2015年ESL之商务英语 26 Reading Contracts Carefully

ESL Podcast 1168 – Reading Contracts Carefully 

Barbara: Just sign on the dotted line and be done with it. 

Sean: Didn’t your parents ever teach you to read every document carefully before you sign it? 

Barbara: Not when the contract is boilerplate. All of the terms are standard. 

Sean: No, they’re not. Did you notice in the fine print that if the agreement is cancelled, we’re on the hook for additional charges? 

Barbara: Really? No, I guess I missed that. 

Sean: If you had gone through this document with a fine-tooth comb as I have, you would have noticed that there are loopholes for the other side to end the contract at any time. 

Barbara: I guess I overlooked those. 

Sean: And there are contingencies² for problems on their end, but not on ours. 

Barbara: Wow, I didn’t realize they were trying to screw us. Maybe we shouldn’t do business with them. 

Sean: Relax. This is par¹ for the course with this kind of contract. They try to sneak³ in all kinds of things and it’s our job to find them. We just have to be vigilant⁴, that’s all. 

Barbara: Do you think this is going to take much longer? They’re waiting in the other room to finalize⁵ the agreement. 

Sean: It’ll take as long as it takes. What do you think that cot is for? 

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse 

1 par   

n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的

参考例句：

• Sales of nylon have been below par in recent years.近年来尼龙织品的销售额一直不及以往。
• I don't think his ability is on a par with yours.我认为他的能力不能与你的能力相媲美。

2 contingencies   

n.偶然发生的事故，意外事故( contingency的名词复数 )；以备万一

参考例句：

• We must consider all possible contingencies. 我们必须考虑一切可能发生的事。
• We must be prepared for all contingencies. 我们要作好各种准备，以防意外。 来自辞典例句

3 sneak   

vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行

参考例句：

• He raised his spear and sneak forward.他提起长矛悄悄地前进。
• I saw him sneak away from us.我看见他悄悄地从我们身边走开。

4 vigilant   

adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的

参考例句：

• He has to learn how to remain vigilant through these long nights.他得学会如何在这漫长的黑夜里保持警觉。
• The dog kept a vigilant guard over the house.这只狗警醒地守护着这所房屋。

5 finalize   

v.落实，定下来

参考例句：

• Let us finalize tonight.让我们今天晚上干完
• 。At the same time,industrial designers work with engineers to finalize components and assembly.同时，工业设计师和工程师一道来完成部件和组装部分的工作。