A: I'm afraid the cardboard boxes are not strong enough for such a heavy load. 恐怕纸板箱不够结实，经受不住装这么重的货物。
B: The cartons are comparatively light, and therefore easy to handle. They won't be stowed away with the heavy cargo. The steve- dores will see to that. Besides, we'll reinforce the cartons with straps. Silk blouses are not fragile goods. They can stand a lot of jolting. 纸箱比较轻，因而容易搬运。纸箱不会和重物一起堆放，搬运工人会注意到这一点。此外，我们还用铁皮带加固。丝绸女衫并非易碎货物，经受得住剧烈地震动。
A: Maybe you are right, but the goods are to be transhipped at Hamburg or London. If the boxes are moved about on an open wharf, the dampness or rain may get into them. This would make the blouses spotted or ruined. 你也许说得对，但这些货物要在汉堡或伦敦转运。如果纸箱在露天码头上搬运，潮气和雨水就有可能渗透进去，这就会使女衫弄 得斑斑点点的，或甚至毁掉。
B: No need to worry about that. The cartons lined with plastic sheets are waterproof, and as the boxes are made of cardboard, they will be handled with care. 那个没必要担心。纸箱内都衬有塑料布，是防水的，而且由于箱子是硬纸板的，所以在搬运的时候就会小心处理。
A: Well, I don't want to take any chances. Besides, cartons are easy to cut open, and this increases the risk of pilferage. 嘿，我可不想去冒险，再说，纸箱容易被割开，这就增加了被偷盗的风险。
B: Tampering with cartons is easily detected. I should say that this rather discourages pilferage. 纸箱弄破是容易检查出来的，我说这恰恰可以防止偷盗。
