Unit 35: Authorities: customs and police

English Vocabulary in Use Advanced » Unit 35: Authorities: customs and police

Word List

Exercises

35.1 ‣ Rewrite these sentences using phrases and collocations from A opposite instead of the underlined words.

You’ll have to show a paper proving that you have had injections for infectious diseases when you enter the country.
_____
People entering from war-torn countries often ask for permission to stay to avoid political oppression in their own country.
_____
You have to take your baggage through customs if you arrive on an international flight at San Francisco airport, even if you are flying on within the USA.
_____
You may have to fill in a paper saying how much money you’re bringing into the country before going through customs control.
_____
At the airport now, they use a system that checks that the photo in the passport is actually of the person using the passport.
_____
Passenger to airline cabin attendant: Could you give me one of those papers for filling in my passport number and personal details before we arrive, please?
_____
At the airport, the security guards had those special dogs that can smell drugs.
_____
You’ll need a visa; the rules about who can enter the country are very strict.
_____
You have to fill in the city where you first entered the country in this box here.
_____

35.2 ‣ Match the words to form collocations.

detector _____
landing _____
cyber _____
speed _____
search _____
spot _____
closed-circuit _____
drug _____
parking _____
restricted _____

a) squad
b) television
c) goods
d) check
e) camera
f) ticket
g) dogs
h) crime
i) warrant
j) card

35.3 ‣ What do we call:

a police officer who does not wear uniform?
_____
a person whose job it is to check that no one is parked illegally?
_____
police officers engaged in combating dishonest use of public funds?
_____
the official paper you sometimes find stuck on your windscreen when you park illegally?
_____
the type of police officer who might try to infiltrate a group suspected of terrorism?
_____
the police and army considered as a single body?
_____

35.4 ‣ Choose a word from the box to complete each sentence. Put it in the correct form.

detect
suspicion
exceed
search
enforce
refugee
persecution
allowance

An official stopped the man because a sniffer dog had _____ something in his suitcase.
During the Civil War many _____ crossed the border into neighbouring countries.
Throughout the centuries many people have suffered _____ for their religious beliefs.
Ella was fined for _____ the speed limit.
It is a police officer’s duty to do all he or she can to _____ the law.
When you come into this country, the tobacco _____ is 200 cigarettes per person.
There are restrictions on the powers the police have to stop and _____ people.
The police have had _____ about the activities at that address for some time now.

35.5 ‣

Over to you

If you have internet access, look up information concerning entry and immigration formalities for different countries, which are often available in English, and note any new vocabulary. For example, for regulations about the UK, see www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk or for Australia, see www.immi.gov.au.

Answer Key

A ‣ Entering a country

A ‣ Entering a country

On arrival in most countries, you have to show your passport or national identity card, possibly a landing card¹ and often a customs declaration form². You may need a visa and a vaccination certificate³, depending on entry regulations⁴. Alternatively, some passengers can use e-passport gates which make use of facial recognition technology⁵. Customs officers carry out spot checks⁶ on people’s baggage to find banned or restricted goods⁷ and to check that you haven’t gone over your allowance⁸. They may use sniffer/detector dogs⁹ to detect¹⁰ drugs, tobacco, cash or explosives. In most cases, you have to clear customs¹¹ at the port of entry¹². Some passengers may wish to be recognised as refugees¹³ and claim asylum¹⁴. People who claim asylum in this way are sometimes called asylum-seekers.

¹ form with your personal details and date of arrival
² form showing how much money and what goods you are carrying
³ paper proving you have had the necessary health injections
⁴ rules about who can enter a country and for how long
⁵ computer application that can automatically identify a person from a visual image
⁶ checks done as a sample, rather than checking everyone or everything
⁷ items that are forbidden or only permitted in specified quantities
⁸ amount permitted by law
⁹ specially trained dogs who locate specific items using their sense of smell
¹⁰ find something hidden
¹¹ successfully get through baggage checking
¹² the port or airport where you first enter a country
¹³ people who have escaped from their own country for political reasons
¹⁴ /əˈsaɪləm/ to request permission to stay in another country to avoid persecution back home [cruel treatment because of race, religion or political beliefs]

B ‣ Policing the streets

B ‣ Policing the streets

The police enforce the law. [make people obey]

A police officer can stop and search you if there is a suspicion you are carrying drugs, weapons or stolen property. [belief that something may be the case]

The police cannot normally enter your home against your wishes without a search warrant. [official permission from a judge or magistrate to search a home]

Many roads have safety/speed cameras to ensure people aren’t exceeding the speed limit. [going faster than the permitted speed]

Traffic wardens issue parking tickets, with fines for illegal parking. [people whose job it is to make sure drivers do not leave their cars where it is not allowed]

The police also use surveillance /səˈveɪləns/ techniques, including CCTV (closed-circuit television) to monitor public areas such as town centres and airports. [television system sending signals to a limited number of screens]

C ‣ Other types of policing

C ‣ Other types of policing

security forces: often a name for the army and police working together

plain-clothes police: police who do not wear uniform

undercover police: police who are working secretly, using a false identity

drug squad: police specially trained to fight the illegal drug trade

anti-corruption squad: police specially trained to discover and fight bribery/corruption [dishonest behaviour usually involving using money illegally to gain favours]

cybercrime: computer crime (there are many types, including cyberterrorism, cyberwarfare, phishing = tricking people on the internet to give up personal information, particularly bank account details)

Common mistakes

Police is a plural word: The police are trying to combat crime.

Favorite Books

English Vocabulary in Use Elementary

The words you need to communicate with confidence. Vocabulary explanations and practice for elementary level (A2) learners of English. Perfect for both self-study and classroom activities. Quickly expand your vocabulary with 60 units of easy to understand explanations and practice exercises.

English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and Intermediate

The words you need to communicate with confidence. Vocabulary explanations and practice for pre-intermediate and intermediate level (B1) learners of English. Perfect for both self-study and classroom activities. Quickly expand your vocabulary with 100 units of easy to understand explanations and practice exercises.

English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate

The words you need to communicate with confidence. Vocabulary explanations and practice for Upper-intermediate level (B2) learners of English. Perfect for both self-study and classroom activities. Quickly expand your vocabulary with over 100 units of easy to understand explanations and practice exercises.

Table of Contents