Мобильные досмотровые комплексы
Инспекционно-досмотровый комплекс (ИДК) способен выявлять тайники с наркотиками, взрывчатыми веществами, оружием, боеприпасами, обнаруживать нелегально пересекающих границу людей.
Мобильный рентгеновский комплекс HCV-Mobile сконструирован на базе автомобиля «Мерседес». Он укомплектован рентгеновским генератором, скорость развертывания которого составляет 20-25 минут. Мощность генератора позволяет рассмотреть в самом центре полностью груженой фуры замаскированный опасный груз: система обладает проникающей способностью через сталь толщиной до 270 мм.
Установка способна за час пропускать до 25-30 грузовиков и позволяет значительно сократить временные затраты на досмотр большегрузных автомобилей. Стоимость каждого комплекса составляет 100 млн. рублей.
Talking Points
Exercise 29.Make up a list of questions the answers to which will make the summary of Text 5.
Exercise 30.Comment on the following statements from the text “New HCV-Mobile”.
1. Due to its high throughput capability, the HCV-Mobile grants secured shipment without disrupting the flow of goods.
2. The HCV-Mobile is the most efficient high-energy mobile system available for the inspection of fully loaded trucks, vehicles and containers at ports, Customs and border checkpoints.
Exercise 31.Get ready to describe different security devices you have read about. Have you ever used any of them at your workplace? Will you share your practice?
Exercise 32. Comment on the following:
Philip Baum, editor of Aviation Security International, said scanners were not the only solution and profiling passengers was, in fact, the best way to prevent terrorist acts.
“We’ve got to face the fact that you can build a bomb in the duty- free shop, after you’ve gone through screening. Bearing that in mind, we need to look at what people’s intent is, not what they are carrying on their person”.
Focus on Grammar
Exercise 33.Translate the following sentences with the Passive forms into Russian.
1. To prevent smuggling modern methods and techniques have been developed.
2. A wide range of technology is used by different departments at the Customs.
3. A thorough inspection of stationary vehicles was carried out by the HCV-Mobile last week.
4. The new technology is being used at the security checkpoints now.
5. Airport security has gone through significant changes in recent years. These changes have been driven largely by terrorist activities around the globe.
Exercise 34. Open the brackets using the Passive forms.
1. Customs (involve) in the implementation and enforcement of Community legislation.
2. Both the registered baggage and hand luggage are liable (check) by Customs.
3. Future work of Customs officers (focus) on the practical and effective ways of enforcement.
4. Tourists travelling in the EU may (require) proving their identity.
5. Crossing the border of any country it is necessary to know what and in what quantity can (take) with you in the trip.
Exercise 35.Translate the sentences into Russian. Pay attention to the Passives.
1. The Green Channel or Walk through Channel – without any question being asked by Customs is meant for passengers who have nothing to declare.
2. Declaration of foreign currency is required to be made in the prescribed Currency Declaration Form.
3. Import of firearms is strictly prohibited by Customs.
4. Domestic pets like dogs, cats, birds etc. may be imported into the country.
5. The detained baggage would be examined and full details are inventoried before being taken in the custody of Customs.
Exercise 36.Open the brackets using the Passive forms.
First of all a passenger goes to the check-in counter where his ticket (look) at, the things (weigh) and (label), a claim-check for each piece of luggage (insert) in the ticket and the passenger (give) a boarding pass, which has a seat number on it.
Of course, if the luggage weighs more than twenty kilos, extra is to (pay). In most countries there is also a security check when the carry-on luggage (inspect).
Exercise 37.Change Active into Passive Voice.
1. Many people attend the lecture.
2. They were discussing the report the whole evening.
3. They will advertise the product on TV.
4. An actor killed President Abraham Lincoln.
5. Alexander Bell invented the telephone in 1876.
6. They invented photography in the 1840s.
7. The French government gave the Statue of Liberty to the American people.
8. They make Volkswagen cars in Germany.
9. They talked much about that problem.
10. They built the Eiffel Tower in 1899.
11. They formed the UN in 1945.
12. They wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Man in 1789.
For more information turn to Grammar reference section.
UNIT 4.3 At the Customs
Starting Up
Exercise 1.Study the following scheme and comment on it.
