Useful words

rail rates	железнодорожные тарифные ставки
multiple – car -shipments	отправка грузов большим количеством вагонов
rail hauls	перевозки по железной дороге
unit trains	маршрутные поезда
a very high percentage of car utilization	высокий коэффициент использования вагонов
permanent connected cars	постоянное количество вагонов
more dependable service	более надежные услуги
shippers	грузоотправители
a railroad siding	железнодорожные подъездные пути
unprocessed products	необработанные материалы
in carload quantities	мерой которых являются железнодорожные вагоны
boxcars	товарные вагоны
excess general-purpose boxcars	избыток товарных вагонов
container and piggyback	контейнерные и комбинированные
trailer handling equipment	автомобильно-железнодорожные перевозки

Developing Speaking Skills

Task 25: Read the telephone conversation and say what discount Mr. Ivanov received at the end of the talk:

4. 2%; b) 2,5%; c) 5%

M AKING A DEAL

Mr. Ivanov, a Russian businessman, is in England. He is visiting Brown & Co. Ltd, a firm which manufactures electronic equipment. He is negotiating a deal with Robert Smith, Sales Manager of the Company.

Ivanov: Mr. Smith, we want to place a firm order for XBS3 Detectors.

Smith: Excellent. How many would you like to buy?

Ivanov: We'd like five for immediate delivery and 130 in two months’ time. By the end of June, that is.

Smith: I see. That's a very good order. I didn't realise you were that big. Well, you know the price of the detector is $ 1,200 per unit that's without freight and insurance. When we invoice the customers, we usually quote FOB Southampton. But perhaps you prefer the goods to go by air?

Ivanov: No, air freight's too expensive. They can go by sea. But if you don't mind, I'd like you to quote CIF St. Petersburg.

Smith: All right, we can do it. You want us to quote for 135 XBS3 Detectors, CIF St. Petersburg, goods to be shipped by sea.

Ivanov: Correct. There's another thing. As this is a fairly big order I was wondering what sort of discount you could offer. Would 5% be reasonable?

Smith: Oh, I don't think we could go that high. As a special concession... since you are a new customer, I could possibly give you 2% off the price.

Ivanov: 2%? That's not too much. This order will be worth over $10,000 to your company.

Smith: Yes, I realise that.

Ivanov: And don’t forget, we may place orders for some of your other models.

Smith: I would not like to talk about it any longer. How about 2.5%?

Ivanov: Oh, I suppose that's fair enough. OK then, agreed.

Task 26: Read the dialogue again and say what you remember about:

a) Brown and Co. Ltd and their products;

b) the order the Russian company was going to place with the British company;

c) the discount Mr. Ivanov got from the manufacturers.

Task 27:  Read the dialogue again and say if the following sentences are true or false. Correct those which are false.

1. Mr. Ivanov is going to buy containers from the British company.

2. The price for the detectors includes freight and insurance.

3. Mr. Ivanov prefers the goods to go by air.

4. Mr. Smith quoted CIF St. Petersburg.

5. Mr. Ivanov didn't ask for a discount.

6. Mr. Smith offered Mr. Ivanov a 10 per cent discount.

7. The Russian company placed an order for 200 detectors.

Task 28: Complete the conversation.

Ivanov: _______________________________

Smith: Oh, no. I don't think we could go that high. As a special concession since you are a new customer I could possibly give you 2% off the price.

Ivanov: _______________________________

Smith: But unfortunately our maximum discount is only 3%.

Ivanov: ______________________________

Smith: I tell you what. I don't want to talk with you about it any longer. How about 2.5%?

Ivanov: __________________________________

Task 29: Have a conversation with your partner using the information below.

You are a big road carrier in Russia and you want to start international operations in Germany and France but as your trucks don't meet the European ecological standards you have to buy 5 Volvo trucks to start opera­tions. Volvo trucks are rather expensive and you want to get a discount for your order for 5 trucks.

Speak to the representative of Volvo and ask him for a 10% discount. Tell him they can expect bigger orders from your company in the near future.

Task 30: Read the advertisement and say who it is intended for:

1. companies dealing with transportation;

2. individuals;

3. companies importing or exporting goods from Europe;

4. companies importing or exporting goods from Asia;

5. companies importing or exporting goods from America.

SeaRail offers an efficient and safe method of transporting goods by rail between Russia and Scandinavia.

In Russia the consignors load Russian wagons and SeaRail take care of the reloading in Finland to modern bogie changeable wagons. SeaRail delivers the goods to the consignee in Sweden, Norway or Denmark via the train ferry m/s SeaWind. The train ferry sails between Turku and Stockholm daily.

SeaRail has got about 300 wagons, can also offer collection/distribution by lorry for areas with no rail network. SeaRail also offers warehousing services in Turku.

Task 31: Read the advertisement again and answer the following questions:

1. Why is the company called SeaRail?

2. Rail tracks are different in different countries, aren't they?

3. What additional services do SeaRail offer?

Task 32: You work for a transport company in Russia. You want to find new partners in Norway. You have read the SeaRail advertisement. Write a letter to them asking for detailed information about their company.

Task 33: You represent a transport company. Describe the services of your company to a potential customer.

Task 34: Read the text below in order to determine the main idea of it. Write a summary of it in English and prepare it for oral presentation.