《商务英语4》教材文章（中英文对照）
Unit 1 International Travel
Passage 1
Traveler’s Checks
旅行支票
Many of the banks and travel services in western countries provide a convenience for travelers by issuing traveler’s checks. Travelers, when buying the checks, have to sign the checks in the presence of the bank or service clerks. During the trip, travelers can cash the checks at the agencies of the bank or the travel service whenever they need after their counter-signatures are recognized. A lot of travelers like to buy these checks as they don’t have to take along much cash and worry about counterfeit signatures. The agencies will get back the money they have paid by sending the checks to the issuing offices.
在西方国家，很多银行和旅行社都发行旅行支票，为旅客提供便利。购买旅行支票时，旅客必须当着银行或旅行社职员的面，在支票上签名。在旅行途中，当旅客需要时，可以在复签得到确认后，向银行或旅行社的代理机构兑现旅行支票。很多旅客喜欢购买旅行支票，因为这样就无须携带大量现金，也不用担心伪造签名。代理机构寄送旅行支票给发行机构，就可以获得其已经支付的数额。
Traveler’s checks are generally of small face value, such as ten or twenty dollars, or five or ten pounds, for miscellaneous payments. There is no time limit for their circulation period. It is very profitable for the issuing offices to finance the funds they collect by issuing traveler’s checks because they not only receive a service charge from the check buyers, but they also don’t need to pay any interest no matter how long the checks remain in circulation before clearing. This is why banks and travel services are willing to provide this convenience.
旅行支票通常是小面额，例如10美元或20美元、5英镑或10英镑，用于小额支出。旅行支票的流通没有期限。对发行机构来说，通过发行旅行支票来提供融资便利是有利可图的，因为发行机构不但可以向支票购买者收取费用，而且，这些支票无论在外流通多久，在清算之前，发行机构都可以无息占用（支票上的资金）。这正是银行和旅行社愿意提供便利的原因所在。
Passage 2
Schengen Visa Application Steps
申根签证申请步骤
Identify the country or countries you will be traveling to. It is particularly important to know which countries you are traveling to because it determines where and how you are going to send your application.
确定你要去旅行的一个或几个国家。确定你要去旅行的国家，这非常重要，因为这决定了你寄送申请的地点和方式。
● If you are intending to visit just one Schengen country, you will need to apply for the Schengen visa directly with the embassy or consulate of that particular country.
如果你打算只去一个申根国家旅行，那么，你需要直接向这个国家的大使馆或领事馆申请申根签证。
● If you are intending to visit two or more Schengen countries, your application must be sent to the embassy or consulate of the country that shall be your main destination.
如果你打算去两个或更多的申根国家旅行，那么，你的申请必须寄送到主要目的地国家的大使馆或领事馆。
● If you are intending to visit several Schengen countries, but do not have a main destination, you should apply for the visa at the embassy or consulate of the first Schengen country on your travel itinerary.
如果你打算去多个申根国家旅行，但没有主要目的地，那么，你应该向旅行计划中的第一个申根国家申请签证。
Fill out an application form beforehand to obtain a Schengen visa. You can download and print off the form online.
在获得申根签证前，你要填写申请表格。你可以从网上下载并打印申请表格。
Prepare all the requirements for your Schengen visa application. Depending on the consulate or embassy, you are required to show the following documents:
准备申根签证申请所需要的所有资料。大使馆或领事馆一般要求提交以下资料：
● a valid national passport; 有效的公民护照；
● evidence showing the purpose of your trip (e.g. international conference);
旅行目的证明材料（例如，参加国际会议）；
● proof of medical insurance; 医疗保险证明；
● a round-trip travel ticket; 往返机票；
● proof of funds. 资金证明。
Check the processing time to ensure you get your Schengen visa on time. The processing time varies per embassy, so it is important to take the processing time into account when planning your trip.
核实（签证）处理时间，以确保你按时获得申根签证。各个使馆（对签证的）处理时间不同，因此，在计划出行时，要将（签证）处理时间考虑在内。
Unit 2 Customer Service
Passage 1
Customer Service
客户服务
The American idea of customer service is to make each customer the center of attention. And wherever you go, good customer service means making customers feel special.
美式客服理念认为每位客户都是关注的焦点。无论你到哪儿，良好的客户服务就是让客户感觉与众不同。
When customers get to a store, they are treated as honor guests. Customers don’t usually find store clerks sitting around watching TV or playing cards. Instead, the clerks greet them warmly and offer to help them find what they want. Customers usually don’t have to ask how much items cost, since prices are clearly marked.
当客户走进商店，他们会被当作贵宾对待。客户不会看到商店职员围坐在一起看电视或打牌。相反，职员热情问候，提供帮助，找到客户之所需。客户通常也不用询问产品价格，因为价格已经明确标出。
When customers are ready to check out, they can go to the nearest and shortest checkout lane. Good stores open new checkout lanes when the lineups get too long. Some even offer express lanes for customers with 10 items or less. After they pay for their purchases, customers receive a smile and a warm “thank you and have a nice day” from the clerk.
