, around hidden rocks, and over rough portages”?

2) Refer to the example given in the Interest behind the Positions and predict the likely response from the American counterpart.

3) Why should business people pay attention to the holiday differences in different countries?

Ⅰ. Answer the Following Questions

Reading

1) The plane is about to take off. Please don’t walk about in the cabin.

Exercise 2

Translation.

Chinese

飞机马上要起飞了，请不要在客舱内走动。

2) You could draw down the window-shade and turn the reading light off and fasten your seat-belt so that you can take a good nap.

Exercise

Translation

Chinese

您可放下遮阳板，关掉阅读灯，系好安全带，好好休息一下

Chinese

把带子穿进带扣，然后抽紧，就这样。

3) Slip the belt into the buckle and pull tight, that’s all.

4) Let me show you how to use the oxygen masks.

Try to figure out the meaning of the underlined words in the following sentences and explain the clues.

Chinese

请让我来向您示范如何使用氧气面罩。

5) This one is the seat reclined button. If you press the button, the back of your Chair will recline so that you can relax and be comfortable.6) It’s easy to put the table in order. Just put it upright and turn this knob tightly.

Chinese

5) 这是椅背倾斜钮。如果您按一下，椅背就会倾斜，这样您就会感到轻松而舒适了。6) 收起小桌很容易，只要把它竖起来，拧上挡板。

7) In order to ensure the normal operation of airplane navigation and communication system, you are kindly requested not to use your cell phone.8) The plane will make an emergency handing because of the sudden breakdown of an engine. Bend down and grab your ankles.

Chinese

7) 为确保飞行和通信系统的正常操作，请您不要使用手机。8) 由于飞机发动机出了毛病将做紧急迫降。弯下身来，抓住脚踝。

A: 您有要交税的物品吗 ?B: 有，我在香港买了一只手表，价值 100 美元。A: Anything else besides this?B: 除了两瓶威士忌酒和一条烟之外，没有别的了。A: 您可以带价值 100 美元的免税商品，所以您的手表不用交税。B: Do I have to pay duty on the wine and cigarettes?A: 不必。按规定每位旅客可以免税带两瓶酒以及一条烟。B ： Oh, Thank you very much.

English

A: Anything dutiable?B: Yes, I bought a watch in Hongkong, which costs USD 100.A: Anything else besides this?B: No, except the two bottles of whisky and a carton of cigarettes.A: You are allowed USD 100 duty-free, so you don’t have to pay any duty on your watch and suit.B: Do I have to pay duty on the wine and cigarettes?A: No. Each passenger is allowed two bottles of wine and a carton of cigarettes duty-free.B ： Oh, Thank you very much.

Case Study

Asking for credit reference April 20, 2008

Darton’s Bank Ltd. London E.C. 2 England

Private & Confidential Dear Sirs, We would like you to enquire into the financial and credit status of a firm in Milan on our

behalf.

The firm is Santo Domino & Co., distributors of spare parts for cars. Their bank is the Banco di Italino, of 73 Via Milano. We would like to know their general financial reliability. In particular, their trade with us will involve a sum of USD 50,000 initially, and perhaps a monthly credit of USD 5,000 will be required.

We should be pleased if you would let us know whether this credit is justified in view of their record in meeting payment dates. Is there a record of bad debts? We need to know this if we are to extend credit to them.

Yours faithfully, British United Motor Corporation Sales Division

Practice

You have received an order for goods to the value of $6.000 from a new customer William Baker & Sons about whom you know nothing. Write a letter to your own bank asking for information.

Additional Words

baggage compartment 行李箱 blind 遮光板 headset 耳机 oxygen mask 氧气面罩 air vent 通风孔 folding table 折叠桌 seat-belt 安全带 life-jacket 救生衣 reclining seat 倾斜座椅 gangway 出入通道 aisle seat 靠通道座位 window seat 靠窗座位 central aisle 中间通道

航空餐饮 in-flight catering/free drinks 座位附带电话、传真 in-seat phone/fax facilities 座椅后背可后仰 wider, fully reclining seats 优先选择座位 advanced seat selection 专用的商务候机室 exclusive business lounges 登机手续优先权 priority status at check-in 允许双倍行李重量 double baggage allowance 机场代客停车服务 valet service airport parking 里程奖 air-miles awards for frequent flyers on-board duty-free sales in-flight food and drink in-flight entertainment free newspapers & magazines comfortable seating business class selection

Additional Words

Additional Words

bedspread/duvet 床罩 trouser press 裤子熨烫器 cushion 靠垫 pillow 枕头 bedside table 床头柜 lamp 灯 remote control 遥控器 curtain 窗帘 hotel information 旅馆信息本 chair / table desk ashtray 烟灰缸 carpet 地毯 drinks cupboard 酒柜

商务英语

Thank you!Thank you!