📙 Part 2: Describe a new law you would like to introduce in your country

This episode's vocabulary

Implemented (verb) – to put a decision, plan, or agreement into effect. → I can think of quite a few laws I'd like to see implemented.

Stands out (phrasal verb) – to be very noticeable or impressive. → The one that immediately stands out is making lying illegal.

Revolutionary (adjective) – involving or causing a complete or dramatic change. → It would be pretty obvious and maybe pretty revolutionary.

A massive overhaul (noun phrase) – a complete and major renovation, reconstruction, or change. → It would involve a massive overhaul of how people interact with one another.

Misrepresent (verb) – to give a false or misleading account of the nature of something. → It would mean that no one could or should misrepresent things.

Sick and tired of (idiom) – to be angry or bored with something that has been happening for a long time. → I don't know about anyone else, but I'm quite sick and tired of it.

Get one over on someone (idiom) – to get an advantage over someone, especially in a dishonest way. → People would love it if others would not try to get one over on them.

Get away with (phrasal verb) – to succeed in avoiding punishment for something. → People don't pay taxes and they get away with it.

The man on the street (idiom) – an ordinary person, either a man or a woman. → I wonder if the man on the street would be comfortable sharing their true feelings.

Blow-ups (noun) – a sudden, angry argument. → It could lead to some pretty spectacular blow ups.

Economical with the truth (idiom) – to avoid stating the true facts about a situation by leaving out important details; to lie. → I always find myself getting frustrated with people being economical with the truth.

White lie (noun) – a harmless or trivial lie, especially one told to avoid hurting someone's feelings. → Even little white lies can be annoying.

Do away with (phrasal verb) – to get rid of or put an end to something. → So why not do away with it all and just be direct about things?

Come to pass (idiom) – to happen; to occur. → I'd be thrilled if something like this came to pass.

Littering (verb) - throwing trash on the ground in a public place. → I'd like to introduce a law on littering.

Questions and Answers

Maria: Describe a new law you would like to introduce in your country. You should say what law it is, what changes this law brings, whether this law will be popular or not, how you came up with this new law and explain how you feel about this.

Rory: Well, I can think of quite a few laws I'd like to see implemented, but the one that immediately stands out is making lying illegal. Speaking about what changes it would bring, I think that it would be pretty obvious and maybe pretty revolutionary and involve a massive overhaul of how people interact with and treat one another. They would have to tell the truth in all their dealings and not mislead people to the best of their ability. And this would apply to everyone, regardless of whether they are rich or poor, or high or low in status. It would mean that no one could or should misrepresent things, which we see and hear politicians and the media and corporations doing all the time. And I don't know about anyone else, but I'm quite sick and tired of it. If we consider whether it would be popular or not, I'm not sure. On the one hand, people would probably love it if people in the services and industries I mentioned would be straight with them and not try to get one over on them, or at least not be able to get away with doing that. On the other hand, I wonder if the man on the street would be comfortable sharing their true feelings about everything with their fellows, especially if it could lead to some pretty spectacular blow ups. Not everybody agrees about everything, and people may have done something extremely wrong to someone. When I think about how this occurred to me, well, I always find myself getting frustrated with people being economical with the truth. Even little white lies can be annoying and cause delays or misunderstandings. So why not do away with it all and just be direct about things? As for how I feel about it is concerned, I suppose that I'd be thrilled if something like this came to pass, but it seems unlikely to ever happen. People have been lying since the beginning of human history, and I doubt that's going to change any time soon. Still, it can be fun to dream about how things could be different if we did change something like that. Who knows, maybe it will happen in the future.