最新国际工程英语口语-unit1

国际工程管理英语口语-U N I T1UNIT 1 INTERNATIONAL TRAVAELChina Overseas Construction Company(COCC) is awarded a contract for a hydroelectric project in Central America. Mr. Bian, the project manager and his assistant, Mr. Zhang are leading a group of engineers, technicians and other site management staff to where the project is going to be executed. Because there’s no direct flight available from China to the destination, they decide to go there by way of San Francisco, USA.1. O n Board the PlaneStewardess: (At lunch time) What would you like to have, sir? We have fried chicken, fish and beef.Zhang: Fish, please.Stewardess: How about a drink, coke, orange juice or beer?Zhang: Do you have tea?Stewardess: Sorry. We don’t serve tea at lunch.Zhang: Then, a coke. Please.Stewardess: (To Mr. Bian, who is sitting next to Mr. Zhang) And you, sir? Bian: Nothing right now. I’m feeling a bit airsick.Stewardess: I’ll see if I can get you some tablets for airsickness. Just a moment, please.Bian: Thank you very much.2. A rrival at San Francisco Airport( After a flight of more than twenty hours, they have landed at San Francisco Airport)I.O: (At the immigration counter)) Passport, please. Landing card, too. Zhang: Here you are.I.O: What’s the purpose of your journey?Zhang: We’re in transmit. Actually, we’re going to Central America to execute a construction project. You see, all of us are in a group. Most of us are engineers and technicians.I.O: My brother is an engineer, too. He builds bridges. How long do plan to stay here?Zhang: Just two days.I.O: Everything seems to be OK. Please proceed to Customs next.* * * * * * * * * * * * *C.O: (At the customs Counter)Your declaration form, please.Zhang: Here it is.C.O: Anything else to declare?Zhang: I don’t think so.C.O: What’s in this bag?Zhang: Just some personal belongings.C.O: OK. That’s all.3. C heck-in at the Airport.(After two days’ stopover in S an Francisco, Mr. Bian and his fellow workers are going to take TACA Airlines Flight No.375 to the destination. They’re in the airport terminal and are looking for check-in counter.)Zhang: Excuse me, where is the check-in counter of TACA Airlines, please? Clerk: Go down this corridor until the end. Turn left and you’ll see the signs on the right. You can’t miss it.Zhang: Thank you.* * * * * * * * * * * * * *A.C: (At the check-in counter) Good morning. Ticket and passport, please. Zhang: Good morning. We are in a group. Here are all the tickets and passports.A.C: How many people on the group?Zhang: Fourteen in all.A.C: Any seat preference?Zhang: Two windows seats for Mr. Bian and me in the non-smoking section. Oh, my name is Zhang. This passport is mine. For the others, ---- let me check.(Checking with his fellow workers)Zhang: They’re prefer any seats in the smoking section.A.C: How many pieces of baggage do you want to check?Zh ang: Two for each of us. By the way what’s the baggage allowance?A.C: Seventy pounds for each passenger, and the weight limit for each pieces is forty-five pounds. Put these four big cartons and that suitcase on the scale then, one by one.Zhang: I hope they’re not overweight.( After weighting all the things)A.C: No, you’re OK. Now, let me put on the baggage tags.Zhang: Do we have to tear off the old baggage tags?A.C: (Humorously)Yes, if you don’t want your baggage to come back.(The A.C laughs. Then Zhang laughs, too)A.C: Your boarding cards and passports.Zhang: Thanks. What’s the boarding gate number?A.C: Gate seven. Have a good flight, gentlemen.Zhang: Thanks a lot.WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS Construction companyAward a contract Hydroelectric projectCentral AmericaProject managerSite managementDirect flightAvailableDestinationFried chickenBeefOrange juiceStewardessAirsickPassportTabletIn transmitConstruction projectCustomsDeclareBelongingsCheck inColleagueStopoverFlight numberAirport terminalCorridorSignA.C= airline clerkPreferenceBaggageAllowanceCartonSuitcaseOverweightTagBoarding cardBoarding gateSan FranciscoUINT 2 SETTLING DOWNAfter such a long-distance international flight, the construction crew has finally arrived at the destination. Despite the jet lag and the inconvenience of their stay in the hotel. Everyone is busy making preparation for the commencement of the big job, studying the technical data and specifications, discussing the consideration plans and so on.1. Renting a House(Mr. Zhang, assistant of the project manager, is making telephone calls, trying to rent a house for the accommodations of the crew)Zhang: Hello, may I speak to Mr. Neal, please?Neal: Speaking. What can I do for you, sir?Zhang: I’m calling about your advertisement in “people’s Pulse”. Have you got a house for rent?Neal: Well, I did have a house for rent. But it’s been let out.Zhang: Sorry to hear that. By the way, do you know anyone who has a house for rent?Neal: Let me see. My friend Sam told me a few weeks ago that he wanted to rent a house. I think it’s a big house. You could check with him.Zhang: That’s just what we’re looking for. What’s his telephone number, please?Neal: 2237.Zhang: Could I have your friend’s name again?Neal: Sam, Sam Carter.Zhang: Thanks a lot. Bye.