结账之时，客户可以走向最近、最短的付款通道。当排队人数太多时，好的商店会开启新的付款通道。一些商家甚至为购买10件或10件以下商品的客户提供快速付款通道。客户结账付款之后，职员会送上微笑和温暖的祝福：“感谢您的光临，祝您度过美好的一天。”
In America, customer service continues long after the sale. Many products come with a money-back guarantee. Expensive items like cars, computers or stereo often have a warranty that ensures trouble-free use for a period of a year or more. Advertisements regularly include the motto, “Your satisfaction is guaranteed.” So if there is a problem with the product, customers can take it back. The customer service representative will often allow them to exchange the item or return it for a full refund.
在美国，（商品）售出之后，客户服务会延续很长时间。许多产品都有退款承诺。汽车、电脑、音响等高价位的商品通常有质保期，保证一年或更久的时间内使用该产品没有任何问题。广告一般有“包您满意”之类的标语。所以，如果产品有问题，客户可以把它送回去。客服代表往往会允许客户更换其所购商品或者全额退款。
Customer service in America grows out of the belief that “the customer is always right”. If a person receives poor service from a store, he probably will avoid shopping there in the future. On the other hand, customers often remain loyal to a business that has excellent service even if their prices are higher.
美式客户服务相信“客户永远是正确的”。如果商家的客户服务差强人意，客户可能不再在此购物。另一方面，如果商家的服务上乘，即使其价格高一些，客户也会对其很忠诚。
Passage 2
The “Feel Good Factor” in Customer Service
客户服务中的“利好因素”
Challenge in working in customer service is to ensure that you have focused your attention on the right key areas, measured by the right Key Performance indicator (KPI). One of the most important aspects of a customer service KPI is what is often referred to as the “Feel Good factor”. Basically the goal is not only to help the customer have a good experience, but to offer an experience that exceeds expectations. Several key points are listed as follows:
客户服务部门工作的一大挑战，是保证聚焦于正确的关键领域，这可以用关键绩效指标（KPI）来衡量。客户服务关键绩效指标中最重要的一方面，是我们通常所说的“利好因素”。从根本上说，目标是不但要帮助客户获得良好的体验，而且要提供超出客户预期的体验。以下为主要几点：
Know what products / services you are offering from back to front. In other words, be an information expert. It is okay to say “I don’t know”, but it should always be followed up by “but let me find out” or possibly “but this person will be able to assist you”. Whatever the situation may be, make sure that you don’t leave your customer with an unanswered question.
全面了解你所提供的产品或服务。换句话说，要成为信息专家。说“我不知道”没问题，但是，一定还要说“让我找找”或“这位能够帮助到您”。不管什么情况，一定要确保客户的问题得到答复。
Most of the communication that you relay to others is done through body language. If you have negative body language when you communicate with others, it shows that you don’t care. Two of the most important aspects of positive body language are smiling and eye contact. Make sure to look your customers in the eye. It shows that you are listening to them and hearing what they are saying. And of course smiling is more inviting than a blank look or frown.
你与他人的大多数沟通交流，是通过肢体语言完成的。如果你与他人交流时，你的肢体语言不积极，就说明你不关心。积极的肢体语言拥有两大关键点：微笑和眼神交流。确保要直视客户的眼睛。这表明，你正在聆听他们，听到了他们所言。当然，微笑会比茫然的表情或眉头紧皱更加友好。
Nothing surprises your customers more than an employee going the extra mile to help them. Always look for ways to go above and beyond the expectations of your customers. In doing so, it helps them to know that you care and it will leave them with the “Feel Good Factor” that you are searching for.
没有什么能比员工加倍努力去解决问题更让客户惊喜的了。一定要想方设法，超越客户的期望。这么做有助于客户感受到你的关心，你一直追寻的“利好因素”也就传递给了客户。
Unit 3 Negotiation
Passage 1
Non-Verbal Communication in Negotiation
谈判中的非言语交际
Communication plays an important role in a negotiation. Participants communicate information not only verbally but non-verbally through body language and gestures. By understanding how non-verbal communication works, a negotiator is able to understand the information the other participants are giving out non-verbally. At the same time, the negotiator keeps things secret that would limit his /her ability to negotiate.
沟通交流在商务谈判中起着非常重要的作用。谈判人员不仅通过言语交流信息，还可以通过肢体语言和手势等进行非言语交际。通过理解非言语交际如何发挥作用，谈判者能够理解其他谈判人员透露的非言语信息。同时，谈判者对会限制他（她）谈判能力的事情只字不提。
Take “non-verbal anchoring” as an example. In a negotiation, a person can gain the advantage by verbally expressing his / her position first. He / she also can “anchor” and gain advantage with non-verbal cues like the following. First, personal space: the person at the head of the table is the obvious symbol of power. Negotiators may be unhappy with this strategic advantage. Second, first impression: begin the negotiation with positive gestures and enthusiasm. Look the person in the eye with honesty and respect. If you cannot maintain eye contact, the other person might think you are hiding something or you are dishonest.
