Starting Up

Exercise 1. Use your knowledge to answer the following questions:

1. What role does Russian Customs perform?

2. What are traditional Customs responsibilities?

3. What else do you know about the role of the Customs?

4. Why are Customs Services around the world re-examining the ways they operate?

Word Study

Exercise 2. Match left and right.

1) cargo intervention	a) лица, не имеющие официального допуска
2) movement of illicit drugs	b) проверка пассажиров с использованием сканирующих досмотровых средств
3) surveillance of ships	c) перемещение (ввоз) товаров
4) terrorist threats	d) товары, представляющие опасность
5) unauthorized people	e) незаконный поток наркотиков
6) passenger screening	f) террористические угрозы
7) harmful goods	g) контроль кораблей

Exercise 3. Fill in the table of derivatives.

Verb	Noun	Adjective / Participle
		protecting
	terrorism
secure
	equipment
		departing
	threat
use
	movement
		harmful
contribute
	detection
		legitimate
	examination

Reading and Speaking

Exercise 4. Read the text below and single out its main points.

Text 1 Protecting Our Borders

The Customs Service plays an important role in protecting Russia’s borders from the entry of illegal and harmful goods and unauthorized people. It must carry out this role while not impeding the legitimate movement of people and goods across the border.

Customs contribute to the whole-of-government approach to secure Russia from potential terrorist threats. Cargo intervention, passenger screening and first-port boarding rates are at an all-time high. International and inter-agency cooperation continue to play a vital role in protecting our borders.

Customs remain focused on intercepting illicit drugs and other items potentially harmful to the community.

Border Technologies

Customs use a wide range of technology, such as X-rays and ion scans, which detect tiny traces of certain elements, in protecting against terrorism and the movement of illicit drugs and prohibited imports.

Border technologies include any equipment that aids the detection, search, examination or surveillance of ships, aircraft, goods or persons entering or departing Russia.

Exercise 5. Answer the following questions:

1. What role do Customs play in protecting Russia’s borders?

2. What items can be potentially harmful to the community?

3. What is the potential power of technologies at the Customs?

Exercise 6. Give the Russian equivalents to the following word- combinations:

inter-agency cooperation; the whole-of-government approach; potential threats; first-port boarding rates; a wide range of technology; border technologies; the legitimate movement; x-rays and ion scans.

Exercise 7. Scan the text above and match verbs to nouns to make word-combinations. Translate them into Russian.

to secure	a) a wide range of technology
to focus on	b) the detection, search, examination or surveillance of ships
to detect	c) a vital role in protecting our borders
to play	d) our country from potential terrorist threats
to use	e) intercepting illicit drugs
to aid	f) tiny traces of certain elements

Exercise 8. Supply the missing words and word-combinations.

1. Customs remain focused on ___________ and other items potentially harmful to the community.

2. Customs play an important role in protecting Russia’s borders from ___________ and unauthorized people.

3. Border technologies include any equipment that aids the detection, search ____________entering or departing Russia.

4. Cargo intervention, ___________ are at an all-time high.

5. Customs use ___________ in protecting against terrorism and the movement of illicit drugs and prohibited imports.

Exercise 9. Read Text 2 to match left and right.

1) an X-ray security scanner	a) спрятанное оружие или взрывчатые вещества
2) a black-and-white image	b) тактильный (контактный) досмотр
3) a physical search	c) на отдаленном расстоянии
4) concealed weapons or explosives	d) черно-белый снимок
5) a ‘pat-down’ check	e) рентгеновский сканер для досмотра пассажиров
6) in a remote location	f) личный досмотр