Who is (was) to fill in these blank forms?
The captain is (was).
80
1. The customs officer was to seal up the hold. 2. They are to pay import duties on these goods. 3. The customs officers were under duty to search the ship. 4. The chief steward is to attend to this business. 5. Our agent is to arrange this matter.
III. Listen to the short dialogues, repeat each sentence during the pauses and learn the dialogues by heart:
"We've used up all the cigarettes you left us under the quota. We need some more now."
"Oh, I see. Do you want me to unseal the storeroom?" "Yes, please. We want to take our daily quota."
***
"Will you fill in this blank form, please?" "It's for entering your ship outwards."
"I see. What particulars shall I fill in?" "It's all written here, but I can help you." "Oh, thank you!"
IV. Listen to each of the long dialogues again and retell briefly their contents from the point of view of: (a) one speaker, (b) the other speaker, (c) an onlooker.
Make your partner ask you about some details which you missed.
V. Write the dictation:
Every country imposes import duties on some goods brought into the country. The Customs House is the Department of Government which collects these duties. The customs officers are to attend to this business. They see to all formalities that must be fulfilled. Smuggling of goods is a secret bringing of goods without paying import taxes. The customs officers are to prevent smuggling. For
81
this purpose they come aboard ships, check and place the surplus stores under seal, search for unentered goods and assist to fill in all official documents.
According to the Port Regulations every ship must be reported to the Customs on arrival. The ship must be entered inwards before she starts discharging her cargo. In other words, she must be cleared in. Before she can start loading the goods in this port she must be entered outwards. These formalities are usually done by the ship's agent. The captain is required to do a lot of other things in this connection. He is required to fill in and sign some documents, to present the necessary ship's papers and to see to it that everything is in good order.