Speak about the minimum qualifications you must meet to successfully maintain consideration for employment in the Federal Customs Service.
Exercise 11. Study the following ways of comparing features of different jobs. Add at least three examples comparing the jobs of various law enforcement officers.
1. Being a Customs officer—is much more/is just as/isn’t as—interesting –than/as—being an accountant.
2. A Customs officer –is much better/is just as well/isn’t as badly—paid—than/as—an accountant.
3. A Customs officer’s working day is—much longer/just as long/not so long—than/as—an accountant’s.
4. A Customs officer—has to work harder—than an accountant.
Exercise 12. Complete this job advert using the words in the box.
| creative organize relationship-building technology ability improvement honesty manner |
Are you interested?
Customs and Border Protection has identified characteristics we require all our staff to demonstrate. A workforce with these characteristics, and reflecting the cultural diversity of the community, is central to Customs and Border Protection’s ability to continue to meet the business challenges of the future.
If you:
- are goal-oriented and committed to continuous _________;
- are flexible, adaptive and ____________in solving problems and dealing with change;
- have a strong sense of personal ethics and _________;
- can effectively __________ and plan;
- have leadership potential or demonstrated leadership __________;
- think in an abstract and analytical _________;
- demonstrate sound interpersonal, communication and _______________ skills and thrive working as part of a team; and
- enjoy working with _________,
a job in Customs and Border Protection may be the job for you!
Exercise 13. Which of the discussed jobs would you like to do most? Write an advert for your own job at Customs. For more ideas, watch some videos like “We are CBP” and prepare to talk about your future job using the active vocabulary of Module 6.
Exercise 14. Answer the following questions. Use the phrasal verbs from Exercise 5 in your answers.
1. Which of these jobs are you most/least suited to?
| o Business management o Civil service o Administrative work o Social work | o Teaching o Secretarial work o Academic work o Creative work |
2. What made you choose your present career or course of study?
3. What kind of things make you feel depressed at work or at the academy?
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4. What aspects of your work or study require most time?
5. How important is it to be successful in life? Why?
6. Do you think it is important to have a job that pays a lot of money? Why?
7. Have you acquired any new skills recently?
8. Where did you learn them?
Exercise 15. Work with your partner. Take turns interviewing one another, using the questions below. Try to use the phrasal verbs from Exercise 5 in your questions and answers.
Example:
A - What profession do you think you are cut out for?
B - I think I am cut out for acting because I like speaking in public.
6.3 Customs Violations. Grammar: Phrasal Verbs
Exercise 1. What comes to your mind when you hear of Customs violations? What are the common violations? Read the text to check your answers.
PART I
A wide variety of laws and government regulations apply when people or objects enter or leave the country. For example, various federal agencies establish regulations about food or agricultural products that can leave or enter the country, and all these regulations are considered customs restrictions. Additionally, laws that prohibit the possession of illegal drugs can also be considered customs laws because they also apply to travelers. Though customs laws and regulations can change frequently, common violations occur in one of several areas.
False declarations. Most people encounter customs provisions when they enter the country after an international vacation or business trip. When returning to the country or entering it for the first time, a person must declare the nature and value of any goods he or she has brought along. For example, if you buy gifts for your family while overseas you must declare these upon returning to the country. If you intentionally leave out items, misrepresent their value, or make other false declarations, this can lead to criminal charges.
Exporting violations. A wide variety of products are subject to export limitations and restrictions. Some of these restrictions require you to first obtain an export license before you can legally ship the materials out of the country, while others place restrictions on exports based on the nature of the items, who is receiving them, and what the items' purposes are. For example, it's a customs violation to attempt to export weapons, currency, or other products to terrorist groups.
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Importing violations. Importing goods into the country, much like bringing personal items in with you when you travel, is also subject to specific declarations and notifications. All imports are subject to import taxes, known as duties. Trying to conceal the nature of the imports, their origin, value, or nature in an attempt to evade import duties can also be a crime. Individuals can violate importation duties when, for example, they attempt to bring in large amounts of alcohol or tobacco products without paying the required duty.
Smuggling. Various federal laws regulate the possession of specific types of items, such as drugs or weapons. Attempting to bring prohibited items into the country, or bringing people in without going through customs procedures, is known as smuggling. Smuggling can involve a number of specific crimes, depending on the nature of the items smuggled and the actions of those involved.
Exercise 2. Answer the following questions.
1. What is meant by customs restrictions?
2. What are the common areas of Customs violations?
3. What are the typical cases of false declaration?
4. What should you obtain before legally shipping the materials out of the country?
5. How can importing lead to criminal charges?
6. What is smuggling?
Exercise 3. Match left and right. Reproduce the sentences in which these word combinations are used in Part I of the text.
| 1. establish regulations about | a. criminal charges |
| 2. prohibit the possession of | b. export weapons |
| 3. declare the nature and value of | c. obtain an export license |
| 4. this can lead to | d. illegal drugs |
| 5. restrictions on exports based on | e. food or agricultural products |
| 6. restrictions require you to | f. subject to import taxes |
| 7. it's a customs violation to | g. can also be a crime |
| 8. all imports are | h. the nature of the items |
| 9. an attempt to evade import duties | i. going through customs procedures |
| 10 bringing people in without | j. goods he or she has brought along |
Exercise 4. With the help of a dictionary compare the meanings of the words violation, infringement and offence. Which meanings can be useful to you when speaking about Customs violations?
