Reading

1. Look at the picture on next page and say what is happening and what you
think about it. Then, look through the article and underline words which are:
Parts of the body
Parts of the world or nationalities
Names of people
Jobs

2. What do the following time expressions refer to in the article?

Three six weeks
An hour
Two days

3. Now read the article more carefully. As you read, decide which of the
sentences or phrases from A to J fits best in each of the spaces 1-9. There is
an example at the beginning.

A Aileen regulargly travels around Britain for evening henna parties.

B The growth in demand has been wuite incredible, she says.

C The initial effect is very dark and strange.

D Its a reversal of hennas traditional role.

E Suddenly the women have made up their minds.

F The women gathered at Sarahs place agree

G Its 11 pm when everyone is dry enough to go home

H Aileen Marron set up Halawa Henna just over a year ago

I The specialist body painters have arrived

J They are paying to have their bodies with henna

 Jane has changed into her little
black dress. She crosses and uncrosses her
her long legs nervously as she sips her Diet
Coke, Oh, dear, Im just not sure what I
want to have done.

Karen, a photographer, and

Lorraine, a financial consultant, sit
nearby on the sofa, looking through a
book of curious and complicated Indian
and Arabian designs. Sarah, who works
for a 3rd World Charity, studies the pictures as she opens a bottle of mineral water.
An Arabic armband, she says. I dont know what my husband will think.

The woman have gathered in Sarahs London home and are waiting for an
evening of art with a difference to begin. (0 J) It will take between 3 and 6 weeks to
wash off.

(1 - __ ) They come from Halawa Henna in Manchester. Its time to make decisions.
Im having a foot, says Jackie, a clothing designer from Islington. A whole foot?,
Jane asks surprised. (2 - __ )

Jane chooses a flowing Arabic pattern for one of her shoulders. Karen and
Sarah choose floral armbands and Lynne selects Indian symbols abobe each ankle,
Lorraine, soon to be married in church, selects an elaborate design of Indian hearts,
choosing to have them worked in her upper arm.

(3 - __ ) For centuries it has been used to decorate the hands and feet of Indian, Asian
and Arabian women at festivals and religious ceremonies. The darker the henna,
the more your mother-in-law likes you is an old Eastern saying.
But it is only recently, with the arrival of body painting in Europe, that one of the
worlds oldest cosmetics has gained appeal in the West (henna has been found on the
fingernails of Egyptian mummies).

(4 - __ ) She learnt the ancient art while growing up in Kuwait. When she came to
live in Britain, she brought the craft with her and began experimenting on her friends.
She is surprised at the growing appeal of henna to British women.

(5 - __ ) as she squeezes the dark green henna paste from a tube with a tip as fine as
a needle. Were getting requests from a broad range of people, its no longer a
specialist market.

(6 - __ ) She is now also receiving invitations from throughout Europe to visit and
share her skills. We have a lot of interest from people who are considering a tattoo
and want to see how the design looks on the ski first, Aileen says. Other people
may have wanted a tattoo but then decide a temporary design is much better.
(7 - __ ) The idea of a temporary tattoo first appealed because it seemed exotic and a
little shocking. I think most of us have secretly wanted to get a tattoo at some stage
but simply didnt have the courage, says Jackie. Her toes have now been heavily
worked in Arabic patterns. Lorraines armband is finished and Lynne is waiting for
her ankle design to dry. Jane is thrilled with her shoulder decoration. Its fabulous,
she says, and chooses another pattern for her left arm.

(8 - __ ) The patterns are applied in a thick henna paste which falls off as it dries,
usually within one hour. At first, all that can be seen underneath on the skin is a pale
reddish pattern, but Aileen explains that the full colour takes 2 days to develop. (9 -
__ ) But no one wants to risk spoiling their new artwork. Jackie walks into the sub-
zero evening temperatures right foot shoeless; Karen has an exposed arm and Jane is
still in her party dress. Im definitely going to get my legs done in summer, she
says.

4. Find words from the passage which mean:

come together in one place

detailed and complex
a big party or celebration
formal events
very old
trying something new
every part of
thinking about
lasting for a short time
not covered

5. Mark the stressed syllable in each of these words and practice saying them
aloud.
E.g.: festival

6. Underline other words in the article and mark their stressed syllable.
E.g.: experimenting experiment
century
charity
nervously