Url: http://news.bbc.co.uk
Useful phrases:
"nothing more than the fear of those who are different
who don't share our values
law could be found unconstitutional
MP - Member of Parliament
New words:
headscarf (headscarves) - a square of fabric worn by women as a covering for the head, often folded into a triangle and knotted under the chin
veil - veɪl - a covering of very thin transparent material worn, especially by women, to protect or hide the face, or as part of a hat, etc. :
Example: full veil
point out - If you point out an object or place, you make people look at it or show them where it is.
Example: The ban has strong public support but critics point out that only a tiny minority of French Muslims wear the full veil.
backed - имеющий основу, поддержку
Example: President Nicolas Sarkozy has backed the ban
pander to sth/sb - (disapproving) to do what sb wants, or try to please them, especially when this is not acceptable or reasonabl
Example: but critics say the government is pandering to far-right voters.
niqab - nɪ'kɑːb - a veil worn by some Muslim women, covering all of the face and having two holes for the eyes
hijab - hiː'ʤɑːb - a head covering worn in public by some Muslim women
burka - 'bɜːkə - a long loose piece of clothing that covers the whole body, including the head and face, worn in public by Muslim women in some countries
al-amira - The al-amira is a two-piece veil. It consists of a close fitting cap, usually made from cotton or polyester, and an accompanying tube-like scarf.
shayla - The shayla is a long, rectangular scarf popular in the Gulf region. It is wrapped around the head and tucked or pinned in place at the shoulders.
khimar - The khimar is a long, cape-like veil that hangs down to just above the waist. It covers the hair, neck and shoulders completely, but leaves the face clear.
chador - ʧɑː'dɔː - The chador, worn by many Iranian women when outside the house, is a full-body cloak. It is often accompanied by a smaller headscarf underneath.
envisage - ɪnˈvɪzɪdʒ - to imagine what will happen in the future
Example: It envisages fines of 150 euros (£119) for women who break the law and 30,000 euros and a one-year jail term for men who force their wives to wear the burka.
thrive - θraɪv - to become, and continue to be, successful, strong, healthy, etc.
Example: "Democracy thrives when it is open-faced," Ms Alliot-Marie told the National Assembly when she presented the bill last week.
watchdog - 'wächˌdôg - a person or group of people whose job is to check that companies are not doing anything illegal or ignoring people's rights.
Example: If the bill passes the Senate in September, it will be sent immediately to France's Constitutional Council watchdog for a ruling.
