隨著會計年度即將結束，許多公司會趕在預算到期前，盡快把剩餘的經費使用完畢。
這往往會導致 緊急採購設備與軟體、詳細的價格比較，以及針對折扣與交期進行密集的談判。
這類情境在 TOEIC 多益考試中非常常見。
今天，你將學到 多益高頻的採購相關單字、貼近實際職場的談判表達方式，以及 直接對應 TOEIC 題目的實用文法句型，幫助你在考試與實際工作中都能靈活應用。
🎧Apple Podcast｜Spotify
對話情境 💬
情境：年底軟體採購會議
英文對話
Emma (Procurement Manager):
Since we’re approaching the end of the fiscal year, we need to finalize our software purchases as soon as possible.
David (IT Manager):
I agree. I’ve compared three vendors, and their pricing structures are quite different.
Emma:
Which option fits our remaining budget best?
David:
Vendor B offers a volume discount, but their delivery timeline is longer than expected.
Emma:
That could be a problem. We need deployment before the end of December.
David:
Vendor A can deliver immediately, but their quotation exceeds our budget.
Emma:
Have you tried negotiating a year-end discount?
David:
Yes. They’re willing to lower the price if we sign a two-year contract.
Emma:
That sounds reasonable. Does the package include customer support?
David:
Yes, support is included, which adds value to the offer.
Emma:
Alright. Please request a revised quotation in writing.
David:
I’ll contact the vendor today and confirm the delivery schedule.
中文翻譯
Emma（採購經理）：
由於會計年度快要結束了，我們需要盡快敲定軟體的採購事項。
David（IT 經理）：
我同意。我已經比較過三家供應商，他們的價格結構差異滿大的。
Emma：
哪一個選項最符合我們目前剩餘的預算？
David：
供應商 B 提供了數量折扣，但交貨時程比預期來得長。
Emma：
那可能會有問題。我們需要在十二月底前完成系統上線。
David：
供應商 A 可以立即交付，但他們的報價超出我們的預算。
Emma：
你有嘗試談看看年底折扣嗎？
David：
有。他們表示如果我們簽兩年合約，就願意降低價格。
Emma：
聽起來還算合理。這個方案有包含客戶支援嗎？
David：
有，技術支援是包含在內的，這也提高了整體方案的價值。
Emma：
好，那請他們提供一份修正後的書面報價。
David：
我今天就會聯絡供應商，並確認交貨時程。
Vocabulary Boost — 多益重點單字 📚
| 單字 / 片語 | 詞性 | 中文意思 | 英文例句 |
|---|---|---|---|
| fiscal year | 名詞 | 會計年度 | The company must finalize purchases before the fiscal year ends. |
| quotation | 名詞 | 報價單 | Please send us a written quotation by Friday. |
| negotiate | 動詞 | 談判、協商 | We need to negotiate the final price. |
| volume discount | 名詞 | 數量折扣 | A volume discount is available for bulk purchases. |
| delivery timeline | 名詞 | 交貨時程 | The delivery timeline may affect our decision. |
| exceed | 動詞 | 超過 | The cost may exceed our approved budget. |
| deployment | 名詞 | 系統部署、上線 | Software deployment must be completed this month. |
| revised | 形容詞 | 修正後的 | Please review the revised proposal. |
| contract | 名詞 | 合約 | The contract lasts for two years. |
| add value | 動詞片語 | 提升價值 | Free technical support adds value to the offer. |
Grammar Points — 多益常考文法 🔍
| 句型結構 | 說明 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| Since + 子句 | 表示原因 | Since the budget is limited, we must negotiate. |
| be willing to + 動詞 | 表示願意 | The vendor is willing to lower the price. |
| if + 現在式, will + 動詞 | 條件句 | If we sign today, they will offer a discount. |
| need to + 動詞 | 表示必要性 | We need to finalize the purchase today. |
| be included | 被動語態 | Support is included in the package. |
📖 Transcript 逐字稿
J: Welcome to MJ English.
J：歡迎來到《MJ English》。
M: Hello everyone.
M：大家好。
J: So today we’re gonna talk about something I think a lot of people in business feel, especially towards the end of the year.
J：今天我們要來聊一個我覺得很多職場人士都有感的事情，特別是在年底的時候。
M: Oh yeah. That year-end budget crunch.
M：對，就是年底的預算緊縮。
J: Exactly. The pressure to spend what’s left in the budget for the fiscal year.
J：沒錯，就是必須把會計年度剩下的預算花掉的那種壓力。
M: Use it or lose it.
M：不用就沒了。
J: And that leads to some really intense negotiations over things like equipment, software…
J：對，而這也會導致在設備、軟體這類項目上出現非常激烈的談判。
M: Discounts, delivery timelines… everything becomes urgent.
M：折扣、交貨時程……什麼事情都變得很急。
J: It really does. Okay, so to get into this, we’re gonna listen to a quick scenario between Emma, a procurement manager, and David, an IT manager. They’re trying to buy some new software.
J：真的就是這樣。好，那為了進入主題，我們要來聽一個簡短的情境，角色是採購經理 Emma 和 IT 經理 David，他們正在嘗試購買新的軟體。
Scenario: Year-End Software Purchasing Meeting
Emma (Procurement Manager):
Since we’re approaching the end of the fiscal year, we need to finalize our software purchases as soon as possible.
David (IT Manager):
I agree. I’ve compared three vendors, and their pricing structures are quite different.
Emma:
Which option fits our remaining budget best?
David:
Vendor B offers a volume discount, but their delivery timeline is longer than expected.