Word Study
Exercise 2. Study the following words and word-combinations:
Customs regulations – таможенные правила;
Customs restrictions – таможенные ограничения;
Customs duties – таможенные пошлины;
to be liable to duty – подлежать оплате таможенных пошлин;
to be duty-free – быть свободным от уплаты пошлины; не подлежать оплате таможенных пошлин;
to declare something – сделать заявление о наличии вещей, облагаемых пошлиной (их стоимости, количестве, весе и т.д.);
personal effects – личные вещи;
to examine baggage/ luggage – досматривать багаж;
to smuggle – заниматься контрабандой;
to go/ pass through the Customs examination – проходить таможенный досмотр.
Exercise 3. Read the text below to answer the following questions:
1. What do Customs formalities include?
2. What does the passenger fill in while he is still on board the plane?
3. What questions does he have to answer?
4. Does he state the purpose and length of his visit?
5. When do officials check the passenger’s passport and visa?
6. Where is the passenger’s luggage examined?
7. What does the passenger list in the Customs declaration form?
8. What articles are usually brought in duty-free?
9. Which articles are dutiable in the country you’ve visited?
Text 1
At the Customs
Landing formalities and Customs regulations are about the same in all countries.
While still on board the plane the passenger is given an arrival card to fill in. He fills in his name, country of residence, purpose and length of visit, and country of destination.
After the passenger has disembarked, Immigration Control officials check his passport and visa (to see if they are in order). In some countries they check the passenger’s certificate of vaccination.
When these formalities have been completed the passenger goes to the Customs for an examination of his luggage.
The passenger is required to fill in a Customs declaration form. He must list all dutiable articles. He is to name an item stating its value and number. Personal effects may be brought in or taken out duty-free.
It is obligatory that a passenger’s luggage is carefully gone through in order to prevent smuggling. The Customs inspector may ask you to open your bags for inspection. After you pass through all Customs formalities he puts a stamp on each piece of your luggage.
Exercise 4.Match the words and their definitions.
| 1) vaccination | a) an endorsement made upon a passport denoting that entry permission has been granted |
| 2) effects (pl.) | b) the worth of something in money or as compared with other goods |
| 3) smuggling | c) the act of vaccinating; inoculation of vaccine |
| 4) value | d) responsible, subject or exposed to something |
| 5) stamp | e) limitations; rules that strictly control what you are allowed to do and in what quantity |
| 6) border | f) a number of things to be presented for checking |
| 7) restrictions | g) an official mark set upon things chargeable with some duty or tax (showing that the duty is paid) |
| 8) visa | h) belongings, personal property |
| 9) dutiable | i) illegal import or export without payment of duties |
| 10) list (of articles) | j) the dividing line between two countries; frontier |
Exercise 5.The following sentences describe what you do when you go to an airport to catch a plane, but they are in the wrong order.
Read them carefully and put them in the right order.
____ You go to the departure lounge.
____ You get a trolley.
____ You arrive at the airport.
____ You go to your gate.
____ You go to the check-in desk.
____ You go to the duty- free shop.
____ You get a boarding card.
____ You board the plane.
____ You check in your luggage.
____ You look at the departure board to see if your flight is boarding yet.
____ The board tells you which gate to go.
____ You go through passport control.
Exercise 6.Say how you are to behave when:
1. you have lost the keys to your bags and the Customs inspector asks you to open them;
2. you have misplaced your boarding card;
3. you have too many cigarettes with you (or too many presents);
4. you have only personal belongings with you.
Exercise 7.Read the text below to give the English equivalents for:
посадочный талон; объявление о посадке; плата за излишки (превышение нормы провоза) багажа; зал отправления; досматривать (багаж); заниматься контрабандой; багажный отсек самолета; ручная кладь; весы; магазин беспошлинной торговли; стойка регистрации; проходить проверку безопасности; успеть на самолет; выход на посадку.
Text 2
Jane arrived at the airport two hours ago to catch her plane to London. At the check-in counter a ticket agent looked at her ticket and her baggage was checked in, i.e. weighed on the scales. Jane’s suitcases were very heavy, so she had to pay an excess baggage charge (amount of money for extra weight).
