UNIT 1
THE WORK OF A CUSTOMS OFFICER
What is the English for «таможня», «таможенник»?
customs [ kΛst∂mz] - import duties;
the Customs - the department of government that collects import duties.
It has other functions too.
House
Zone
Customs Enclosure - office/place where passengers, cargo, transport
Hall complete formalities and wait to be released from
Warehouse customs control;
Check point
a customs officer - a person who works for the Customs;
the Russian Customs Academy - a high educational institution where
young people study to qualify for the
work at the Customs
* * *
a custom - a tradition;
a customer - a client;
“A customer is always right.”
Text
Customs officers are multi-skilled and can move through different work areas. Some work areas involve working in shifts or overtime, indoors or outdoors. Most officers wear uniform and work closely with public. Customs officers must be competent and correctly apply customs laws and regulations when they:
- examine passengers and their baggage at airports and sea ports;
- clear cargo and transport at check-points and warehouses;
- process documents and collect duties;
- interdict the traffic of smuggling.
Customs officers use a wide range of tools and technology, such as computers, metal detectors, X-ray machines and scanners. There are also canine enforcement teams where dogs are trained to detect narcotics, explosives and currency.
Thousands of passengers pass through international airports every day. Many of them are questioned, some are searched and some are charged or punished with penalties if they break laws. This work requires attention and concentration and sometimes intuition. Travelers are often tired or upset and they can be difficult to deal with. To act with courtesy and diplomacy at all times and stay calm however provoked is an important part of the job.
The Customs Service involves law enforcement, and staff must display the highest personal and professional conduct in fulfilling their duties. Team work is essential to successful operation of all departments of the Customs. Customs officers cooperate with other law enforcement agencies such as the Police, Border guards, Tax Police, Federal Security Bureau (FSB), etc.
There are career prospects within the Customs where staff can work at different areas of the organization to learn more and to move to another level.
Working on the text
Ex. 1 Read and translate the text
Ex.2 Find the word with the most general meaning in each line:
1) contract, certificate, license, document, declaration
2) computer, telephone, equipment, fax-machine, Xerox
3) control, examine, inspect, check
4) terminal, station, port of entry, airport
5) suitcase, rucksack, handbag, box, baggage
6) camera, X-ray machine, technology, metal detector, fiberscope
7) transport, aircraft, train, truck, ship
8) duty, payment, penalty, fine, tax
9) passenger, customer, broker, trader
10) ask, answer, explain, consult, inform, communicate
Ex. 3 Put the words into the correct column according to the pronunciation.
search, charge, punish, technology, machine, shifts, check, professional, technique , merchandise, commercial, chemicals
| [k] | [t∫] | [∫] |
Ex.4 a) Mark the stress in the Russian words and compare it with the English words. Tick the pairs of words with different stressed syllables.
officer
passenger
academy
baggage
metal
control
document
uniform
contraband
competent
police
b) Read the English words again.
офицер
пассажир
академия
багаж
металл
контроль
документ
униформа
контрабанда
компетентный
полиция
Ex.5 Give the English equivalents of the following:
таможенник; форма; законы и правила; пошлины; контрабанда; технические средства; валюта; штраф; правоохранительная деятельность; перспектива; таможенный пост; персонал; взрывчатые вещества; кинологическое подразделение
Ex. 6 Find in the text the synonyms to the following words:
- to check
- contraband
- goods
- a fine
- department
- to inspect
- employees
- passenger
Ex. 7 Find in the text the words that may follow these verbs:
- to work
- to deal with
- to use
- to be able to
- to act
- to be involved in
Ex. 8 Match to make words and word combinations
work
team
multi
over
law
check
enforcement
time
point
areas
skilled
work
Ex.9 Put the words in the correct order.
1) they/ uniform/ always/ wear.
2) don’t/ English/ speak/ at work/ I.
3) he/ abroad/ on business trips/ goes/ often.
4) passenger’s baggage/ customs/examine/ officers.
5) contraband/ find/ we/ sometimes.
6) with/am/ polite/ customers/ I/ always.
7) you/ do/ computer/ special/ use/ programs?
8) like/ outdoors/ doesn’t/ to work/ she.
9) on the night shift/ do/ work/ you/ often?
10) work/ machine/ doesn’t/ X-ray/ this.
11) passengers/ customs/ through/ pass/ always/ control.
12) help/ to detect/ drugs/ dogs.
13) check-point/ modern/ our/ got/ computers/ has.
14) assesses/ department/ that/ duties/ and/ collects.
15) business/ customs officers/ health/ protect/ public/ and.
Ex. 10 Answer the questions:
1. Where do customs officers work?
2. Do customs officers work indoors or outdoors?
3. Do customs officers work in shifts or overtime?
4. Do they wear uniform?
5. What do they deal with?
6. What tools and technologies do they use?
7. What are customs officers’ responsibilities?
8. Do they have to meet a lot of people? What people?
9. Does the job require any special skills or traits of character?
10. Does the Customs cooperate with any other state bodies?
Ex.11 Translate the sentences from Russian into English
1. Я работаю на таможенном посту.
2. Обычно мы работаем в дневную смену.
3. Таможенники носят форму.
4. Мы проверяем документы, груз и транспортные средства.
5. Мы используем современные технологии, а также бригады кинологов для эффективного контроля пассажиров.
6. Наша цель – выявлять контрабанду.
7. Таможенники досматривают грузы в таможенной зоне.
8. Когда я провожу досмотр багажа, я стараюсь быть предельно внимательным.
9. Они защищают экономические интересы страны.
10. Наши клиенты хорошо говорят по-английски.
11. Мы начисляем пошлины на ввозимые товары.
12. Таможенники сотрудничают с Налоговой инспекцией и другими правоохранительными органами.
Ex. 12 Speak about the profession of a customs officer.
Use the vocabulary of the unit.
Ex.13 Make a story about your job.
Grammar
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