Saudi Arabia will open first alcohol shop in more than 70 years
Listen to story (New Zealand accent)
Saudi Arabia announced plans to open a special store in its capital, Riyadh, that will sell alcohol.
It will be the first store to sell alcohol in Saudi Arabia in more than 70 years.
The store is planned to open in Riyadh's Diplomatic Quarter and is only for non-Muslim diplomatic staff. Diplomatic staff have been bringing alcohol into the country for years. Saudi Arabia hopes the shop will stop people from buying and selling alcohol illegally.
Alcohol has been banned in the country since 1952 when one of King Abdulaziz's sons shot and killed a British diplomat while drunk.
The store, which might open soon, will have some rules.
- Customers need to request government approval before going to the shop.
- Only people over 21 years old can enter.
- Proper clothing is required.
- Customers cannot send another person into the shop to buy something.
- Monthly limits of alcohol.
This store is only for diplomatic staff and not for regular people visiting or living in Saudi Arabia. The laws for alcohol in Saudi Arabia are very strict. If someone has or drinks alcohol, they can be fined, put in jail, publicly whipped, or sent out of the country if they’re a visitor.
These changes are part of "Vision 2030," Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s plan to make Saudi society more open.
Saudi Arabia’s neighbors have similar rules against alcohol. However, the UAE and Qatar allow alcohol sales to non-Muslims over 21 years old in places like hotels and bars.
Vocabulary30 words
- Announce
- share information openly; to tell the public; to make a statement; to report
- Capital
- the most important city or town of a country or region, usually the location of the government
- Diplomatic
- involving or connected to diplomats or the management of the relationships between countries:
- Quarter
- A part of a town or city
- Muslim
- a person who follows the religion of Islam; relating to Muslims or the religion or Islam
- Staff
- The people who work for a company or organization; workers
- Hope
- something good that you want to happen in the future; a confident feeling about what will happen in the future; wish
- Illegal
- not allowed by law; forbidden by official rules; unlawful; criminal
- Banned
- not allowed; stopped; forbidden; prohibited;
- Shoot
- To fire a gun; when you use a gun to make bullets go out and hit something
- Diplomat
- A representative/person of a country who works with other countries
- Drunk
- Having drunk too much alcohol
- Request
- to ask for something
- Government
- the group of people who have the authority to make and enforce laws and manage a country or region; the people/group that manage and operate a country
- Approval
- the action of approving; acceptance; to give the OK; agreement
- Proper
- the right way to do something; suitable; correct
- Required
- necessary; have to; obligatory; mandatory; needed
- Monthly
- every month; once a month
- Limit
- a boundary or restriction; the maximum allowed;
- Law
- a rule, regulation, or guideline set by the government
- Strict
- severe; harsh; no flexibility; exact; strong
- Fine
- a penalty or punishment you have to pay with money
- Jail
- a place where people are held/kept as punishment for a crime; a building for bad people
- Publicly
- Doing something where everyone can see or know about it; In a way that can be seen by everyone
- Whip
- To strike/hit using a long, thin piece of leather like a rope with a quick, strong motion
- Saudi
- Something or someone from Saudi Arabia; related to or coming from Saudi Arabia
- Society
- A group of people living together in a community; people considered as a group, or a group of people who live together in a particular social system
- Open
- allowing everyone to share their ideas and information; not secret or hidden
- Neighbor
- a person or country living or located next to another
- Allow
- permit; let; to give permission; OK
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Saudi Arabia _____ plans to open a special store in its capital, Riyadh, _____ will sell alcohol.
It will be the _____ store to sell alcohol in Saudi Arabia in more than _____ years.
The store is _____ to open in Riyadh's Diplomatic Quarter and is only for non-Muslim _____ staff. Diplomatic staff have been bringing alcohol into the country for _____. Saudi Arabia hopes the shop will stop people from _____ and selling alcohol illegally.
_____ has been banned in the country since _____ when one of King Abdulaziz's sons shot and killed a British diplomat while _____.
The store, which might open _____ will have some rules.
- Customers need to request government _____ before going to the shop.
- Only people over 21 years old can enter.
- _____ clothing is required.
- Customers cannot send another person into the _____ to buy something.
- Monthly _____ of alcohol.
This store is _____ for diplomatic staff and not for regular people visiting or _____ in Saudi Arabia. The laws for alcohol in Saudi Arabia are very _____. If someone has or drinks alcohol, they can be fined, _____ in jail, publicly whipped, or sent out of the country if they’re a visitor.
_____ changes are part of "Vision 2030," Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s plan to make Saudi society _____ open.
Saudi Arabia’s _____ have similar rules against alcohol. However, the UAE and Qatar allow alcohol _____ to non-Muslims over 21 years old in places like hotels and _____.
Discussion questions
- What do you think about Saudi Arabia’s decision to open a store that sells alcohol?
- Do you think the alcohol shop will affect Saudi society?
- Do you agree with the rules set for the new store? Why or why not?
- How do you think the strict laws for alcohol in Saudi Arabia compare to those in other countries?
More Other stories
Next story · Medium
Dior bag causes problems for South Korea’s first lady