Some dos and don’ts for travellers

Take sensible precautions with personal property at all times. Don't carry your valuables around with you; take just as much cash as you need. Pickpockets and thieves may sometimes pose an immediate problem. Never let your handbag or case out of your sight — particularly in restaurants, cinemas, etc. where it is not unknown for bags to vanish from between the feet of their owners. Never leave bags or briefcases unattended in tube or train stations — they will either be stolen or suspected of being bombs and therefore cause a security alert. Stick to the well-lit streets with plenty of traffic. Muggers and rapists prefer poorly lit or isolated places like back-streets, parks and unmanned railway stations. If you avoid these, especially at night, or travel round in group, you should manage to stay out of danger.

Dos:

Deposit your travellers’ cheques and valuables in your hotel safe.

Always lock your doors.

Travel in pairs or in groups at night on the Underground.

Remember that both rashness and exaggerated caution are inappropriate.

Don’ts:

Don't count your money in public.

Don't purchase anything from strangers in the street.

Don't walk along deserted streets or in parks at night.

Don't talk to strangers who try to strike up a conversation with you unless there are other people about.

Give English equivalents to the following word combinations:

разумная предосторожность; индивидуальная, личная собственность; ценности; наличные деньги; вор-карманник; вор; дамская сумочка; чемодан; известны случаи исчезновения сумок; портфель; без присмотра; красть; подозревать; вызывать внимание служб безопасности; уличный грабитель; насильник; безлюдные места; неосторожность, необдуманность; чрезмерная предосторожность; пустынная улица.

UNIT 9

Text 1

At the customs house

Every day many people travel throughout the world either on business or for pleasure. Those who cross the frontier of the state have to go through customs. The customs service is designed for carrying out customs control to regulate import and export of goods and currency. The place where customs or duties are paid is called a customs house.

Every country has its own customs regulations, which stipulate what articles are liable (subject) to duty and what are duty-free. Sometimes an article which falls under customs restrictions and is liable to duty is allowed as duty-free if a traveller doesn’t exceed a certain fixed quota. These are listed in a duty-free quota list.

Customs restrictions also include a prohibited articles list. This is a list of items which may not be brought into a country or taken out of it. An official paper giving permission to take items, which fall under special customs restrictions, in or out of a country, is known as an import or export licence.

If a traveller has any item which comes under customs restrictions, he is asked to declare it. That is, he is asked to name the item, stating its value and other particulars. The declaration is made orally or in writing on a special form. In this case a traveller fills in the form. The practice seems to vary in different countries. Upon payment of duty a traveller is given a receipt.

If you are going abroad you are supposed to learn the rules of leaving and entering the foreign state. To be on the safe side, you should know what is allowed or prohibited to be brought in or taken out. Before packing your luggage consult the prohibited articles list which is available at the customs.

Among the articles that are prohibited for taking out of the country in accordance with customs legislation of all the states you will find works of art, different types of prints, manuscripts, valuable musical instruments, cancelled securities, numismatics, stamps and other articles of artistic, historical and cultural value. Though strict prohibition applies to antiques, you may be allowed to take some original painting or drawing out provided you got a special licence for it and paid duties. The list of prohibited commodities both for bringing in and taking out also includes arms, explosives, military equipment and narcotics.

Everybody leaving for a foreign country ought to know that there can be articles liable to duty and duty free. As a rule, personal effects, gifts and souvenirs (the cost of the latter must not exceed a certain limit stipulated by the customs regulation) are duty free. Money not declared and therefore concealed from the customs control is liable to confiscation as smuggling. Prohibited or restricted articles though declared are usually detained, and the traveller can collect them on his way back.

When the passenger enters or leaves the country, he must fill in an entry or exit declaration which is to be produced to the customs officer. The passenger is to fill in his name, citizenship, country of residence, permanent address, purpose and duration of his visit in block letters. He must also declare all dutiable articles.

To make a trip to most countries every traveller must have a visa, single, multiple or transit, which is issued by the foreign Embassy or Consulate. The visa may be prolonged in case of necessity, but the time for which it is valid must not expire, otherwise the traveller will not be allowed to leave the country. The overseas passport is also necessary. All the documents are carefully studied by the customs officer.

To go through customs means to have your luggage inspected by customs men. The traveller puts his bags and suitcases on the moving conveyer belt for checking. To prevent smuggling, modern methods and techniques have been developed which help customs officers examine the inside of the luggage. TV-cameras and monitors are installed everywhere at the customs house. When the passenger puts his hand luggage on the conveyer belt, special monitors are scanning the enclosure. They are able to detect everything, even if it has been concealed in the very secret corner.

Customs men know from experience the exact places of concealment of goods. It may be a double bottom or cover of the suitcase, a hollowed book, an inside pocket, a tooth-paste tube, a stick; even toys and dolls can be used for that. Customs officers are trained to recognize travellers who are carrying illegally and they can prevent smuggling. The smuggling of drugs has increased a great deal in recent years and has become a world problem. Customs men in different countries supply one another with helpful information.

In the United Kingdom there is a system of red and green symbols in operation at big airports. If you have nothing more than the allowances and no prohibited or restricted goods or goods for commercial purpose, go straight through the channel indicated by the green symbol unless the officer on duty asks you to stop. If you have more than the allowances or if you carry prohibited or restricted goods or goods for commercial purpose, go to the channel indicated by the red symbol.

