阅读精讲

1. The US is anattractive market. Its business culture,which (非限制性定语从句)has brought the world "shareholder value" and "IPOs",has been leadingcommercial thinking(现场完成进行时) in recent years and willcontinue to do so. Butwhoeverwants to succeed in the US（主语从句）needs to remember the rules of the game.

1、美国是一个富有吸引力的（attractive）市场。它给世界带来的诸如“股东价值”和 “首次公开募股”的商业文化（business culture）近几年来（in recent years）一直引导着(has been leading)商业思想(commercialthinking)，并且在未来几年内还将保持(continue to do so 继续这么做)。但是无论是谁，想要在美国取得成功，都必须记住游戏的规则。

2. US businessis described bythelyricsof the song New York, New York:"If you canmake ithere, you can make it anywhere!" Yet a euphoric approach to business is by no means enough.Although business communicationin the USis pleasant andeasygoing, it isat the same time ruthlessly focused.

2、美国的商业，在《纽约，纽约》这首歌的歌词（lyrics）中是这样描述的：“如果你能在这里取得成功(make it 达到预定目标)，你就能在别的任何地方取得成功!” 但是愉快的做生意的方法(euphoricapproach tobusiness)是绝对不够的（by no means enough）。虽然在美国的商业沟通(businesscommunication)是愉快的和自在的(easygoing)，但是它同时（atthe same time）也因为不讲情面(ruthlessly adv. 无情地；冷酷地)而成为焦点。

3. Communicating(现在分词做主语)is anatural talentof Americans. Whennegotiating partnersmeet, the emphasis is onsmall talk and smiling. There isliberal use of a sense of humor thatis more directthanit is in the UK. If yougive a talk in America, you should speakinare laxed way andwith plenty ofjokesto captureyour audiences' attention.

3、沟通是美国人与生俱来的才能(a natural talent)。双方谈判的时候（当谈判双方接触时，negotiating现在分词做形容词，修饰parters），闲聊(smalltalk)和微笑是很重要的(theemphasis)。美国人比英国人更幽默（sense of humor 幽默感，幽默）也更直接。（that引导定语从句，可以译为：美国人自由地使用幽默感，这种幽默感比英国人更加直接。）如果你和美国人谈话，要很放松并且要准备很多（plenty of）笑话来吸引(capture)听众的注意力(to capture...不定式作目的状语)。

4. Informality is the rule. Business partners renounce their academic title son their business cards. Sandwichesand drinks in plastic or boxesareserved during conferences. Your business partnerstend toact casuallyin the office and chat about their family.

4、美国人不拘礼节（informalityn. 非正式；不拘礼节；be the rule 普通情况）。商业伙伴不会在他们的名片上写他们的毕业院校（renouncevt. 放弃；academic title 学衔）。 会议期间会提供一些用塑料瓶或盒子装的三明治和饮料。你的生意伙伴很可能会在办公室随意地（casually adv.）做一些事情或聊他们的家庭。

5. The attitude "time is money" has moreinfluence on business communication in the USthanit does anywhereelse. After the neutral warm-up, US negotiating partners quicklyget to the point. Even socialget-togethers are often used to discussbusiness matters.

5、“时间就是金钱”这种态度(attitude)在美国的生意场上的影响力比其他任何领域都强。在简单的寒暄之后(neutral adj. 中立的；warm-up n. 准备运动；预热)，美国谈判双方很快地切入主题(getto the point 言归正传)，甚至社会上举办的联欢会（get-togethers）都会被利用来讨论生意。

6. AlthoughAmericans do business in a very pragmatic way, they want to win.Developinga personal relationship with the business partneris not as important asgettingresults.

6、美国人做生意很注重实效（pragmatic adj.实用主义的；实际的），他们就是想赢。相比之下，发展（developing）与商业伙伴的个人关系（与得到（getting）的谈判结果相比）就不是那么重要了(相比较的两个部分，使用了相同的结构，即同为动名词词组)。

7. And US negotiatorstend towant those results fast.Asfinancial results are reportedevery quarter, itis essential tosecure profitabilityon a short-term basis.For this reason, many UScontractscontain theprovision"time isof the essence"withintheirpreamble. Hence, USimpatiencein negotiationsshould not be perceived asimpoliteness, butasthecorollary of "time is money".

7、而且美国谈判者（negotiators）想最快地获得结果。金融情况时刻受到关注（或直译为“财务业绩每季上报”），这对在短期内(on ashort-term basis)保证收益（profitabilityn. 赢利能力）很重要(be essential to 对...必要的)。因此（forthis reason），许多美国契约（contracts）在前言(preamble)里面包含“时间就是生命”这一条款(provisionn. 规定；条款)(of the essence 非常重要的；essence n. 本质；精华)。所以美国人谈判很性急（impatiencen.），但这不应该被视为（beperceived as）无礼，而应视为“时间就是金钱”的理念在起作用(corollary n. 必然的结果；推理)。（此句翻译作了小改动。）

8. Thisattitude has a strong influence on negotiations,sincestrategic alliances and otherlong-term projects are evaluatedin terms oftheir potential to achievea quick return on investment.