举“非言语定位”一例进行说明。在一场谈判中，一个人可以先通过言语表明他（她）的身份地位，从而获得优势。他（她）也可以采取“定位”的方法，通过下列非言语线索获得优势。首先，个人空间。位于桌子前端的人明显是权力的象征。谈判者一般不喜欢这种战略优势。其次，第一印象。以积极的手势热情饱满地开始谈判，诚实而尊重地看着对方的眼睛。如果你不能保持目光接触，那么谈判的另一方可能会认为你有所隐藏或者你并不诚实。
Another example is reading non-verbal communication. Being able to read the non-verbal communication of another person can be a great asset in the communication process. By being aware of different signs and expressions that a person gives verbally and non-verbally, a negotiator can adjust his / her approach and the negotiation can go smoothly. If possible, it may be helpful for negotiation partners to spend time together in a comfortable atmosphere outside of the negotiation room. Being familiar with another person helps you to sense the differences between verbal and non-verbal communication within the negotiation atmosphere.
另外一个例子是读懂非言语交际。能够读懂对方的非言语交际是交流过程中非常有用的能力。通过理解对方利用言语和非言语所表达出的不同信号和态度，谈判者可以调整谈判方法，使谈判顺利进行。如果可能的话，谈判双方在谈判室之外的轻松氛围中共度一段时间，会有很大帮助。熟悉对方可以帮助你感觉出在谈判环境中言语交际和非言语交际的不同。
Passage 2
The Golden Rules of Negotiating
谈判的黄金法则
The art of negotiating is a difficult skill for most of us, even good salespeople. Here are three golden rules for you to follow:
对于我们大多数人，甚至是优秀的销售人员来说，谈判艺术是一种很难掌握的技能。在此给大家提供三条黄金法则：
1. Always start the negotiations.
1. 总是发起谈判
You must initiate the process. This is because whoever controls the start of the negotiations tends to control where they end. If you let the other party start negotiations, you will be constantly giving up control, often without even realizing it. For instance, when you ask someone what his project budget is, you are allowing him to start the negotiations. You will then spend your time chasing his number rather than finding the best solution. So, never let the other party control the negotiations.
你必须启动谈判程序，这是因为，谁控制了谈判的开始，谁就会控制谈判在哪里结束。如果是对方发起谈判的话，你会不断地放弃对谈判的控制，甚至通常连你自己都意识不到。例如，当你问某人，他的项目预算是多少时，你就让对方发起了谈判。于是，你就会花时间跟着他的数字跑，而不是寻找最佳解决方案。所以，永远也不要让对方控制谈判。
2. Always negotiate in writing.
2. 总是以书面形式谈判
The purpose of negotiations is to arrive at a formal written agreement, not tell a story or spend time talking. From the first moment you begin a proposal, you should create a document and take it to the client. It will include all the points of agreement and become real to the prospective customer. Negotiating first and then having to create a document adds unnecessary time to a transaction. But if you build your written agreement as you negotiate, you are prepared to ask for a signature the moment the decision to buy is made.
谈判的目的是为了达成正式的书面协议，而不是讲故事或者聊天。你从一开始提出建议，就应该拟定文件并带给客户。文件应包括协议的所有要点，并且潜在客户能够实现。先谈判再拟定文件会为交易的达成增加不必要的时间。但是，如果你在谈判时就建立书面协议的话，一旦你决定购买，你就可以准备要求对方签字了。
3. Always stay cool.
3. 总是保持冷静
The negotiation table can be loaded with agendas, egos and emotions. Great negotiators know how to stay cool, providing leadership and solutions, while the rest of the room becomes insanely invested in personal agendas and useless emotions. Crying, getting angry and blowing off steam may make you feel good, but such behavior will not benefit you while negotiating. When the rest of the room gets emotional, stay cool and use logic to negotiate and close.
谈判桌承载着议事日程、自我意识和各种情绪。当谈判室里的其他人失去理智，被个人议程和无用的情绪所左右时，伟大的谈判者知道如何保持冷静，如何领导他人并提出解决办法。哭喊、愤怒、发脾气可能会使你感觉好一些，但是，这样的行为在谈判时对你而言没有一点好处。当谈判室里的其他人变得情绪化时，你一定要保持冷静，有逻辑地谈判并结束谈判。
Unit 4 Franchise
Passage 1
Franchise
特许经营权
Franchising is the practice of using another firm’s successful business model. The word “franchise” comes from French meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a verb. For the franchisor, the franchise is another way to build “chain stores” to distribute goods that avoids the investments and debts of a chain. The franchisor’s success depends on the success of the franchisees. The franchisee can get more money than a direct employee because he or she has a vital interest in the business.
特许经营是一种使用其他公司的成功经营模式的做法。“特许经营权”在法语中的意思是“免费”，既可用作名词，也可用作动词。对于特许权拥有人来说，特许经营是建立“连锁店”的另一种方式，这样可以分销商品，避免连锁店的投资和债务。特许权拥有人的成功依赖特许经营者的成功。由于在公司中的切身利益，特许经营者能够比直属雇员赚更多的钱。
It should be recognized that franchising is one of the means available for getting investment money without giving up control of the chain operation and building a distribution system for servicing it. After the brand and the action plans are carefully designed and properly operated, franchisors are able to sell franchises and expand rapidly across the globe. It is said about 4% of all businesses in the United States are franchisee-worked. But franchisor rules are usually very strict in the US as well as in most other countries. Trademarks, proprietary service marks and regulations need to be observed carefully.
