#0996 - Importing Goods to the U.S, - Ang, mater, ESL Podcast McQuillan Jeff mp3+PDF
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//-->English as a Second Language Podcastwww.eslpod.comESL Podcast 996 – Importing Goods to the U.S.GLOSSARYto sit on pins and needles– to be very anxious, nervous, and worried,especially while waiting for something to happen* Jan’s husband was sitting on pins and needles during her surgery.goods– products; items that are produced, bought, and sold* If our suppliers can’t deliver the goods by Friday, we won’t be able to open ournew store on Monday.to clear– to complete a process and be approved so that one can pass throughand no longer be subject to certain requirements or regulations* As soon as this budget is cleared by the executives, we can beginimplementation.customs– the process of checking for illegal items and collecting taxes on legalitems being brought into a country, as well as the agency or departmentresponsible for that work* You can take a personal computer through customs, but if you take severalcomputers, they’ll think you’re planning to sell them and you’ll have to pay a fee.crate– a large wooden or plastic box with an open top and holes in the sidesand bottom, usually used to transport bottles, fruits, or vegetables* How many crates of peaches can you pick in one day?to be released– to be freed from some restrictions or limitations and allowed tomove forward or proceed* Once the money is released by the accounting department, we can usuallymailed out payments within two business days.paperwork– documents that have to be completed, usually in order to obtainpermission from the government in order to do or have something* I never realized how much paperwork would be involved in starting a newbusiness.red tape– inconvenient and difficult rules or requirements that make it difficult todo something* Adopting a child internationally is difficult to do. There is a lot of red tape.to import– to bring something into a country so that it can be sold there* The United States imports a lot of cars from Japan and Germany.1These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2014). Posting ofthese materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.English as a Second Language Podcastwww.eslpod.comESL Podcast 996 – Importing Goods to the U.S.tariff– a tax on products that enter a country and that must be paid before theycan be sold* Tariffs can be used to protect domestic manufacturers from being underpricedby international competitors.free-trade agreement– an official document signed by two or more countriesthat have agreed to import and export goods without charging tariffs or othertaxes on them, used to encourage greater trade and economic growth* Many people are opposed to the free-trade agreement because they think itmeans having fewer jobs in this country.to export– to send something out of a country so that it can be sold in anothercountry* Instead of exporting low-value raw materials, we should be exporting high-value, finished products.duty-free– tax-free; not having to pay any tariffs or taxes* Whenever Kip flies internationally, he buys cigarettes and perfume in the duty-free shop inside the airport.spirits– alcoholic drinks* Many cities have made it illegal to buy or sell spirits on Sunday.tax rate– the percentage of a price or value that is charged as tax* The local sales tax rate is 7.4%.to vary– to differ; to have different values or amounts in different locations orcircumstances* How many miles Alinda runs each week varies depending on how much timeand energy she has.to fret– to worry about something, especially something that one does not havecontrol over* Tanner spends too much time fretting over his investments.to have access to– to be able to reach or have something; to be allowed tohave or do something* Bryan will be out of the office next week, but he will have access to hisvoicemail and email in case anything urgent comes up.2These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2014). Posting ofthese materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.English as a Second Language Podcastwww.eslpod.comESL Podcast 996 – Importing Goods to the U.S.COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS1.a)b)c)Why is Muriel sitting on pins and needles?Because she is very worried about something.Because she has an uncomfortable chair.Because she is spending a lot of money in customs.2. What does Muriel mean when she says, “You have no idea how much redtape there is”?a) He doesn’t understand how expensive the process is.b) He doesn’t understand how many people are involved.c) He doesn’t understand how many regulations there are.