* * * * * * * * * * * * * *Zhang: Good morning. I’d like to speak to Mr. Carter, please.Man: Sorry, there’s no one here by that name.Zhang: What’s your telephone number then?Man: 2337.Zhang: I’m sorry, I must have dialed the wrong number.* * * * * * * * * * * * * *Zhang: Hello, is Mr. Carter here?Woman: Just a minute. He’s coming.Carter: Hello. Carter speaking. Who is calling, please?Zhang: My name’s zhang. I have been told that you have a house for rent. Is it still available.Carter: Yes. It’s a two-storey building with six bed-rooms on the first floor and two on the ground floor. It has two bathrooms, one on each floor. There’s a good kitchen where you could do cooking. We also have a cable TV and a telephone that you can use on the house.Zhang: P erhaps it’s just what we need. What’s the monthly rent?Carter: How long will the lease be?Zhang: About four months.Cater: Then two thousands dollars. And the rent is due at the end of each month. You can use all the utilities, but you have to pay all the bills including the telephone service, cable TV, water, gas and electricity. By the way, you also have to pay a security deposit of one thousand dollars.Zhang: Is there any space for office work in the house?Carter: There is a big sitti ng room on the ground floor. I think it’s where you can do your office work.Zhang: One more thing, are we allowed to install a fax machine in the house if we take it? Probably we will need one.Carter: Yes, if you like. But you have to pay all the costs for it.Zhang: Good. Would it be possible for us to go there and have a look tomorrow?Carter: Any time before four o’clock in the afternoon. You can come to Okis Restaurant I’m running here in Benque, Cayyo District. It’s on George Street. Benque is a small town. Everyone here know Okis. I can wait for you here. Zhang: OK. We will go there tomorrow, around ten o’clock in the morning. Will that be all right with you?Carter: OK. See you tomorrow, sir.Zhang: Thank you. Mr. Carter. See you tomorrow morning.2. Subletting the Construction Camp(Mr. Yang from COCC has made an appointment by telephone with Mr. Howell, President of World Shelters, a local company which specializes in residential buildings. They are going to talk about the possibility of subletting the construction camp to World Shelters.)Receptionist: Good morning, sir. Can I help you?Yang: Good morning. I have an appointment with Mr. Howell at 9. Receptionist: Your name, sir?Yang: Yang, from COCC, the Hydro.Receptionist: Ah, yes. Mr. Howell is expecting you in his office. Let me show you in. This way, please.Yang: Thank you.(Entering Mr. Howell’s office)Howell: Hello. Mr. Yang. Very pleased to meet you in person.Yang: Very pleased t meet you, too. Mr. Howell.Howell: Take a seat, please.Yang: Thank you.Howell: Well, how is everything going, Mr. Yang?Yang: Not too bad. Just busy. We are quite new here, you know. Howell: What’s your first impression of our co untry?Yang: It’s a beautiful country with plenty of primeval forests. People here are friendly and very easy to get along with. It seems to me that most of the people here speak quite different English. It is hard to understand them sometimes.Howell: You will soon get used to it. Only officials, teachers and businessman speak standard English.Yang: So it seems.Howell: Let’s get down to business, Mr. Yang. You asked me on telephone whether we would like to bid for a construction camp to accommodate eighty men. Could you put it in more detail, please?Yang: As you know, the camp will mainly be for accommodation of about eighty Chinese men who will be working for the Hydro. It includes double occupancy staff units, four man occupancy units for workers and cooks, a kitchen and dining unit, shower bath units, a conference room and a recreation unit.Howell: So the camp will accommodate about eighty men. Do you have any specific requirements?Yang: I would like to hear your recommendation.Howell: