GCT綜合英語(yǔ)第4單元課文翻譯.doc

僅做參考好好學(xué)習(xí)，天天向上Unit 4International TradeMost countries realize the advantages of world trade. Countries have developed their economies, increased production of goods, and met market demands through increased world trade. The interdependence among trading nations has provided increased business opportunities.International trade develops because certain countries are able to produce some goods more efficiently than other countries. They exchange goods to satisfy their needs and wants. Efficient production may be the result of several factors. A certain climate in a particular country may allow that country to grow agricultural products in abundance. For instance, the climates in the United States and Canada are suitable for production of large amounts of wheat. Natural resources such as oil or coal are abundant in other countries. Countries with a large pool of unskilled laborers are able to produce products which are labor intensive more cheaply than countries with highly paid, skilled labor forces. Another factor is geographical location. Countries like Singapore and Panama engage in banking and trading because they are located on world trade routes.The Scottish economist, Adam Smith, theorized that free market countries produce whatever they can most efficiently grow or manufacture, or what is of the greatest advantage to them. In other words, if they can make more money growing cotton than making cloth, they grow cotton and export it. Then they import cloth from a country that makes cloth more efficiently than it grows cotton. In an uncontrolled free market trade situation, there is international specialization which results in the most efficient production of goods. Therefore, competition guarantees that countries import products which are most efficiently manufactured abroad and export products which are most efficiently produced domestically. Price is determined by the supply side of the market. Smith s theory was a theory of absolute advantage. The English economist, David Ricardo, refined Smiths theory to one of comparative advantage . He theorized that an exporting country does not have to be the most efficient producer of the product; it only has to be more efficient than the country which imports the product. Mutually beneficial trade arises when one country has a comparative advantage. There are several reasons why governments try to control the imports and exports of a country. One reason is that a country enjoys an advantage if it exports more than it imports. Wealth accrues to the exporting country. Some countries have special programs to encourage exports. They may be programs that provide marketing information, establish trade missions, subsidize exports, and provide tax benefits or incentives. Government subsidies allow companies to sell products cheaply. Sometimes these subsidized companies export their products and sell them cheaply overseas. This practice is known as dumping. Dumping is selling on a foreign market at a price below the cost of production.On the other hand, governments impose taxes and quotas to restrict imports of certain products. For example, to protect Japanese farmers, Japan limits the amount of produce that can be imported. Sometimes governments want to protect a domestic industry because that industry provides employment for the