Could you imagine the world and you life without paper/ paper documents?

    The lock. The earliest mechanical locks were used as early as 4,000 years ago in Egypt, and from a sturdy padlock to high-tech biometric locks, this device has since been synonymous with reliability and trust.

Could you imagine the world and your life without locks?

The airplane. It was the Wright brothers who successfully built the first airplane and, on December 17, 1903, made the first controlled, powered, and sustained heavier-than-air flight. Their achievement has lead to unbelievable changes in our civilization. This revolutionary means of transport has had a major influence in developing international trade.

Could you imagine the world and your life without planes?

Which do you think was the best and the worst invention/discovery in history? Why?

Surf the internet and find out some information about the history of things that are common now but didn’t exist in the past.

II. Reading

Reading I

Read and translate the text.

The current Russian word tamozhnya appeared in the times of Mongol-Tatar yoke (1237-1480). The word tamga, in Tatar, meant “ a customs tax; an official who collected it; and the stamped seal showing that it had been paid”. The Russian Customs Service, however, predates the Mongol-Tatar yoke. Even three centuries before, in the times of Kievan Rus, taxes were collected for the transportation of goods through the frontiers of individual princedoms. Each market had its tamozhnya and the right to collect duties could be purchased from the State. That right was often given to powerful merchants. Thus, we can say that Russia has had a Customs Service during the past 1000 years.

The first Russian Customs Statute was handed down in 1667. It was strict towards foreigners, who were allowed to trade only in frontier towns on pain of confiscation. A special tsar’s certificate was required for trading further inside the country. Such protectionism went on for most of the next 300 years. Every tsar, from Peter the Great, approved laws limiting the import of foreign goods and defending Russian producers.

For almost all of its history the Customs Service has been much more than a force for keeping out contraband. In fact, it has been a powerful administrative body, and customs business has always been considered important and prestigious.

*     *     *

A number of well-known people both in Russia and abroad worked for the Customs and contributed to its development.

The Russian tsar Alexei Mikhailovitch was the head of the Russian state for more than 30 years (1645-1676). It was the time when the main state institutions were formed. He did a lot to develop customs laws. For example, he initiated customs reforms by issuing the Decree “ On levying customs duties on goods in Moscow and other cities”. Besides, he signed the New Trade Statute (1667) which was based on the previous legislation and suggestions, made by Russian merchants. It was the first attempt to arrange customs procedures.

The well-known Russian poet Gavriil R. Derzchavin combined his literary activities with his work as President of Commerce Board in 1794-1803. He was engaged in foreign trade and took part in working out customs tariffs which came into effect in 1800.

Alexander N. Radishev, the famous Russian writer, also worked for the Customs and was appointed the head of St.Petersburg Customs House.

Dmitry I. Mendeleev was a great chemist, a public figure and a government consultant on issues ranging from new types of gunpowder to national tariffs. He carried out research work on Russian petroleum production, the coal industry and advanced agriculture methods. Mendeleev was one of the first to discover the laws ruling customs business and published "The Explanatory Tariff” in 1891. The scientist was sure that protectionist tariff would serve the development of the country as it not only regulated export and import but also stimulated industrial production.

Nowadays Russia has the world’s longest border to police and has a modern, multi-functioning Customs Service. It carries out the same functions as the Customs of other countries: fiscal function, regulation of foreign trade, law enforcement, etc.

 

Comprehension

Task 1. Look at these words and say:

- what is special about the way we should pronounce these words?  

a) through, right, sight,

b) foreign, sign, reign

c) write, wrong, wrist

d) chemist, technology, champagne

e) either, issue, Asia

f) pharmacy, photographer, physical

g) guard, guarantee

h) control, hotel, guitar

- what is special about the way we should use these words?

i) form, control, board

j) export, import, record, suspect, present

Task 2. Find in the text the words that follow the verbs below:

a) to initiate

b) to levy/to collect

c) to regulate

d) to stimulate

e) to discover

f) to be engaged in

g) to work out

h) to issue

i) to purchase

j) to approve

k) to combine

l) to arrange

Task 3. Find the words or phrases in the text which mean the following:

a) to be involved in some activity

b) to start

c) to collect by authority

d) to choose for a post

e) to find out

f) the laws

g) trader

h) tax on certain goods

i) to come into force

j) to be responsible for sth

Task 4. a) Give the Russian equivalents of the following:

b) Explain the meaning of the underlined expressions. See Conversational formulas.

- the development of customs law;

- to initiate reforms;

- ”On levying customs duties …”;

- to be based on previous legislation;

- to arrange customs procedures;

- to come into effect;

- to predate;

- powerful merchants;

- to hand down;

- to keep out contraband;

- a public figure

Task 5. Give the English equivalents of the following:

Таможенный Устав, Торговый Устав, перевозить товары через границу, выкупить у государства, влиятельные купцы, иностранец, торговать, «под угрозой конфискации», принимать законы, ограничивать ввоз товаров, защищать отечественных производителей, препятствовать провозу контрабанды, внести вклад в развитие, учредить государственные органы, издать указ, разрабатывать таможенное законодательство, начать проводить реформы, вступить в силу, заниматься вопросами внешней торговли, общественный деятель, способствовать росту промышленного производства

Task 6. Say whether the following statements are true or false. Correct the false statements.