So, if you follow the customs instructions and if you do not break any law, you will enjoy your trip abroad.

Vocabulary

to go through customs – проходить таможенный контроль

to be designed for smth. – быть предназначенным для чего-либо

to carry out customs control – осуществлять таможенный контроль

to regulate import and export of goods – регулировать импорт и экспорт товаров

currency – валюта

to pay customs (duties) on smth. – платить таможенные пошлины

customs house – таможня

customs regulations – таможенные правила

to stipulate – ставить условием, обусловливать, оговаривать

to be liable (subject) to duty – подлежащий обложению таможенной пошлиной

duty free – не облагающий таможенной пошлиной, беспошлинный

to fall under customs restrictions – попадать под таможенные ограничения

to allow – позволять, разрешать

to exceed a quota – превышать квоту, норму

duty-free quota list – список предметов, разрешенных к беспошлинному ввозу и вывозу

prohibited articles list – список запрещенных товаров

items – изделия, товары

to bring into – ввозить, импортировать

to take out – вывозить

to give smb. permission – давать разрешение кому-либо

import licence – лицензия, разрешение на ввоз

export licence – лицензия, разрешение на вывоз

to declare smth. – вносить что-либо в декларацию

to statе а value – указать ценность, стоимость

to make a declaration – сделать заявление

to fill in a form – заполнить бланк

upon payment of duty – после уплаты пошлины

receipt – квитанция

to prohibit – запрещать

in accordance with customs legislation – в соответствии с таможенным законодательством

print – гравюра, эстамп

manuscript – манускрипт, рукопись

cancelled securities – аннулированные бумаги

numismatics – нумизматика (коллекционирование старинных монет и медалей)

stamp – марка

to apply to smth. – распространяться на что-либо

antiques – антиквариат

original painting – подлинник живописного полотна

commodities – товар, продукт для продажи

arms – оружие

explosive – взрывчатое вещество

military equipment – военное оборудование

personal effects – личные вещи

gift – подарок

to conceal (from) – скрывать; утаивать, умалчивать

restricted articles – предметы, вывоз которых разрешен в ограниченных количествах

to detain – задерживать, арестовывать; брать под стражу

to fill in an entry (exit) declaration – заполнять декларацию при въезде в страну (при выезде из страны)

to produce – представлять, предъявлять

customs officer – работник таможни, таможенник

citizenship – гражданство

country of residence – страна пребывания

permanent address – постоянное место жительства

dutiable articles – товары, облагаемые пошлиной

to make a trip – совершить путешествие

single visa – открытая виза

multiple visa – многократная виза

transit visa – транзитная виза

to issue a visa – выдавать визу

Embassy – посольство

Consulate – консульство

to prolong a visa in case of necessity – продлить визу в случае необходимости

to be valid for – быть действительным, иметь силу

to expire – истекать (о сроке)

overseas passport – заграничный паспорт

conveyer belt – транспортёрная лента

to prevent smuggling – предотвращать контрабанду

to scan the enclosure – просматривать вложение

to detect – замечать, обнаруживать

concealment of goods – сокрытие товара

double bottom – двойное дно

hollowed book – книга с вырезанными страницами

stick – трость

doll – кукла

smuggling of drugs – контрабанда наркотиков

to break a law – нарушить, преступить закон

I. Give Russian equivalents to the following word combinations:

to cross the frontier; to go through customs; to be designed for smth.; currency; to stipulate; to exceed a quota; to bring into a country; to take out a country; to leave for a foreign country; articles liable to duty; duty free; personal effects; customs regulations; to declare; to conceal; prohibited articles; to detain; customs officer; dutiable articles; to make a trip; to issue a visa; to prolong a visa in case of necessity; to be valid; overseas passport; to put the suitcases on the moving conveyer belt; to prevent smuggling; to examine the inside of the luggage; to install TV-cameras and monitors; to detect; to know from experience the exact places of concealment of goods; double bottom; hollowed book; stick; toys and dolls; to break a law.

II. Give English equivalents to the following word combinations:

осуществлять таможенный контроль; регулировать импорт и экспорт товаров; платить таможенную пошлину; таможня; попадать под таможенные ограничения; список предметов, разрешенных к беспошлинному ввозу; список запрещенных товаров; давать разрешение; указать стоимость товара; сделать заявление устно или в письменной форме; заполнять бланк; после уплаты пошлины; квитанция; знать правила выезда и въезда в иностранное государство; в соответствии с таможенным законодательством; гравюра; рукопись; ценные музыкальные инструменты; аннулированные бумаги; марки; строгий запрет; распространяться на антикварные вещи; подлинник живописного полотна; оружие; взрывчатое вещество; военное оборудование; предметы, вывоз которых разрешен в ограниченных количествах; заполнять декларацию при въезде в страну (при выезде из страны); гражданство; страна пребывания; постоянное место жительства; цель и продолжительность визита; открытая (многократная, транзитная) виза; посольство; консульство; истекать (о сроке); просматривать вложение; внутренний карман; контрабанда наркотиков.