(单词翻译:单击)
文本
背景提示：The guarantees of their machines are going to expire. Malcolm and Lee are considering whether to renew the guarantees or buy some new machines.
【Audioscript】
Lee: Malcolm, can I have a word?
Malcolm: Of course.
Lee: George Paterson just phoned from production.
Malcolm: Yes?
Lee: Yes, and some bad news I’m afraid. The guarantees on the Bake B X6 machines are about to run out.
Malcolm: Already?
Lee: Yes. You bought them five years ago, didn’t you? The guarantee runs out on the 20th of next month.
Malcolm: Oh Lord…
Lee: So we need to decide whether to extend the insurance policies on them or to get new machines.
Malcolm: What does George say about that?
Lee: He thinks we should get new machines. He’s been having discussions with Garnet Engineering who supplied us with the original machines, over the past few weeks apparently.
Malcolm: Nice of him to tell us about them – but let that pass.
Lee: Quite. But anyway it seems that Garnet have brought out a new model – the Bake B X8. It’s much more efficient – less wastage and much higher productivity. It could speed up our production by a good 8-10%, and George reckons that could be quite useful when it comes to the new Country Crumbles range.
Malcolm: Well he has a point. Anything that can help us keep production costs down on that range would be welcome. But what about the capital outlay for, what, six new machines?
Lee: At least, maybe seven.
Malcolm: Phew!
Lee: But George says they can offer us a really good deal if we exchange the old machines for new models and take out a new guarantee.
Malcolm: And is it a good deal?
Lee: Well, I haven’t had time to go through all the paperwork details yet, and as you know I’m having to keep a really tight control on capital outlay at the moment. The banks aren’t exactly rushing to lend anybody money right now and we don’t want to run up huge interest repayments. This is no time to get overextended.
Malcolm: Well if the deal with Superkor goes ahead, at least we would be guaranteed a very comfortable level of sales for the next two years, wouldn’t we. Would that make you more inclined to go for this deal?
Lee: It certainly would. But that’s not secure yet, is it? I think what we’d better do is get Garnet to come here and give us a presentation of this new equipment. We’d need George in on it too of course. He could quiz them about the technical side and I could go over the figures and the small print with their finance guys. It would be good if you could be there too, unless of course you are busy with other things…
Malcolm: Excuse me Lee. Hello. I thought I said I was not to be disturbed, Janet. What? From the hospital you say? Oh Lord, okay... then tell her I’ll be right over. Sorry Lee, I’ve got to get over to the hospital. My wife has had some sort of collapse and has been rushed in to A & E.
- End -
日积月累
【Glossary】
guarantee (noun) - it is a written promise by a company to repair or change a product when it develops a fault within a particular period of time 保证
run out (phrasal verb) - if an official document runs out, it expires or comes to an end 用尽，耗尽
extend (verb) - to make something last longer 延长
outlay (noun) - expenditure, an amount of money spent for a particular purpose 支出，费用
repayment (noun) - the act of paying back someone or something 偿还，报答
overextend (verb) - to commit financially beyond what can be paid 过分开展，过分扩展
inclined (adjective) - wanting to do something 有……倾向
small print (noun) - usually appears in commerical, contractual or formal documents, small print is the text which is printed smaller than the rest of the text, including legal terms, warnings and disclaimers and so on.
难懂的条文，附属细则
A&E (abbreviation) - Accident & Emergency 意外事故&紧急情况
实战商务小结
【Business notes】
Describing innovations 介绍新产品
在这一章，介绍了购买一台新的机器的效能。
Lee: Quite. But anyway it seems that Garnet have brought out a new model – the Bake B X8. It’s much more efficient – less wastage and much higher productivity. It could speed up our production by a good 8-10%, and George reckons that could be quite useful when it comes to the new Country Crumbles range.
下面这一些词，经常用来形容开发产品；
Life-changing
The use of the internet has been life-changing for most people.
Practical
Disposable contact lenses are very practical.
Revolutionary
The first desktop computer was revolutionary.
Time-saving
Vacuum cleaners are real time-saving domestic appliances.
Ground-breaking
The first iPod was ground-breaking as an mp3 player.
Space-saving
Flat screen TVs are space-saving devices when mounted on a wall.