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Exercise 5. Find the examples of phrasal verbs in Part I of the text. Reproduce the sentences in which they are used. Can you substitute these verbs?
Exercise 6. Make a list of words you will need to talk about the common Customs violations. Compare your list with another student’s.
Exercise 7. Choose suitable phrasal verbs to fill in the blanks.
1. To get into a building or car using force is to _________.
a. break out b. break down c. break in
2. To steal money from a bank by using force is to __________.
a. hold in b. hold down c. hold up
3. To steal or take something without asking is to _________.
a. run off with b. do without c. do over
4. To hurt someone badly by hitting or kicking is to __________.
a. pull them over b. beat them up c. put one over
5. To kill someone in informal English is to ________ with them.
a. do away b. have away c. stay
6. To destroy something with a bomb is to __________.
a. beat it up b. blow it up c. knock it over
7. To take a criminal to the police is to __________.
a. turn them over b. turn them in c. turn them down
8. To put someone in prison is to ___________.
a. lock them up b. do them in c. blow them up
9. To not punish someone for their crime is to ___________.
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a. give them over b. let them off c. put them away
10. To succeed in not being punished for a crime is to __________ it
a. get away with b. make off with c. pick through
Exercise 8. Choose suitable phrasal verbs from the box to fill in the blanks. Mind the verb form.
| to back up to build up to close down to fill in to give up to take up to break down to pick up to put off to meet up with to buy out to turn off to go through to look up to turn up to look after to help out to run out of |
1) Did you ____________ your files last week?
2) Keith Sole quickly ____________ his shareholding to 10% of the company.
3) If we don't stop the losses, the company will have to be ____________.
4) After you've ____________ the form, can you leave it with Fiona, my secretary?
5) We've ____________ trying to get business from small companies.
6) Marvin Steel is in the process of ___________ many of the smaller shareholders.
7) Could you ask Paul to ____________ with arranging the company BBQ at the
weekend?
8) If you don't know the meaning of a word, you should ____________ in a dictionary.
9) My plane gets in at 10.30. Could you ____________ at around 11?
10) The meeting has been ____________ until 17 April.
11) Have you had an opportunity to ____________ our evaluation software yet?
12) Don't forget to ____________ the air-conditioners when you leave the office this
evening.
13) I'm afraid to say that the photocopier's ____________ yet again!
14) I think I'll ____________ Roger before I go home this evening.
15) During the recession, the company ___________ some difficult times.
16) Mary has decided to ____________ an offer from another company.
17) Whatever you do, don't ____________ to the meeting late.
18) Who will ____________ my children if I have to work full-time?
19) I ____________ John last night.
20) Please call Jane if you ____________ any stationery items.
Exercise 9. What do you know about Customs penalties? Read the text to check your answers.
Part II
Violating customs laws can result in significant penalties, both for an individual and any organization involved in the violation. Customs penalties vary depending on the particulars of the violation, but may include civil or criminal penalties. Criminal penalties differ depending on the nature of the crime you're convicted of, but typically include several possible punishments.
· Fines. Criminal fines for customs violation can be significant. A single criminal act can result in fines of anywhere from a few thousand dollars to a million dollars or more.
· Prison. Prison sentences are possible for some customs violations, especially those that involve smuggling. For example, making a false declaration when entering the country can lead to a sentence of up to two years in prison, while violating some export restrictions can result in a 10 year prison sentence per offense.
· Probation. Customs violations can also lead to probation sentences. A person sentenced to probation must serve at least a 12 month sentence, though possibly much longer, during which time he or she must comply with a variety of court imposed rules. These rules limit what the probationer can do, such as requiring the person to report to a probation officer, asking the officer's permission to move or leave the country, staying out of any more trouble with the law, and paying all fines and court costs.
There are special penalties imposed by Customs under the penalty statute for commercial fraud and negligence. Penalties can be assessed at three different levels of culpability, with more severe penalties for offenses committed with greater culpability. These levels of culpability are:
· Negligence: defined by Customs as failure to exercise reasonable care;
· Gross Negligence: defined by Customs as “actual knowledge or wanton disregard”; and,
· Fraud: defined by Customs as “committing a crime voluntarily and intentionally.”
Vocabulary Notes
probation sentence приговор к пробации (условное осуждение, мера уголовно-правового характера, заключающаяся в установлении для осуждённого испытательного срока, в течение которого осуждённый должен доказать своё исправление).
negligence небрежность; невнимательность, халатность
level of culpability степень виновности
gross negligence грубая небрежность
reasonable care разумная степень заботливости или осторожности
wanton disregard произвольное нарушение
Exercise 10. Write out words and phrases from the text that are necessary to speak about Customs penalties.