应该认识到的是，特许经营是获得投资的有效手段之一，同时不用放弃连锁经营权，还能建立一套分配制度为之服务。在认真设计品牌和行动方案、合理运营之后，特许权拥有人就可以销售特许经营权并在全球迅速扩张。据说，美国4%的商业都是特许经营的工作模式。但是，特许经营权的授予规则在美国与在其他大多数国家一样，非常严格。要认真遵守商标权、专属服务标志权和规章制度。
It’s important to know that there is risk for people buying the franchises. There are a lot of myths surrounding the success and failure rates of franchise businesses. One of the more popular myths states that franchise businesses have lower risk than independent business start-ups. Another one suggests that it’s almost impossible to fail. Both are untrue, and it’s important for today’s franchise-seekers to be aware of this fact.
购买特许经营权存在风险，了解这点很重要。有关特许经营成败机率有很多迷思。其中一个较为流行的迷思是特许经营比独立初创公司的风险低。另一个则是特许经营几乎不可能失败。两者都不正确，对当今希望从事特许经营业的人而言，重要的是意识到这个事实。
Passage 2
Four Tips for Becoming a Franchisee
成为特许经营人的四个窍门
If you want to become a franchisee, the tips below can help you to find the perfect opportunity.
如果你想成为特许经营人，下面的窍门能帮助你找到最好的机会。
1.Be focused on your preference
关注你的偏好
On the stage of decision-making, the bottom line is: Don’t rule out a business without learning or seeing what the day-to-day will look like. For instance, think about a mom returning to the work force who knows she wants to interact with children on a daily basis. Among the hundreds of options there, she needs to decide if she would like to be hands-on as a teacher or if she would rather manage a facility that tutors children in math. Deciding between the two is easy if she considers which day-to-day position she would prefer and how that will impact her other goals.
决策阶段的底线是，不了解公司的日常情况，就不要排除这个公司。比如说，试想一位重返工作岗位的母亲，她知道自己想要天天与孩子进行交流。在众多选择中，她需要做决定，是亲自做老师，还是经营一个场所来辅导孩子们的数学。如果她考虑一下，自己更喜欢哪种日常状态，这将如何影响她的其他目标，那么，在这两个选择中做决定就很容易了。
2.Be proactive with your research
主动研究
After you’ve determined what role you want in a franchise, it’s important to start researching different options. Physically visit many different franchise locations and browse the web and then determine what will be a good fit in your community.
当你确定在特许经营中的角色后，开始研究不同的选择是非常重要的。亲自参观一些不同的特许经营场所，浏览网站，然后决定什么最合适你的社区。
3.Make sure the franchisor has experience
确定特许权拥有人具备经验
Before signing on to a franchise, it is essential to ask the franchisor about the executive team and its past industry experience. Find out if the company leaders have had significant experience at another franchise and are now applying that knowledge successfully.
在签订特许经营合同之前，务必要向特许权拥有人了解其管理团队的情况及其过去的产业经历。要搞清楚公司领导人是否有在其他特许经营中积累的有益经验，是否现在成功地应用了这些知识。
4.Read the franchise disclosure document carefully
仔细阅读特许经营的公开文件
The first thing to look at is how much a franchise would cost to purchase. Make sure you have a financial advisor who can look at that item with you and see the type of profit a franchisee can make on average. It’s also important to take a look at the post-termination clause in the agreement to make sure that when you want to leave the business, you know the terms well and your interests are properly protected.
首先要做的事是看一看特许经营的费用。一定要有一位财务顾问和你一起审阅条款，判断特许经营人能够赚取的平均利润。还有一点很重要，就是看一看协议中的后终止条款，以确定当你不做这个业务时，你非常了解这个条款，并且你的利益得到了适当保护。
Unit 5 Team Work
Passage 1
Successful Team Work and Team Building
成功的团队合作和团队建设
Team building skills are critical for your effectiveness as a manager or entrepreneur. And even if you are not in a management or leadership role yet, better understanding of team work can make you a more effective employee and give you an extra edge in your corporate office.
团队建设技能对于经理或企业家的高效性而言至关重要。即使你并未担任管理或领导职位，较好地理解团队合作也能让你成为一名更有效率的员工，从而赋予你在办公场所的额外优势。
Team building success is when your team can accomplish something much bigger and work more effectively than a group of the same individuals working on their own. There are two critical factors in building a high performance team.
团队建设的成功是指相比同样一群各自行事的个体，你的团队能够取得更大的成就和更高的效率。在建设高效能团队的过程中有两个关键要素。
The first factor in team effectiveness is the diversity of skills and personalities. It means people use their strengths in full, but can compensate for each other’s weaknesses. Or, different personality types balance and complement each other.
团队有效性的第一个要素是技能和性格的多样性。这意味着人们在充分发挥才能的情况下，可以弥补彼此的短处。不同的性格类型可以相互平衡和补充。
The other critical element of team work success is that all the team efforts are directed towards the same clear goals, the team goals. This relies heavily on good communication in the team and harmony in member relationships.
团队合作成功的另一个要素是所有团队成员要朝着同一个明确的团队目标共同努力。这主要靠团队成员之间良好的沟通和团队成员关系的融洽。
In real life, team work success rarely happens by itself if there are no focused team building efforts or activities. There is simply too much room for problems. For example, different personalities may build up conflicts. Or even worse, some people with similar personalities may start fighting for authority and dominance in certain areas of expertise. Even if the team goals are clear and accepted by everyone, there may be no team commitment to the group goals, or no consensus on the means of achieving those goals. There may be a lack of trust and openness, which may block critical communication and lead to loss of coordination in the individual efforts. This is why every team needs a good leader who is able to deal with all team work issues.
