ESL Podcast 996 - Importing Goods to the U.S
to 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 our new store on Monday.
to clear - to complete a process and be approved so that one can pass through and no longer be subject to certain requirements or regulations
As soon as this budget is cleared by the executives, we can begin implementation.
customs - the process of checking for illegal items and collecting taxes on legal items being brought into a country, as well as the agency or department responsible for that work
You can take a personal computer through customs, but if you take several computers, 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 sides and 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 to move forward or proceed
Once the money is released by the accounting department, we can usually mailed out payments within two business days.
paperwork - documents that have to be completed, usually in order to obtain permission from the government in order to do or have something
I never realized how much paperwork would be involved in starting a new business.
red tape - inconvenient and difficult rules or requirements that make it difficult to do 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.
tariff - a tax on products that enter a country and that must be paid before they can be sold
Tariffs can be used to protect domestic manufacturers from being underpriced by international competitors.
free-trade agreement - an official document signed by two or more countries that have agreed to import and export goods without charging tariffs or other taxes on them, used to encourage greater trade and economic growth
Many people are opposed to the free-trade agreement because they think it means having fewer jobs in this country.
to export - to send something out of a country so that it can be sold in another country
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 or circumstances
How many miles Alinda runs each week varies depending on how much time and energy she has.
to fret - to worry about something, especially something that one does not have control 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 to have or do something
Bryan will be out of the office next week, but he will have access to his voicemail and email in case anything urgent comes up.