Vocabulary and Grammar

Task 8. Match the synonyms.

b) Make 5 sentences of your own with the words from the table.

Task 9. Find the word that doesn’t fit the group and explain why.

1. this – those – that – these – there

2. huge – enormous – large – substantial – essential

3. suppliers – manufacturers – nurses – traders – wholesalers

4. permission – conviction – imprisonment – arrest – prosecution

5. inspection – examination – rummage – check – trial

6. heroin – opium – garlic – cocaine – marijuana

7. price – value – cost – money – weight

8. import – export – transit – processing - passport

Task 10. Insert prepositions, if necessary.

Exemplary cooperation _____ two Customs administrations led _____ the seizure _____ anabolic steroids and the arrest _____ a South African man in Cape Town.

The South African Revenue Service’s Customs administration (SARS) received information that the French Customs authorities had intercepted a parcel _____ Taiwan destined _____ South Africa containing suspected illegal anabolic steroids. The parcel was being transported _____ a well known international courier company and was declared as containing gifts, specifically, a teddy bear and potato chips _____ the value _____ $87,000.

A decision was taken to conduct a controlled delivery _____ the consignment _____ the enforcement divisions of SARS. The parcel was received _____ Commander Taljaard and preparations were made to deliver the parcel _____ its owner. The next day Commander Taljaard – dressed in a loaned T-shirt _____ the courier company – delivered the parcel to “Mr.D.Jan” as indicated _____ the delivery note.

_____ acceptance _____ the parcel, “Mr.D.Jan”, whose real identity was Mr. Johan van den Berg, had the parcel opened _____ his presence and was arrested _____ the Organized Crime Unit. Customs officials found a teddy bear, and Pringles potato chip tubes stuffed _____ 50,000 illegal anabolic steroids.

A raid later resulted _____ the seizure _____ other substances, including liquid steroids, as well as tablets and syringes.

Task 11. Complete the sentences.

1. In some countries, _____ can be conducted solely under the auspices of the Customs Service, while in others, The Customs Service is required to work with the Police.

2. In the future any physical intervention to inspect cross-border goods will only affect a small minority of consignments and their selection will be based on _____ techniques.

3. The responsibility for _____ illicit drugs is one that is almost everywhere shared by the Customs Service with the Police and other Law Enforcement Bodies.

4. When they select certain consignments for inspection, customs officials use all available _____ including information from legitimate traders.

5. Today’s world trade is growing fast, and _____ this trade is very important.

6. Complaints may be of several kinds, and may arise from _____ of damaged goods, wrong goods, or deficiency of goods.

7. Before you can sell or make use of the goods, you have to obtain _____ from the Customs, showing that customs duties and taxes have been paid.

8. As a representative of the importer, the customs broker prepares and files _____ and supporting documents.

Task 12. Rewrite the following sentences using the model.

Model: It is a pity the cargo was damaged during repacking.

I wish the cargo hadn’t been damaged during repacking.

1. It is a pity you are not going to pay customs duties today.

2. It is a pity you are not a representative of the company.

3. It is a pity you don’t know what cargo documents to submit.

4. It is a pity the permission for unloading wasn’t given yesterday.

5. It is a pity you haven’t made out a receipt for me.

Task 13. Translate the sentences from Russian into English:

1. Жаль, что вы не попросили вписать товарный чек при покупке этой картины.

2. Жаль, что ваша фирма не может забрать свой груз со склада временного хранения сегодня.

3. Пассажир сожалел, что его багаж потеряли.

4. Жаль, что инспектор не дал вчера разрешение на разгрузку нашего транспортного средства.

5. Жаль, что ваш друг опаздывает на рейс.

6. Жаль, что вы согласились на предложение нелегально провезти эту антикварную вещь.

Task 14. Translate the words from Russian into English:

According to the Administrative Code movement of товаров across таможенные границы of the Russian Federation without оформление и контроль, or by submitting в таможенные органы поддельные документы or documents полученные незаконным путем or недействительные documents as well as недостоверное декларирование shall entail a fine in the количество of ½ to 3 times the value of commodities which are the subject of административное правонарушение with or without конфискация товара или транспортного средства.

