H☆Mさんの おぼえた日記 - 2018年4月28日(土)

-Lesson 4 / English in Today's World-
[Saudi Arabia to lift ban on women behind the wheel]

Women in Saudi Arabia will soon be allowed to do what other people around the world have been doing for decades: drive. Saudi Arabia's king issued a decree to allow women to drive for the first time. The ban will be lifted by the end of June 2018.

The conservative Muslim state is the only country in the world that forbids women from driving. The long-standing ban has been widely criticized.

Women in the country are excited by the news. But some noted that the country must do more to expand women's rights. "There are many challenges," one activist said. "One of them is increasing women's participation in the workforce by allowing them to have leadership positions in the public sector."

This is the latest move by the Saudi king and crown prince, who have been promoting women's empowerment. Th policy is part of reforms that seek to create an economy less dependent on oil revenues.
Last week, women were allowed into a sports stadium for first time. (2017/9/28, NHK World)


[Discussion]
Sam: It's good to hear that Saudi Arabia is making progress for women's rights in their country.

Hannah: yes, it is, but even so, it sounds like there is still a long way to go. For instance, I had no idea that women were only recently allowed to enter a sports stadium for the first time!

Sam: Sometimes, change is slow in coming. It can be hard for people outside of Saudi Arabia to really grasp the situation the country's citizens are living in.

Hannah: Definitely. I can't imagine living somewhere with a government that would forbid me from driving a car, or holding a leadership position. I definitely want to give my support to Saudi women working for their rights.

Sam: Me too.


◆見出し[Saudi Arabia to lift ban on women behind the wheel]
=Saudi Arabia is going to lift its ban on women (being) behind the wheel.

◆[forbid someone from doing something]「誰かが何かをするのを禁止する」
　⇒[ban/prohibit/bar someone from doing something] 禁止する
　⇒[keep someone from doing something] 誰かが何かをしないようにする
　⇒[stop someone from doing something] 誰かが何かをするのを止める
　⇒[hold back someone from doing something] してはならない行為から誰かを引き離しておく

◆[challenge]「挑戦する/異議を唱える」「挑戦・難題・試練」
　⇒[There are many challenges.] 多くの(難しいが挑戦しがいのある)課題がある
　⇒[She challenged him.] 彼女は彼に正面きって反対した/盾ついた

■[issue]「(決定などを)出す・発表する」
Saudi Arabia's king issued a decree to allow women to drive for the first time.

■[be allowed to-]「～することを許される」
Women in Saudi Arabia will soon be allowed to do what other people around the world have been doing for decades.
　⇒Are we allowed to use Japanese in the classroom?

■[forbid ... from-]「…が～するのを禁止する」
The conservative Muslim state is the only country in the world that forbids women from driving.
　⇒I forbid the kids from using their cellphones after 9 p.m.


[words and phrases]
-[(be) behind the wheel] 運転する(ハンドルの後ろに座る)
-[decree] (王・裁判所などによる)決定=[decision]、命令/法令
-[conservative] 保守的な
-[Muslim] イスラム教(徒)の
-[forbid someone from doing something] 誰かが何かをするのを禁止する
-[note] 注目する/言及する/語る/指摘する/覚書
-[activist] 活動家
-[empowerment]=[power] (力・権限を)与えること
-[dependent on-] ～に頼っている/左右される/依存している
-[revenue] 収入・収益・歳入

-[grasp] しっかり握る/ぎゅっとつかむ/理解する/把握する
　⇒[in the grasp of-] …の手中に
　⇒[grasp the world picture] 全体図を掴む
　⇒[work to grasp the situation] 事態の把握に努める
　⇒[grasp any chance] どんな機会も逃さない
-[give one's support to-] ～を応援する