Exercise 11. Visit the official site of US CBP and read some news release dealing with Customs violations and penalties. In a one-minute talk, tell the class about what you’ve learnt.
Exercise 12. What kind of offence is implied in this passage? What is the common punishment for this kind of offence in your country? Can you give some recent examples of this infringement?
Protecting consumers from hazardous products is another way CBP stands guard over the flow of commerce. CBP officers partnered with CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) investigators in Seattle to seize various shipments of foreign-made children’s products containing excessive levels of lead; the unsafe imports included wearing apparel and necklaces, reindeer ornaments activity kits, magic coin tricks, and dart ball game sets . Another hazardous product targeted are toys intended for use by children under 3 years of age; two shipments totaling 4,000 cartons of plastic bath toys were seized as they posed a potential choking or ingestion hazard to America’s children.
Exercise 13. Use phrasal verbs from the box to paraphrase the following sentences as in example.
| to put ... off to build ... up to buy ... out to give ... up to back ... up to try ... out to help ... out to put ... down to make ... up to fill ... out |
Example
The operator disconnected Paul. — The operator cut him off.
1) Before you buy it, you should use it and test it. — Before you buy it, __________.
2) He spent years developing and growing this business. — He spent years ________.
3) They want to purchase a majority share holding in the company. — They want to __________.
4) You should make extra copies of all your computer files. — You should _______.
5) Can you give me some assistance with this report? — Can you ___________ with this report?
6) Why do you always say negative things about Peter? — Why do you always ____?
7) Have you completed the form in bold print? — Have you _________ in bold print?
8) My New Year’s resolution was to stop smoking cigarettes. — My New Year’s resolution was to ___________.
9) I don’t believe her; she’s telling a story which isn’t true. — I don’t believe her; she’s ____________.
10) Do you know if the meeting is going to be postponed? — Do you know if the meeting is going to be ___________.
Exercise 14. You’re going to read the text about Customs' liability for the Internet purchases. Do you know how people violate the Customs rules while making purchases through the Internet?
Part III
It may happen that people find themselves faced with a notice or letter from Customs informing them that they have somehow violated the law. Usually, these people — often beginning entrepreneurs — are importing limited quantities of a product from overseas to make a quick buck or try their hand at a new business, and other times they are just individuals buying something for personal use.
These unsuspecting people get their goods seized by customs or get stuck with a demand to pay a penalty, for a host of customs violations, such as counterfeit/trademark infringement or incorrect country of origin marking.
The Internet has made it easy to find and purchase items from almost anywhere in the world. However, many people are discovering that getting a foreign-bought item successfully delivered to their country is much more complicated.
Customs has published guidance for internet purchases for the public at large that explains what the responsibilities are of a buyer purchasing from an online seller. The whole page is a must-read for anyone who is buying a product from overseas.
It does not matter whether you bought the item from an established business or from an individual selling items in an on-line auction. If merchandise, used or new, is imported into the United States, it must clear CBP and may be subject to the payment of duty as well as to whatever rules and regulations govern the importation of that particular product into the United States.
When you buy goods from foreign sources, you become the importer. And it is the importer who is responsible for assuring that the goods comply with a variety of both state and federal government import regulations. Importing goods that are unsafe, that fail to meet health code requirements, or that violate quota restrictions could end up costing you quite a bit of money in fines and penalties. At the very least, such goods would be detained, and possibly destroyed, by CBP.
Exercise 15. Look at the following expressions from the text: to make a quick buck; try their hand at a new business; the public at large; a must-read for anyone; end up costing you quite a bit of money.
Is their meaning clear? Use these expressions in sentences of your own and ask your fellow students to translate your examples.
Exercise 16. Grammar practice. Can you guess the meaning of the phrasal verbs in these sentences? Substitute them if possible and translate the sentences.
1. Customs will step up inspection of containers before they’re loaded aboard ship.
2. URA steps up fight against smuggling, calls for support…
3. Production at the Leeds plant has been stepped up.
4. I was taken in by her apparent shyness.
5. The meeting took up a whole morning.
6. The police tried to take over the rebel district.
7. The teacher told us off for being late.
8. I hope some good will come out of all this.
9. It's hard for others to come up to the very high standards she sets for herself.
10. His air of confidence came from his firm belief that he was the best candidate for the job.
11. His wife comes from a pretty rich family.
12. Interest rates have come down significantly in the last three years.
13. He was charged with manslaughter, but got off.
14. Look out! There's a car coming.
15. She comes over as quite naive.
Exercise 17. Watch some students’ presentations about common Customs violations. Prepare a short talk about some typical or unusual cases.
Exercise 18. Search the Internet to find out more about Customs’ law enforcement responsibility. Share what you discover with your classmates in the next lesson. See the list of Additional Resources.
MODULE 7
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