population. Not only the industries, but also the labor unions encourage the government to enact protectionist controls.Protectionist measures are in the form of duties which eliminate the comparative advantage or quotas which restrict the import of the product altogether. There are two forms of import tariffs: specific and ad valorem. A specific tariff is a certain amount of tax for each unit of the product, for example $ 500 for each automobile. An ad valorem tariff is based on the value of the product, for example 5% of its value.In order to import and export products, there needs to be a system of international monetary exchange. While a few products like oil are always priced in dollars, most products must be paid for with the legal tender of the producing country. International trade involves the exchange of one currency for another. Most currencies are now exchanged on a floating rate basis. There are no official exchange rates. The rates fluctuate according to market forces. If large amounts of a countrys currency are being exchanged, the exchange rate may vary greatly because of demand, and therefore, the price of a currency is either rising or falling. Sometimes these great fluctuations in value threaten economic stability: then central banks change market forces by purchasing a foreign currency to support its price and maintain stability.The amount of money that goes in and out of a country is referred to as the balance of payments. If a country is exporting more than it imports, it is receiving foreign currency and has a balance of trade surplus. If it is importing more than it exports, it is sending money out of the country and has a balance of trade deficit. Continued surpluses or deficits change the demand for the currency of a country and cause its value to float either upward or downward.The comparative advantage which exporting countries enjoy sometimes changes. If transportation costs increase or currency exchange rates change, it may become cheaper to produce the product in the market country, especially if large amounts are involved. Exporting companies sometimes set up subsidiaries in the market countries.The larger company is referred to as the parent company. Some countries have laws restricting the foreign ownership of factories or other production facilities, while others encourage foreign investment. A large company that sets up production facilities in several different countries is referred to as a multinational. Multinational corporations develop a global philosophy of management, marketing and production, they choose to operate in those countries that afford them comparative advantages.國(guó)際貿(mào)易很多國(guó)家都意識(shí)到國(guó)際貿(mào)易的益處。他們通過(guò)擴(kuò)大對(duì)外貿(mào)易，發(fā)展了本國(guó)的經(jīng)濟(jì)，增加了商品的產(chǎn)出量，迎合了市場(chǎng)需求。國(guó)家間的往來(lái)創(chuàng)造了更多的貿(mào)易機(jī)會(huì)。國(guó)際貿(mào)易的發(fā)展得益于某些國(guó)家比其他國(guó)家能更加高效地生產(chǎn)某些商品，而商品交換又滿(mǎn)足他們各自的需求。產(chǎn)品的高效產(chǎn)出是多種原因的結(jié)果。個(gè)別國(guó)家的特殊氣候使它能夠大量種植出某些農(nóng)業(yè)作物。例如，美國(guó)和加拿大的適應(yīng)氣候使他們能夠大量種植出小麥，而美洲的其他國(guó)家石油和煤豐富。擁有大量無(wú)技能人力資源的國(guó)家和其他擁有技能化，高薪酬待遇人力資源的國(guó)家相比，他們能以較低的成本大量生產(chǎn)勞動(dòng)密集型產(chǎn)品。影響高效產(chǎn)出的另外一個(gè)原因就是地理位置優(yōu)勢(shì)。新加坡和巴拿馬等國(guó)家大規(guī)模從事金融業(yè)和中轉(zhuǎn)貿(mào)易就得益于他們處在世界的黃金水道上。蘇格蘭經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家亞當(dāng)斯密，理論化的認(rèn)為自由市場(chǎng)化的國(guó)家總是生產(chǎn)他們能夠最高效生產(chǎn)的或是對(duì)他們最有利的東西。