Unit 3 An Enquiry

Text A

Dear Sirs, We learn from the British Embassy that you are producing for export hand-made shoes and gloves in pure hide and other natural materials.

There is a steady demand here for high- class goods of this type, especially in the brighter colors. Sales are not high, but a good price can be obtained for fashionable designs.

Will you please send us your catalog and full details of your export prices and terms of payment, together with any samples you can let us have? We look forward to hearing from you soon. Yours faithfully,

(Replay) Dear Sirs, Your enquiry of October 10 is receiving our attention, and we thank you for your interest in our products.

A copy of our illustrated export catalog will be sent to you today, together with a range of samples of the various skins used in the manufacture of our gloves and shoes. We think the colors will be just what you want for the fashionable trade, and the beauty and elegance of our designs, coupled with the superb workmanship, should appeal to the discriminating buyers.

Our representative, Mr. J. Needham, will be in Paris next week and will be pleased to call on you with a full range of samples of our hand-made lines. He is authorized to discuss the terms of an order with you or to negotiate a contract. We look forward to receiving an order from you. Faithfully yours,

Text B

Dear Sirs, We have received your letter of March 11 inquiring about the possibility of selling your Men ’ s Shirts, Gold-deer Brand in our market.

In reply, we wish to inform you that we are well connected with major dealers in the line of textiles. There is always a ready market here for Men’s Shirts, provided they are of good quality and competitive in price.

Therefore, we’ll appreciate it if you will let us have your best firm offer and rush us samples by airmail. If your shirts agree with the taste of our market, we feel confident of placing a trial order with you. Please give this enquiry your prompt attention. Yours sincerely,

Key Words enquire v. 询购；询价；询问 1.enquire for 询购某物 The goods you enquire for are out of stock. 所询之货已脱销。

2. enquire about 打听某事 They have enquired about the possibility of the sale of their products. 他们曾打听过有无可能销售他们的产品 I want to enquire about the quantity you require for next quarter. 我想打听一下你们下季度所需要的数量。

3. enquire into 调查；了解 It ’ s our duty to enquire into this matter. 我们将负责调查此事。 The whole matter has to be enquired into. 整个事情必须查清。

enquiry n. 交易 (=transaction) （可数名词） At the moment, there are only small enquires for such goods. 目前对这类商品只有小数量的询盘。

We have an enquiry for 5000 pairs of silk socks. 我们现有 5000 双丝袜的询价单一份。 I just want to make enquiries about the train schedule. 我只是想打听以一下火车的时刻表。 The enquiry into the whereabouts of the documents took almost half a year. 调查那些文件的下落花了几乎半年的时间。

offer v. 1. 出价；报盘 Other suppliers are offering a much better price. 其他供货商报的价格要优惠得多。 We cannot offer more than 50 tons of sugar at present. 目前我们最多只能报 50 吨糖。

2. （主动）提供；给予 I hope you could offer us your most favorable terms. 希望能给我们最优惠的条件。 If your order is large enough, we can offer you s discount of 10%. 如果订数很大，我们可给 10% 的折扣。

n. 报盘 1. 常用句型 A) make Sb an offer for … 给某人报。。。 （商品） B) Sth be under offer 某商品在出售中 C) the offer is firm (valid, good, open) for …( or until …) 此报盘有效期为。。。（到。。。为 止）

2. 常用搭配 to accept offer 接受报盘 to decline offer 谢绝报盘 to entertain offer 考虑报盘 to renew offer 恢复报盘 to withdraw offer 撤销报盘

bid n. 递价；递盘（常指买方发给卖方的报盘） We ’ ll try to get a bid from the buyers. 我们试图从买主那里获得递价。 We made a bid at RMB ￥ 1,500 per M/T for the groundnuts. 花生，我们出价每公吨人民币 1 ， 500 元。

As our buyers are unwilling to make a bid, you ’ d better make an offer. 因我方买主不愿出价，你最好发个盘。 Thank you for your bid for our cotton. 感谢对我棉花的递盘。

v. 递价（后接价格） We don ’ t think buyers will bid a higher price. 我们认为买主不会出更高的价格。 They have bid a price, which we think will be acceptable to you. 他们递了一个价，我们认为你方可接受。

Skill drilling You are asked to write a letter or an to enquire for large quantities of Iron Nails （铁钉） of all sized. In your enquiry the following points should be covered:

1. A sking for a quotation per ton CIF Alexandria, Egypt; 2. W hat else do you need? 3. W hy do you prefer Chinese products?