The Reading / Listening - Veils - Level 2

A law in Austria has banned full-face veils. Muslim women cannot wear a full-face veil in public. The law says faces must be visible from the hairline to the chin. The government said the law is to protect Austrian values. Muslim groups said the law is unfair because it is against human rights and religious freedom. Only a small minority of Austrian Muslims wears full-face veils. The groups say the number is about 150. Officials say the law will damage Austria's economy. Many Muslim tourists might decide not to visit Austria.

Austria is the third European country to ban the veil. France and Belgium introduced bans in 2011. Other European countries could follow. Holland is working on passing a ban. Germany's Angela Merkel said the full-face veil should be banned, "wherever it is legally possible". The Islamic Religious Community in Austria talked about the unfairness of the new law. It said the "handful" of veiled women in Austria are now "criminals" and have to stay in their home. A supporter of the ban said: "It's not right that those living here don't show their faces."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Veils - Level 0 Veils - Level 1   or  Veils - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2017/9/30/austria-burqa-ban-comes-into-force
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41457427
  • http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/01/austrias-burka-ban-comes-force-prohibiting-face-veils-public/


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. faces must be visible from the
  2. the law is to protect
  3. it is against human
  4. Only a small
  5. The groups say the number
  6. the law will damage
  7. Many Muslim
  8. decide not to
  1. Austrian values
  2. tourists might
  3. minority
  4. visit Austria
  5. rights
  6. is about 150
  7. hairline to the chin
  8. Austria's economy

Paragraph 2

  1. the third European country
  2. France and Belgium introduced
  3. Other European countries
  4. Holland is working
  5. wherever it is legally
  6. the unfairness of
  7. A supporter
  8. those living here don't
  1. could follow
  2. the new law
  3. show their faces
  4. of the ban
  5. to ban the veil
  6. possible
  7. bans in 2011
  8. on passing a ban

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A law in Austria (1) ___________________-face veils. Muslim women cannot wear a full-face veil in public. The law says faces (2) ___________________ from the hairline to the chin. The government said (3) ___________________ protect Austrian values. Muslim groups said the law is unfair because it is against human rights and (4) ___________________. Only a small minority of Austrian Muslims wears full-face veils. The groups (5) ___________________ is about 150. Officials say the law will damage Austria's economy. Many Muslim (6) __________________ not to visit Austria.

Austria (7) ___________________ European country to ban the veil. France and Belgium (8) ___________________ in 2011. Other European countries could follow. Holland (9) __________________ passing a ban. Germany's Angela Merkel said the full-face veil should be banned, "wherever it (10) ___________________". The Islamic Religious Community in Austria talked about the unfairness of the new law. It said (11) ___________________ veiled women in Austria are now "criminals" and (12) ___________________ in their home. A supporter of the ban said: "It's not right that those living here don't show their faces."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

AlawinAustriahasbannedfull-faceveils.Muslimwomencannotwearaf
ull-faceveilinpublic.Thelawsaysfacesmustbevisiblefromthehairlin
etothechin.ThegovernmentsaidthelawistoprotectAustrianvalues.M
uslimgroupssaidthelawisunfairbecauseitisagainsthumanrightsandr
eligiousfreedom.OnlyasmallminorityofAustrianMuslimswearsfull-
faceveils.Thegroupssaythenumberisabout150.Officialssaythelawwi
lldamageAustria'seconomy.ManyMuslimtouristsmightdecidenottovi
sitAustria.AustriaisthethirdEuropeancountrytobantheveil.Francean
dBelgiumintroducedbansin2011.OtherEuropeancountriescouldfollo
w.Hollandisworkingonpassingaban.Germany'sAngelaMerkelsaidthe
full-faceveilshouldbebanned,"whereveritislegallypossible".TheIsla
micReligiousCommunityinAustriatalkedabouttheunfairnessofthene
wlaw.Itsaidthe"handful"ofveiledwomeninAustriaarenow"criminals"
andhavetostayintheirhome.Asupporterofthebansaid:"It'snotrightth
atthoselivingheredon'tshowtheirfaces."

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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