換句話(huà)說(shuō)，如果他們種植棉花能比織布賺取更多的錢(qián)，他們將種植棉花和出口棉花。然后從其他織布比生產(chǎn)棉花更高效的國(guó)家進(jìn)口布匹。在不加干預(yù)的自由市場(chǎng)經(jīng)濟(jì)情況下，就會(huì)產(chǎn)生一個(gè)基于高效產(chǎn)品生產(chǎn)的國(guó)際分工。因?yàn)楦?jìng)爭(zhēng)將促使各個(gè)國(guó)家出口本國(guó)最能高效生產(chǎn)的產(chǎn)品，進(jìn)口他國(guó)最能高效生產(chǎn)的產(chǎn)品。在這一理論下 商品價(jià)格由賣(mài)方?jīng)Q定。斯密斯的理論是絕對(duì)優(yōu)勢(shì)理論。英格蘭經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家大衛(wèi)李嘉圖修正了斯密斯的絕對(duì)優(yōu)勢(shì)說(shuō)，提出相對(duì)優(yōu)勢(shì)理論。李嘉圖認(rèn)為，一個(gè)國(guó)家不一定只出口本國(guó)最能高效生產(chǎn)的產(chǎn)品，只要是本國(guó)能比其他國(guó)家在該商品的生產(chǎn)上更高效就行。只要一國(guó)具有相對(duì)優(yōu)勢(shì)，雙贏的貿(mào)易就能開(kāi)展。國(guó)家調(diào)控進(jìn)出口有幾個(gè)原因。其中一個(gè)原因就是出口比進(jìn)口給國(guó)家?guī)?lái)更多利益。財(cái)富流向出口國(guó)。一些國(guó)家實(shí)行鼓勵(lì)出口的特殊政策。這些政策或是提供市場(chǎng)信息，或建立貿(mào)易互訪(fǎng)，或給予出口補(bǔ)貼，或減免稅費(fèi)或是其他刺激出口的措施。政府補(bǔ)貼降低了商品價(jià)格。有些時(shí)候，享受補(bǔ)貼的公司將他們的商品以低于國(guó)內(nèi)的價(jià)格銷(xiāo)往國(guó)外。這可能就是傾銷(xiāo)。傾銷(xiāo)就是以低于商品生產(chǎn)成本的價(jià)格將商品銷(xiāo)往國(guó)外。另外，政府用征稅和出口配額來(lái)限制某些商品的進(jìn)口。比如日本為了保護(hù)本國(guó)的農(nóng)民，限制農(nóng)產(chǎn)品的進(jìn)口。有些時(shí)候，政府想要保護(hù)國(guó)內(nèi)某產(chǎn)業(yè)是因?yàn)檫@些產(chǎn)業(yè)能提供大量就業(yè)機(jī)會(huì)。這種情況下，不僅僅是該產(chǎn)業(yè)，而且工會(huì)也會(huì)督促政府采取保護(hù)措施。保護(hù)主義政策以征稅的形式來(lái)消除相對(duì)優(yōu)勢(shì)，加以進(jìn)口配額來(lái)限制商品的進(jìn)口。有兩種形式的進(jìn)口稅：特別稅和價(jià)值稅。特別稅是按商品數(shù)量征稅，比如對(duì)每輛汽車(chē)征收500美元的稅。價(jià)值稅是按商品價(jià)值來(lái)征收的稅，比如收取商品價(jià)值5%的稅。商品的進(jìn)出口需要一個(gè)國(guó)際性貨幣兌換系統(tǒng)。雖然少數(shù)商品，如石油總是以美元來(lái)計(jì)價(jià)的，大多數(shù)商品都必需以生產(chǎn)國(guó)接受的貨幣形式來(lái)支付。所以，國(guó)際貿(mào)易涉及到貨幣之間的兌換。絕大多數(shù)貨幣是在一個(gè)浮動(dòng)的匯率基礎(chǔ)上進(jìn)行兌換的。匯率不是由官方規(guī)定的。匯率根據(jù)市場(chǎng)需求波動(dòng)。如果一國(guó)的貨幣被大量?jī)稉Q，匯率可能會(huì)因?yàn)樾枨蟮淖兓兓?，或升或降。如果匯率的巨大波動(dòng)威脅到經(jīng)濟(jì)的穩(wěn)定性，中央銀行將通過(guò)購(gòu)進(jìn)外幣來(lái)改變市場(chǎng)力量對(duì)比，維持本幣價(jià)格和匯率的穩(wěn)定性。一國(guó)貨幣的流出和流進(jìn)量反映一國(guó)貨幣支出的平衡情況。假如一個(gè)國(guó)家出口大于進(jìn)口，它將獲得外幣，并且產(chǎn)生貿(mào)易順差。假如一個(gè)國(guó)家進(jìn)口大于出口，它將對(duì)外支付本國(guó)貨幣，并且產(chǎn)生貿(mào)易赤字。持續(xù)的貿(mào)易順差或赤字將導(dǎo)致一國(guó)貨幣的上下波動(dòng)。出口國(guó)家享有的相對(duì)優(yōu)勢(shì)有時(shí)也會(huì)消失。假如運(yùn)輸費(fèi)用增加或是匯率變化，特別是當(dāng)大量進(jìn)口的時(shí)候，在本國(guó)生產(chǎn)可能比國(guó)外進(jìn)口更加廉價(jià)。出口公司有時(shí)也直接在貿(mào)易國(guó)家建立分公司。本國(guó)的公司被稱(chēng)為母公司。有些國(guó)家立法限制國(guó)外公司在本國(guó)建立擁有所有權(quán)的工廠(chǎng)和其他生產(chǎn)實(shí)體。同時(shí)，有些國(guó)家積極引進(jìn)外資。在其他多國(guó)建立了生產(chǎn)實(shí)體的公司被稱(chēng)為跨國(guó)集團(tuán)?？鐕?guó)集團(tuán)建立了一整套經(jīng)營(yíng)哲學(xué)、營(yíng)銷(xiāo)和生產(chǎn)系統(tǒng)并選擇在那些能給他們提供相對(duì)優(yōu)勢(shì)的國(guó)家施行。Passage OneMost economists and politicians agree that international trade is one of the main ways in which countries become richer. What they cant agree on is the best way of organizing and regulating that trade. The main arguments are between free traders and protectionists. If you re not sure whose side youre on, try solving the Australian vodka problem!Imagine that for many years everyone agreed that your country produced the best vodka in the world. But then, one year people in your country discover that Australia vodka is better than yours and its cheaper, too. So everyone stops buying your vodka and starts to drink the Australian one instead. What do you do? You could:(1) Ban all Australia vodka.(2) Put a special tax on Australia vodka so that its more expensive than yours.(3) Improve the quality of your vodka and reduce its price.