外贸口语一点通第78期:履行合同(3)

 Work the problems out

A: We have some quality-control problems, Mr. Zhang. We need to go to the source to work them out.

B: What problem are you having, exactly?

A: The complaint rate for our new product line is very high, almost eight percent.

B: That is high.

A: Yes. We keep finding problems when testing the sound boards.

B: But your promotional materials claim the broads are the least expensive of their types on the market.

A: The least expensive, but still fully¹ functional². And we think that your factory needs to take measures to improve quality-control.

B: That will involve additional expenses for us, which we will have to pass on to you as a rate hike.

A: I am afraid that is not acceptable. You contract says that you will deliver a product with a reject rate of less than six percent.

B: Well, I will tell you what, Mr. Li. I will review the contract and talk with management. Then we will get together and hash this out.

重点讲解：

1. work out 努力完成，解决

2. hash out 其词义与用法几乎等同于work out，不过稍有差别，它的意思是“经过长时间讨论后解决，仔细讨论”。例如：

The teacher asked them to sit down together and hash out their differences. 老师要他们坐在一起讨论，以消除分歧。

A: 张先生，我们有一些品质管理的问题。我们必须找出问题的根源并且设法解决这些问题。

B: 你们究竟有什么问题呢？

A: 我们对新产品的投诉率很高，几乎高达百分之八。

B: 这的确很高。

A: 没错。我们在测试声卡时一直在发现问题。

B: 可是这是你们的促销材料上要求这种声卡必须是市场上同类产品中最便宜的。

A: 我们是要最便宜的但是也要有完备的功能啊。我们认为你们的工厂需要采取有效措施来改善你们的品质管理。

B: 那就意味着我们会有额外的开支，而我们会把价格增加的部分转嫁到你们身上。

A: 这恐怕我们无法接受。你们的合同上说你们会以低于百分之六的瑕疵率交货的。

B: 嗯，李先生，我跟你说，我会再看一遍合同，并和管理部门讨论一下。然后我们会一起讨论并解决这个问题的。

1 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

2 functional   

adj.为实用而设计的，具备功能的，起作用的

参考例句：

• The telephone was out of order,but is functional now.电话刚才坏了，但现在可以用了。
• The furniture is not fancy,just functional.这些家具不是摆着好看的，只是为了实用。