Comprehension Practice

Exercise 1. Comment on the statements based on the text you’ve read. While doing the task, you should, first, say which of the statements are true, which are partly true and which are false, and then elaborate on them.

1. Postal outlets meet the customers’ need for a variety of services.

2. At the Post Office one can only receive mail and send it off.

3.With the arrival of e-mail the volume of mail delivered has declined sharply.

4. At the Post Office you buy stamps, postcards, note-paper and envelopes, stamped envelopes, postal orders and different forms.

5. There is no need to moisten stamps when you stick it on a prepaid envelope.

6. Prepaid envelopes are costly and inconvenient.

7. Addressing the letter correctly ensures quick delivery.

8. With the advanced letter sorting technology it does not matter whether the address format is structured consistently or not.

9. Postcode is the first item in the address.

10. The address lines should be parallel to the bottom of the envelope and each line should start at the same point on the right hand side.

11. The sender’s address is placed in the top left corner of the envelope.

12. There is no way the customer can withdraw his mail.

13. There are no ways to ensure safe delivery.

14. There are few benefits of Registered Post.

15. The delivery confirmation card is signed by the addressee or a nominated person on their behalf and returned by post to the sender.

16. There is no confirmation on the domestic person-to-person delivery.

17. A custom’s declaration is completed when sending documentation.

Exercise 2. Answer the following questions about the text.

1. What operations does the Post Office handle?

2. What types of envelopes and stamps are there for the customer’s convenience?

3. What for have the addressing guidelines been developed?

4. What is the typical layout of the envelope?

5. Registered Post is the safest, isn’t it?

6. What are the benefits of Registered Post? What do they guarantee?

Exercise 3. Find the following words in the text and paraphrase sentences in which they are used.

the most trusted access point	prepaid envelopes	peel-and-stick stamps
addressing guidelines	an addressee	a sender
an insurance cover	domestic person-to-person delivery	a minor
a nominated person		on smb’s behalf

Vocabulary Practice

Exercise 1. Fill the gaps in the following sentences.

1. Whether you want to pay bills, ……, ……, ……, or ……, postal outlets can meet your service need.

2. At the Post Office you buy stamps, ….., ……, …… and …… and obtain ……… and different forms …………..

3. For the customer’s convenience, …….. envelopes or ……. stamps can be purchased from postal ………

4. Prepaid envelopes are the convenient, …… way to post letters.

5. Modern Post uses advanced ……. …… technology to read the address on each envelope electronically.

6. The customer can …… mail that has been sent before it is delivered.

7. To ensure safe delivery one may send letters ………

8. One of the benefits of Registered Post is insurance ….. of up to $100.

9. You can obtain and fill …… a …… …… card and send it with your Registered Post article.

10. This card is signed by the addressee, then …… and returned to the …….. by post.

11. If the person …… in the address can not for some reason sign the delivery confirmation card, they can provide for ….. ……… to sign …….. ………. ………

12. Senders may ……. Registered Post International envelopes at any Post Office.

Exercise 2. Supply words and expressions which fit the following definitions and make sentences with them.

1. ‘a building for postal business’

2. ‘a man who carries letters’

3. ‘payment for postal services’

4. ‘envelope with a printed postage stamp’

5. ‘printed paper with spaces to be filled in’

6. ‘the person to whom the letter is addressed’

7. ‘government system of collecting, carrying and delivering letters and parcels’

8. ‘letter sent by special post, paying an extra charge and getting a receipt for insurance’

9. ‘receive the money sent by post or telegraph’

10. ‘special stamps that do not need moistening to make them sticky’

11. ‘to call mail back before it is delivered’

12. ‘a card which gives proof of delivery’

13. ‘(formal) to put the letter at a Post Office’

14. ‘a street container for collecting outgoing mail’

Exercise 3. Translate the following sentences into English.

1. Почтовые операции проводятся либо на почтамте, либо в почтовых отделениях

2. На почте можно купить марки, конверты, почтовые открытки, писчую бумагу.

3. Для писем до востребования есть специальное отделение, куда человек обращается, предъявив (to present) документ.

4. Авиапочта - очень удобный вид доставки, особенно если письмо нужно отправить в отдаленный пункт.

5. По почте можно отправить не только письмо, но и денежный перевод.

6. В Британии адрес отправителя обычно пишут внизу, а адрес получателя следует писать разборчиво в центре.

7. Электронная почта и другие виды электронных сообщений не снижают объем почтовой корреспонденции.

8. В случае утраты заказного письма страховое возмещение может составлять до 100$.