8、因为（since）战略合作(strategic adj. 战略的；alliancesn. 联盟)和其他的长期项目都是以其潜在的快速投资回报率来进行评价的，这种态度会对谈判有很大的影响。(to achieve aquick return on investemnt 不定式做potential的定语；本句可译为：“时间就是金钱”的这种态度对谈判具有很大的影响，因为，战备合作和其他的长期项目都是以获得快速投资回报的潜能来进行评价的。)

9.Because the Asian negotiatingapproachtendstobe long-term in nature, it is one of the mainreasonswhyso many joint ventures and alliancesbetween US and Asian companies have failed tomeet expectations.

9、亚洲人谈判的时间历来很长，这也是为什么美国和亚洲的很多合资企业和联盟未能达到预期效果的主要原因之一（joint ventures 合资企业，合资公司）。（此句翻译作了小改动。）

10. When doingbusiness in the US, you should takethe following considerationsinto account.

10、当你在美国经商时，以下的这些事情（thefollowing considerations）是值得考虑一下的（takeinto account 考虑；重视）。

11. Conductingnegotiationson a highly professional leveland makingpresentationswith the help ofstate-of-the-art technologyis appreciated in the US. You should observea negotiated agenda,or evena draft agreement.The negotiation will proceed in a well-prepared,calm, matter-of-fact and pragmatic manner,alllacedwitha substantial dose of humor.

11、引导(conducting)一个高水平的、专业的谈判，并借助于（with the help of）艺术手段 (state-of the art technology)将谈判内容呈现出来(makingpresentations)，这在美国很受欢迎。你应该制定(observe)一个谈判议程（agenda），甚至是一个协定草案。谈判将会在准备充分(well-preparedadj.)、平和、实事求是的(matter-of-factadj.)和实用的（pragmatic）状态中进行(proceed vi. 开始；发生；行进)，整个过程充满幽默（lace with 用...装饰；a substantial does of大量的）。（此段翻译作了改动。）

12. Present and market your casein apositiveway. You shouldnot betoo modest about yourown company's products, services, and market position.Instead, take a "can-do" attitude.

12、在介绍自己公司情况的时候，要很积极。对自己公司的产品、服务和在市场上的地位都不要说得太谦虚（too modest）。相反（instead）要釆取一种乐观进取的态度，让对方觉得你能行。

13. Moreover,do not be misled by your negotiating partners' relaxed style of communication. Subjectssuch asreligion, politics orethnic background should only betouched oncautiously, even inprivate conversation.

13、还有，不要被你的谈判合伙人放松的沟通方式所误导(被动语态)（mislead vt. 误导，其过去式和过去分词为misled）。诸如宗教、政治或种族背景（ethnicbackground）等，这些问题一定要慎重(cautiously adv.)提及（touch on），即使是在私人的交谈中也应如此。

14. The casualattitude in the US does not meanthere is no hierarchy in US companies.On the contrary,status is expressedin a very subtle way, and it may take some time to gain a detailed understanding ofthe ranking system.

14、这种不拘礼节的态度并不意味着在美国的公司中没有等级制度(hierarchy n.)。相反（onthe contrary），每个人的身份地位会以一种非常微妙的(subtle)方式表现出来，而要真正理解这种表达方式是需要一定时间的。（the ranking system 等级制度）

课后练习

课后练习：

1. Its business culture, has broughtthe world "shareholder value" and "IPOs", commercialthinking in recent years and will continue todo so.

A. which; has leaded B. which; has been leading

C. that; has leaded D.that; has been leading

2. Yet a euphoric approach businessis by no means enough.

A. into B.with C. to D. on

3. Although business communicationin the US is pleasant and easygoing, it is at the same time focused.

A. ruthless B. ruthlessly C.ruthlessness

4. a personalrelationship with the business partner is not as important as results.

A. Developing;getting B.Developing; to get

C. To develop; getting D. To develop;to get

5. For this reason, manyUS contain theprovision"time is of theessence" within theirpreamble.

A. contacts B. contents C. contends D. contracts

6. The negotiation will in a well-prepared, calm and pragmatic manner, all laced a substantial dose of humor.

A. proceed; with B. process; with

C. process; in D. proceed; in

7. Present andmarket your case in a way.

A. negative B. positively C.negatively D.positive

8. Religion, politics orethnic background should be touched on .

A. cautiously B. cautiousness C. cautious D. caution

9.Do not your negotiating partners' relaxed style of communication.

A.aremisled by B. misled by C. be misled by D. be misled

10. Thecasualattitude inthe US does not mean no hierarchyin US companies.

A. that is B. there is C.there are D. that are

答案：请在课文中寻找。

温馨小语：每篇“学习笔记”将可能涉及到的“考点”做了重点标记，它们基于“职称考试”的四个主要方面，即词汇、语法、阅读和翻译，所以在学习中要认真体会，找到自己要重点学习的内容。