Customs Service: History and Present Day Activity

Unit 1.1 Studying Customs Business

Starting Up

Exercise 1. Answer the following questions:

1. How many years have you been studying at the Customs Academy?

2. Is it difficult or easy for you to study here?

3. Do you take notes at lectures?

4. What language do you study?

5. Have you had any disappointing experiences at the Academy?

6. Why do you think education is important for your future career?

Word Study

Exercise 2. Fill in the table of derivatives.

 

Verb	Noun	Adjective / Participle
challenge
	variety
relate
		different
cooperate
	operation
check		checking
		defensive

 

Exercise 3. Complete the sentences below using the phrases from the box.

the psychology of people; the innocent and fights with criminals; the beginning of one’s independent life; a lot of interesting and useful professions; to punish people for various Customs violations; smuggling of goods; narcotics, arms and ammunitions; helps protect our own borders; examining and clearing cargo and processing imports; duties

 

1. There are ……………….

2. The end of school is…………………...

3. A lawyer protects………………..

4. A Customs officer must know …………………..

5. The duty of a Customs officer is not only……………………

6. Customs violations are …………………..

7. Working with other Customs administrations……………..

8. A large part of my role involves……………………….

9. Customs officers collect........................

Exercise 4. Make questions to ask your partner about Customs areas.

1. What/ the/study/Customs/subjects/do/Academy/you/at?

2. Various areas/can/to move/a/of work/ in/you/future/ expect/ through?

3. Who (m)/with/officers/work/closely/do?

4. Customs/you/do/graduation/from/will/Academy/after/the/what?

5. Aspects/important/what/the/work/Customs/are/most/of/at/?

6. This/qualities/essential/job/what/are/for?

 

Exercise 5. Study the following words and word-combinations:

diverse – многообразный, различный;

work areas – сферы деятельности;

overtime – сверхурочное время;

to undertake – предпринимать, совершать;

to be essential – быть существенным, важным;

to penalize – штрафовать, накладывать штраф;

enforcement – принудительное применение (закона), правоприменение;

objectives – цели;

to search people’s baggage – проверять/досматривать багаж пассажиров;

cargo – груз;

to X-ray – просвечивать на рентген-аппарате;

items – предметы;

shift-work – работа в дневную/ночную смену;

to be respectful – относиться уважительно;

to be anxious – быть обеспокоенным, встревоженным;

to deal with – иметь дело с кем/чем-либо.

 

Reading and Speaking

Exercise 6. Read the text and match verbs to nouns to make word-combinations.

1) to offer	a) skills
2) to move	b) into practice
3) to question	c) through a variety of work areas
4) to develop	d) travellers
5) to apply	e) a wide range of tasks
6) to cool down	f) the country
7) to leave	g) challenging work
8) to undertake	h) conflict
9) to put	i) laws

 

Text 1

Training

 

Customs is a large organization with offices in all capital cities and also in some regional centres. Customs offers varied and challenging work.

That’s why Customs officers can move through a variety of work areas. Some of them involve shift-work and overtime. Most officers work closely with the public.

In the course of your career you will have the opportunity to develop different skills and undertake a wide range of tasks. At the Customs Academy you learn about the legal areas in which Customs operates to fulfil enforcement objectives. After learning the theory you will be asked to put your knowledge into practice.

Working at different departments you will understand that teamwork is essential to the day-to-day operation. And you can be asked to take on many different roles. Firstly, you must be able to understand and correctly apply many Russian laws, whether searching people’s baggage or cargo, X-raying postal items, checking passports, or questioning travellers[1].

Moreover you will see that the large number of travellers entering and leaving the country can be a challenge in itself. Many of them are questioned, some are searched and some are penalized or charged if they break the law.

Attention, concentration and clear thinking combined with an ability to question and look for connections between people are essential. The increased threat of terrorism means that this is even more important.

Being polite and respectful at all times and having an ability to cool down conflict is an important part of the job. You will meet people who are tired, upset or anxious and they can be difficult to deal with.

Exercise 7. Answer the questions below:

1. What does the work of a Customs officer involve?

2. What opportunities do Customs officers have during their career?

3. What qualities does a Customs officer need?

4. How is theory and practice combined in this job?

5. What types of passengers do Customs officers deal with?

6. What factors make the work of a Customs officer more complicated?

Exercise 8. Supply the missing words.

1. The number of Customs areas is__________.

2. Speech skills and habits need hard work and regular ___________.

3. Passengers are __________if they break the law.

4. The increased ___________of terrorism means that this is even more important.

5. Customs operates to fulfil _________ objectives.

Talking Points

Exercise 9. Ask your friend if he/she:

- wants to work at the Customs;

- is sure of his/her choice;

- is interested in subjects studied;

- knows anything about his/her career projects.

Exercise 10. In pairs, ask and answer the questions:

You: Do you like studying at the Customs Academy?

Your friend: …………………………………….......

You: What do you think about our future career?

Your friend: ………………………………………….

You: What do you think is the best working position for you?

Your friend:.................................................................

You: Why do you think you will make a good Customs officer?

Your friend: …………………………………………..

You: Do you want to be an executive?

Your friend: …………………………………..........................

You: What qualities do you think are essential for this job?

Your friend: …………………………………..........................

You: Can you communicate well?

Your friend: Yes, I can.I am patient with people. And what about you?

You: I can often control myself when others lose their temper. I am confident in my ability to deal with stress situations.

Exercise 11. In small groups, discuss the following issues.

1. Money spent on the brain is never spent in vain.

2. Customs officer must have positive approach at passenger and baggage control.

3. The code of conduct in Customs is very important.

4. Computers will no doubt be used in Customs more than they are used today.

5. A large part of Customs officer’s time will be freed in future. Why?