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Text: Travelling Abroad
Vocabulary
red tape бюрократизм
so far as the Community is concerned що стосується спільності
to amount to бути рівнозначним чомусь
identity card посвідчення особи
to be entitled to мають право на щось
to comply with підкорятись (правилам), виконувати
driving licence посвідчення водія
to be valid бути дійсним, мати силу
insurance card страхове посвідчення водія
to carry out selective checks робити вибіркову перевірку
rabies сказ
Modern life is impossible without travelling. Some people travel on business, some in search of health. Many people travel "for pleasure", because they are fond of sightseeing, they want to meet new friends, to take photographs of themselves in different places.
Travelling abroad has become such a normal feature of our life these days that we can barely remember the time when crossing a border was sometimes quite an adventure, involving visas, red tape, detailed and infuriating Customs checks, endless queues at frontier posts, etc.
Nowadays, so far as the European Community is concerned, all that is a thing of the past, even if special steps are sometimes necessary for reasons of security, which does not, however, amount to a real return to the days of border controls.
You can travel to another country of the European Community with your identity card, without any formalities, provided you do not intend to work.
However, if you wish to stay for a long time, you must have a particular reason for this, either because you are working there or looking for work or because you are retired and entitled to live there, or because of your family or personal situation (e.g. you are the mother or farther of a migrant worker).
Minors (children under the age of 18 in the majority of Member states) require parents' written consent to cross a border.
You may normally take goods across the border with you without formalities provided they are yours and are intended for your personal use.
Customs officers always have the right to check to see that you are complying with the regulations, and that you are transporting goods for the purpose of selling them or exceeding the quantities for which no formalities are required.
If you travel by car,
¾ Your national driving licence is valid in all the Community countries for stays of less than three months, or for one year if you set up home in another Community country.
¾ You are advised to obtain a green insurance card. You will not be asked to produce it at the frontier, but it proves that you are insured against any damage you might cause at the wheel of your car.
If you go through a seaport or airport, most of the EC countries have special immigration and Customs desks for national of the Europe of the Twelve. These are marked "European Community" or "EC", and help to speed up the checks.
If you are travelling to the UK from another European Community country:
· You do not need to go through a red or green channel. You will usually go through a separate exit for EC travellers. This is sometimes called blue channel or blue exit.
· You do not need to go through Customs.
· You may not even see any Customs staff when you arrive in theUK.
But please remember that:
· Customs carry out selective checks to look for the following prohibited or restricted goods: drugs, firearms, ammunition, explosives, unlicensed animals that could be carrying rabies (such as cats, dogs, mice).
· Customs may question you to help protect people in the UK.
· You do not have to pay any more duty or tax on goods you have bought in the EC for your personal use if you have already paid duty or tax on them.
Exercises
I. Suggest the Ukrainian for the following words and word
combinations from the text:
some people travel on business; we can barely remember; detailed and infuriating Customs checks; so far as the Community is concerned; for reasons of security; which does not amount to a real return to the days of border controls; without any formalities; you are entitled to live there; minors; parents' written consent; goods are intended for your personal use; to see that you are complying with the regulations; exceeding the quantities; your national driving licence; you will not be asked to produce it at the frontier; you are insured against any damage; go through a separate exit; animals that could be carrying rabies.
II. Find in the text English equivalents for the following words and word combinations:
в пошуках здоров’я; фотографуватись; стало звичайною рисою; ми ледве пам’ятаємо; було справжньою пригодою; черги на прикордонних пунктах; що стосується Європейського Співтовариства; подорожувати в іншу країну без оформлення митних документів; мати особливу причину; при умові, що ви не маєте наміру працювати; мати право проживати там; неповнолітні; перевозити товари з метою їх продажу; пред’являти страхове посвідчення водія; прискорити митні перевірки; заборонені та обмежені до ввозу чи вивозу товари; для вашого особистого користування; якщо ви уже заплатили мито на товар.
III. Find proper definitions and study them:
| Term | Definition |
| 1. Sightseeing | a) in or to a foreign country or countries; away from one's own country |
| 2. Abroad | b) visiting sights as a tourist |
| 3. Border | c) part of a country bordering on another country |
| 4. Frontier | d) (land near the) line dividing two states or countries |
| 5. Visa | e) legally effective |
| 6. Valid | f) stamp or signature put on a passport to show that it has been examined and approved by the officials of a foreign country which the owner intends to visit |
IV. Find synonyms for:
to be keen on to aim, to plan
attribute to need, to demand
hardly to quicken
irritating to obey
line
cause
amount
certificate
V. Fill in the blanks with proper words or phrases from the text:
1. If you are travelling ..., you are entitled to transport professional equipment to another Community country tax-free with a view of displaying or using it abroad.
