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 topic of the article.

b. Read the first paragraph and the last paragraph of the text. Then work in pairs to discuss the 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 “Application of Customs Control International Standards. Moving goods across the borders”.

Ex.4. CHAT:  Talk in pairs or groups about the “Application of Customs Control International Standards. Moving goods across the borders”.

Ex.5. BRAINSTORM: Spend one minute writing down all the words you associate with the topic “Application of Customs Control International Standards. Moving goods across the borders”. Share your words with your partner / group and talk about them.

Ex.6. DEBATES: Students face each other in pairs and engage in the following debates. The subject is “Application of Customs Control International Standards. Moving goods across the borders”.

Ex.7. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose the 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:

a. With the progress made in liberalizing international trade through the reduction in tariff barriers, the focus is shifting increasingly to the removal of non-tariff barriers and the facilitation of legitimate trade. T/F

b. At the same time, border management is becoming easier and this is facilitated by the multiplicity of local agencies involved in that management. T/F

c. The World Customs Organization (WCO), the World Bank and other agencies have championed coordinated border management with the aim of reducing the costs of moving goods across borders. T/F

d. These arrangements have economic benefits only. T/F

e. Globalization and international trade liberalization initiatives have resulted in the rapid growth of the value and volume of goods moving across borders. T/F

f. However, goods have only face duties and taxes when they move across borders. T/F

g. The controls are usually undertaken by the local customs administrations on a transactional basis. T/F

h. The controls are executed either by the agencies themselves or by other agencies on their behalf, such as Customs. T/F

I. Other agencies with either a presence at the frontier or with a responsibility for executing controls over the movement of goods include those with a responsibility for agriculture, food safety, health, immigration, policing and standards. T/F

j. The aim of trade facilitation is to stimulate trade through an increase of costs resulting from compliance costs, procedural delays, a lack of predictability and so on. T/F

k. The main objective of the Convention is to facilitate legitimate trade by simplifying and harmonizing customs procedures and practices. T/F

l. The WCO’s SAFE Framework of Standards also aims, amongst others, to facilitate legitimate trade and introduced the concepts of ‘Customs-to-Customs’ and ‘Customs-to-Business’ partnerships. T/F

m. Combined with initiatives to develop more professional, skilled and agile workforces, these developments have impacted very negatively on trade facilitation. T/F

Ex.9. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information on Customs Control International Standards. Share your findings with your class.

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

Ex.11. TEXT RENDERING: Render the text.

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