(4) Stop making vodka and start making something else.If you d choose 1 or 2, you re a protectionist. Protectionists believe that unnecessary imports shouldnt be allowed because they threaten jobs and businesses at home. If you import something that you could make at home, then its as if youre exporting jobs and profits. If you cant ban foreign products, the best thing to do is to put a tariff on imports or give a subsidy to your own industries.If youd choose 3 or 4, youre a free trader. Free traders believe that allowing imports from foreign competitors is good for both consumer and producers at home. Consumers benefit because they can consume that Australia vodka. But competition from imports also benefits producers, who must improve the quality and reduce the price of their products if they want to survive. Better quality and lower price are good news for everyone and they make it possible for companies to increase their sales and open new markets.文章一大多數(shù)經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家和政治家都同意國(guó)際貿(mào)易是使參與其中的國(guó)家快速致富的重要途徑之一。他們爭(zhēng)論不休的是組織和規(guī)范國(guó)際貿(mào)易的最好途徑是什么。這種爭(zhēng)論主要存在于自由貿(mào)易主張者和貿(mào)易保護(hù)主義者之間。如果你還不能確定你會(huì)站在哪邊，請(qǐng)先解決澳大利亞的伏特加酒問(wèn)題。假設(shè)很多年來(lái)每個(gè)人都認(rèn)為本國(guó)釀造的的伏特加酒是世界上最好的。但是，有一年人們發(fā)現(xiàn)澳大利亞釀造的伏特加酒比你們國(guó)家釀造的還好喝，并且更便宜。于是，人們都停止購(gòu)買(mǎi)你們的并開(kāi)始喝澳大利亞的伏特加酒。你會(huì)怎么做？你可能會(huì)： (1)禁止購(gòu)買(mǎi)所有的澳大利亞伏特加酒 (2)對(duì)澳大利亞的伏特加酒征收特別稅，使其價(jià)格高于本國(guó)生產(chǎn)的 (3)提高本國(guó)伏特加酒的質(zhì)量并降低價(jià)格 (4)停止生產(chǎn)伏特加酒，生產(chǎn)其他的東西如果你選擇了1或2，那么你就是一個(gè)貿(mào)易保護(hù)主義者。貿(mào)易保護(hù)主義者認(rèn)為非必需的商品不應(yīng)該得到進(jìn)口許可，因?yàn)樗麄兺{到本國(guó)的就業(yè)和貿(mào)易。假如你進(jìn)口本國(guó)能夠生產(chǎn)的東西，那就等同于在出口就業(yè)機(jī)會(huì)和利潤(rùn)。假如你不能禁止國(guó)外的商品，最好的方法就是對(duì)該產(chǎn)品的進(jìn)口征收稅，或是對(duì)國(guó)內(nèi)的產(chǎn)業(yè)進(jìn)行補(bǔ)貼。假如你選擇3或4，那么你就是個(gè)自由貿(mào)易主義者。自由貿(mào)易主義者認(rèn)為從競(jìng)爭(zhēng)國(guó)進(jìn)口產(chǎn)品對(duì)國(guó)內(nèi)的消費(fèi)者和生產(chǎn)商都有利。國(guó)內(nèi)的消費(fèi)者獲利是因?yàn)樗麄兡軌蜻x購(gòu)澳大利亞的伏特加酒。來(lái)自國(guó)外的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)壓力也促進(jìn)國(guó)內(nèi)生產(chǎn)商提升產(chǎn)品質(zhì)量，如果他們想生存下去。優(yōu)質(zhì)低價(jià)對(duì)每個(gè)人都有好處，也是國(guó)內(nèi)的生產(chǎn)商增加銷(xiāo)量和開(kāi)拓市場(chǎng)的好機(jī)會(huì)。Passage TwoThe World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only international organization dealing with the global rules of trade between nations. Its main function is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably, and freely as possible.The result is assurance. Consumers and producers know that they can enjoy secure supplies and greater choice of the finished products, components, raw materials and services that they use. Producers and exporters know that foreign markets will remain open to them. The result is also a more prosperous, peaceful and accountable economic world. Decisions in the WTO are typically taken by consensus among all member countries and they are approved by members parliaments. Trade friction is channeled into the WTO s dispute settlement process where the focus is on interpreting agreements and commitments, and how to ensure that countries trade policies conform with them. That way, the risk of disputes spilling over into political or military conflict is reduced. By lowering trade barriers, the WTOs system also breaks down other barriers between p