In my opinion, there’s a kind of prefabricated house which is most suitable for such a camp. It’s easy and economical to transport, fast to erect and very convenient to dismantle for either relocation or disposal when the whole project is completed.Yang: Sounds fine. What’s it made of ?Howell: Light concrete slabs. They are often imported from a local supplier on EL Salvador.Yang: Good. Would you please give us a quotation for such a camp o a turn-key basis as soon as possible?Howell: When will the camp be located?Yang: Somewhere on Arenal Road in Benque town, Cayo District. I’ll let you know right we finalize it with the Owner.Howell: Who will be responsible for leveling the ground for the camp site? Yang: We will do that. You will be responsible for the water and power supply. One more thing, this is a duty-free project. So everything imported for it is duty-free. Please take it into consideration in your quotation.Howell: In that case, our quotation will be much lower.Yang: We really appreciate that.Howell: When do you want the camp to be completed?Yang: Within sixty days, starting from our notice to commence the work.Howell: OK, Mr. Yang. I hope we can be given the opportunity to work for you and if so, we will hold ourselves responsible to you and I believe we will surely do a good job.Yang: I hope so, too.WORDS AND EXPRESSIONSConstruction crewJet lagInconvenienceMake preparation forCommencementTechnical dataSpecificationConstruction planRent a houseAccomodationAssistantAdvertisementDialBathroomCable TVSecurity depositMonthly rentLeaseDueBillGasOffice workInstallFax machineSubletCampHave a appointment withLocal companyResidential buildingImpressionGet along withAccomodateShower bathRecreation unitSpecific requirementRecommendationPrefabricatedErectDismantleEconomicalConvenientRelocationLight concrete slabQuotationOn a turn-key basisFinalizeLevel the groundCamp siteDuty-freeCommence the workOpportunityGet down to sthUNIT 3 POSSESING AND LA YING OUT THE SITETo start the execution of the Works, the Contractor needs to take possession of the site from the Owner and plan the layout of the whole site for approved by the Owner. The two parties are discussing the matters in handing over and arranging the site.1. T he Owner hands over the site late(Mr. Bian, Project Manager from the Contractor, and Mr. Chen, Chief Engineer, are talking to the Owner’s Representative, Mr. Su, who looks very young and ene rgetic, and the Consultant, Mr. Shaw, who seems to be quite experienced.)Bian: Last week, we sent you a letter, asking you to hand over the wholesite to us, including the access road. But we haven’t received a reply yet. The Contract is quite specific about this in its special conditions: Possession of the Site shall be given to the Contractor on the date named in the . Appendix 1, which is A pril 20, 1992. Today is April 26. It’s already one week late.Su: I’m sorry about this, Mr. Bian. Unfortun ately we have met with some difficulty in requisitioning the land on the left bank of the river for the site areas. You know, some of the land is privately owned and the owners won’t agree to sell the land, nor do they want to grant us permission to use it because they are afraid that the project will disturb their peaceful life.Shaw: Some people here are obsessed with their traditional life. They don’t want to have change of their life! You’ll never understand them.Cheng: It’s so puzzling! They shou ld know that they will get benefit from this project. At least they could get lighting power easily, at a much lower price. Su: We have already promised to provide them with electric power for lighting free of charge. In return, they let us use their land for nothing.Bian: When do you think you can solve the problem and make the whole site and the access road available to us? This is what we’re concerned about. Shaw: At present, the access road has been built up to the dam site and we are beginning to build the road to the power-house from the junction. It happens to be the rainy season and the rains have slowed down our progress, but we making a great effort to finish it soon.Su: So we can hand over to you the completed access road and the area on the right bank so that you can begin the preparation work there. You can have them from tomorrow. I’ll give you a letter of confirmation right after this meeting. Once we solve our problem with the landowners, which I believe we can soon, will hand over the remaining part of the site area.Bian: Mr. Su, let me make it plain to you. The delay in