Next she was given a boarding card (a special card that allowed her to get on the plane). The boarding card had a seat number written on it, and Jane was given a window seat in the non-smoking section. Her suitcases were labeled and sent off to be loaded into the hold of the airplane.
While waiting for the flight call Jane went to the kiosk to buy a newspaper. Then she went through the security check where her carry-on luggage (the bags she was keeping with her on board the plane) was searched.
In the duty-free shop Jane had a chance to buy some things cheaply because they were not taxed.
In the departure lounge Jane joined the other passengers who were sitting and waiting for their flight call. After a few minutes Jane heard the announcement: “Flight 124 to London is now boarding at Gate Four”, – and she proceeded to the flight gate to board the plane.
Exercise 7.Fill in the gaps.
1. When you arrive at the airport you first go to the ______ counter.
2. You have to get a ______ card so that you can get on the plane.
3. After the security check you wait in the _____ lounge.
4. You can buy many things cheaply at the ______ shop.
5. When you hear the announcement, you go to the ______ to board the plane.
Exercise 8. Rewrite the sentences below translating the Russian parts into English:
1. Jane had to pay an плата за провоз багажа сверх нормы because her чемоданы were very heavy.
2. After a few minutes she proceeded to the выход на посадку to board the plane.
3. At the стойка регистрации a ticket agent looked at her ticket and her багаж was checked.
4. In the зал отправления Jane joined the other пассажиры who were waiting for their объявление о посадке в самолет.
5. She went through the security проверка where her ручная кладь was searched.
6. The посадочный талон had a seat number written on it.
7. Her чемоданы were labeled and sent off to be loaded into багажный отсек самолета.
Exercise 9.Read the text below to fill in the gaps using the words from the box.
| cash, airport, departure, paintings, channel, arrival, declaration, drugs, valuables |
Text 3
Arrival
What is the usual procedure at the Customs?
If you don’t carry (1) ______, billions of Euros or weapons, you do not need to complete the ‘Customs and Currency Declaration Statement’ upon (2) ______ or departure. Just collect your luggage and simply go to the green (nothing to declare) (3) _______.
More important, however, is completion of the immigration card. If your airline does not distribute these, don’t worry, they can be found in the (4) ______.
If you are carrying (5) ______it is better to fill in the Customs (6) ______and have it stamped. In this case, take the red (to declare) queue.
In general the rules are:
Cash: You can bring in up to US$3,000 in (7) ______without declaring it. If you have between US$3,000 and US$10,000, you will have to declare it.
Art: Anything resembling art should be cleared in advance (before the (8) ______at the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation). It’s illegal to take out icons or (9) ______which are more than 100 years old.
Exercise 10.Discuss the following:
Travellers should get certificate for all high-value items purchased in Russia. Any article having historical or cultural value to the Customs Service, such as: artwork, icons, samovars, rugs, military medals and antiques, must have a certificate. It is illegal to remove such items from Russia without this certificate.
Exercise 11.Answer the following questions:
1. What documents must support the high-value items carried?
2. What articles may have cultural value?
3. In what case can valuable items be exported from Russia?
Exercise 12.Try to formulate the Russian Customs regulations.
Exercise 13.Read the text below to give the English equivalents for:
главный элемент; контроль внешней торговли; поддержать отечественный бизнес; облагать пошлиной; тарифы; содействие национальной торговле; что-либо, произведенное за границей; основные источники денежных поступлений; отслеживать/проверять.
Text 4
A national Customs Service has many responsibilities. At its most basic level, its purpose is to regulate what comes into and goes out of a country. The foremost element of this regulation is controlling international trade. To support domestic businesses, governments impose tariffs, also called duty, on foreign goods coming into the country.
In addition to encouraging domestic trade, duty also gives the nation a “piece of the action” when somebody buys something produced overseas. Customs agencies are often major sources of revenue for the government. Customs agencies also monitor what is being exported from a country.
Exercise 14.Fill in the following gaps:
1. The purpose of the national Customs Service is __________.
2. To encourage domestic businesses the governments _________.
3. Customs are ________ for the federal budget.
4. International trade depends mostly on __________.
Exercise 15.Translate into Russian.