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Importing – The Flip Side of Trade 贸易第二课──进口业务

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

Exporting and importing go hand-in-hand – both involve matchmaking between buyers and sellers in different countries. For exporters, the expertise accumulated in financing, marketing, and shipping their products is easily transferred to an importing venture. It is not surprising, then, that many exporters take advantage of their experience and get into the importing business.

进口是贸易一体的两面──两者都在为不同国家的卖主和买家进行居中媒介。对出口商而言，日积月累而得的融资、营销、和船务知识都很容易就能转换到进口业务上。所以很多出口商利用自己的经验优势兼做进口，丝毫不令人感觉惊奇。

As an importer, a business’s chief function is to find a buyer for its foreign-made product. If an importer is also a manufacturer with domestic experience, then the distribution network is already in place, and any imported goods need only piggyback on established distribution channels. In such cases, the importer should import a product that complements, but doesn’t compete with, his or her existing product line.

进口商的主要业务目的在替外国产品找买主。如果进口商自己也是制造商，就已经对国内很熟稔，物流的分配管道也已经建置妥当，那么进口来的货品只需要搭便车就能从既有的经销管道出货了。在这种情况，进口商应该要进口与自己原有产品系列能够互补的东西，而不是会竞争的东西。

Assuming that a business already knows what it wants to import, its subsequent challenge is to find honest and experienced suppliers. One indicator of reliability is professional presentation in correspondence and product catalogues. Similarly, a good credit rating, where such information is available, should inspire confidence. Finally, ISO 9000 certification is rapidly emerging as the international standard for quality assurance; firms with ISO 14,000 certification, indicating enviro-friendly operations, are an even better bet. Finding a reliable supplier will ensure stability and keep trade flowing smoothly.

假设一家企业已经知道自己要进口什么产品了，接下来的挑战就是寻觅殷实可靠有经验的供货商合作。可不可靠，其中的一项指针就是他们的产品目录和往来文书是否具备专业水平。同样地，倘若能取得信用评等的信息，信用评等好也应该是正面的加分。最后，ISO【注】9000的品保认证近来正快速兴起成为国际间的一种质量担保；而通过ISO 14000品保认证的公司则更是上上之选，因为这项认证表示该公司的理念符合环保意识。觅得可靠的供货商能确保业务稳定，让贸易进行得顺利。

【注】：ISO指International Organization for Standardization国际标准机构

Vocabulary

单词发音

go hand-in-hand 与…密切相关

hand-in-hand adj. 紧密关连的

matchmaking [ˋmætʃ͵mekɪŋ] n. 做媒; 牵线搭桥

expertise [͵ɛkspɚˋtiz] n. 专门知识；专门技术

accumulate [əˋkjumjə͵let] v. 累积，积聚

venture [ˋvɛntʃɚ] n. 冒险事业

get into  开始从事(某职业)  to become involved in

in place 准备就绪

piggyback [ˋpɪgɪ͵bæk] v. 把……扛在肩（或背）上

complement [ˋkɑmpləmənt] v. 与……相配; 补足;补充;与…相辅相成

assume [əˋsjum] v. 假定﹐假设

correspondence [͵kɔrəˋspɑndəns] n.（总称）信件

catalogue [ˋkætəlɔg] n.（图书，商品等的）目录；目录册，目录簿

certification [͵sɝtɪfəˋkeʃən] n. 证明; 认证

assurance [əˋʃʊrəns] n. 保证

bet [bɛt] n. 对策，办法; 赌注

Sentence of the Day

Importing and exporting go together like a horse and carriage.

进出口是一体的两面，相辅相成。

课文讲解

Steve and Kay, co-workers, are having coffee in the staff lounge:  史提夫和凯两人是同事，一起在员工休息区喝咖啡：

K: Two creams, one sugar, please. And, by the way, congratulations on your promotion! You’re now in charge of a whole new division, right?

请给我两份奶精，一份糖。对了，恭喜你升迁了！现在你负责一整个新的部门了，是吧？

S: Technically, yes. But, in fact, it’s an extension of what I’ve already been doing in the exporting department. It’s just a matter of using our knowledge of freight forwarding, customs, and distribution in order to import foreign goods.

技术上来说，没错。但事实上，它是我已经在做的出口业务的延伸而已。把我们有的货运、关税、和物流知识加以运用，用来进口国外产品。

K: That’s easier said than done. With so many international sources available, it can’t be easy to find an able supplier. Isn’t it best to work with suppliers from countries we already have trade agreements with?

说得倒容易，但做起来难啊！国际间虽有这么多货源供选择，但要选定一家能力强的供货商并非易事。是不是最好和我们已有贸易协议的外国厂商合作比较妥当？

S: Absolutely. Trade agreements mean fewer trade barriers and probably lower tariffs. Whoever we use, it looks like I’ll be taking another trip to inspect our new suppliers in person.

当然，贸易协议意味着障碍较少，甚至或许关税也比较少。不管我们和谁合作，看来似乎我得亲自出差去考察新的供货商。

K: You can do some homework from here, though. For example, you can gauge a supplier’s level of professionalism by its website and letterhead. You could also check its credit history online.

不过，你能从这儿先开始做功课。譬如说，你可以从供货商的网站和信头先评估一下他们专业的程度，也能在线征信，查一下他们的债信历史。

S: There’s also ISO certification to check for. ISO certification demonstrates a firm has exceeded standardized measures of reliability and quality.

还有ISO认证可以查，ISO认证代表一家公司已经通过了质量与可信度的标准查核。

K: Which is more than I can say for this coffee.

这杯咖啡我可不敢担保通得过查核。

S: This coffee’s what my grandfather called “panther pee."

我祖父把这种咖啡戏称为「豹子尿」。

－by Howie Phung

Vocabulary

单词发音

lounge [laʊndʒ] n.（饭店，旅馆等的）休息室，会客厅

division [dəˋvɪʒən] n.（机关，公司等的）部门

freight forward 运费到付; 运费由提货人支付

freight [fret] n. 运费; 货运

able [ˋeb!] adj. 有能力的；能干的

tariff [ˋtærɪf] n. 关税

inspect [ɪnˋspɛkt] v. 检阅；视察

in person  亲身; 亲自; 本人

gauge [gedʒ] v. 估计，判断

letterhead [ˋlɛtɚ͵hɛd] n. 印在信纸的信头（指信纸上端所印的寄信人的姓名，地址或电话等文字）

exceed [ɪkˋsid] v. 超过﹐超出〔尤指超过一固定值〕

panther [ˋpænθɚ] n. 豹，黑豹

pee [pi] n.【粗】小便，尿

Sentence of the Day

Steve is working his way up in the company.

史提夫在公司努力工作以得到升迁。

work one’s way up  获得晋升；逐步使自己地位上升