English for customs officers

1.France The French are well known for being very protective of their language and culture. Under French law 70 % of music on the radio must be by French artists between 8.00 a.m. and 8.00 p.m. Any radio station not obeying this law could be investigated, charged, and fined.

2.Japan One of the most popular presents for children is a robot pet, example a robot dog. As these «pets» have artificial intelligence, and behave like real animals, they are included in the Animal Protection Laws, and it is a crime to damage or mistreat one. If you are caught doing this you may be banned from ever owning a pet again, either real or robot.

3.Switzerland Many Swiss people live in blocks of flats and each building has a president who is responsible for the smooth running of this building. If you visit this country and stay in a flat, be careful! If you need to go to the toilet after 10.00 p.m. it's illegal to flush the toilet. If another neigneighborrs you flushing, he or she can report you to the president of the building and you may even be fined by the police.

4.Scotland In England, if someone has been charged with a crime and has to go to court, he or she is considered innocent until proved guilty. However in Scotland the opposite is true – a suspect is considered guilty until proved innocent.

5.England One of the best ways to tavel around London is on the Tube (the London Underground). But have you ever noticed that nobody ever whistles? This is because although you can read a book or talk to a friend while you are travelling, it is against the law to whistle. If a London Underground employee hears you, you could be reported to the police and even charged.

III. Find the following hidden words in the word search.

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IV. Exercise your brains by solving these puzzles.

1.

2.

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UNIT 15. DRUG CONTROL

Study the following words and word combinations from the text.

TEXT 15.1. THE GLOBAL DRUG PROBLEM

Humanity has used drugs since the earliest times, mainly to relieve pain or for ritual purposes. Recently, however, this use has degenerated into abuse, dependence and crime. Illicit drug production, trafficking and consumption have spread at an epidemic rate and reached every part of the globe. No nation remains immune to the devastating problems caused by drug abuse on the user, the family, the community and society at large. Drug addicts can't fully participate in the society.

Drug abuse and trafficking lead to the spreading of violence, increased criminality and economic dislocation.

Developing countries have been particularly affected by the adverse consequences of drug abuse, due to a lack of resources that prevents them from adopting the necessary defensive measures. The international community has become increasingly aware of the danger it is facing and has realized that the struggle against trafficking in illicit drugs is too big for any one country to tackle alone. A global problem such as drug abuse requires a global response.

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International cooperation to address the global drug problem is founded upon the principle of shared responsibility1.

The overwhelming majority of States have developed and acceded to the three international drug control conventions that make up the international drug control system, which in turn is built upon the principle of shared responsibility. These conventions are the best available tools for protecting humanity from drug abuse and the impact of trafficking, illicit cultivation and production of drugs. The major international drug control conventions are mutually supportive and complementary.

1.The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 is an international treaty to prohibit production and supply of specific drugs and of drugs with similar effects except under licence for specific purposes, such as medical treatment and research. The Convention has been used as the basis for the standardization of national drug-control laws.

2.The Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 is a United Nations treaty designed to control psychoactive drugs. The Convention also called for coordinated, universal action to implement effective measures to prevent the diversion and abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

3.The United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 complements the other two conventions by reinforcing the obligation of countries to apply criminal sanctions to combat all the aspects of illicit production, possession and trafficking of drugs.

Recognizing the adverse consequences of drug abuse, leading governments all over the world adopt a series of wide-ranging countermeasures. New drug control laws, drafted in accordance with the International Conventions and recommendations of the United Nations, have been adopted by many parliaments. Governments have approved Programmes of Comprehensive Measures against Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse.

1 Common and shared responsibility is a principle of international law and is applied in many fields of cooperation. It provides the framework for a cooperative partnership among a community of parties, based on a common understanding of a shared problem, a common goal and the necessity of reaching that goal through common and coordinated action.

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The main objective of these Programmes is to prevent the escalation of drug abuse and trafficking, and to reduce the level of drug-related crimes. The Programmes envisage the development of an adequate legal and institutional framework to promote treatment and rehabilitation for drug addicts, strengthen controls over drugs used for illicit purposes, interdict drug trafficking, and expand drug control contacts and cooperation at the international level.

EXERCISES

I. Match the words from the text with their corresponding definitions.

II. Match the adjectives on the left with the nouns on the right to make a word combination. Consult the text.

III. Complete the sentences by matching left to the right.

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IV. Translate into English.

1.С незапамятных времен человечество использовало наркотики для обезболивания, не так ли?

2.Во что вылилось использование наркотиков за последнее столетие?

3.Каковы последствия злоупотребления наркотиками для человека, семьи и общества в целом?

4.К какому выводу пришло международное сообщество перед лицом такой опасности?

