1. Whole numbers

We say three hundred, six thousand, eight million, etc. (There is no s at the end of the words.) But we add s for approximate numbers: hundreds of people, millions of dollars.

For figures over 100, British English, unlike American English, uses and between hundreds and tens:

327 – three hundred and twenty-seven (American English - three hundred twenty-seven)

653 – six hundred and fifty-three (American English – six hundred fifty-three)

We say one thousand rather than a thousand before a number of hundreds. The word thousand is not followed by and unless the figure is less than 1,100; 2,100, etc.

1,348 – one thousand three hundred and forty-eight

1,001 – one thousand and one

6,087 – six thousand and eighty-seven

2. Decimals

If we have to use a decimal we say point. Each figure is said separately:

0.35 – Br.E./Am.E. – zero point three five

Br.E. – nought point three five

6.75 – six point seven five

When speaking about money, we say the currency unit after if it is a whole number:

$75 – seventy-five dollars

$75.50 – seventy-five dollars fifty

Working on the text

Task 5. Say the given figures.

1. $774.71

2. 0.45

3. 1.85

4. $759

5. £16.50

6. 2001

Task 6. Say these sentences paying attention to the figures.

1. A Roman mile was about 0.92 of a modern mile.

2. A UK gallon is 4.55 litres and a US gallon is 3.78 litres.

3. Light travels at 186,000 miles per second.

4. One square inch is 6.4516 square centimeters.

Task 7. Nouns used as numerical adjectives are singular. For example, a man who is 34 years old = a thirty-four-year-old man. Change the following phrases in the same way.

1. a hotel with five stars

2. a budget worth 3 million dollars

3. an industrial empire which is 150 years old

4. an office block that has three storeys

5. a seminar that lasts three days

6. a day that lasts eight hours

Task 8. Find the words in the text to match the following definitions.

1. very careful about small details;

2. thinking that people or things are bad, especially after having had bad experience in the past;

3. feeling very ashamed and sad because you know that you have done something wrong;

4. charges to be paid;

5. the money received from tax;

6. a place in a town where boats can load/unload;

7. with the help and support of a particular organisation;

8. a government department that controls the money that country collects and spends.

Task 9. Form the adverbs. Mind the exceptions of the grammar rule.

large significant suspicious good

easy natural careful late

busy absolute international hard

private meticulous mental fast

Task 10. Arrange the letters in brackets into terms to match the definitions.

1. to state officially and publicly (e e r a d l c)

2. feeling that you don’t trust someone or something (s s i i s p u u c o)

3. money received from tax (r u e e n e v)

4. to choose someone for a position or a job (p n t p i a o)

5. the act of obtaining money that is owed to you (o l l n i e c c t o)

6. an amount of money to be paid to the government (a x t)

Task 11. Fill in the blanks with a proper preposition and translate the sentences into Russian.

1. The custom … Customs comes … England and appears to date … the year 742.

2. Later still, King Ethelred set … a collection post … ships sailing the Thames … King’s Wharf.

3. Shortly … the Norman Conquest, when the French began filling England … their wine, the kings decided they were entitled … something … their own cellars and claimed five percent … whatever wine came … .

4. The US Customs Service, based … the British model, was formed … 1789, put … the auspices … the newly created Treasury.

5. The first duty ever collected … the New World, $774.71, was paid … a cargo brought … … Italy … August … that first year.

6. … fact, … that day … the start … World War I, the US Customs Service was the government’s sole source … revenue.

Task 12. What places of concealment are mentioned in the text? Do you know any other places of concealment?

Task 13. Answer the following questions.

1. What year does the custom of Customs date from?

2. Whom did King Etherbald grant the dues of two ships?

3. Who set up a collection post for ships sailing the Thames past King’s Wharf?

4. When did the King of England claim five percent of whatever wine came in?

5. When was the New Custom Act approved?

6. What did it create?

7. What was the role of Customs Controllers?

8. What did the Chercheurs do?

9. When was the US Customs Service formed?

10. During what period was the US Customs Service the only source of revenue for the government?

Task 14. Translate the following text into Russian.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) was formed on the 18 April 2005, following the merger of Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise Departments. The Department is to ensure the correct tax is paid at the right time. The following taxes are collected:

• direct taxes (Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Inheritance Tax etc.)

• indirect taxes (Excise duties, VAT, Petroleum, Revenue Tax, Insurance Premium Tax etc.)

Task 15. Summarize the text.