handing over the site area has adversely affected our construction plan. We have to request you to extend the completion time of this project accordingly. Meanwhile, we reserve the right to be reimbursed for any costs incurred because of the delay. Fifteen engineers and technicians are already here waiting eagerly to start their jobs.A lot of preparation work needs to be done by us, especially the traffic road within the site.Su: I understand your position, Mr. Bian. As for the compensation, we’ll try to settle this matter according to the contract.Bian: To make this project a success, we need cooperation from each other. Su: I couldn’t agree more.2. L aying out the site( To construct the works smoothly and efficiently, the site needs to be arranged properly. Today, Mr. Bian and Mr. Cheng are talking to Mr. Su about the plan to lay out the whole site)Su: The other day, you told me that you were going to build up two camps on the site. Could you elaborate on your plan, Mr. Bian?Bian: According to our construction plan, our first camp, which we call “Camp A”, will be located at the junction of the two access roads leading tothe dam and the power house. It will mainly be used for storage of construction materials, spare parts, etc---- A parking lot and a repair shop will be set up within this area. The power bender will also be located here.Su: What will be the size of this camp?Bian: It will cover an area of about 4000 square meters.Su: How much is that in acres?Bian: Sorry, we are not used to British System.Cheng: Just a minute. Let me work it out with my small calculator. Let’s see---, It’s 4785 square yards. About one acres.Su: That’s acceptable. This piece of land belongs to the government. We’ll get it approved soon. What about the other camp?Bian: The other camp, which we call “Camp B”, is mainly for the accomodation of the Chinese professionals and t he offices. It’s also where we have our weekly and monthly review meetings. What do you call this kind of camp?Shaw: Man camp, to be specific, but it belongs to construction camp in general, or you could say it’s apart of the whole construction camp.S u: There’s no clear distinction between these terms, even among professionals. Where will it be located?Bian: On the right-hand side of the access road. About half a mile from Camp A. It will occupy approximately the same area.Su: Why do you have to choose this area, Mr. Bian? It is a part of this country’s nature preserve. Though our government is in full support of this project, it will don’t sanation it at the price of damaging its beautiful environment. I don’t think we could get the ap proval from the appropriate department.Bian: You see, this area is ideal for Camp B. It’s comparatively flat and this makes it easy for ua to build the houses for bedrooms and offices. The key point is, it’s close to the job site and the source of a po table water supply. Once we are given that piece of land, we’ll be strictly confined to it and do everything we can to keep it in good order. Anyway, could you have a try with the government, please?Su: OK, if you insist. But I don’t see much chance of its being approved. Bian: Now, I would like Mr. Cheng to describe our plan to arrange the other temporary facilities on the site.Cheng: From our site investigations, we have found a piece of land with a gentle slope, where we want to locate the batching plant and the crushing system because it is very close to the dam site and easy to be flattened. Su: What’s the exact distance from the dam site and in which direction? Cheng: It’s 500 meters, oh, around 1630 feet in your system, to the s outh of the dam site, on the right bank of the River. If we can get the approval, it will facilitate our concrete production and transportation.Su: Will you submit to us all the layouts of the temporary works to together with a letter of application? We’ll try to get them approved soon, if possible. Bian: The sooner, the better.Su: I will do my best, but I can’t commit myself to getting the approval. All I can promise is that you will have a reply within a week, whether positive or negative.Bian: That’s what the Contract says.WORDS AND EXPRESSIONSWorksTake possession ofHand overConsultantChief engineerAccess roadBe specific about AppendixRequisitionLeft bankGrant permissionDisturbBe obsessed with Lighting powerBe concerned aboutDam sitePower houseJunctionRainy seasonMake an effortRight bankLetter of confirmation LandownerRemaining partDelayExtend the completion time AccordinglyReserveReimburseIncurConstruction material