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Customs Officials Government Careers

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Customs Officials
Print Customs Officials Reading Comprehension


Reading Level

	edHelper's suggested reading level:	grades 7 to 9
	Flesch-Kincaid grade level:	8.37

Vocabulary

	challenging words:		oriental, smuggle, observant, happening, merchandise, smugglers, import, prohibit, official, government, assess, examination, foreign, banned, career, illegal
	content words:		United States, Customs Inspectors, Border Protection, Homeland Security, CBP Law Enforcement Explorer Program

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Customs Officials By Phyllis Naegeli

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¹     Smugglers try to bring illegal items into the United States every day. People who travel to foreign countries sometimes try to avoid paying duty taxes on items they purchase on vacation. Some people try to enter our country illegally. Who prevents these things from happening? This is the job of U.S. Customs Inspectors.
 
²     Customs officials and border patrol agents work at entry points to America. This includes airports, seaports, and our borders with Mexico and Canada. They work to prevent people from illegally entering America from foreign countries and inspect items brought into the United States. They also work to prevent illegal drugs and terrorists from coming to America. They inspect vehicles, luggage, and people. Inspectors must be very observant. Many tricks are used to smuggle both people and items into our country.
 
³     American citizens who travel to other countries also encounter customs officials. When people travel, they may purchase items to bring home. This merchandise must be declared. Customs officials inspect items and receipts to assess a duty tax. A person may bring eight hundred dollars worth of merchandise into America without paying a duty tax. Some people try to hide expensive items to avoid paying this tax. Sometimes people try to bring banned items to the U.S. Our laws prohibit certain types of plants, foods, animals, and their products from coming into our country. These laws are for our protection. Plants and foods may carry harmful insects or diseases. Customs officials check carefully to make sure proper taxes are paid and banned items do not come into our country.

Paragraphs 4 to 7:
For the complete story with questions: click here for printable

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American Government         Black History and Blacks in U.S. History         Children in History         Government Careers         Hispanic Heritage         How Can I Help?

Immigration         National Parks and Monuments         Native Americans         Presidents of the United States         Women's History

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United States History

A Nation Divided (1840-1861)         A New Nation (1776-1830)         After the Civil War (1865-1870)         American Revolution         Cold War (1947-1991)         Colonial America (1492-1776)         Lewis and Clark (1804-1806)         Pearl Harbor         Spanish American War (1898)         The 1890's         The 1900's         The 1910's         The 1920's         The 1930's

The 1940's         The 1950's         The 1960's         The 1970's         The 1980's         The 1990's         The 2000's         The Civil War (1861-1865)         The Great Depression (1929-1945)         The United States Grows (1865-1900)         The War of 1812         Wild, Wild West         World War I (1914-1918)         World War II

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