1.To begin with, are you ready to make us an offer?
首先請談談，你們的報價準備好了嗎？
To begin with是不定式短語，在句中起獨立成分作用。不定式的這種用法常常可以承接上文，使文章緊湊，另例：
To hear talk, it seems you’ve been to China quite a few times.
聽你談話的口氣，像是到過中國好幾次了。
To speak frankly, this price will leave us no profit to speak of.
坦率地說，這種價格我們毫無利潤可言。
To conclude, we agreed to sell you 500 tons Dried Potato Slices at the terms you put forward.
總體來說，我們同意你方提出的條件向你售出500噸干土豆片。
2．It’s something like this: 500 cases of Black Tea at the price of US $6 per kilogram, CIF New York. Shipment will be effected
in July.
報價是這樣的：500箱紅茶，每公斤價格6美元，紐約到岸價，7月份裝船。
Something like…類似，大致像……
The specifications of our Tiger head Brand playing cards are something like the following.
我們虎頭牌撲克的規格大致如下。
It cost something like ten pounds.
這件東西花費了我們約10英鎊。
The ship sails to Lagos once every two months, or something like that.
船只每隔兩個月，或大約這么長時間，開往拉各斯一次。
3．This offer holds good for two days.
本報盤有效期兩天。
表示報盤有效期的常見說法有：
This offer is open(firm/good/valid) for three days.
本報價三天內有效。
We offer keep our offer open until next Friday.
我們的報盤保持有效直到下周五。
We offer you firm for three days on FOB basis.
我們向你報警天有效實盤，船上交貨價。
This offer will remain firm(effective) for a week from today.
本報盤有效期10月10日截止。
4. But your 500 cases is not enough I’m afraid.
但是我想你們供應的500箱數量不夠。
500cases 是個復數，但是在這里把它當作一個整體看待，動詞可以采用單數形式。又如：
Six thousand francs is too high a price.
Two weeks was given for taking delivery of the goods.
提貨給了兩個星期的時間。
5．As I’m sure I can do better this year, I hope you will increase your supply at least by 300 cases.
我相信我今年生意能做得更好些，因此希望你們至少增加供應300箱。
Sure 用作形容詞，后面可以接介詞of,從句及不定式。
But they are not so sure of the sailing date.
但是他們對啟航日期還不做十分肯定。
Of one thing we may be very sure. That is, without your getting the necessary import license, it would be import license，it would be impossible for the goods to pass through the Customs,.
有一點是可以肯定的，即，你們得不到必需的進口許可證，貨物肯定不能通過海關。
We are sure that these trade practices will bring good to both of us.
我們相信這些貿易新做法會給我們帶來利益的。
I am not sure what kind of responses your policy will receive from our clients.
我不敢肯定你們的政策在我們的客戶方面會得到什么樣的反應。
In any case, the contract will be sure to reach you early next week.
不管怎樣，合同下周初肯定會到達你方。
6. Owing to the drought this year’s tea crop has sharply decreased, while demand both at home and abroad has tremendously increased.
由于干旱，今年茶葉產量急劇減少，而國內外需求卻大幅度增加。
demand需求，需求量
Surely there’s little or no demand for these goods.
不用說，對這些貨物的需求量很少或沒有。
This article is not much in demand.
對這種商品的需求量不大。
Glass wares are in great/small/regular demand.
下班器皿銷路很暢，銷路不大/經常有銷路。
The supply of petroleum does not meet/fill/satisfy the demand these few months.
近幾個月石油供不應求。
Supply exceeds demand.
供過于求。
Japanese goods enjoy an increasing demand.
對日本貨物的需求在增長。
7．But if I don’t see to my market, my customers will turn to other suppliers for their requirement.
但是如果我要是照料不好自己的市場，顧客就會轉向其他供應商購買。
turn to somebody for something 為某人而求助于某人
We suggest you turn to the Chartered bank, Singapore, for information about our company.
我們建議你們向新加坡麥加利銀行了解有關我們公司的情況。
Whenever you are in difficulty, you may turn to us. We’ll be always ready to give you any help we can.
任何時候你遇到困難，都可以找我們。 我們隨時都會給你力所能及的幫助。
8．The fact is that we’ve employed all possible means to get even these 500 cases for you.
實際上，就這箱也是我們竭盡全力弄來的。
Means是復數形式。但是用作：方法，手段“時，單、復數皆可；用作“ 錢財，資產”時，總是用作復數。
In case you need the goods urgently, the quickest means of transportation, you know, would be by plane.
如果你急需這批貨，最快的運輸方法，你知道，則是用飛機航運。
You must take every necessary means to keep the price at around $50.
你必須采取各種必要的辦法，使價格維持在50美元左右。
It is believed this company has not much means.
據信這家公司的資金并不多。
