Text 3: Business talks

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 510.

In the course of making enquiries and offers, the parties very often meet to agree upon one or another question. Here is a specimen business talk:

Seller: Well, let's get started. You know, with this delivery problem I'm sure there's room for negotiation.

Buyer: Oh yes, we stressed in our enquiry that we needed the machine urgently. A speedy delivery is of vital importance for us.

Seller: Well, this is how we see it. We can deliver the machine in ten weeks and install it four weeks after that.

Buyer: Oh, I am afraid these periods are too long. We cannot agree with you.

Seller: These are in fact the usual periods. It's pretty normal in this kind of operation.

Buyer: When we mentioned speedy delivery we expected you to deliver the machine in six weeks at the latest and to install it three weeks after that.

Seller: I see what you mean. But that would be difficult. You see we have a lot of orders to handle at present, and moving just one machine is a major problem. Look, if I can promise you delivery in seven weeks, does that help?

Buyer: I am afraid I cannot agree to that.

Seller: Well, you are really asking us for something that is very difficult. I've already offered you seven weeks. I'll have to consult with my colleagues and let you know our reply this week.

Buyer: I've got a proposal. If you deliver the machine in 6 weeks we shall place another order for the second half of the year as well.

Seller: Good, on that basis I suppose we might be able to look at some kind of arrangement. In fact, if you can promise another order I think we could accept your terms.

Buyer: Very good. Let's consider it settled. I'll confirm our next order for the second part of the year in writing tomorrow.

Seller: I'm very glad we have come to an agreement.

Vocabulary

course [ko:s] – ход, течение

in the course of smth – в ходе чего-либо

party – сторона, участник

a party to the contract – сторона контракта

to agree - соглашаться

to agree with smb – соглашаться с кем-либо

to agree to smth – логлашаться на что-либо

I agreed to his plan. - я согласился с его планом

to agree (on/upon) smth – договорится о чем-либо, согласовать что-либо

We agreed the plan. Мы согласовали план

speedy – быстрый, срочный

speedy delivery – срочная поставка

of vital importance – первостепенной важности

to install – устанавливать, монтировать, инсталлировать

installation – установка, инсталляция

pretty - довольно

to consult - советоваться

to consult with smb – советоваться с кем-либо

consultation - консультация

to give a consultation to smb – давать консультацию кому-либо

colleague - коллега

acceptance – принятие, прием; акцепт

Grammar Revision3: Правила согласования времен (The Rules of the Sequence of Tenses)

1 Правила согласования времен действуют в дополнительных придаточных предложения, если глагол главного предложения употребляется в одном из прошедших времен. В придаточном предложении глагол употребляется в следующих временах:

(1)Past Indefinite, если действие придаточного и главного предложения совпадают по времени:

They said they usuallyexportedthese goods to China. Они сказали, что обычно экспортируют этот товар в Китай.

(2) Past Perfect, если действие придаточного предложения предшествует действию главного предложения:

They saidtheyhadneverexportedthese goods to Japan.Они сказали, что никогда не экспортировали этот товар в Японию.

(3) Future-in-the Past, если действие придаточного предложения следует за действием главного предложения:

We were told they wouldsoonexportthese goods to Egypt.Нам сказали, что они скоро будут экспортировать этот товар в Египет.

They were sure we should agree to their terms.Они были уверены, что мы согласимся с их условиями.

Note : Future-in-the Past образуется с помощью вспомогательного глагола should/would и инфинитива смыслового глагола без частицы to.

2 Если придаточное предложение по сути выражает вопрос, то, как и другие дополнительные придаточные предложения, оно начинается с вопросительных слов или союза if и в предложениях соблюдается прямой порядок слов:

I didn't know when the talks would finish.Я не знал, когда переговоры закончатся.

We asked him if they had seen our products. Мы спросили, видел ли он нашу продукцию.

3 Если придаточное предложение дополнения выражает общеизвестны или неоспоримый факт, то в придаточном предложении правила согласования времен не соблюдаются:

We knew there isa hundred cents in one euro. Мы знали, что в одном евро сто центов.

Note : Существуют и другие случаи, когда правила согласования времен не соблюдаются.

Exercises

19 Underline the Predicates and translate the sentences:

(6) In their enquiry the buyers stressed that they needed the instru­ments urgently.

(7) Then he added a speedy delivery was of vital importance.

(8) The sellers said they could deliver them ten weeks later.

(9) But the buyer replied that the period would be too long for them to agree to.

(10) He said that they had previously promised a much shorter period.

20 Complete the sentences:

The teacher said that... Why didn't you tell him that...

My friend once told me that... I knew that...

He asked me if... I hoped that...

21 Translate into English:

(1) Он знал, что они придут к соглашению.

(2) Я не думал, что они так быстро подпишут контракт.

(3) Кто сказал, что они раньше заключили несколько сделок?

(4) Мой коллега сказал, что он консультировался со специалистом по этому вопросу (консультироваться с — to have a consultation of).

22 Read the following words paying attention

to the intonation:

(1) I am af 'raid I 'cannot 'agree to that.

(2) I am af 'raid 'these 'periods are 'too long.

(3) I'm 'sure there's 'room for ,negotiation.

(4) I'm 'very glad we've 'come to an a Agreement.

(5) I sup 'pose we might be 'able to 'do that.

(6) I 'think we could accept your terms.

23 Complete the sentences, as in the text:

(1) In the course of making enquiries and offers, the parties very of­ten...

(2) You know, with this delivery problem I'm sure there's room ...

(3) When we mentioned speedy delivery we expected you...

(4) Look, if I can promise you delivery...

(5) I have to consult...

(6) If you deliver the machine in six weeks...

(7) In fact, if you can promise another order...

24 Translate into Russian:

(1) Well, let's get started.

(2) Oh, I am afraid these periods are too long.

(3) These are in fact the usual periods.

(4) It's pretty normal in this kind of operation.

(5) I am afraid I cannot agree to that.

(6) Well, you are really asking us for something that is very difficult.

(7) Well, on that basis I suppose we might be able to look at some kind of arrangement.

(8) I'm glad we have come to an agreement.

25 Write out the words from the dialogue:

(1) with which the seller started to speak about the business:_____________________

(2) which the buyer used to say they required the machine urgently:_______________

(3) of the seller proposing to deliver the machine and justifying the proposal:________

(4) the buyer used to insist on an earlier delivery:______________________________

26 Sum up:

what the buyer's position was

what the seller's position was

to what agreement the parties came

27 Reproduce the dialogue making it shorter.

28 Act out another similar dialogue, changing the goods and time of delivery.