2. If you travel by car, you are entitled to display the green disc on the windscreen of your car if all the passengers in the car nationals of a Community country, and if they ... the Customs regulations.
3. The period for which your driving licence is ... in all the Community countries may not exceed 12 months.
4. If you are driving, make sure that everyone travelling with you knows what goods are ... .
5. Don't even think of smuggling ... animals into the UK.
6. The ...countries are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, the Irish Republic, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the UK.
(comply with; on business; valid; prohibited or restricted; European Community; unlicensed)
VI. Using the information in the text say what is true and what is false. Correct the false sentences:
1. People travel by many reasons.
2. Travelling abroad is still quite an adventure because of red tape, detailed Customs checks, endless queues at frontier posts.
3. You may stay in a European Community country as long as you want.
4. If you travel by car, you are advised to obtain a driving licence of a Community country.
5. If you travel to the UK from another European Community country you go through a blue channel or blue exit.
6. Customs staff in the UK always carry out checks to look for the following prohibited or restricted goods: drugs, firearms, ammunition, unlicensed animals.
7. You do not have to pay any more duty or tax on goods you have bought in the EC for your personal use if you have already paid duty or tax on them.
VII. Read the passage filling in the missing prepositions:
Travelling abroad is very popular today. And before you go abroad:
· Learn about the places you plan to visit. Familiarize yourself ... local laws and customs ... those areas. (Consult your library, a travel agent, airline or the tourist bureaus ... the specific countries you plan to visit.) Keep track as well of what is being reported ... the media about any recent developments.
· Don't take anything you would hate to lose. Leave ... home all unnecessary credit cards, expensive jewelry, or irreplaceable family objects.
· Pack an extra set ... eyeglasses. Carry these and any medicines you need in your carry - on luggage. Take along a copy ... the prescription ... necessary medicines and the generic name of the drug.
· Leave a copy of your itinerary ... family or friends at home should they need to contact you ...an emergency.
· Find out about local rules and obey them.
· Be especially cautious ... situations where you are more likely to be victimized such as crowded subways, train stations, market places, festivals.
Notes:
1) to keep track – слідкувати (за подіями);
2) carry - on luggage – ручний вантаж;
3) itinerary – маршрут.
(with - 2; in - 4; of- 3; at - 1; for - 1)
VIII. Answer the comprehension questions on the text:
1. Why do many people travel today?
2. Was it difficult or easy to travel abroad at the end of the last century? Why?
3. What formalities are involved when travelling to the European Community countries?
4. What reason must you have if you want to stay in another country for a long time?
5. Do minors require parents' written consent to cross a border?
6. In what case may you take goods across the border with you without formalities?
7. Can you travel to the European Community countries by car with your national driving licence?
8. Why are you advised to obtain a green insurance card?
9. What should you know if you are travelling to the UK from another European country?
10. What goods are restricted for importation?
IX. Read the dialogue and reproduce it:
At the Travel Agency
Tourist:What travel documents do I need?
Agent:On arrival in the United Kingdom, you must produce a valid national passport or other document satisfactory establishing your identity or nationality.
T.: Do I need medical insurance?
A.: Yes! Holidaymakers who become ill while in Britain are only eligible for free emergency treatment at National Health Service Accident and Emergency departments of hospitals. If you are admitted to hospital as an inpatient, you will be asked to pay.
T.: What are Customs Procedures?
A.: Where Customs are operating a Green and Red channel system, go through the Green Channel, if you have nothing to declare over the Customs allowances for overseas visitors; the Red Channel if you have goods to declare or if you are unsure of importation restrictions.
T.: What are my duty- and tax-free allowances?
A.. For goods obtained duty and tax free in the European Community the allowances are:
Tobacco products: 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco.
Alcoholic drinks: 2 litres of wine plus 1 litre of alcoholic drinks over 22% vol.
Other goods: £ 36 worth (including gifts, souvenirs, cider and beer).
T.: Can I bring pets with me?
A.: Due to the possibility of animals and birds bringing disease to the UK, bringing themwith you on holiday is not permitted. Any illegally imported animal is liable to be destroyed.
T.: How much money can I bring?
A.: You may bring in and out bank notes, traveller's checks, letters of credit, etc. in any currency and up to any amount. There is no restriction on the amount of traveller's checks changed.
T.. Thank you.
A.: You are welcome.
Notes:
1)medical insurance – медичне страхування;
2)to be eligible for – мати право на;
3)free emergency treatment – безкоштовне лікування в екстремальній ситуації;
4)inpatient – стаціонарний (госпітальний) хворий.
X. Speak on the following topics:
1. Travel abroad is the name of a modem disease which started in the mid-fifties and is still spreading.
2. Customs regulations one should know while travelling to the European Community countries.
3. Customs formalities you should go through while travelling by car.
4. Travelling to the UK from another European country.
5. Advice to travellers abroad.