在现实生活中，如果没有致力于团队建设的努力和活动，团队合作成功的概率就几乎为零。可能出现问题的地方太多了。例如，不同的性格有时可能造成矛盾。更为甚者，为了获取在某些专业领域的权威地位和支配优势，相似性格的人可能会开始争斗。即使团队目标明确，并得到大家的一致认可，也可能会有这样的情况：团队没有努力朝着团队目标（奋斗），没有形成实现目标的共识。团队中可能会缺乏信任和坦诚，从而导致重要沟通受阻，团队里的每个人自行其是，无法协作。所以，每个团队都需要一个能够处理此类团队合作问题的好领队。
Passage 2
Team Spirit
团队精神
Team spirit can make or break a team. Teammates who have team spirit are better able to work together and achieve team goals. They are also more satisfied with their team activities. John Wooden, a former basketball coach at UCLA, said, “Team spirit means you are willing to sacrifice personal considerations for the welfare of all. That defines a team player.” There are certain skills team members develop that serve as good examples of team spirit.
团队精神既能成就一个团队，也能击垮一个团队。具备团队精神的成员能够更好地合作并实现团队的目标。他们对团队活动也更满意。加州大学洛杉矶分校的篮球队前教练约翰·伍登说：“团队精神意味着，你愿意为了大家的利益，牺牲个人的考虑。这才是团队成员的定义。”团队成员所具备的一些技能是团队精神的良好体现。
Cooperation
合作
Cooperating is simply working together as teammates for the good of the team. Cooperation is a skill that team members can sharpen during practice. For example, basketball players must practice passing the ball in different plays and situations. Team efficiency is directly related to the cooperation of its members. Acting cooperatively is a good way to show team spirit because doing so contributes to the overall success of the team.
合作就是团队成员为了团队利益共同努力。合作是团队成员在实践中能够提高的一种技能。例如，篮球队员们必须练习技能，能够在不同的比赛和不同的情况下传球。团队效率与团队成员之间的合作直接相关。合作行为是一种展现合作精神的很好的方式，因为这样做有助于整个团队的成功。
Motivation
动机
Team members must fulfill their duties with their full efforts. Staying motivated shows team spirit because it shows that you want the team to do well. This includes being motivated to give your best in practice and in competition, as well as outside of team activities. For example, a baseball player can show team spirit by being motivated to practice his swing outside of practice.
团队成员必须尽职尽责。工作积极主动是团队精神的体现，因为这表明你希望整个团队有上乘的表现。这意味着成员在实践中、在竞争中以及在团队活动之外的情形下都竭尽全力。例如，篮球运动员在非训练时间还积极主动地练习，就是团队精神的体现。
Respect
尊重
Respect for your fellow team members is a must. You can show respect to your teammates by treating everyone fairly and equally. Teammates also respect each other by allowing everyone to participate. Respecting fellow teammates keeps everyone in a good mood and encourages overall team spirit. For example, people can show team spirit through respect by encouraging other team members who might be struggling.
必须尊重团队成员。公正公平地对待每位团队成员，就是尊重的表现。让每位成员参加团队活动，团队成员之间也会彼此尊重。尊重队友会让团队中的每个人都保持好心情，还能振奋团队精神。例如，人们可以通过鼓励正在努力奋斗的队友以示对其的尊重，这也是团队精神的表现。
Unit 6 Electronic Accounting
Passage 1
The Balance Sheet
资产负债表
The balance sheet is produced at the end of a company’s financial year, and is a snapshot of its financial situation. It shows the company’s assets and liabilities at that point in time.
资产负债表是公司在一个财政年度中，对公司的财政状况进行记录的报表。该表及时记录了公司的资产和负债状况。
There are two halves to a balance sheet. The top half shows where the money is being used in the business (the net assets), and the bottom half shows where this money came from (the capital employed). The total of each half should be the same, hence the expression balance sheet.
资产负债表由上、下两部分组成。上半部分显示了钱的用途（净资产），下半部分显示了钱的来源（动用资本）。每部分的总和应该是相等的，因此称之为资产负债表。
There are two kinds of assets—long-term and short-term. The long-term assets are known as fixed assets, and include the land, buildings, machinery and vehicles that are used in connection with the business. All fixed assets except land are depreciated as they wear out over time. The total fixed assets are the value of the fixed assets, less the accumulated depreciation.
资产分为长期资产和短期资产。长期资产又称固定资产，包括土地、房产、与经营相关的机器和车辆。随着时间的推移，除土地之外的所有固定资产都会折损。固定资产总额等于固定资产的价值减去累积折旧。
The short-term assets are known as current assets, and include cash, stocks and receivables that are due within one year.
短期资产又称流动资产，包括现金、股票和一年内到期的应收款项。
The top half of the balance sheet also includes liabilities, that is, all debts and obligations owed by the business to creditors. Current liabilities are those debts that must be paid within the year, such as wages earned but not yet paid. Long-term liabilities may include mortgages and other loans that will not have been paid off within the year.
