Working as an Anti-Smuggling Officer

Text 2

Text 1

Reading and Speaking

For the purpose of

Word Study

Starting Up

UNIT 1.3 Customs Areas

For more information turn to Grammar reference section.

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

1. What type of work is being done in Customs?

2. What qualities does a Customs officer need?

3. What are the main duties which the Customs officer performs?

4. Do Customs recruit regularly?

Exercise 2. Think of some more reasons why people are interested in a career in Customs. Use the following:

to earn living, to have career opportunities, to get promotion, to continue family tradition, to have an interesting job, to have a highly motivated area of job, etc.

Exercise 3. Give the Russian equivalents for:

fiscal aspects, increasing emphasis, consumer protection, risk management techniques, modern IT techniques, application of legislation, illicit traffic in drugs, organized crime, national duties, protection of the environment, examination equipment, agricultural control.

Exercise 4. Learn the following word-combinations paying attention to prepositions:

to focus on

in recent years

emphasis on

based on modern techniques

under the responsibility

to fight against

Exercise 5. Match the notions: ‘ security’, ‘consumer’, ‘ risk’, ‘ benefits’, ‘ laboratory’, ‘drug’ with their definitions.

1…….positive result;

2…….to put smth important in danger;

3…….protection from danger;

4…….the ordinary person who buys and uses goods and services;

5…….a specially equipped room for doing experiments and other exploratory work;

6. …...a substance one takes as a habit for pleasure or excitement.

Exercise 6. Read the text and say what unusual roles Customs perform.

Previously, Customs focused on the fiscal aspects of Customs work that is collecting Customs duties. But in recent years there has been an increasing emphasis on the importance of Customs controls for purposes such as security, safety, protection of the environment, consumer protection, cultural and agricultural controls.

This means Customs controls must be quick, effective and based on modern risk management techniques.

Customs are also involved, under their national responsibilities, with many activities relating to the fight against illicit traffic of drugs, pornography and organized crime as well as supporting the work of other services (police, immigration, etc.).

Exercise 7. Explain the following statements; give your own arguments:

1. New technologies are used to improve the work at the Customs.

2. There are non-traditional areas in which Customs are involved.

3. New Customs responsibilities increased the workload of Customs officers.

Exercise 8. In pairs, look at the table below and evaluate your potential for a career in Customs:

1) be able to analyze information and make decisions   2) work accurately and pay close attention to details 3) be able to work both alone and in a team   4) have good listening and questioning skills 5) be able to present information in a clear and logical way 6) be tactful and polite 7) be honest and fair in applying rules   8) have good numeracy skills, for examining accounts and making calculations

a) иметь хорошие навыки счета, разбираться в бухгалтерских документах, делать расчеты b) работать самостоятельно и в команде с) уметь четко и логично представлять изученную информацию d) неукоснительно применять закон e) работать точно и уделять пристальное внимание к деталям f) быть тактичным и вежливым g) уметь хорошо выслушивать собеседника и задавать вопросы   h) анализировать информацию и принимать решения

Exercise 9. Get ready to speak on the main duties of a Customs officer.

Exercise 10. Describe the character traits which the Customs officer must possess.

Choose from: honest, observant, competent, fair, strong, polite, strict, businesslike, emotional, reasonable, intuitive, generous, self-disciplined, clever, decisive, etc.

Exercise 11. Read the text below to answer the following questions:

1. When did Steve join the Customs?

2. Why does Steve like his job?

3. What unusual roles does he perform?

4. Is Steve’s job significant?

5. Is the atmosphere at his department pleasant?

Steve works as an anti-smuggling officer at Dover. At the age of 19 he joined the Dover Customs, clearing imported commercial goods. His team examines freight vehicles coming into the UK, looking for illegal drugs, counterfeiting, pirate goods, and other prohibited items such as firearms, and endangered species. He is also involved in the documenting and removal of suspect goods from vehicles.

He has a lot of contact with the public. He was attracted by the idea of working for a professional and well organized team, with the opportunity to work in a variety of disciplines.

The diversity of duties makes his work challenging and rewarding. He is lucky enough to be involved not only in anti-smuggling work but also in training. No other job could offer such personal satisfaction with the chance to protectsociety.

Exercise 12. Give the English equivalents for:

запрещенные товары, транспортное средство;получать удовлетворение; подозрительные товары; хорошо слаженная (организованная) команда; разнообразные обязанности; контрафакция; деятельность, связанная с борьбой против контрабанды наркотиков; пиратские товары; напряженная и стоящая работа.

Exercise 13. Rewrite the sentences below translating the Russian parts into English:

1. His отдел досматривает freight vehicles coming into the UK, looking for illegal наркотики.

2. He is also involved in the изъятие подозрительных товаров from транспортные средства.

3. No other job could offer such chance to защищать общество.

4. The diversity of his обязанности makes his work напряженный and стоящий.

5. Steve is also involved in the detecting контрафактные и пиратские товары, and other запрещенные предметы such as firearms, and животные и растения, находящиеся под угрозой уничтожения.

Exercise 14. Act out the dialogue asking ‘Steve’ the following questions:

-What does your work involve?

-When did you join the Department?

-What do you enjoy about your job?

-What’s been the high point of your career?

Exercise 15. Translate the Russian words in Text 3 into English.

Choose from: land tax; hazardous items; arrest warrants; parliamentary consent; legislation; authority; appropriate; Customs duty; goods; Customs area; collecting and safeguarding; bonded store; excise duty; entry; immigration authority; flow of goods; customary revenue; rules; personal effects.

Дата добавления: 2015-03-29