Unlocking Word
Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in
today’s article.
1. comply
(v.) [kuhm-plahy] – to obey rules, demands, or requests
Example: He complied when he was asked to
leave.
2. lobby
(v.) [lob-ee] – to urge the approval of a bill or a law
Example: Majority of the senators lobbied for
a revised health care law.
3. enact
(v.) [en-akt] – to make a bill or other legislation officially become part of the law
Example: The congress has enacted a new tax law.
4. subject
(v.) [n., adj. suhb-jikt; v. suhb-jekt] – to bring under a rule, control or authority
Example: The best soldiers were subjected to
discipline.
5. attire
(n.) [uh-tahyuhr] – clothes for a special purpose
Example: The guests looked very dashing in
their formal attire.
Article
Read the text below.
A lawmaker from Florida handed out leather belts
to students returning to school last August to help them comply with a new law against wearing saggy pants in campus.
For six years, Democratic State Senator Gary
Siplin of Orlando lobbied for the
so-called Pull Your Pants Up law before it was finally enacted last spring. Aside from saggy pants, the law also bans
shirts exposing girls’ stomachs. The law subjects
violators to up to three days of suspension from school and up to 30 days
suspension from extracurricular activities.
This fashion trend involves wearing pants so low
that the underwear is exposed. It is strongly influenced by prison attire and rap and hip-hop music.
Because of this style’s association to some
minority groups in the US, Senator Siplin had to battle out objections from
the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People. These organizations contend that the law
violates personal freedom and targets minority students from other races.
In defense, Senator Siplin explained that
dressing professionally influences children to set higher goals, such as attending
college. He added that walking down the street showing one's behind is
uncivilized and turns off potential employers
Students had mixed reactions to the law. Some
also saw wearing saggy pants as unattractive and a negative influence to
younger children. Others argued that the government should stay out of
students’ fashion choices since they come to school to study, not to dress
up.
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Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion
A
·
Do
you think the type of clothes that a person wears reveal his/her character?
Explain your answer.
·
What
do you think about the way young people today dress up?
Discussion
B
·
What
makes an attire inappropriate?
·
What
types of clothes do you NOT see yourself wearing? Are there any types of
clothes that you wish to wear but you could not?