Communication activities. Task 23. Comment on the following:

Task 23. Comment on the following:

“If we open a quarrel between the past and the present we shall find that we have lost the future.” (W.Churchill)

“History is philosophy learned from examples.”

(Dionysius)

Task24. Say why M. Lomonosov, D.Mendeleev, Y.Derzhavin, S.Vitte deserve to be mentioned in the book about the history of Russian Customs?

Task 25. Write down five words that best describe the history of Russian Customs. Compare your list with your partner’s words. Participate in the class discussion of the words.

Task 26.Matching. The teacher will give you articles and headlines from English language newspapers. Work in groups matching each headline to its story.

Task 27. Complete the following proverbs and give their Russian equivalents.

1. A friend in need _______________________.

2. Actions ______________________words.

3. _______________________ that ends well.

4. As you make your bed __________________.

5. East or West, __________________.

6. __________________ before you leap.

7. Make _______________ while the sun______.

8. ________________ never come alone.

9. Old _____________ are not be caught_______.

10. Second thoughts are _____________________.

11. Birds of feather ________________.

Use these proverbs in short situations of your own.

VOCABULARY

customs tax	таможенная пошлина
an official	официальное лицо
to collect	взимать, забирать
stamped seal	печать на документе
statement	заявление
to predate	предшестовать
transportation of goods	перевозка грузов
frontier	граница
frontier towns	приграничные города
to purchase	приобретать
state	государство
merchant; merchandise	купец; товар
the Russian Customs Statute	Российский таможенный устав
on pain of confiscation	под угрозой конфискации
to limit	ограничивать
foreign goods	иностранные товары
to defend	защищать
powerful administrative body	мощный административный орган
to contribute	вносить вклад
state institutions	государственные учреждения
to develop customs laws	разрабатывать таможенное законодательство
to initiate	начать, инициировать
to issue the Decree	издать указ
Trade Statute	Торговый Устав
legislation	законодательство
Commerce Board	торгово-промышленная палата
to work out customs tariffs	разрабатывать таможенные тарифы
to come into effect	вступить в силу
a public figure	общественный деятель
to be in charge of	стоять во главе; быть ответственным за
to police	охранять, контролировать, патрулировать
modern	современный
multi-functioning	многофункциональный
functions	функции

UNIT 3

CUSTOMS AREAS

Text 1

Task 1.Read and translate the text.

The customs areas include the following:

Duty collection

The assessment and collectionof duties and taxes have always been one of the main functions of the customs service. In fact, collection of the revenue is the responsibility with which the customs usually started. Throughout its history the customs has supplied the federal budget with the revenue necessary for investment in the economy and in the country’s basic infrastructure, i.e. new schools, roads, hospitals.

Classification

Merchandise classification is the foundation on which duty collection occurs. All goods entering the country should be classified by use of the established numerical coding system. Most countries are now adopting the Harmonized System of Classificationwhich, in case of uniform application, can help improve the classification of goods and prevent losses of duty collection.

Appraisement

Cargo shipments entering the country are to be supplied with the necessary documents, for example, commercial invoices, certificates of quality, certificates of origin and others. The cargo declaration is a basis for goods valuation and assessment of duty. Undervaluation can result in underpayment of duties.

Cargo and Passenger inspection

Effective passenger and baggage control is necessary to collect proper duty and to prevent smuggling. Baggage is checked for concealmentby X-ray or opening it. Cargo shipments are to be inspected for duty collection and anti-smuggling purposes. Various inspectional techniques and devices can help release merchandise quicker, with less damage and also result in increased seizuresof prohibited items.

Smuggling information collection and statistics

Collection and analysis of information on smuggling result in better understanding of smuggling trends and the modus operandi of individualsor organized crime gangs breaking customs laws.

Investigation

Investigation of customs violations is performed to target the more sophisticated violators of customs laws and regulations. The full range of customs violationscan be investigated: the smuggling of merchandise, narcotics, arms and ammunition as well as commercial fraud, currency violationsand money laundering, internal corruption, infringement of trademark and intellectual property rights (IPR) etc.

Laboratory procedures

Laboratory tests are performed in order to classify merchandise and collect the correct amount of duty. The new Harmonized System of classification is much more dependent on laboratory analysesthan most prior classification systems because of complex chemical composition of most goods.

Working on the text

Task 2.a) Mark the stress in the Russian words and compare it with the English words. Tick the pairs of words with different stressed syllables.

organization организация

history история

federal федеральный

budget бюджет

economy экономика

system система

effective эффективный

territory территория

importer импортер

laboratory лаборатория

b) Read the English words again.

Task 3. a) Look through the text and find synonyms to the following words:

- goods

- infringement

- responsibility

- usage

- basis

- to set free

- confiscation

- method

b) Make sentences with these words.

Task 4. a) Complete the table with the words from the text formed from the following verbs. Make the necessary changes.

assess, collect, organize, ship, invest, pay, apply, classify, enforce, investigate, develop, inspect, operate, conceal, regulate, violate

-ment	-tion
assessment	collection

b)Complete the sentences with the words from the table and translate them into Russian.

