Passage Translation
American Businessmen frequently use social situations to make business deals. One of the best examples of this practice is the business lunch. It is used to win clients, to make influential contacts, to discuss and settle internal disagreements, and even to interview potential employees. Some companies always conduct job interviews over lunch. A business lunch usually lasts from one to two hours and it often takes place at a restaurant with a pleasant, quiet atmosphere conducive to private discussions.
美国商人经常利用社交场合来做生意，最好的例子就是商务午餐，可以用来争取客户，扩大影响，讨论并解决内部分歧，甚至面试未来的员工。很多工作面试都是在商务午餐中完成的。商务午餐通常持续1-2.5小时，在餐厅举行，那里安静宜人，适合进行私人对话。
As the world population becomes denser, we will feel greater pressure from the expanding number of people. Some experts argue that we are approaching the limit of the number of people the earth can support adequately and they feel we shall turn to compulsory birth control. Other authorities feel that if birth control is imposed on the population, the future of mankind will be seriously endangered. They think intelligent people will be more likely to have fewer children, which will bring about a lowering of the level of intelligence.
世界人口密度不断加大，越来越多的人口带来的压力也随之增加。专家认为，我们正在接近地球所能承受的人口极限，因此应该进行人口生育控制，也有人认为如果这样会危及到人类的未来。因为通常高智商人群生育的孩子较少，所以有人担心这会导致人类整体智力水平的下降。
讲评：
这次中级口译的难度与近年考题难度持平，重点在于对主题句的把握，如第一段，如能顺利听出American Businessman 利用 business lunch 这一段落主线，其他几句只需记录关键词clients, contacts, disagreements, employees，private discussions和关键数字1-2.5hours。第二段的首句为人口密度带来的压力，所以之后的文章应以一种消极的基调来听，便很容易跟上考题出现的人口上升带来的消极影响这一思路。
所以，我们在新东方的口译课堂上讲过，做这类题，涉及的话题都是大家熟知的常识，大家最主要是听懂首句，然后使自己的思路、常识和听力词汇向该主题靠拢，这对听力理解非常有效，也可使笔记变得从容不迫。