Unit 1: Scope of Freight Forwarding Services
Originally, a freight forwarder (货运代理人) was a commission agent (委托代理人) performing on behalf of (代表…) the exporter/importer routine tasks such
as loading/unloading of goods, storage of goods, arranging local transport, obtaining payment for his customer, etc…
However, the expansion of international trade and the development of different modes of transport over the years that followed enlarged the scope of his services. Today, a freight forwarder plays an important role in international trade and transport. The services that a freight forwarder renders may often range from routine and basic tasks such as the booking of space or customs clearance (清关) to a comprehensive package of services covering the total transportation and distribution process. 未完待续
课文理解：
1. 核心句子：
… a freight forwarder was a commission agent performing on behalf of the
exporter/importer routine tasks …
这句句子很长,一段就是一句.不过,作者无非想表达这样一个意思:货运代理人是进出口商的委托代理人,提供这样或那样的服务. 句子显然含有
一个定语从句, 其他的结构是帮助起修饰、说明作用的.
1.1 performing = doing (a piece of work)
1.2 on behalf of the exporter/importer = on exporter’s or importer’s behalf = as representative of exporter/importer
1.3 routine tasks (日常工作,日常事务)
这里我们不能用 work 替代 task , 其原因是:
task: 可数名词, 一般是指较为困难、辛苦的工作, 正好和routine tasks后面
such as 的例子统一起来.
work: 不可数名词, 工作的意思则较为笼统、广泛.
句子中其他需要解释的地方还有:
1.4 originally = from the beginning
1.5 such as loading/unloading of goods … = such as loading/unloading of goods
for his customer. 下面三个结构如同本结构.
2. 核心句子： … A and B enlarged the scope of his service. 句子中:
A 是指 the expansion of international trade (国际贸易的扩大)
B 是指 the development of different modes of transport (不同运输模式的发展)
2.1 enlarge = make or become larger.
A and B make the scope of freight forwarding services larger
“ en- + adj. = v. ” 是 enlarge 这个词的结构, 由前缀"en-"和形容词"large"构成.
“ en- + adj. = v. ” 这样的例子还有: enable, enrich
句子中其他需要解释的地方还有:
2.2 over the years that followed (意译): 在以后的几年里面
3. 句子：
Today, a freight forwarder plays an important role in international trade and
transport. 在句子中:
3.1 today = at the present time, 课文里不解释今天.
3.2 play a role: 扮演角色, 可以引申为起着…的作用.
4. 核心句子： The services …may often range from … to…
好像很难理解, 我们先举一个简单的例子看看:
price ranging from USD5 to USD10 (从5美元到10美元的各种价格)
price ranging between USD5 and USD10 (5美元到10美元之间的各种价格)
range 的意思是”在…范围内变化”, 后面的搭配可以是from…to…, 也可以是between…and… 于是, 我们发现:
例句中的USD5 = 课文中的routine and basic tasks … ,
例句中的USD10 = 课文中的a comprehensive package of services …
句子中其他解释的地方还有:
4.1 routine and basic tasks such as the booking of space or customs clearance
the booking of space (舱位的预订)
customs clearance (海关清结关)
4.2 a comprehensive package of services …
a package of (意译:一揽子) package有的时候具有比喻的意味和用法,课文中的情况就是这样.
comprehensive (综合性的、广泛的、全面的、详尽的) ,看来这个短语应该翻译成"综合性的一揽子服务方案"比较妥帖.
4.3 The services that a freight forwarder renders
render (及物动词) = offer, provide. 这是一句定语从句.说明提供这些订舱、报关、全程运输、分拨等服务的来源
4.4 … covering the total …
cover = include, consist of, take into account
(包括, 涉及, 可以引申为"关于"解, 相当于 about )
4.5 the total transportation and distribution process
上面课文中有这样一个结构: …in international trade and transport, 那么transport 和transportation 有何区别呢?
实际上是一样的,我们也可以说成…in international trade and transportation 或 the total transport and … 文章中这样安排的原因,我认为只是为了保持前后结构
统一(参见and前后的下划线).
如果硬要把它们加以区别, 其答案是: transportation 是美国人常用的词汇,
而 transport 则是英国人常用的词汇
5. 段落小结：
第一、第二两个自然段是本文的第一层意思:
我们注意到了这样一些副词：originally......however......today......通过这些副词的贯穿，我们了解了货运代理人的概念，并通过货运
代理服务范围的演变，对其服务范围基本上有了一个大概的印象.