Task 15. a)Decipher the texts.

A. French Training Programme for Customs

B. The Slovak-Ukraine border control

There are three national academies which ensure basic training of new recruits and continuous training of officers during their career. The Tourcoing Academy trains all middle and upper management stuff. Since 2007, when Slovakia was admitted to the border-free Schengen Area, the the Tisa, Uzh and Latorica rivers which all cross the Slovak-Ukraine border, have been under heightened surveillance, including the use of thermal cameras and night-vision devices. In Rouen clearance officers and trade operations officers are trained and the National Academy for Customs Units in La Rochelle trains surveillance staff and specialists (dog handlers, marine officers, motorcyclists, shooting instructors …). Yet smugglers continuously seek any opportunities and holes in the system. Slovakia shares a 97.8 km border with Ukraine whose deep forests mean it is commonly used by criminal syndicates to smuggle drugs, cigarettes and people into European Union. About one thousand trainees go through basic training in these schools every year. The cartons are often hidden in pipes disguised to look like tree trunks or covered with floating refuse or foliage, relatively common to these rivers. The training is a mix of theory and practical courses in the main Customs fields (clearance, accounting, enforcement, taxation, IT and management). Police achieved success last when they discovered a vessel containing 13,000 cartons of cigarettes on the River Tisa.

(WCO NEWS)

b) Say what you can remember about:

- the training schools for French customs officers;

- methods of smuggling at the Slovak-Ukraine border;

- reasons for large-scale border-related crimes in that region;

- methods of interdicting contraband.

Task 16. Read the text and complete the sentences.

Lois Bleriot – the first man to fly across the English Channel, (1) __________ in England at the coast of Dover in 1909. Upon landing, he (2) __________ by a British customs officer. Uncertain what (3) __________, the customs officer (4) __________Bleriot’s aircraft as a yacht.

Customs inspectors (5) __________ that constant air traffic between France and England (6) _________ the basis for organized smuggling. Later that same year the British Parliament (7) _________ the law limiting the areas where aircraft (8) _________. And, just like that, airports (9) _______.

Ten years later, in July 1919, regular passenger services (10) _________ and in 1920 Parliament (11) __________ for overseas flights that (12) _________ similar to the regulations for shipping. Details of the journey, cargo, crew and passengers (13) __________ to the Customs within 24 hours of landing.

Croydon (14) __________ as the location for the first London airport. This was the first airport (15) _________ with customs control in mind, and

(16) __________ passengers (17) __________ into the Customs examination room.

Task 17. Make a written translation of the text and think about the title for it.

Trade facilitation is one of the key factors for economic development of nations and links it to national programs on poverty reduction and social well being of the citizens.

In the context of the international trade environment the Customs plays a critical role not only in meeting the goals of the governments but also in ensuring effective controls that secure revenue, ensure compliance with national laws, and provide protection for society.

The efficiency of customs procedures has a significant influence on the economic competitiveness of nations. In a highly competitive environment, international trade and investment will flow towards efficient, supportive and facilitative locations. At the same time it will rapidly ebb away from locations which are perceived by business as bureaucratic and synonymous with high costs. Customs systems and procedures must not serve as a barrier to international trade and economic growth.

Task 18. Make a written translation of the text into English.

Нуждается ли бизнес в таможенном союзе?

В целом Таможенный союз открывает новые перспективы для большинства компаний стран-участниц, облегчает экономическое сотрудничество и интеграцию. Устранение торговых барьеров позволяет осваивать новые рынки и, возможно, снизит коррупционную составляющую. Одновременно возникают возможности оптимизировать налогообложение. Российские таможенные процедуры всегда отличались своей бюрократичностью, а создание единого таможенного пространства – это шаг на пути к европейским стандартам, упрощению таможенного оформления, увеличению товарооборота между странами.

Несмотря на то, что таможенные законодательства России, Белоруссии и Казахстана во многом схожи, есть у них и серьёзные различия. Предстоит серьёзная работа по согласованию юридических нюансов с точки зрения функционирования единой таможенной территории. Европейскому союзу потребовалось на это 35 лет.

(журнал «Таможня»)