Spare partsParking lotRepair shopCover an area ofPower benderMetric systemBritish systemSquare yardAcreProfessionalMan campBelong toIn generalNature preserveAt the price of Appropriate departmentIdealFlatJob siteBe confined toIn good orderCrushing systemLetter of applicationCommit oneself toPositiveNegativeUNIT 4 PROCUING THE GOODS (1)To get the project under way, a lot of equipment and materials are required. All these have to be purchased or hired and delivered to the construction site. The purchasing clerks of the Contractor make enquiries, negotiate supply contracts and, sometimes, hire equipment that is needed for a short period only. If the goods are imported from a third country or the home country of the Contractor, they will have to go through the customs clearance formalities and, therefore, a customs agent is usually engaged by the contractor.1. Making a Enquiry(Mr. Huang, who is in charge of purchasing the goods for the Hydro Project, is now in Hurricane Trading Corporation enquiring of Mr. Chamberlain, Sales Manager of the corporation about some construction materials)Cham: Hello, Mr. Huang. How nice to see you again.Huang: Nice to see you again, too. Mr. Cham.Cham: When did you come back to this country?Huang: Only last week. How is the busineess?Cham: Pretty good. I hear that COCC has won the contract to construct the Hydro works. Is that true?Huang: You’re well informed! Yes, that’s why I am back. When I came here to study the local market for the preparation of our bid last November, I told you that I would come again for a detailed business talk with you once we got the contract. Now I am here again.Mr. Cham: We really appreciate your visit, Mr. Huang. Our corporation has just expanded business operations, thanks to increasing demand and our good reputation. In addition to steel and lumber, we also now deal in such construction materials a cement, bitumen and PVC pipes. Here is our new catalogue.Huang: Thank you!Cham: Do you have any idea of what to order from us?Huang: Let me see. Please quote us for catalogue no. 12, that is, Grade 60, A615 hot rolled corrugated steel bars of size 3/8 X 40. Remember that if the price is acceptable to us , we will place an order of not less than 50 tons for the first delivery.Cham: I know you’re a big potential customer for us. We ‘ll certainly give you a most favourable price even for the first deal. I believe we will be able to build a good business relationship with each other.Huang: You said it. I wonder if you could supply cement according to our specification?Cham: What is it , please?Huang: According to our construction design, we are in urgent need of 500 tons of each of Type 1 and 5 of Portland Cement, as per ASTM-150 specifications.Cham: Fortunately, this happens to be within our line of business. Any preference about the package? We can supply bagged cement as well as in bulk.Huang: Good. So quote us the rate for bulk cement, please; we prefer early delivery.Cham: As a rule, our delivery is two weeks after we receive an order from our customer. In that available to you?Huang: Could it be ten days?Cham: I will contact the manufacture to see if it is possible. Anyhow I can promise you that I’ll try my best.Huang: please also give us the technical data on the cement together with the quotation. We need to be sure of the exact heat of hydration, compressive strength and so on before we order it.Cham: No problem. The technical data are always available from the laboratory of the manufacture.Huang: To be frank with you, I’ve enquired of several local trading companies and I’m also waiting for their quotations, but I hope you will be chosen as our long term supplier.Cham: Thanks. I’ll send you our quotation sheets to you in two days. Although we are not the biggest supplier in this line, we will prove to you that we are the best.2. Talking about the Transport(An order has been placed for 500 tons of explosive for the Hydro-electric Project at FOB price, Miami, the united States, A carrier has to be found for the transportation from the loading port to the construction site. Mr. Huang is talking to Mr. O’neal, country manager of Tropical Shipping, a very well-known international shipping company registered locally on this matter)Huang: On Wednesday, we faxed you our enquiry regarding freight rate for our ordered explosive—Powermax, but we have not receive your reply yet. O’: Sorry about that. You see, Mr. Huang, this commodity is listed as extremely dangerous. We’ve had to take time t o investigate the handling requirements. Now