1. The word tamga meant a customs tax.

2. The Russian Customs Service appeared in the times of Mongol-Tatar yoke.

3. Only wealthy and respected merchants could get the right to collect duties.

4. Collecting duties was the only function of the Customs.

5. The first Russian Customs Statute was handed down in the XVII century.

6. D. Mendeleev set up the first Customs laboratory.

7. The New Trade Statute of 1677 was worked out by D.I.Mendeleev.

8. Customs tariff can be a means of import/export regulation.

9. Customs procedures were arranged by Peter the Great.

10. Russian border is longer than the US border.

11. In Kievan Rus, no taxes were collected at the frontiers of individual princedoms.

12. The customs legislation has never limited foreign traders.

Task 7. Answer the questions.

1. When did the word tamozhnya appear?

2. What did the word tamga mean?

3. Where were the duties collected?

4. Who was given the right to collect duties?

5. How long has Russia had the Customs Service?

6. When was the first Russian Customs Statute handed down?

7. Where were foreigners allowed to trade?

8. What if they wanted to move their goods father inside the country?

9. How can you describe the trade policy of those times?

10. When were the main Russian state institutions formed?

11. What reform did Alexei Mikhailovitch initiate?

12. What was the New Trade Statute based on?

13. What was the Commerce Board engaged in?

14. What did D.I.Mendeleev do for the Customs Service?

15. What can we say about modern Customs Service of Russia?

 

Task 8. a) Complete the text with suitable prepositions if necessary.

    British Customs service can also boast _____ some famous people who worked for the customs.

    The Poet Robert Burns (1759-1796) was an excise officer at Dumfries _____ 1789 _____ 1796. Because of the high level of duty _____ spirits, control _____ whisky and gin production was very important for the state. Excise officers visited _____ local traders, calculated the amount of money due and issued vouchers stating the amount payable. It was hard work with daily rounds _____ foot or horseback. They worked full day or _____ shifts.

    The excise collector made his rounds eight times _____ a year collecting duty _____ a wide area. They usually set up an office _____ an inn where tradesmen paid the duty. It was a dangerous job: _____ collectors were often attacked and robbed.

One story, which appears to be both true and documented concerns the seizure _____ the smuggling ship "The Rosamond" in March 1792. The shiphad run aground and despite resistance _____ the crew it was eventually captured. Some stories say that Burns waded _____ the water, sword in hand, and captured the ship single handed. This is probably just a romantic story but what is certainly true is that Burns was present amongst those who took possession of the ship. 

    In 1795, inspired _____ the events of the French Revolution, Burns purchased 4 carronades and sent them _____ France to help those fighting forhuman equality.The story goes that they never made it there because they were stopped _____ customs at Dover.This incident set Burns at odds with his government supervisors who found his behaviour inappropriate ___ an officer of the Excise.

  The combination of hard physical labour and poor food in his youth brought about the first symptoms of the heart disease which troubled him for much of his life and from which he died at the age of 37.

b) Answer the questions:

1. What kind of work did Robert Burns do at the Customs?

2. Why did customs officers visit local traders?

3. Why was the control of whisky and gin production so important?

4. Where did excise collectors set up their offices?

5. Why was excise collectors’ job so dangerous?

6. How can you describe Robert Burns’s behavior in the seizure of the smuggling ship?

7. Why did the government officials change their attitude to Excise officer Burns?

8. What caused his early death?

 

c) Do you know any poems written by Robert Burns? Can you recite any of them?

 

Task 9. Translate from Russian into English.

1. До того, как в русском языке появилось слово «тамга», таможенные пошлины назывались «мыто».

2. Когда ты станешь таможенником, то будешь заниматься таможенными процедурами и платежами.

3. Известный общественный деятель предложил отменить пошлины на ввоз некоторых товаров, но отечественные производители этих товаров обратились к правительству с просьбой защитить их интересы.

4. Когда иностранный купец пересекал границу княжества, он предъявлял специальное разрешение на торговлю.

5.После того, как акцизный чиновник вычислит сумму пошлины, вы заплатите указанную сумму, а он выпишет вам квитанцию об оплате.

6.Правительства разных стран проводили политику протекционизма, чтобы способствовать развитию экономики и внешней торговли.

7. Чтобы препятствовать провозу контрабанды, в нескольких приграничных городах недавно были оборудованы новые таможенные посты.

8. После того, как Указ будет подписан, изменения тарифного законодательства вступят в силу.

9. За двадцать лет моей работы в таможенных органах таможенное законодательство и таможенные процедуры претерпели значительные изменения.

10. Князь позволил этому купцу взимать ввозные пошлины, так как торговец был уважаемым человеком и принимал участие в разработке Таможенного Устава.

 

 

Reading 2

Read and translate the text.