The Reading / Listening - Level 5

History was made at the New York Fashion Week. For the first time, there was a collection in which every model wore a hijab on the catwalk. The hijab is the veil worn by Muslim women that covers the head and chest. It has been in the news for being banned in various countries. Muslim designer Anniesa Hasibuan wanted to show how stylish and elegant the hijab is. The 30-year-old Indonesian wowed the fashion world with her creations. She is the first Indonesian to show at a big global fashion event. She received a standing ovation at the end of her display in New York.

More and more fashion designers are using Islamic fashion in their designs. The international clothing company H&M released an advert with a Muslim model in a hijab. Dolce and Gabbana made hijabs aimed at wealthy Muslim customers. Not everyone is happy with the hijab entering mainstream fashion. Some say the new designs are un-Islamic. Dr Eva Nisa, a professor of Islamic Studies, said: "The essence of Muslim dress is to wear something decent, to be modest. For women, they have to make sure what they're wearing doesn't attract the attention of men."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 4 or  Level 6

Sources
    http://
  • www.bbc.com
  • /news/world-asia-37381770 http://
  • www.independent.co.uk
  • /life-style/fashion/new-york-fashion-week-hijab-collection-muslim-designer-anniesa-hasibuan-djakarta-a7310796.html http://
  • www.nydailynews.com
  • /life-style/fashion/muslim-designer-wraps-new-york-fashion-week-all-hijab-runway-article-1.2794712


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. History was made at the
  2. every model wore a hijab
  3. The hijab is the
  4. covers the head
  5. banned in various
  6. show how stylish and
  7. wowed the fashion
  8. She received a standing
  1. elegant the hijab is
  2. and chest
  3. ovation
  4. on the catwalk
  5. world
  6. New York Fashion Week
  7. countries
  8. veil worn by Muslim women

Paragraph 2

  1. more fashion designers are
  2. international clothing
  3. aimed at wealthy
  4. entering mainstream
  5. Some say the new designs
  6. a professor
  7. Muslim dress is to wear
  8. attract the attention
  1. fashion
  2. something decent
  3. using Islamic fashion
  4. of men
  5. company
  6. are un-Islamic
  7. Muslim customers
  8. of Islamic Studies

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

History (1) ___________________ New York Fashion Week. For the first time, there was a collection (2) ___________________ model wore a hijab on the catwalk. The hijab (3) ___________________ by Muslim women that covers the head and chest. It has been in the news for being banned in (4) ___________________. Muslim designer Anniesa Hasibuan wanted to show how stylish (5) ___________________ hijab is. The 30-year-old Indonesian wowed the fashion world with her creations. She is the first Indonesian to show at a big global fashion event. She received (6) ___________________ at the end of her display in New York.

More (7) ___________________ designers are using Islamic fashion in their designs. The international clothing company H&M (8) __________________ with a Muslim model in a hijab. Dolce and Gabbana made hijabs aimed at wealthy Muslim customers. Not (9) ___________________ with the hijab entering mainstream fashion. Some say (10) ___________________ are un-Islamic. Dr Eva Nisa, a professor of Islamic Studies, said: "The essence of Muslim dress is to wear something decent, (11) ___________________. For women, they have to make sure what they're wearing doesn't (12) ___________________ of men."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

HistorywasmadeattheNewYorkFashionWeek.Forthefirsttime,there
wasacollectioninwhicheverymodelworeahijabonthecatwalk.Thehija
bistheveilwornbyMuslimwomenthatcoverstheheadandchest.Ithasb
eeninthenewsforbeingbannedinvariouscountries.MuslimdesignerAn
niesaHasibuanwantedtoshowhowstylishandelegantthehijabis.The3
0-year-oldIndonesianwowedthefashionworldwithhercreation
s.SheisthefirstIndonesiantoshowatabigglobalfashionevent.Sherece
ivedastandingovationattheendofherdisplayinNewYork.Moreandmor
efashiondesignersareusingIslamicfashionintheirdesigns.Theinterna
tionalclothingcompanyH&MreleasedanadvertwithaMuslimmodelina
hijab.DolceandGabbanamadehijabsaimedatwealthyMuslimcustom
ers.Noteveryoneishappywiththehijabenteringmainstreamfashion.S
omesaythenewdesignsareun-Islamic.DrEvaNisa,aprofessorofIslam
icStudies,said:"TheessenceofMuslimdressistowearsomethingdecen
t,tobemodest.Forwomen,theyhavetomakesurewhatthey'rewearing
doesn'tattracttheattentionofmen."

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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