that you are here, we can have a face-to-face talk. Huang: What’s your result of your investigation?O’: First of all, we have to use containers for its transportation by sea to prevent the explosive from being moistened and for the convenience of its loading and discharge.Huang: There’s one thing that worries me. This kind of explosive could be very dangerous under high temperature. This is a tropical region and it’s quite hot all the year around. If containers are used, how can the temperature inside them be controlled?O’: Don’t worry about it, Mr. Huang. Through our investigation, we have found this kind of explosive can be transported without danger as long as the temperature does not exceed 125 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature inside the containers are much lower than that even in the hottest weather of the dry season. However, we have made careful plans and will take special precautions to safeguard its transportation by sea.Huang: How about the inland transport, that is , from the unloading port to the warehouse on our site?O’: Lowboys will be used and the police will escort them all the way to your site in line with our national security law.Huang: What’s the lowboys?O’: just a kind of trailer with very low flat bed for carrying containers and major equipment.Huang: How often do you sail from Miami to the loading port in this country? O’: We have weekly sailings and can spread out your 500 tons any way you like.Huang: And the freight rate?O’: 3,000 US dollars per 20-foot container. The rate is all inclusive from the loading port to your site.Huang: I’m afraid it is too high.O’: You see, Mr. Huang, what we are talking about is explosive, not cement or something. Special are has to be taken all the way. This bill incur extra costs to me. Besides, the police will charge us for their service, too.Huang: Will you give me your quotation sheet? I have to take it back to our office and discuss it with our manager.O’: It’s read y for you. Anyway, please let us know your reply as soon as possible.Huang: OK, Mr. O’.3. Hiring Equipment(A large quantity of excavation work has to be finished as soon as possible in order to match the construction schedule. As the equipment working on the job site is not sufficient, the project manager decides to hire an excavator and a loader. Mr. Yang is enquiring of Mr. Bol, equipment manager of Beli Construction Holdings, about the equipment he wants to hire)Yang: I have been told, Mr. Bol, that you are in charge of the construction leasing and hiring business in this company. I am here to see if I can hire some equipment from you.Bol: you’ve come to the right place, Mr. Yang. We are involved primarily in equipment leasing and hiring as well as mining operations. We own quite a lot of heavy-duty construction equipment and can hire them to you at any time you like.Yang: What are they?Bol: We have bulldozers, excavators, loaders, motor graders, vibrating rollers and dump trucks.Yang: I am thinking of hiring an excavator and a loader this time. What’s the volume of your excavator’s bucket?Bol: The excavator is a 225 Caterpillar and has a bucket of about and half cubic yards.Yang: And the loader?Bol: It’s a 950B Caterpillar. I think t he volume of the bucket is about three cubic yards.Yang: What are their hire rates respectively?Bol: Where do you intend to use them?Yang: They will be used to excavate the foundation pit of the powerhouse on the job site. Blasting will be done before the excavator is used. What the excavator digs is just small broken pieces of the rock. The working conditions are not so bad.Bol: Well, Mr. Yang, we have two rates for you. The hourly rate is US $ 75 for the excavator and US$ 75 for the loader. The monthly rate is US$22,500 for the excavator and US$150,000 for the loader.Yang: Does the rate include the fuel and the operator?Bol: yes, and maintenance as well.Yang: How about the rate if we provide the fuel and the operator?Bol: As a rule, we have our own operator and do not allow other operator to use our machines. You know, the machines are very expensive. I hope you understand. However, if you provide the fuel free of charge, we can reduce the rate by US$5 for each hour or US$1,500 for each month.Yang: Who will be responsible for the transportation of the equipment from your plant depot to our site ?Bol: If the hire term exceeds 300 working hours or one working month, we will transport the equipment by trailer at our own cost. Otherwise, we will charge US$200 for the transportation of each machine.。