Unit Twelve At the Customs Part I Culture Background Part II Functional Language Part III Sample Dialogues Dialogue 1 Part IV Reproduction Part V Words, phrases and SentencesPart VII Speaking Practice Making a Dialogue Speaking English Through Picture Translation

Warming-up Questions (1) Do you like a trip by air?

(2) Do you have any experiences on clearing customs? Do you know

customs regulations? (3) What is a passport? What is a

Visa?

Part I Culture Background Customs inspectors examine the baggage of all travelers to the country. All articles acquired abroad must be declared---that is, they must be identified and their value must be given to an inspector. If a person fails to declare an article or understates its value, the article may be taken away and the individual may be fined.

In the United States, articles totaling up to $ 400 are exempt (free from any duty) if they meet certain regulations. For example, the articles must be for personal use, and the person's trip must have lasted at least 48 hours. Also the articles cannot be prohibited or restricted by federal regulations. The $ 400 exemption can be claimed by a person once every 30 days. The 48-hour rule does not apply to trips to Mexico or the Virgin Islands.

If a traveler cannot claim the $ 400 exemption because of the 48-houror 30-day restriction, he or she may claim a $ 26 exemption. However, a person must pay duties on all articles if their total value exceeds $ 26. Duty rates depend on the type, value, and quantity of the articles.

Part II Functional Language Questions How should I go through the customs?What articles are allowed to be imported free of charge?Do I have to pay duty on things for my own use?Anything to declare? (Do you have anything particular to declare?) Any contraband ? (Have you any contraband in you luggage ? Have you got any prohibited goods with you ?) Anything dutiable ? (Have you got anything dutiable ？ )

Are you carrying more than ＄ 10.000 with you ?Have you got your entry documents?How long are you going to stay in China? What’s the purpose of your trip? (Why do you take this trip, please?/ May I know the purpose of your trip? Would you tell us what you take the trip for? ) Do you have any valuable articles? How much is the duty I have to pay? ( How much should I pay for the duty?)

Responses Custom procedure is very much simplified today. We are using paperless clearing nowadays. Take your passport, please. The belongs within the weight limit of your luggage are all possible. But they should be safe, and one or two handbags are allowed to be with you free of change. You don’t have to pay duty on personal belongings. Nothing special. ( Is the camera ok with me.)

Of course not. (I am not sure, is the wine contraband?) We’ve only got the duty-free allowances. No. I usually pay by card rather than cash. Yes. Here it is. Need I fill in all the items? I’m planning to stay for ten days or so. I’m here on business.I’ve come for business talks at the invitation of your Steel Corporation.They’re just my clothes and some souvenirs for my friends.The duty is 25 dollars .

Part III Sample Dialogues Dialogue 1 (Daniel Zhao and Preston went to the airport together, but their destination was different. Daniel went to Chicago for a trade conference, while Preston visited his friends in New York. )Officer: May I see your passport please ？Daniel ： Here is my passport. And this is the declaration form.Officer: What is the purpose of your visit to the United States ？Daniel: Business. I have a trade convention in Chicago.Officer: This visa is good for two weeks. Do you intend

to stay longer than that ？Daniel: No. I will fly back twelve days from now.

Officer: And you will do some traveling while you are here ？Daniel: Yes ， I want to spend a couple of days in New York. I have friends there I will visit.Officer: What do you have in the bag ， Mr. Zhao ？Daniel: Just my cameras ， my clothes ， and some books.Officer: You're not carrying any food with you today ？

Daniel: No.Officer: Okay ， Mr. Zhao. This is just a routine check. Would you mind opening the bag for me ？Daniel: Alright.

Officer: Hmm. You have two cameras. Are you a photographer ？Daniel: Yes, I'm a photographer.Officer: I see. And what's in this bag ？Daniel: Egg tarts.Officer: I thought you said you didn't have any food with you today. Daniel: I thought you meant vegetables and meat when you asked me. Things like that. I don't have any vegetables.Officer: I'm sorry ， Mr. Zhao. Egg tarts are foo

Daniel: Confiscate ？Officer: Yes ， we will have to dispose of them.Daniel: It's too bad. They are very delicious.Officer: I know. Enjoy your visit to the United States ， Mr. Zhao. Daniel: Thank you.

Part IV Reproductions Try to reproduce the sample dialogues. When passing the security check of the airport, Daniel showed his passport and declaration form first. The officer asked clearly about the purpose of Daniel’s flight to United States. Daniel said he went to Chicago for business , then he would spend several days in New York because he would visit some friends

there within the two-week validity.

Then the officer carried a routine check about his bag. Daniel declared his 2 cameras, clothes and some books in his bag. When the officer asked if there were food in his bag, Daniel thought he was mentioning the vegetables and meat, so he said he didn’t have any food with him. But the officer found the egg tarts, which belonged to the category of food that could not be carried with passenger on flight. The officer had to dispose of them, Daniel felt regretted for the

taste was quite delicious.

3. Useful Sentences Is my handbag exempted from examination? 我的手提包是否免检？Please be careful! Some of them are breakable. 小心。有一些是易碎的东西。Butterfly specimens are not to be carried out of the country.蝴蝶标本不能带到国外。You cannot take alcohol or port into lslam countries.你不能携带烈酒猪肉到伊斯兰国家。

I’m sorry the export of these curios is prohibited.对不起，这些古玩是禁止出口的。We have to detain these articles for the time being.我们得暂时扣留这些物品。This necklace is dutiable.这条项链是上税的。 That’s more than we can allow you free.那超过了我们的免税限额。

Part VII Speaking Practice 1. Making Dialogues You and your partner are supposed to make dialogues according to the situations. (1) If you are Mr. Lee, coming to Beijing on a business trip. Mr. lee arrives at Beijing International Airport. But there is some trouble while checking in. He brings some liquor. (2) At International Airport, while checking in, you are informed that your luggage is overweight.

4. Translation(1) 这是您的申报单，交给出口的服务员。(2) 我只是在去美国之前作中途停留。(3) 请填好这份海关行李申报单。(4) 恐怕你得为这些贵重物品付相当一笔税金。

(5) 如果你携带 5000 美元以上，就得申报，否则会被没收。