Jay: Mr.Liu, when do I have to open the covering L/C if I want the goods delivered in June?
Liu: You’ll have to open the L?C cerly in May, that is, about 30 days before the time of shipment.Otherwise we’d be behind
the sailing schedule.
Jay: But it adds to my financial difficulties, you know. To open a letter of credit with a bank, I have to pay a lot of money for
the bank, I have to pay a lot of money for the bank charges as well as a deposit. And to open the L/C 30 days before the
month of shipment practically means I cannot get back my deposit until after three or four months. That’ll tie up my
capital in the bank for too long. I simply couldn’t afford it. Won’t 15 or 20 days bew enough?
Liu: I’m afraid 15 or 20 days won’t do. Getting the goods ready, booking the shipping space and what not, all these time.
You can’t expect us to make delivery in less than 30 days.
Jay: If there is no other choice, let is be 30 days then. I think I’ll have to arrange for the L/C to be issied as I get home.
Liu: When will it be?
Jay: Eaarly next wek, if nothing goes wrong. In the meantime, I’d like you to exert yourself and get everything ready for ship-
ment.
Liu: You may rest assured of it. We’ll set about booking the shipping space immediately and do everything without fail to
effct shipment within the time stipulated in the contract.
Jay: That’ll be fine. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Liu: There’s another point I’d like to mention. When you open the L/C, please see that the L/C remains valid until the fifteenth
day after date of shipment. You see,m you must heave us at least one week’s time or so to get al the shipping documents
ready for presentation and negotiation.
Jay: Right. I’ll take a careful note of what you say.
NEW WORDS
covering 有关的 issue 签发
deliver 交付（货物） meantime 同时
otherwise 否则 exert 竭力
sailing 航行的 fail 失败
schedule 时间表 stipulate 规定
charge 收费 advance 向前进
deposit 抵押，保证金 mention 提及
practically 实际上 valid 有效的
tie 拴住 presentation 提供，提示（单据）
space 空间 ，（船）舱 negotiation 议付
choice 选择 note 注意
