Table of Contents
Saudi Arabia will open a shop in Riyadh to sell alcohol. This is the first alcohol shop in 70 years. The shop is for non–Muslim diplomats only. Saudi Arabia hopes the shop will stop illegal alcohol sales.
The country banned alcohol in 1952. This happened after a king’s son was drunk and killed a British diplomat.
The new shop will have rules.
- Customers have to ask the government to visit.
- Customers must be over 21.
- Customers must wear nice clothes.
- Someone can’t buy alcohol for the customer.
- Alcohol limits per month.
Alcohol rules in Saudi Arabia are very serious. If someone has or drinks alcohol, they can be punished in different ways.
Countries near Saudi Arabia also have serious alcohol rules. But the UAE and Qatar allow non-Muslims over 21 to buy alcohol in places like hotels and bars.
Vocabulary
- Non – not; no
- Muslim – a person who follows the religion of Islam; relating to Muslims or the religion or Islam; ☪️
- Diplomat – A representative/person of a country who works with other countries; a government worker who works in a foreign country
- 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
- Ban – to not allow; to stop; to forbid; prohibit;
- Drunk – Having drunk too much alcohol; act/behave differently because of too much alcohol
- Kill – To make something or someone stop living; murder
- Rule – A guideline or regulation; sometimes a law; A guide that tells us what we should or shouldn’t do
- Customer – A person who buys things from a store
- 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
- Limit – a boundary or restriction; the maximum allowed;
- Punish – discipline; penalize; To make someone suffer for doing something wrong by hurting them, forcing them to pay money, or sending them to prison
- Allow – permit; let; to give permission; OK
Discussion Questions
- What do you think about Saudi Arabia’s opening a store that sells alcohol?
- The shop is only for non-Muslim diplomats. How do you feel about this?
- What do you think about the rules of the new shop?
- Do you know the punishments for drinking alcohol in Saudi Arabia?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
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Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
Saudi Arabia will _____ a shop in Riyadh to sell alcohol. This is the first alcohol shop in _____ years. The shop is for non-Muslim diplomats _____. Saudi Arabia hopes the shop will stop illegal _____ sales.
The country banned alcohol in _____. This happened after a king’s son was drunk and killed a _____ diplomat.
The new shop will have rules.
- _____ have to ask the government to visit.
- Customers must be over _____.
- Customers must wear nice clothes.
- _____ can’t buy alcohol for the customer.
- Alcohol limits per _____.
Alcohol rules in Saudi Arabia are very _____. If someone has or drinks alcohol, they can be punished in _____ ways.
Countries near Saudi Arabia also _____ serious alcohol rules. But the UAE and Qatar _____non-Muslims over 21 to buy alcohol in places like _____ and bars.