______________WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?to be releasedThe phrase “to be released,” in this podcast, means to be freed from somerestrictions or limitations and allowed to move forward or proceed: “Due to thesnowstorm, all employees are released from their regular duties for the rest ofthe day and may go home early.” The phrase “to be released” also means to freesomeone from jail so that he or she can leave: “If those criminals are released,they’ll just commit more crimes.” When a movie is “released,” is it made availableto the public for viewing: “When was that film released on DVD?” Finally, the verb“to release” can simply mean to let go of something and stop holding it so that itreturns to its normal position: “Release the brake on the car slowly.”spiritsIn this podcast, the word “spirits” means alcoholic drinks: “Their kitchen isstocked with rum, whisky, gin, vodka, and other spirits.” The phrase “high spirits”describes a good mood: “Why are you in such high spirits today? Did you receivesome good news?” The word “spirits” can also refer to ghosts: “Shania says thatspirits haunt the third floor of this old house, but I don’t believe in ghosts.” Thephrase “that’s the spirit” shows approval of what someone is saying or doing, butsometimes it is used sarcastically: “When Devon said, ‘I guess I can try,’ hisfriend said, ‘That’s the spirit!’” Finally, the phrase “to get into the spirit of(something)” means to begin to feel excited and happy about something,especially so that one can participate: “It took Shane a long time to get into thespirit of the party and start having fun.”3These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2014). Posting ofthese materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.English as a Second Language Podcastwww.eslpod.comESL Podcast 996 – Importing Goods to the U.S.CULTURE NOTEHarmonized Tariff Schedule for the United StatesThe Harmonized Tariff Schedule for the United States is a detailed “schedule”(list) of nearly all products that may be imported into the United States, as well astheir “tariff classifications” (groups having to pay specific tax rates). The Schedule“assigns” (gives; names) a “10-digit” (with 10 numerals) number to goods basedon their name, use, and “make-up” (what something is made from).The Schedule has 22 sections and 99 chapters, and finding a specific type ofproduct can be “daunting” (intimidating because something is very difficult). Forexample, the first part of Section “XI” (11 in Roman numerals) looks like this:Section XI: “Textile” (items made from cloth) and Textile ArticlesChapter 50Chapter 51Chapter 52Chapter 53Chapter 54Chapter 55Chapter 56Chapter 57Chapter 58“Silk” (very fine fabric made from the “cocoons” (shelters for larvabefore they become butterflies) of silkworms)Wool, fine or coarse animal hair; horsehair yarn and woven fabricCottonOther vegetable textile fibers; paper yarn and woven fabric of paperyarnMan-made “filaments” (thin thread-like objects)Man-made “staple fibers” (wool, cotton, hemp, and other naturalsubstances that can be made into yarn)“Wadding” (soft, thick material often used for packing fragile items),felt and nonwovens; special yarns, twine, cordage, ropes andcables and articles “thereof” (part of the things just mentioned)Carpets and other textile floor coveringsSpecial woven fabrics; tufted textile fabrics; “lace” (delicate fabricwith many holes, often used for women’s “lingerie” (sexyunderwear)), “tapestries” (woven pieces of art hung on the wall);trimmings; embroidery______________Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – a; 2 – c4These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2014). Posting ofthese materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.English as a Second Language Podcastwww.eslpod.comESL Podcast 996 – Importing Goods to the U.S.COMPLETE TRANSCRIPTWelcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 996 – ImportingGoods to the U.S.This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 996. I’m your host, Dr.Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development inbeautiful Los Angeles, California.Go to our website at ESLPod.com. Become a member of ESL Podcast anddownload the Learning Guide for this episode. This episode is a dialoguebetween Muriel and Daniel about importing, or bringing into the United States,goods – things to sell. Let’s get started.[start of dialogue]Daniel: You look like you’re sitting on pins and needles.Muriel: I am. I’m waiting to hear if our goods have cleared customs yet. We’re inbig trouble if our 50 crates aren’t released soon.Daniel: You’ve filled out the proper paperwork. What could go wrong?Muriel: You have no idea how much red tape there is when importing goods tothe U.S. There are all kinds of rules to follow, and we have to pay the correcttariffs.Daniel: But I thought we had a free-trade agreement with Niebuhrland. All goodsimported from and exported to Niebuhrland should be duty-free.Muriel: Most things are duty-free, but not everything. There are tariffs on spirits,and the tax rate varies depending on the type of spirits. It’s all very confusing.Daniel: Well, sitting here fretting won’t do any good.Muriel: If only I had access to those 50 crates of spirits . . .[end of dialogue]Daniel begins our dialogue by saying, “You look like you’re sitting on pins andneedles.” Daniel is talking to Muriel. The expression “to be sitting on pins (pins)and needles (needles)” means to be very nervous, to be worried, to be anxious,5These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2014). Posting ofthese materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.
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