Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. criminalize (v.) [krim-uh-nl-ahyz] – to make an act punishable by the law; to make something illegal
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. criminalize (v.) [krim-uh-nl-ahyz] – to make an act punishable by the law; to make something illegal
Example: The city government announced
it will criminalize smoking in public
places.
2. jail time (n.
phrase) [jeyl tahym] – the time spent in prison
Example: A criminal’s jail time depends on the seriousness of
his crime.
3. abhorrence (n.) [ab-hawr-uhns, -hor-] – strong hatred or dislike of something
Example: The law against slavery
resulted from the government’s abhorrence
of human rights’ abuses.
4. spouse (n.) [spous, spouz] – a person’s partner in marriage
Example: One should be careful in
choosing the right person to become his or her spouse.
5. discourage (v.) [dih-skur-ij, -skuhr-] – to make someone not want to continue with
an activity
Example: The government discourages people from doing
crimes by creating punishments.
Article
Read the text below.
A new law in
England and Wales will criminalize
and punish parents who are guilty of forcing their children to marry. Those
who commit this offense will be punished with jail time of about two years.
UK prime minister
David Cameron strongly believes forced marriage is similar to slavery. Home
Secretary Theresa May also expressed her
abhorrence of forced marriage. She said making it illegal will show that the
government does not take this crime lightly.
She said that a £500,000
fund will be dedicated to raise awareness in schools and other agencies. The
government will also start an advertising campaign that will emphasize the
right to choose a spouse.
The new law will also
differentiate forced marriage from arranged marriage. In arranged
marriage, individuals still have the choice to continue or to refuse the
union.
Critics of the forced
marriage law say that it might discourage
victims from reporting their guilty relatives because victims would not want their
family members to have criminal records. However, Cameron has stated that careful
protection and support would be given for victims in each case, and when
possible, criminal charges would also be avoided.
The law is well-accepted
by Freedom, a charity that is strongly against abuse and forced marriage. Freedom’s
founder Aneeta Prem said human rights are violated by forced marriage and it
can also result in other serious crimes such as kidnapping, rape and murder.
|
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
·
Why do you think some parents force their
children into marriage?
·
How do you think parents should help their
children when it comes to marriage? Should parents still help their children
choose spouses? Why or why not?
Discussion B
·
Do you believe that being “in love” is necessary for
a good marriage? Why or why not? What other factors should two people consider
before getting married?
·
Can you give some reasons why marriage is
important?
