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At the Customs House
The moment a traveller crosses the border their luggage is taken to the customs-houseby porters. Every country has its own customs regulations, which stipulate what articles are liable to duty and what areduty-free.
Sometimes an article which falls under customs restrictions and is liable to duty is allowed in duty-freeif the traveller does not exceed a certain fixed quota. These are listed in aduty-freequota list. Customs restrictions also include a prohibited articles list. This is a list of items which may not be brought into a country or taken out of it. An official paper (from the proper authorities) giving permission to take items, which fall under special customs restrictions, in or out of a country is known as an import or export license.
If the traveller has any item which comes under customs restrictions he is asked to declare it. That is, he is asked to name the item, stating its value and other particulars. The declaration is made either orally or in writing on a special form. The practice seems to vary in different countries. Upon payment of duty the traveller is given a receipt. As a rule personal effects are duty-free.
It sometimes happens that a passenger’s luggage is carefully gone through in order to prevent smuggling. The formalities at the customs-houseusually take some time. Only after passing through the customs does one realize that their journey is drawing to an end (or beginning, as the case might be).
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1.2.1Answer the following questions:
1)What are the duties of a customs inspector?
2)What is the meaning of the question ”Have you anything to declare” one hears at the customs-houseso often?
3)What is the phrase “ I have nothing to declare” mean?
4)Do customs restrictions vary in different countries?
5)Have you ever gone through a customs inspection? If so relate your experience.
6)What is a duty-freeitem?
7)What do we mean by saying that something is an item liable to duty?
8)Why is smuggling punishable by law?
9)What does the Customs Inspected stamp stand for?
10)Can you name some of the ‘personal effects” one usually takes along on a journey?

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