Английский язык.Таможня

Shots are fired almost every night on the Nemunas River, creating a natural frontier separating the European Union from Russia. It is the front line of Lithuania's fight to stem a multi-million-dollar trade in cigarettes smuggled in from the western Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

Armed with helicopters, automatic weapons and night-vision scopes, Lithuanian border guards try to find an invisible army of smugglers who use high speed boats to push their wares across. Counterfeit cigarettes are typically floated by swimmers wearing black diving suits and dragging caravans of waterproof crates. Their accomplices are waiting on the opposite banks with trucks to take the load to secret warehouses in small villages. From there, they are distributed nationwide.

Border guards have detained dozens of smugglers who are willing to risk their lives. To the Lithuanian and Russian gangs, it's worth the risk because huge money is at stake. Lithuania loses millions of euros every year because according to the survey every third smoked cigarette came into the country illegally.

The smugglers are wily and work hand-in-glove to avoid capture. Border guards cannot build a wall in the middle of the river but with more time, technology and money they can seize more contraband.

Ex. 11 Get ready to speak on the topic.

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Grammar

Conditionals - III type

Ex. 1 Put the verb in brackets into the correct form.

Model: If you (to inform) us of the accident in time our firm (to suffer) big losses.

If you had informed us about the accident in time our firm would not have suffered

big losses.

1. If the representative of the firm (to make) an application for 2 p.m. we (to exam) his goods already.

Ex. 2 Translate the sentences from Russian into English:

1. Если бы вы заплатили пошлину раньше, то вы бы уже забрали товар со склада.

2.Если бы вы поручили разгрузку взрывчатых веществ специалистам, то ничего бы не случилось.

3.Если бы пассажир не получил разрешение Министерства культуры на вывоз старинной иконы за границу, то она была бы задержана на таможне.

4.Если бы вы помогли ей оценить картину, то она бы уже прошла таможенный контроль.

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UNIT 15

CUSTOMS MISSION

Text

Russia has had a Customs Service in some form for about 1000 years and Customs business has always been considered important and prestigious.

The Customs mission is actually threefold: to collect and protect revenue; to enforce customs and other laws; and to interdict the illegal flow of narcotics and other contraband.

Collection and protection of revenue is the responsibility with which the Customs started. Most of that fiscal activity takes place at different ports of entry where commercial cargo arrives from abroad. The Customs performs inspections to ensure that the merchandise fits the description and quantity claimed on the documents. Subsequent paper processing determines the proper classification and duty assessment. Ultimately, the Customs actually makes the collection of the revenue.

The Customs had to establish the legal foundation to facilitate legitimate trade and travel, to encourage business, to safeguard the quality of life and public health. The first Russian Customs Statute was handed down in 1667. It

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1)to examine something and make a decision about it a

2)to make people obey a rule or law e

3)to make it easier for a process or activity to happen f

4)to protect something from harm or damage s

5)to change something so that it is better or more modern u

6)to check things to prevent something harmful from passing through s

7)to do a job or a piece of work P

b)Use the words below to make word combinations with the verbs above:

Ex. 5 a) Make the words negative using prefixes:

im - mis - non -

b) Use the negative words in the sentences:

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contraband and a powerful administrative body, serving protectionist interests.

Ex. 7 Answer the questions:

1)For how long has Russia had its Customs Service?

2)What was the first responsibility of the Customs?

3)How does the Customs carry out the fiscal function?

4)When was the first legal act handed down?

t5) What does law enforcement function involve?

6)What do customs officers do to fulfill their border-related responsibilities?

7)What measures are taken by the Customs to act most efficiently?

8)How can you define the Russian Customs Service today?

Ex. 8 Translate the sentences from Russian into English:

1) Большая часть дохода поступает от сбора пошлин в портах прибытия коммерческих грузов.

2)Таможенники проверяют соответствует ли товар наименованию и количеству, указанным в документах.

3)Многие из обязанностей таможенной службы имеют отношение к защите экономических интересов страны.

4)Сотрудники таможенных органов постоянно повышают свою квалификацию, чтобы эффективно выполнять свои обязанности.

5)Российская таможенная служба существует дольше, чем аналогичные службы многих других стран мира.

Ex. 9 Get ready to speak on the topic.

Ex. 10 Render the newspaper article:

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СВР Officers Find Marijuana in Fuel Tank

Grammar

Subjunctive Mood - Object Clauses

Ex. 1 Rewrite the following sentences using the verb "to wish" instead of "It is a

1.It is a pity you are not going to pay customs duties today.

2.It is a pity you are not a representative of the firm.

3.It is a pity you don't know what cargo documents to submit.

4.It is a pity the permission for unloading wasn't given yesterday.

5.It is a pity you haven't made out a receipt for me.

6.It is a pity the cargo was damaged during repacking.

Ex. 2 Translate the sentences from Russian into English:

1. Жаль, что вы не попросили вписать товарный чек при покупке этой картины.

2.Жаль, что ваша фирма не может забрать свой груз со склада временного хранения сегодня.

3.Пассажир сожалел, что его багаж потеряли.

4.Жаль, что инспектор не дал вчера разрешение на разгрузку нашего транспортного средства.

5.Жаль, что ваш друг опаздывает на рейс.

6.Жаль, что вы согласились на предложение нелегально провезти эту антикварную вещь.

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UNIT 16

WORLD CUSTOMS ORGANIZATION (WCO)

Text

The history of WCO began in 1948 when thirteen European governments set up two committees - a European Economic Committee (later - World Trade Organization) and a Customs Committee. In 1952 the Customs Committee became the Customs Cooperation Council (CCC). After years of membership growth, in 1994 the Council adopted the working name World Customs

Organization (WCO).

The WCO has 171 members. The WCO headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. The current Secretary General is Michel Danet.

The WCO was set up to enhance the efficiency of customs

administrations. To fulfill this mission, the WCO:

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*establishes and promotes international instruments for uniform application of customs procedures governing the movement of commodities, people and conveyances across customs frontiers;

*reinforces Members' efforts to interdict and disrupt the illicit trade and to combat customs and other transnational offences;

*assists Members in their efforts to improve the management and working methods of Customs administrations and to share the best practices.

Besides, the WCO has worked out and maintains the international Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System and Goods Nomenclature which are used to classify goods for tariff purposes.

The WCO is currently the only intergovernmental organization exclusively focused on customs matters. The WCO is recognized for its work in areas covering:

-the development of global standards;

- the simplification and harmonization of customs procedures;

-the facilitation of international trade;

- the enhancement of customs enforcement and compliance activities;

-the anti-counterfeiting and piracy initiatives, etc.

Nowadays, the WCO is responsible for processing more than 98% of the world trade and is trying to adapt to changing circumstances and meet the challenges of modern business environment.

Working on the text

Ex. 1 Read and translate the text.

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