资产负债表的上半部分还包括负债，即企业对债权人承担的一切债务。流动负债是指年内必须要支付的债务，如应付职工薪酬。长期负债包括偿还期超过一年的抵押贷款和其他贷款。
The top half of the balance sheet therefore consists of the total of fixed and current assets, less the current and long-term liabilities, giving the net assets.
因此，资产负债表的上半部分就是固定资产与流动资产的总和，减去流动负债和长期负债，由此得出的净资产值。
The bottom half of the balance sheet shows where this money came from. For a limited company, this will include the money raised by issuing shares, and is known as the share capital. The business may also have plowed some of the money back into building up the business. This is called retained profit.
资产负债表的下半部分显示了资金的来源。对于有限公司而言，这包括通过发行股票筹集的资金，即股本。公司可以将部分资金投资于公司业务，这就是留存收益。
The bottom half of the balance sheet therefore consists of the total of share capital and retained profits, giving the capital employed.
资产负债表的下半部分就是股本金与留存收益的总额，即动用资本。
Passage 2
Benefits of Electronic Accounting Software in Organizations
会计电算化给企业带来的有利之处
Data management
数据管理
The manual handling of data, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, payrolls, debt collection and other accounting tasks, is time-consuming. Large organizations will find it impossible to manage all these data if manual accounting is used. Electronic accounting software facilitates purchase-order control, invoice processing, payment selection and handling. Because the systems are automated, tasks are managed simultaneously. These systems also enhance data accuracy by double-checking a vendor’s invoice against the purchase order and the inventory module.
人工处理数据，包括应付账款、应收账款、工资核算、债务清算和其他会计业务，十分耗时。大型公司发现，如果采用手工记账，则不可能进行有效的数据管理。会计电算化软件可以辅助管理采购订单、处理发票、选择支付方式和进行支付。因为系统是自动的，所以记账任务可以自动完成。对照采购订单和存货清单，该系统仔细检查供应商发票，从而提高数据的准确性。
Faster and more efficient in processing information
信息处理更加快捷、高效
Software enables the generation of many types of useful reports and documents for customers and government agencies and also for management to make decisions. These include invoices, checks and account statements as well as tax-return forms. With modules such as point of sale, the system automatically generates sales slips or sales invoices, reports on items and produces reports on customer and salesperson activities. The payroll module generates and prints payroll checks and can be attached to the general ledger to automatically facilitate the setting aside of the correct amount for the Federal Insurance Contribution Act tax.
该软件可以生成各种有用的报告和文件，方便客户、政府部门和管理层进行决策。这些包括发票、账簿、账目报表和退税表格。该系统拥有诸如销售点之类的模块，可以自动生成销售单或销售发票、商品报告、客户及销售人员活动报告。工资单模块生成和打印工资单，附至总分类账之上，自动生成《联邦保险捐税法》所要求缴纳税种的正确数额。
Cost benefits
成本效益
There are more and more manufacturers of software for accounting; this has made the different types of software more accessible in terms of costs and variety. In the long term, there is a remarkable return on investment for organizations that install accounting software. Manual accounting is time-consuming and therefore is invariably costly to the organization. In the absence of automated systems, plenty of labor is required to perform core and non-core accounting functions. But electronic accounting only requires one or two people for accounting, as most data is managed by the system.
由于会计软件生产商越来越多，在成本和种类上，有很多不同类型的软件可供选择。从长远来看，使用会计软件的公司，其投资回报率可观。人工记账十分耗时，所以公司担负的成本很高。在没有自动化系统的情况下，需要大量的人力来完成核心的和非核心的会计职能。但是会计电算化仅需要1~2名员工来负责会计工作，因为大多数的数据都是由系统来处理的。
Communication and decision-making benefits
沟通和决策效益
The efficient and timely generation of important documents facilitates communication in an organization, especially a large one. Accounting software essentially connects all other functions and departments in an organization. Decision-makers can easily access inquiries, memos, payrolls, invoices and reports. Unlike manual accounting, data is stored, duplicated and backed up for future reference and to enhance accountability in the organization.
有效和及时生成重要文件有助于公司内部的沟通，对于大型公司而言更是如此。会计电算化软件从根本上将公司内部的所有其他功能和部门都联系起来。决策者可以很容易进行查询，获取备忘录、工资、发票和报告等信息。与人工记账不同，电子记账可以存储、复制、备份数据以备将来参照，还可以增强组织的责任。
Unit 7 Online Shopping
Passage 1
Online Shopping Spree Sets Record
疯狂网购创纪录
Chinese shoppers spent billions online yesterday as they took advantage of discounts offered on Singles’ Day (November 11). It is a festival for young single people to celebrate by eating together, sending gifts or going shopping, thus seized on by online retailers to increase sales.
中国购物者昨天趁光棍节（11月11日）打折的机会，在线花费数十亿元。这本是单身年轻人通过一起吃饭、赠送礼物或购物来庆祝的一个节日，结果被网上零售商利用来增加销售量。
It took only 13 hours for sales on just two online sites, Taobao and Tmall, to fly past last year’s overall total of 19.1 billion yuan (US$3.1 billion). The final figure of Singles’ Day reached an astonishing 35.02 billion yuan as hundreds of thousands of consumers rushed to buy clothes, furniture, and home decoration items at discount prices. What friends and colleagues greeted each other with that day was “Bought anything today?” as they exchanged tales of bargains or disappointing news of popular items sold out minutes after the spree began at midnight.
