Lesson 37: Cross-Border Efforts to Curb Illegal Trade

LET'S UNLOCK WORDS AND PHRASES 🔐

banish

[ 'ban-ish ]

- to get rid of something permanently or send someone away as punishment

The government aims to banish harmful trade practices through stricter laws.

capture

[ 'kap-cher ]

- to catch or seize someone or something

The authorities used advanced systems to capture smugglers at the border.

classify

[ 'klas-uh-fahy ]

- to arrange or organize items into specific groups or categories

Officials worked to classify contraband goods based on their type and origin.

commit

[ kuh-'mit ]

- to carry out or perform an action, usually a crime

Those who commit illegal trade often use fake documents to hide their activities.

conceal

[ kuhn-'seel ]

- to hide or keep something from being seen or discovered

The smugglers concealed their illegal activities behind legitimate businesses.

condemn

[ kuhn-'dem ]

- to express strong disapproval of something or someone, especially for wrongdoing

Officials condemn those who minimize the seriousness of their crimes.

confess

[ kuhn-'fes ]

- to admit to doing something wrong or illegal

The offenders eventually confessed to their crimes under pressure from investigators.

confine

[ 'kuhn-fahyn 'kon-fahyn ]

- to restrict or keep someone within limits

Critics argue that stricter policies confine innocent people without sufficient evidence.

convict

[ kuhn-vikt ]

- to declare someone guilty of a crime in a court of law

Authorities struggled to convict those who managed to evade legal scrutiny.

convince

[ kuhn-'vins ]

- to persuade someone to believe or agree to something

Officials are determined to convince the public of the need for stricter measures.

cover up

[ kuhv-er uhp ]

- hide the truth about something, especially wrongdoing

The offenders tried to cover up their crimes by altering documents.

detect

[ dih-'tekt ]

- to discover or notice something, especially something hidden.

Authorities managed to detect illegal activities through advanced surveillance.

disguise

[ dis-'gahyz, dih-'skahyz ]

- to give something or someone a false appearance to hide their true nature

Criminals often disguise their illegal activities as legitimate business operations.

duck

[ duhk ]

- to avoid or evade something, often in a clever or deceitful way

Offenders managed to duck legal scrutiny despite strong evidence against them.

file

[ fahyl ]

- to officially submit a document or charge for legal or formal purposes

Authorities filed charges against the offenders for altering documents.

forbid

[ fer-'bid, fawr- ]

- to officially prohibit or make something illegal

International cooperation focuses on forbidding unethical trade practices.

LET'S LISTEN! 🎧

Direction: Listen to the news and answer the comprehension questions below.

Lesson 37

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. What are governments doing to fight illegal trade networks?

2. How do criminals hide their illegal activities?

3. Why do some groups criticize the new security measures?

4. What is the main goal of stricter policies against illegal trade?

LET'S PRACTICE 🎬

SITUATION

You are explaining illegal trade to a classmate.
TASKS

Task 1: Use the vocabulary words to describe how criminals hide their activities. Student Example: "Criminals often disguise their activities as legal businesses and conceal evidence by altering documents to avoid being detected."

Task 2: Pretend to ask your teacher why it is important to convict criminals who commit illegal trade.

Task 3: Talk with a classmate about why stricter policies are necessary to prevent illegal trade.

LET'S DISCUSS

Why is it important for governments to take action against illegal trade?
What challenges do authorities face when trying to detect and stop smuggling?
How can international cooperation improve efforts to banish illegal trade?
Do you think stricter policies are always fair, or can they harm innocent people? Why?
What role does technology play in fighting illegal activities like smuggling?