The Unite States supplies a larger share of the international trade than any other nation in the world. The transactions of trade between countries are often kept in American dollars, and payments are frequently made in American currency as well. Many American banks have established branches in important commercial centers overseas to handle the business that results from world trade. Similarly, many foreign banks also have branches in the United States.
The United States has many trading partners; one that has become increasingly important in recent years is China. The city of Shanghai in eastern China is one of the world's great seaports and has also become active in both manufacturing and finance in the world. Many American banks have set up offices there. John William is the manager of one of these branch banks in Shanghai
John majored in accounting and business administration in Harvard. After graduation he got a job with a large New York bank. After two years in accounting, he was transferred to the loan involved international transactions. Some of them were so complicated that John felt he didn't have a broad enough background to understand them. To get more experience, he asked for a transfer to the bank's international department. He became so expert in international finance that he made it his career.
When the bank decided to open a branch in Shanghai, John was selected to set it up and run it for the first few years. He has been in Shanghai for more than three years now. He has a comfortable apartment in a high-rise building in the business center of the city. The bank provides him with a car and driver as well as the apartment.
Mandarin is the most common language of Shanghai, but John has learned only a few courtesy expressions. He has little need to speak Chinese, however, because all of the employees of the bank are fluent in English. His chief assistant, Miss Wang, went to graduate school in the States, so her English is excellent.
John has enjoyed being in Shanghai, but he may not be there much longer. Now that the bank is operating efficiently, he might be transferred back to New York in a few months. But he hopes to be back to china soon after for he loves it living there.
参考译文:
在国际贸易中，美国比世界上任何国家占有更大的份额。各国之间贸易成交后也往往以美元计算并以其为支付手段。为了处理世界贸易带来的商业往来，美国银行在海外的重要商业中心开设了许多分行。同样地，许多外国银行也在美国开设分支机构。
美国有很多商业合作伙伴，近几年来日益重要的一个合作伙伴便是中国。位于中国东部的上海是世界上重要的港口城市之一，在世界制造业和金融业领域都非常活跃。许多美国银行都在那里设立了办事处。约翰.威廉就是其设在上海的一个分行经理。
约翰在哈佛上学时学的是会计学和商业管理。毕业后在纽约一家大银行工作。干了两个的会计工作后他被调到信贷部。他所经手的许多货款都涉及到国际贸易。其中一些贸易操作起来非常复杂，约翰觉得自己没有足够的背景知识不能胜任这份工作。为了获得更多的经验，他要求调到银行的国际贸易部。现在他已经成为国际金融银行方面的行家，并且以此作为自己的事业。
当银行决定在上海开分行时，约翰被选派到上海开展筹建工作并负责头几年的经营。到现在为止他已经在上海呆了三年多时间了。他在市商业中心一幢高层建筑里有一套舒适的公寓。银行不仅给他提供了住所，而且还给他配备了汽车和司机。
普通话是上海最常用的语言，但是约翰只学会几句礼貌用语。然而，他几乎用不着说汉语，因为银行的所有员工都说一口流利的英语。他的高级助助理王小姐是在美国读的硕士，所以她的英语非常地出色。
约翰非常喜欢待在上海，但是他可能不久就要离开了。这是因为既然银行已经步入正轨，几个月后他有可能被调回纽约总部。但是他希望很快就能回到中国，因为他喜欢那里的生活。
