1.To begin with, are you ready to make us an offer?
首先请谈谈，你们的报价准备好了吗？
To begin with是不定式短语，在句中起独立成分作用。不定式的这种用法常常可以承接上文，使文章紧凑，另例：
To hear talk, it seems you’ve been to China quite a few times.
听你谈话的口气，像是到过中国好几次了。
To speak frankly, this price will leave us no profit to speak of.
坦率地说，这种价格我们毫无利润可言。
To conclude, we agreed to sell you 500 tons Dried Potato Slices at the terms you put forward.
总体来说，我们同意你方提出的条件向你售出500吨干土豆片。
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.
报价是这样的：500箱红茶，每公斤价格6美元，纽约到岸价，7月份装船。
Something like…类似，大致像……
The specifications of our Tiger head Brand playing cards are something like the following.
我们虎头牌扑克的规格大致如下。
It cost something like ten pounds.
这件东西花费了我们约10英镑。
The ship sails to Lagos once every two months, or something like that.
船只每隔两个月，或大约这么长时间，开往拉各斯一次。
3．This offer holds good for two days.
本报盘有效期两天。
表示报盘有效期的常见说法有：
This offer is open(firm/good/valid) for three days.
本报价三天内有效。
We offer keep our offer open until next Friday.
我们的报盘保持有效直到下周五。
We offer you firm for three days on FOB basis.
我们向你报警天有效实盘，船上交货价。
This offer will remain firm(effective) for a week from today.
本报盘有效期10月10日截止。
4. But your 500 cases is not enough I’m afraid.
但是我想你们供应的500箱数量不够。
500cases 是个复数，但是在这里把它当作一个整体看待，动词可以采用单数形式。又如：
Six thousand francs is too high a price.
Two weeks was given for taking delivery of the goods.
提货给了两个星期的时间。
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，因此希望你们至少增加供应300箱。
Sure 用作形容词，后面可以接介词of,从句及不定式。
But they are not so sure of the sailing date.
但是他们对启航日期还不做十分肯定。
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,.
有一点是可以肯定的，即，你们得不到必需的进口许可证，货物肯定不能通过海关。
We are sure that these trade practices will bring good to both of us.
我们相信这些贸易新做法会给我们带来利益的。
I am not sure what kind of responses your policy will receive from our clients.
我不敢肯定你们的政策在我们的客户方面会得到什么样的反应。
In any case, the contract will be sure to reach you early next week.
不管怎样，合同下周初肯定会到达你方。
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，今年茶叶产量急剧减少，而国内外需求却大幅度增加。
demand需求，需求量
Surely there’s little or no demand for these goods.
不用说，对这些货物的需求量很少或没有。
This article is not much in demand.
对这种商品的需求量不大。
Glass wares are in great/small/regular demand.
下班器皿销路很畅，销路不大/经常有销路。
The supply of petroleum does not meet/fill/satisfy the demand these few months.
近几个月石油供不应求。
Supply exceeds demand.
供过于求。
Japanese goods enjoy an increasing demand.
对日本货物的需求在增长。
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场，顾客就会转向其他供应商购买。
turn to somebody for something 为某人而求助于某人
We suggest you turn to the Chartered bank, Singapore, for information about our company.
我们建议你们向新加坡麦加利银行了解有关我们公司的情况。
Whenever you are in difficulty, you may turn to us. We’ll be always ready to give you any help we can.
任何时候你遇到困难，都可以找我们。 我们随时都会给你力所能及的帮助。
8．The fact is that we’ve employed all possible means to get even these 500 cases for you.
实际上，就这箱也是我们竭尽全力弄来的。
Means是复数形式。但是用作：方法，手段“时，单、复数皆可；用作“ 钱财，资产”时，总是用作复数。
In case you need the goods urgently, the quickest means of transportation, you know, would be by plane.
如果你急需这批货，最快的运输方法，你知道，则是用飞机航运。
You must take every necessary means to keep the price at around $50.
你必须采取各种必要的办法，使价格维持在50美元左右。
It is believed this company has not much means.
据信这家公司的资金并不多。