淘宝和天猫两个网站只花了13个小时，就超越了去年全年的销售总额191亿元（31亿美元）。因上千万的消费者争相以折扣价格购买衣服、家具和家居装饰品，光棍节当天最终的销售额达到惊人的350.2亿元。“今天买什么了?”是朋友和同事们那天的彼此问候语，同时，他们分享便宜货的故事或畅销商品在午夜购物狂欢开始几分钟后便被卖光的失望消息。
In under nine hours, turnover at the Alibaba Group’s Tmall and Taobao sites had exceeded that of last year’s Cyber Monday, a similar event in the United States.
不到9个小时，阿里巴巴旗下的淘宝和天猫两个网站的销售额就超越了去年美国的类似事件“网购星期一”的销售额。
“We hope other e-commerce sites also did a good job as we want Singles’ Day to be a holiday for consumers and a good chance for retailers to discover the unmet needs of shoppers,” Jack Ma, founder and chairman of Alibaba Group, told reporters.
阿里巴巴集团创始人兼董事长马云告诉记者：“我们希望其他电子商务网站也能做得很好，因为我们希望光棍节成为消费者的节日，也成为零售商发现消费者尚未得到满足的需求的好机会。”
“It’s not a difficult thing to bring our total transaction size to 100 billion yuan in a couple of years but we hope to do more to help vendors and manufacturers to upgrade their products and service to reach more clients,” Ma said at a news briefing.
马云在一次新闻发布会上说：“在几年内把我们的总交易额提高到1 000亿元并不难，但我们希望能做更多的工作，来帮助供应商和制造商提升产品质量和服务质量，以此吸引更多的客户。”
Passage 2
Cyber Monday Clicks in with Record Sales
“网购星期一”网上销售创纪录
Cyber Monday rocked while mobile sales roared.
当移动销售火爆时，“网购星期一”震撼无比。
The day widely regarded as the Super Bowl of online sales created a record day for retailers, including Walmart, and marked a shift in shopping preferences as smartphones and tablets drove nearly a third of traffic — and for some retailers, more than half.
这一天被视为超级在线购物日，为包括沃尔玛在内的零售商打造了创纪录的一天。这标志着人们的购物偏好发生了变化，因为智能手机和平板电脑驱动了近三分之一的销售量，而对有的零售商而言，已超过一半的销售量。
Walmart.com expects to register its biggest Cyber Monday yet, coming off a record Black Friday weekend online. Heading into the afternoon Monday, the website had already sold out of PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles, which weren’t even discounted. Significant savings on TVs and tablets also encouraged shopping, says Joel Anderson, CEO of Walmart.com.
沃尔玛公司希望能够注册迄今为止其最大的“网络星期一”，创造了“黑色星期五”的周末在线狂销的新纪录。进行到周一下午时，网站已经卖光了第4代家用游戏机和Xbox One游戏机，这些甚至都没有折扣。沃尔玛首席执行官乔尔·安德森说，电视和平板电脑的大幅度让利也刺激了购物。
Retailers from Target to Sears are fast evolving Cyber Monday into something more akin to Cyber Week, as online deals stretch well beyond Monday.
从塔吉特到西尔斯的零售商们正迅速把“网购星期一”发展成为更似“网购一星期”的促销，因为在线交易在星期一之后依然很好。
As of 6 p.m. ET, sales on Amazon were up 44.3% over last year, while sales at eBay were up 32.1%, according to Channel Advisor, which tracks third-party sellers on eBay and Amazon. The online marketplaces are doing well in part because shoppers are heading to those sites to find popular products that are selling out at regular retailers, says Scot Wingo, CEO of ChannelAdvisor.
电子商务平台畅路销追踪eBay和亚马逊上的第三方卖家，根据畅路销提供的数据，截至美国东部时间下午6点，亚马逊的销售额比去年同期增长了44.3%，eBay的销售额增长了32.1%。畅路销的首席执行官斯科特·温格说，在线市场销售状况良好的部分原因是，消费者去这些网站购买普通零售商店在售的畅销产品。
Flash-sale site Rue La La started Cyber Monday deals on Sunday with a “Cyberthon” that drew more than 350,000 people to the site. The sale promoted as much as 80% off on more than 150 brands. On Monday, sales of Cole Haan and Pandora Jewelry merchandise were strongest, CEO Steve Davis says.
限时抢购网站Rue La La在周日就以“网购马拉松”开始了“网购星期一”的交易，吸引了超过35万人到网站购物。此次促销活动中，150多个品牌的最高折扣达2折。首席执行官史蒂夫·戴维斯说，在周一，可汗品牌和潘多拉珠宝品牌的商品销售情况最为强劲。
Unit 8 Initial Public Offering
Passage 1
Organizing a Business in Different Ways
以不同的方式组织企业
Businesses are structured in different ways to meet different needs. The simplest form of business is called an individual or sole proprietorship. The proprietor owns all of the property of the business and is responsible for everything.
