[originaltext]W: I’ve worked in international trade all my life. My father did

W: I’ve worked in international trade all my life. My father did so too before me. So I guess you could say it runs in the family.
M: What products have you worked with?
W: All sorts, really. I’ve imported textiles, machinery, toys, solar panels... all kinds of things over the years. Trends and demand come and go. So one needs to be very flexible to succeed in this industry.
M: I see. What goods are you trading now?
W: I now import furniture from China into Italy and foods from Italy into China. I even use the same container. It’s a very efficient way of conducting trade.
M: The same container? You mean you own a 40-foot cargo container?
W: Yeah. That’s right. I have a warehouse in Genova, Italy and another in Shanghai. I source mid-century modern furniture from different factories in China. It’s very good value for money. I collect it all in my warehouse, and then dispatch it to my other warehouse in Italy. Over there I do the same, but with Italian foods instead of furniture, things like pasta, cheese, wine, chocolates. And I send all that to my warehouse in China, in the same freight container I use for the furniture.
M: So I presume you sell both lines of products wholesale in each respective country.
W: Of course, I possess a network of clients and partners in both countries. That’s the main benefit of having done this for so long. I’ve made great business contacts over time.
M: How many times do you ship?
W: I did 12 shipments last year, 18 this year, and I hope to grow to around 25 next year. That’s both ways, there and back again. Demand for authentic Italian food in China is growing rapidly, and similarly, sales of affordable yet stylish wooden furniture are also increasing in Italy. Furniture is marginally more profitable, mostly because it enjoys lower customs duties.
Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
5. What does the woman think is required to be successful in international trade?
6. What does the woman say is special about her way of doing trade?
7. What does the woman have in both Italy and China?
8. What does the woman say makes furniture marginally more profitable?