Working on the text

Ex.1. SKIMMING:

a. Read the headline and the first sentence of each paragraph of the text.  Pair up to discuss the guessed-at topic of the article.

b. Read the first paragraph and the last paragraph of the text. Then work in pairs to discuss the guessed-at contents of the piece.

c. Read the text. Get into pairs to discuss the contents of the piece. 

Ex.2. SCANNING:

a. While scanning the text find the answers for content-specific questions given by the teacher.

b. While scanning the text pick out the sentences containing the key words given by the teacher.

Ex.3. READING: Read and translate the text “HS Convention“.

Ex.4. CHAT:  Talk in pairs or groups about the “HS Convention”.

Ex.5. HS Convention Brainstorm: Spend one minute writing down all the words you associate with the topic ‘HS Convention’. Share your results with your partner / group and talk about them.

Ex.6. 2-MINUTE DEBATES: Students face each other in pairs and engage in the following 2-minute debates. The subject is “The importance of the HS Convention”.

Ex.7. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations with each word.

Ex.8. TRUE / FALSE: Look through the article and guess whether these sentences are true or false:

1. The International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity

Description and Coding System (HS Convention) was adopted in 1983 and came into force in 1988. T / F

2. The HS multipurpose goods nomenclature is used as the additional instrument for customs tariffs and for the compilation of international trade statistics. T/F

3. The HS is also used for many other purposes involving trade policy, rules of origin, monitoring of controlled goods, internal taxes, freight tariffs, transport statistics, quota controls, price monitoring, compilation of national accounts, and economic research and analysis. T/F

4. The European Union and its member states together represent a block of 280 Contracting Parties to the aforementioned Convention. T/F

5. The Combined Nomenclature of the European Union (EU) integrates the HS Nomenclature and comprises additional 8-digit subdivisions and legal notes specifically created to address the needs of the Community. T/F

6. The HS Convention provides for four types of decisions taken by the HS Committee. T/F

7. The Contracting Parties may lodge a "reservation" against both types of decisions. T/F

8. In practice, this simply means that the definitive decision is delayed by 3 to 10 months. T/F

9. Generally, the amendments to the HS Convention become binding for all Contracting Parties two years after they are notified by the Secretary General of the WCO. T/F

Ex.9. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information on the Convention. Share your findings with your class.

Ex.10. LETTER: Write a letter to the WCO executive explaining your views on the matter described.

Ex.11. PUBLIC POLICY: You are the leader of your country. Create a list of rules and instructions on additional measures assisting the Convention execution in your country.

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