企业是以不同的方式组建的，这是为了满足不同的需求。最简单的企业形式叫作个人独资或独资经营。企业的经营者拥有企业的所有财产，并对一切负责。
Another kind of business is a partnership. Two or more people go into business together. An agreement is usually needed to decide how much of the partnership each person controls. One kind of partnership is called a limited liability partnership. There are full partners and limited partners. Limited partners may not share as much in the profits, but they also have less responsibility for the business. Doctors, lawyers and accountants often form partnerships to share their risks and profits. A husband and wife can form a business partnership together. Partnerships exist only for as long as the owners remain alive. The same is true of individual proprietorships.
另一种企业形式是合伙经营，即两个或多个人一起合伙经营。这样做通常需要一个协议来决定每个人控制的合伙企业的份额有多少。合伙关系中有一种称为有限责任合伙，有完全责任合伙人和有限责任合伙人之分。有限责任合伙人可能不会分到太多利润，但他们对企业的责任也较小。医生、律师和会计师经常结成合伙关系来共同分担风险和利润。丈夫和妻子也能一起建立企业合伙关系。只要所有者还在世，这种合伙关系就存在。个人独资企业也是这样。
But corporations are designed to have an unlimited lifetime. A corporation is the most complex kind of business organization. Corporations can sell stock as a way to raise money. Stocks represent shares of ownership in a company. Investors who buy stock can trade their shares or keep them as long as the company is in business.
但是，公司被设计成没有经营期限的限制，它是最复杂的一种企业形式。公司可以通过出售股票来筹集资金。股票代表着一个公司的所有权。只要公司还在经营，购买股票的投资者就可以进行股票交易或保留他们的股份。
A corporation is recognized as an entity — its own legal being, separate from its owners. A board of directors controls corporate policies. The directors appoint top company officers. The directors might or might not hold shares in the corporation. Corporations can have a few major shareholders, or ownership can be spread among the general public. But not all corporations are traditional businesses that sell stock. Some non-profit groups are also organized as corporations.
股份公司被认为是一个实体——法人，独立于公司所有人而存在。董事会控制着公司的政策，董事任命公司高层管理人员。董事们可能持有公司股份，也可能不持有公司股份。公司可以有几个大股东，或者所有权可以分布在普通公众中。但并非所有公司都是出售股票的传统企业，一些非营利组织也采用公司的组织形式。
Passage 2
Three Americans Win Nobel Economics Prize in 2013
三名美国人获2013年度诺贝尔经济学奖
The Royal Swedish academy of Sciences awarded the Nobel Prize in economics to three Americans, Eugene Fama, Lars Peter Hansen and Robert Shiller on Oct. 14, 2013. Eugene Fama and Lars Peter Hansen are both professors at the University of Chicago. Robert Shiller is a professor at Yale University. They will share the prize worth about 1.2 million dollars.
瑞典皇家科学院于2013年10月14日向三名美国人尤金·法玛、拉尔斯·彼得·汉森和罗伯特·希勒授予诺贝尔经济学奖。尤金·法玛和拉尔斯·彼得·汉森都是芝加哥大学的教授。罗伯特·希勒是耶鲁大学的教授。他们将分享价值约120万美元的奖金。
“This year’s prize in economic sciences is about predictions.” All three of this year’s prize winners are mainly known for their research and explanations of pricing forces in financial markets. They have had a big influence on the way people look at and talk about financial markets.
“今年的经济科学奖是关于预测的。”今年的三个获奖者都主要是因对金融市场上定价力的研究和解释而闻名的。他们对于人们看待和讨论金融市场的方式有很大影响。
Eugene Fama’s research on financial markets in the 1960s led market watchers to change their ideas about investing. His ideas are linked to the theory that markets are efficient, which means market actors taking all available information to create the correct price for things at any given time. This also means that over short periods of time, it is not possible to predict prices.
尤金·法玛在20世纪60年代对金融市场的研究引导了市场观察者，改变了他们对投资的看法。他的思想与市场有效理论相关，这个理论意味着市场参与者在任何给定的时间内利用所有可用信息来确定合适的价格。这也意味着在短时间内不可能预测价格。
Robert Shiller found, however, that over long periods, the opposite is true. It is possible to predict the movement of prices and that price changes are linked to human behavior.
然而，罗伯特·希勒发现，从长期来看，情况恰好相反。价格变动是可能预测的，而且价格变化与人类的行为有联系。
The findings of both economists have led to the growth of index funds, investing many different securities as a way to reduce risk. Mr. Shiller also helped to create the Standard & Poor’s Case-Shiller home prices index. That index follows home prices across the United States.
两位经济学家的研究结果引起了指数基金的增长，这些基金投资不同证券，作为降低风险的方式。希勒先生还帮助创立了标准普尔的希勒房价指数。该指数追踪美国各地的房价。
Lars Peter Hansen developed a method for studying historical pricing information. His method supports Mr. Shiller’s findings and has influenced efforts to predict prices in the financial industry.
拉尔斯·彼得·汉森开发了一种研究历史定价信息的方法。他的方法支持希勒先生的发现，并影响了金融业的价格预测。
The Nobel Prize in economics was not created by Alfred Nobel, but was established in his memory by Sweden’s central bank in 1968.
诺贝尔经济学奖不是由艾尔弗雷德 • 诺贝尔创立的，而是为了纪念他，由瑞典中央银行于1968年建立的。
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