1. The goods are ready for __________.

2. A private detective was hired to conduct the __________.

3. __________ can be made by cheque or by credit card.

4. The government is introducing new import __________.

5. Correct __________ of goods is very important for duty __________.

6. Nowadays much attention is paid to the __________ of the Customs Service infrastructure.

7. The __________ of scanners helps to speed up examination of goods.

8. The anti-terrorist __________ was carried out under the code name “Whirlpool”.

9. One of the main functions of the Customs is __________ of duties and taxes.

10. False bottom of a bag is often used as a place of __________.

Task 5. Answer the following questions:

1. Where does the duty collected go?

2. What is the reason for merchandise classification?

3. Do all the countries have their own goods classification systems?

4. What documents must accompany the cargo?

5. Why is it necessary to inspect passengers and cargo?

6. What can help to speed up the search and to make it more efficient?

7. How can the customs statistics help in the fight against smuggling?

8. What customs violations can you name?

9. Why are some goods tested in customs laboratories?

Task 6. Say what you can remember about:

- the main functions of the customs;

- the ways to avoid underpayment of duties;

- laboratory tests;

- methods of detecting contraband;

- customs violations.

Task 7. Translate the questions and answer them.

1. Почему начисление и сбор таможенных пошлин всегда являлись одной из основных функций таможни?

2. К каким последствиям могут привести ошибки, допущенные при классификации товара?

3. Какой документ является основным для таможенной оценки?

4. Какие задачи стоят перед таможней при досмотре пассажиров и грузов?

5. Что помогает ускорить досмотр?

6. Для чего нужен сбор статистических данных о правонарушениях?

7. Какие правонарушения расследуют таможенники?

8. Почему необходимо проводить лабораторные анализы?

9. В обязанности таможенников входит взимание таможенных пошлин, таможенный контроль и сбор статистических данных о ввозимых и вывозимых товарах.

Text 2

Task 8.Read the text and answer the questions.

CANINE ENFORCEMENT

Customs Services and other Law enforcement agencies around the world use canine teams (K-9) in everyday activities because dogs can sniff out narcotics and explosives and currency which machines cannot trace. Teams consisting of a dog and a handler are used to screen arriving aircraft, vessels, vehicles, cargo, baggage, mail, premises and people.

The Customs uses a wide variety of dogs. But as drug detector dogs are often on show in public areas (such as airport terminals) Customs Services prefer to choose the breeds of which people are not frightened. That is why in the UK they don’t use Alsatians or Rottweilers as these dogs are considered aggressive and threatening. Mainly Labrador retrievers, Collies, German Shepherds, Spaniels, Pointers and mixed breeds are used for drug detection work.

The basis for the training is the dog’s natural instinct to hunt and retrieve and its desire to please its handler. Initially the dogs are encouraged to search for hidden training aids. Concealments are progressively made more difficult and the full range of drugs is introduced.

The handlers are trained to interpret the dog’s behavior or “indications” when they are confronted with the presence of drugs. If the handler fails to interpret these signals or indications there will be little success.

To the dog, finding drugs is fun. This is reflected in the dog’s behavior: it is highly active at work, and enjoys the reward or praise by its handler when it makes a find, but the dog is not allowed to feel that it is playing. To make a clear distinction between work and play, the working dog wears a special harness. When the handler puts the harness on the dog, the animal knows it is on duty.

* * *

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) K-9 officer working with his partner Rambo, seized more than 4 kilograms of opium at Chicago Foreign Mail Facility. While screening arriving international mail Rambo alerted to the parcel, delivered from Laos, which was manifested with the description “Traditional Tea”. The CBP officer opened the parcel to find 43 plastic bags containing the drug packed in dried leaves. The investigation is ongoing.

* * *

U.S. CBP officers seized 66.5 kg of marijuana after a Chevrolet pickup truck arrived at the port of entry from Mexico. During the search CBP officers used a fiberscope to peer into fuel tank and noticed anomalies in its appearance. CBP drug sniffing dog Dollar examined the vehicle and alerted his handler to the presence of narcotics. CBP officers continued their inspection by removing fuel tank. They dismantled the tank and discovered 5 sealed metal boxes with the drug. The driver, a 55-year-old US resident was arrested and now he faces federal prosecution on drug charges.

b) Make a glossary. Choose seven words to remember.

c) Answer the questions:

1. Why do K-9 teams work for the law enforcement agencies?

2. What concealed items can dogs detect?

3. What breeds are trained for anti-smuggling and anti-terrorist purposes?

4. What natural instinct of dogs is used during training and work?

5. What is essential for the successful work of a canine team?

6. Do dogs understand that they are working?

7. What did CBP dog Rambo help to discover?

8. How was the drug declared?

9. Where did the parcel arrive from?

10. What device did CBP officers use to search the truck from Mexico?