引言和“鉴于”条款（recitals）

英语合同，在主体条款之后，往往会有一段“引言”。所谓主体条款，主要是指明当事人的名称与住所等基本情况。
英语合同的“引言”部分，通常是以“鉴于（whereas）”开始，到“双方特约定如下（the parties agree as follow）”结束。
“鉴于”条款，又称为“叙述性条款”，是由双方当事人就合同的背景（background of agreement）、订约的目的（purpose for entering into the contract）、合同的主要目标、希望或意图（key assumptions for the contract）等作出陈述性说明。
　引言部分是作为合同的一个辅助工具，其使用的目的，是使合同内容能够更加清晰化、更容易理解。引言部分的基本内容通常包括：
　　a、合同的背景（background of agreement）
　　b、双方缔约的目的（purpose for entering into the contract）
　　c、合同的主要目标或重要设想（key assumptions for the contract）

例1：专利技术使用许可合同
在国际许可证协议中，双方当事人应就订约的目的、希望和意图作出陈述性说明。如供方就供方的职业背景、转让技术的合法性和实际经验等作的说明。接受方对其接受标的的要求和目标所作的说明等。一旦发生争论，“鉴于”条款对于双方订约的目的与意图以及解释某些具体条款会起一定的作用。因此应当慎重对待“鉴于”条款，努力使鉴于条款的原则与具体条款的内容相一致。
Whereas Party B has the right and agrees to grant Party A the rights to use, manufacture and sell the Contract Products of Patented Technology;
Whereas Party A desires to use the Patented Technology of Party B to manufacture and sell the Contract Products;
The Representatives authorized by the Parties to this Contract have, through friendly negotiation, agreed to enter into this Contract under the terms, conditions and provisions specified as follows：
参考译文：
鉴于乙方有权并同意将专利技术的合同产品的使用权、制造权和销售权授予甲方；
鉴于甲方希望利用乙方的专利技术制造并销售合同的产品；
经友好协商，双方授权代表同意就以下条款签订本合同：

例2：不得分析（标的物）的协议
华持公司（公司名字是虚构的）生产一种叫 PDA300的材料，这个产品用的是公司自行研制开发的配方。华持公司声称这种材料有好些优点。ABC集团打算向华持公司采购PDA300 材料用于制作自己的产品。ABC集团会先向华持公司索取这种PDA300 材料的样品去做试验或者测验，以确认是否真的具有华持公司自己声称的那些优点。为了保护自己的商业秘密，华持公司在提供样品前，会要求和ABC集团签订一份协议，一般称为“不得分析（标的物）的协议”。协议中规定，禁止ABC集团通过对材料样品的分析获取产品中的技术秘密。
WHEREAS, HUAC is a supplier of PDA300 (hereinafter, referred to as “MATERIALS”) which ABC Group believes may be capable of providing desirable properties in ABC Group products;

WHEREAS, ABC GROUP desires to perform certain tests relating to the performance of MATERIALS. In order to perform these tests, it will be necessary for HUAC to disclose to ABC GROUP samples of MATERIALS, which HUAC considers proprietary and confidential;

WHEREAS, HUAC is willing to give samples of MATERIALS to ABC GROUP provided that HUAC is given assurances that ABC GROUP will use MATERIALS only for the purpose of performing certain tests relating to performance of MATERIALS;

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants recited herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the Parties agree as follows：
参考译文：
鉴于：华持是PDA300（以下简称“材料”）供应商，ABC集团认为该材料能够为其产品带来满意效果。
鉴于：ABC集团希望能够针对材料的性能进行某些试验。为了进行这些试验，华持需向ABC集团提供材料的样品，华持认为：该材料是其所有的，是绝密的。
鉴于：ABC集团保证，材料样品仅用于与材料性能相关的某些试验之目的，以此为前提，华持愿意向ABC集团提供材料样品。
为此，以双方谨此共同陈述的保证为约因，加上其它一些善意及有价值的约因，双方同意签定如下协议：

例3：合资经营公司
Whereas Party A and Party B, adhering to the principle of equality and mutual benefit and through friendly consultation, agree to jointly invest to establish a new joint venture company in China (hereinafter referred as “Joint Venture”). The Contract hereunder is made and concluded.
参考译文：
鉴于：按照平等互利的原则，甲方与乙方经过友好协商，决定共同投资在中国建立合资经营公司（以下称“合资企业”），为此达成如下合同。

例4．工程劳务承包
WHEREAS the Employer is desirous that manpower can be rendered available for the construction of High-Rise Residential Complex in Baghdad, Iraq;
WHEREAS the Contractor is desirous to provide the manpower for the Works;
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Contract in duplicate by their duly authorized representatives on the date first above written.
参考译文：
鉴于：雇主想要雇请劳动力建造伊拉克巴格达的高层住宅综合大楼；

鉴于：承包人想为此工程提供劳动力；

作为所协议事项的证据，双方授权代表于上面首次写明的日期正式签订本协议一式两份。

例5：贷款合同
Whereas the Borrower has requested the Bank to extend to the Borrower a term loan in the principal amount of One Million US Dollars (US $1,000,000) under the terms, conditions and provisions of this Agreement; and
Whereas the Bank is prepared to make such a loan available to the Borrower under the terms, conditions and provisions of this Agreement;
Now Therefore, in consideration of the mutual promises contained herein, the Parties hereto do hereby agree on the contents of the agreement as follows。
参考译文：
鉴于：根据本协议规定的条件和款项，借款人业已向银行要求为借款人提供一笔本金为100万美元（US$ 1,000,000）的定期贷款；

鉴于：根据本协议规定的条件和款项，银行已准备向借款人提供此项定期贷款；

据此，以双方相互承诺为对价，合同双方谨就下述内容达成一致意见。

更多例句：

为在平等互利的基础上发展贸易，有关方按下列条件签订本协议：

This Agreement is entered into between the parties concerned on the basis of equality and mutual benefit to develop business on terms and conditions mutually agreed upon as follows:

兹经买卖双方同意按照以下条款由买方购进，卖方售出以下商品：

This contract is made by and between the Buyers and the Sellers; whereby the Buyers agree to buy and the Sellers agree to sell the under-mentioned goods subject to the terms and conditions as stipulated hereinafter:

In accordance with the “law of the people’s republic of china on Chinese-foreign equity joint ventures” and other relevant Chinese law and regulations, A company and B company , adhering to the principle of equality and mutual benefit and through amicable consultation, agreed to jointly invest and set up a joint venture enterprise in shanghai, the people’s of china. The parties to this contract hereby signed and concluded this contract.

A公司与B公司，根据《中华人民共和国中外合资企业法》和中国其他有关法律，本着平等互利的原则，通过友好协商，同意在中华人民共和国上海，共同投资建立合资经企业，特订立本合同。

This contract is made and entered into ,on the 5th day of march, 2007, in shanghai, by and between AAA company , a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the people’s republic of china with its place of business at      (hereinafter referred to as “party A”) and BBB  company , a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of USA with its place of business at      (hereinafter referred to as “party B”).

Whereas party A desires to appoint Party B as the exclusive distributor in the territory stipulated in the contract to sell party A’s products and party B accept party A’s appointment .

Therefore, it is hereby agreed terms and conditions as follows:

本合同由AAA公司，一家依据中华人民共和国法律成立和组织的并在―――有营业地的公司（下称甲方）与BBB公司，一家依据美国法律成立和组成的并在――――有营业地的公司（下称乙方），在 2007年3月21日在上海签订。

鉴于甲方拟授权乙方在合同规定的区域内独家经销甲方产品且乙方也接受该授权。

因此，双方订立合同条款如下：