5.Какие контрмеры были приняты правительствами в ответ на постоянный рост употребления наркотиков и их нелегальной торговли?

6.Присоединилась ли к настоящему времени Беларусь ко всем международным конвенциям по контролю за наркотиками?

7.Какова основная цель программы всесторонних мер против торговли и злоупотребления наркотиками?

Study the following words and word combinations from the text.

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TEXT 15.2. DRUG CONTROL: INTERNATIONAL POLICY AND

APPROACHES

The drug problem continues to worsen inexorably from year to year. The widespread epidemic of violence, social upheaval and human misery have been brought on by drug abuse and illicit trafficking. Governments and international organisations, as well as scientific and academic communities, have all worked together to understand and tackle the drug problem.

Timely exchange of information is crucial to fighting drug trafficking. The United Nations is a gold mine of information on the spread of the drug abuse epidemic, on innovative responses, etc.

The United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control (UNFDAC) has become a major focus of activities designed to support Governments' efforts to carry out their obligations to eliminate illicit production, trafficking and abuse.

The main objective of the Fund's activities is to help developing countries in their efforts to curb production, trafficking and abuse of drugs. For instance, Thailand is a major grower of opium, while India is the only legalized producer of the plant for medical purposes.

The Fund has also provided material assistance for a telecommunications network to enhance co-operation among the Caribbean countries and between that region and Interpol, assisting law enforcement agencies to communicate rapidly and intercept drug traffickers.

The UN system offers a wide range of Development Programmes. In Bolivia, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) seeks to diminish economic dependence of farmers on coca production, improve marketing of alternative crops and upgrade law enforcement. In Thailand the

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Programme promotes integrated rural development. The goal is to encourage production of coffee, vegetables and other food and cash crops as alternatives to drug crops.

The International Maritime Organization has developed guidelines to prevent drug smuggling on ships plying international routes.

The International Civil Aviation Organization is studying measures, including sanctions, to ensure that commercial air carriers are not used to transport illicit narcotics.

The fight against drug trafficking and abuse requires from the international community a common understanding of the problem, and a shared vision of the appropriate strategies and responses.

Shared responsibility is not always an easy principle to guide action worldwide, but it will be the most effective one. Governments, the United Nations system, regional organizations, civil society and the private sector need to work together to secure healthy lives for their citizens and respect for the rule of law. Drug control approaches addressed in this issue include:

expansion of efforts to reduce foreign production at the source;

expansion of interdiction and enforcement activities to disrupt supply lines;

expansion of efforts to reduce worldwide demand;

expansion of economic disincentives for international drug trafficking.

In order to improve the concerted actions by the international community to advance shared responsibilities in drug control, Governments and the organizations concerned should comply with the provisions of the international drug control conventions. They should develop more effective practices in reducing illicit drug demand, focusing on education, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. They should also establish efficient mechanisms for exchanging information on their actions, experiences and good practices in drug control.

Speculate about the following.

1.Today no nation is immune to drug problems.

2.A global problem such as drug abuse requires a global response.

3.Developing countries have unique vulnerabilities.

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4.The principle of shared responsibility is the most effective one to guide action against drug trafficking worldwide.

5.Thr role of the UN in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse.

FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES

I. Punctuate the following text.

India's National Highway 39 was the assault route used by Japanese troops during World War II now a new menace is marching along this jungle road it comes by the kilo or in tiny plastic packets labeled «Sunflower» «Eagle» and most appropriately «Danger» this time the fearsome invader is heroin highway 39 has become a vital link in an increasingly important route leading out of Asia the region around the intersection of Burma Thailand and Laos that is the World's leading producer of opium poppies in the past heroin flowed freely from Burma into Thailand and from there to the rest of the world but tougher surveillance is forcing smugglers to look for alternative pathways to the West smugglers have the option of shipping unprocessed opium to laboratories near the border from transit points pure-grade «Number Four» heroin is moved on to the Middle East Europe and the U. S. but a lot stays in India at least two bands of Indian rebels have become engaged in the way heroin is wasting local youth Manipur a state of 2 million people has more than 30, 000 young addicts who have begun killing drug peddlers but while local groups will not give information to Indian anti-drug authorities it's hard to infiltrate such an ethnically closed society laments a former Narcotics Control Bureau official he says people don't want to co-operate with narcotics combat in the northeast officials deny that Indian security forces are mixed up in the drug trade but at least one army major was arrested in 1988 with two kilos of heroin since then at least ten other servicemen have been arrested but not charged a western drugcontrol expert who visited the area once asked a senior police officer what he reckoned the corruption level to be on his force about 100% came the reply I've got men who can't afford to buy schoolbooks for their children but there's a difference between corruption of need and corruption of greed the greed is spreading and it is making India a superhighway in the international drug trade.

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