Vocabulary and Grammar. Task 11. a) Read and translate the text

Text 2

Task 11. a) Read and translate the text.

PRIZED VIOLIN GROUNDED BY RED TAPE*

Just like Michael Jackson, who once tried to take a Cossak saber out of Russia, U.S. violinist Ernesto Farago ran up against Russia’s peculiar laws on antiques when he tried to take his musical instrument out of the country.

Mr. Farago’s 1940 Italian violin was detained by customs officials at Sheremetyevo airport on the suspicion that he was trying to smuggle it out of Russia.

The incident seems to have been the result of misunderstanding.

Mr. Farago, speaking from his home in Springfield, Virginia, said that he failed to declare his instrument, worth $28,000 because he had been misinformed by customs officials in the arrival terminal.

“I was told by an officer that if I was bringing in the instrument for professional purposes, there was no need for me to declare it,” said Mr. Farago, who had visited Russia to play two concerts in Voronezh.

He has now been separated from his beloved violin for nearly a month, but the saga should soon end happily.

The Culture Ministry received a document from U.S. confirming that this instrument belongs to Mr. Farago and is ready to issue permission to take the instrument out of the country. The Ministry official in charge of the export and import of items of cultural and historical value said that all problems could have been avoided if Mr. Farago had declared the instrument upon his arrival.

It says on the customs declaration form that all valuables of a historical and cultural nature should be declared. This is so they can be taken out of the country again.

(from “Moscow Times”)

* Red tape – official rules that seem unnecessary and prevent things from being

done quickly and easily (syn. bureaucracy )

b) Make a glossary. Choose seven words to remember.

c) Answer the questions:

1. What happened to Ernesto Farago at Sheremetyevo airport?

2. What was the passenger accused of?

3. Why was the violin detained?

4. Why didn’t Mr. Farago declare his violin?

5. How long did the investigation last?

6. What was Mr. Farago’s mistake?

7. Has the violin been returned to its owner?

8. What can you say about the customs officer who had misinformed

Mr.Farago?

9. What customs regulations can you remember in respect of this incident?

10. Do you think such cases are common?

11. What should be done to avoid such misunderstandings?

Task 12. Sum up the information from the newspaper article:

a) Comment on the situation from the point of view of:

- Mr. Farago;

- a customs officer from Sheremetyevo airport;

- a Federal Customs Service official;

- a Culture Ministry official;

- a U.S. CBP official;

- the violin;

b) write a brief report for TV news program.

Task 13. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions, if necessary. Find false statements and correct them.

1) Before you illegally enter _______ the country you will have to pass _______ certain formalities _______ Foreign Exchange Office.

2) Don’t fail to fill _______ an exit declaration form ______ full words ______ block letters.

3) Remember that you are to declare _______ duty free articles and personal belongings when you bring them ______ or take them _______ of the country. 4) To comply _______ the regulations you shouldn’t declare foreign currency. 5) Money presented ______ inspection is liable ______ confiscation.

6) The officer-in-charge must answer ______ all the questions _______ the owner of the baggage _______ the contents of the X-ray machine.

7) Any document can be renewed ______ case _______ loss.

Task 14. a)Findverbs in the text which correspond to the following definitions:

a) to get free by doing what is necessary (signing papers, paying duties) when entering/leaving the country _______________

b) to make a statement of dutiable goods brought into the country _______________

c) to write one’s name and other particulars required to make the form

complete _______________

d) to hide, to keep secret _______________

e) to keep back, to prevent from leaving or going forward when suspected of wrong-doing _______________

f) to take possession of private property without compensation or payment

_______________

g) to look at something carefully in order to learn about it_____________

h) to limit something that a person may use for foreign travel _____________

i) to carry more than one has authority to carry ________________

j) to act in accordance with a request or command _______________

b) Use five of these verbs to write sentences of your own.

Task 15. Revise the rule on IF/WHEN-clauses and complete the sentences:

1) It won’t take you long to pass through the Customs IF …..

2) You will be legally free to enter the country WHEN …..

AS SOON AS …..

AFTER …..

3) The customs officer won’t let you through IF …..

UNTIL …..

BEFORE …..

Task 16. Put a question tag at the end of the following sentences:

Model: He works in shifts, doesn’t he?

Study the exceptions: Let’s go, shall we?

Do it yourself, will you?

Don’t be late, will you?

I am expected, aren’t I?

Everybody is present, aren’t they?

1. Don’t drop the package, __________?

2. Customs declaration can’t be renewed, __________?

3. Let’s have a break, __________?

4. Russia has certain customs formalities, __________?

5. There are a lot of people at the airport, __________?

6. Everybody is ready to check in for the flight, __________?

7. It isn’t my responsibility to open suitcases, __________?

8. Let’s check that baggage with the dog, __________?

9. You are on business in Moscow, __________?

10. Formalities include passport control, __________?

11. Show me your cash, __________?

12. You have got a camera, _________?

13. I am through, __________?

14. Undeclared money is liable to confiscation, __________?

15. You filled in the entry declaration upon arrival, _________?

Task 17. a) Unscramble these words.

LMSFAIIOTRE - _______________

HLEOYCGOTN - _______________

AEECCMOLNNT- _______________

b) Use all three words to make a sentence of your own.

Task 18. Find 20 words from Units 6 and 7.

D	E	S	C	R	I	P	T	I	O	N	D
E	A	Y	H	O	W	A	R	N	V	T	I
T	L	S	A	A	A	P	A	C	I	O	S
A	L	T	N	D	T	A	V	L	O	U	T
I	O	E	N	T	R	Y	E	U	L	R	R
N	W	M	E	D	E	A	L	D	A	I	I
L	A	B	L	E	A	F	L	E	T	S	B
O	N	C	O	D	T	U	E	X	I	T	U
S	C	A	S	H	E	N	F	P	O	R	T
S	E	G	R	E	S	I	D	E	N	C	E
D	A	M	A	G	E	O	C	R	I	M	E
H	D	E	S	T	I	N	A	T	I	O	N

Task 19. a) Make a written translation of the text and think about the title for it.

The electronic customs declaration of goods, i.e. when goods are declared at a customs office by submitting a customs declaration in electronic form via the electronic communications channels, is widely practiced in the world today. In Russia, the first electronic customs declaration was submitted in 2002.

The advantages of the Internet declaration are that there is usually no need for the declarant to be personally present at the customs office, and that customs clearance is performed rather quickly, taking as little as 15 minutes to release the goods after the e-declaration is sent out. Also, after sending the e-declaration, the declarant receives electronic notifications concerning all the stages of the declaration movement: receipt at the customs office, acceptance, release, etc.

However, using the Internet declaration is not as simple as merely switching on the Internet. The declarant must sign the relevant agreement with the Federal Customs Service, and his information systems must meet certain information security requirements and pass a special test.

Task 20. Make a written translation of the text into English.

Студент пытался провезти в желудке кило кокаина

Таможенники в аэропорту Манчестера были поражены, увидев прилетевшего чернокожего студента. Парень бережно поддерживал руками свой живот, вздутый, как у женщины на пятом месяце беременности.

Подозрительного субъекта задержали и просветили на рентгене. Оказалось, что в желудке у него запрятано 67 упаковок с кокаином общим весом 1 килограмм. Содержимое желудка пассажира по стоимости тянуло на 300 тысяч евро – абсолютный рекорд. Наркокурьеров с такой богатой «начинкой» британцам ловить ещё не приходилось.

Студент заявил, что понятия не имел, что это наркотики. «Я думал, глотаю что-то другое и провезу в Британию в виде подарка другу», - лепетал задержанный. Ответом ему был дружный смех таможенников.

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