Emma:
That could be a problem. We need deployment before the end of December.
David:
Vendor A can deliver immediately, but their quotation exceeds our budget.
Emma:
Have you tried negotiating a year-end discount?
David:
Yes. They’re willing to lower the price if we sign a two-year contract.
Emma:
That sounds reasonable. Does the package include customer support?
David:
Yes, support is included, which adds value to the offer.
Emma:
Alright. Please request a revised quotation in writing.
David:
I’ll contact the vendor today and confirm the delivery schedule.
J: Okay, so even in that short exchange, there is so much going on.
J：好，就算只是這麼短的一段對話，其實裡面有非常多層次。
M: It’s all about strategic language. Let’s break down some of the key terms. First up: “fiscal year.”
M：這完全是在用策略性的語言。我們來拆解幾個關鍵詞，第一個是「fiscal year（會計年度）」。
J: So it’s not just the company’s accounting period. In this conversation, it’s used as a… a reason for urgency. A ticking clock.
J：它不只是公司的會計期間，在這段對話中，它被用來當作一個……製造急迫感的理由，就像一個倒數計時器。
M: “We need to finalize as soon as possible.”
M：「我們需要盡快敲定。」
J: Yeah. It justifies the rush.
J：對，這句話合理化了為什麼要這麼急。
M: And then David mentions the “quotation.”
M：接著 David 提到了「quotation（報價）」。
J: Which is basically the formal price offer, right.
J：基本上就是正式的價格提案，對吧。
M: Yes, but by saying it “exceeds the budget,” he’s not just stating a fact. He’s setting the stage to negotiate.
M：對，但當他說「超出預算」時，他不只是陳述事實，而是在為接下來的談判鋪路。
J: He’s basically saying, “The price is too high, what are you gonna do about it?”
J：他其實是在說：「價格太高了，那你們打算怎麼辦？」
M: Which leads to Emma’s suggestion. She offers a two-year contract in exchange for a “volume discount.” Or in this case, a “year-end discount.”
M：這就帶出了 Emma 的提案。她用簽兩年合約來交換「大量折扣」，或者在這裡說是「年終折扣」。
J: That’s a classic move. Trading long-term commitment for a short-term price cut.
J：這是非常經典的一招，用長期承諾來換取短期的降價。
M: And notice David checked that “support is included.” That’s so important. It’s about finding ways the deal can “add value” beyond just the initial price.
M：而且注意 David 有確認「支援是否包含在內」，這非常重要，因為這是在找出除了價格之外，交易如何「增加價值」。
J: Because things like installation or deployment, and ongoing support can have huge hidden costs.
J：因為像安裝、部署、還有後續支援，往往都有很高的隱藏成本。
M: For sure. Okay, so beyond the vocabulary, the way they structure their sentences is really interesting.
M：真的如此。好，那除了單字之外，他們造句的方式也非常值得注意。
J: You mean the grammar?
J：你是說文法嗎？
M: Yeah, the grammar of negotiation. Emma starts with “Since,” as in “since the budget is limited.”
M：對，談判用的文法。Emma 用「Since」開頭，就像「因為預算有限」。
J: It makes her request sound like a logical conclusion, not just a demand. It’s a great tactic.
J：這會讓她的要求聽起來像是邏輯上的結果，而不是單純的要求，是一個很好的策略。
M: Then you have the phrase “be willing to.”
M：接著是「be willing to」這個片語。
J: “We might be willing to sign a two-year contract.”
J：「我們可能願意簽兩年的合約。」
M: It shows flexibility. It tells the vendor, “We can give you something, but you have to give us something first.”
M：這展現出彈性，等於是在告訴供應商：「我們可以給你一些東西，但你也要先給我們一些回饋。」
J: It opens the door for a deal.
J：這樣就為成交打開了一扇門。
M: And that deal is often framed as a conditional. “If we sign today, they will offer a discount.”
M：而這樣的交易通常會用條件句來表達，「如果我們今天簽約，他們就會給折扣。」
J: “If you do this, we’ll do that.” Very direct.
J：「如果你這樣做，我們就那樣做。」非常直接。
M: And finally, you heard David use the passive form: “support is included.”
M：最後，你有聽到 David 用被動式：「support is included（支援已包含在內）」。
J: Why is that significant?
J：為什麼這很重要？
M: It focuses on the fact, on what you’re getting, rather than on the promise from the salesperson. It’s a subtle but powerful way to confirm the details.
M：因為這把重點放在「你實際能拿到什麼」，而不是業務人員的承諾，是一種細膩但很有力的確認方式。
J: Wow. So it’s really a whole language designed to create leverage.
J：哇，所以這其實是一整套為了創造談判籌碼而設計的語言。
M: It is. The bottom line here is that in these high-pressure situations, every single word choice matters. It can be the difference between getting a great deal or leaving money on the table.
M：沒錯。重點是，在這種高壓情境下，你選的每一個字都很重要，可能決定你是談到好條件，還是白白把錢留在桌上。
J: That makes a lot of sense. And that’s it for today’s MJ English. Remember, 5 minutes a day is all you need to win at work, win the TOEIC, and win over your colleagues. If you found this episode useful, don’t forget to follow and share it with your friends.
J：這真的很有道理。以上就是今天的《MJ English》。記住，每天五分鐘，就足以讓你在工作上、在 TOEIC、甚至在同事之間取得優勢。如果你覺得這一集有幫助，別忘了追蹤並分享給朋友。
M: See you next time.
M：我們下次見。
J: See ya next time.
J：下次再見囉。
