Should Friendship Become Part of the Law?
Listen to the story
People are talking about a new idea in France. Should the law say something about friendship? A politician named Clémence Guetté spoke about this idea.
She said friends are very important. She said, 'In the hardest moments of life, a friend is essential.' This means friends help us when life is difficult.
Right now, French law does not talk much about friendship. It talks about family and marriage. Some people think this should change.
Guetté thinks friendship deserves more attention. She believes the government should think about how to support friendships, not just families.
Other people are not sure. They ask if the law can really help friendships. They think friendship is personal, not something for the government.
This is a new discussion in France. It makes people think about what is truly important in life. It also makes people ask what the law should protect.
Vocabulary15 words
- law
- the rules made by a government that people must follow
- essential
- very important; needed
- politician
- a person who works in government
- government
- the group of people who run a country
- support
- to help someone or something
- personal
- about one person's own life
- debate
- a discussion where people share different ideas
- important
- having big value or meaning
- recognise
- to officially notice or accept something
- difficult
- hard; not easy
- attention
- focus or care given to something
- protect
- to keep something safe
- idea
- a thought or plan
- marriage
- the legal joining of two people as partners
- society
- all the people living together in a country
Quiz
Answer key
1. Making friendship part of the law 2. Friends are essential in hard times 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
People are talking about a new idea in France. Should the _____ say something about friendship? A politician named Clémence Guetté spoke about this idea.
She said friends are very important. She said, 'In the hardest moments of life, a friend is _____.' This means friends help us when life is difficult.
Right now, French law does not talk much about friendship. It talks about family and _____. Some people think this should change.
Guetté thinks friendship deserves more _____. She believes the government should think about how to support friendships, not just families.
Other people are not sure. They ask if the law can really help friendships. They think friendship is _____, not something for the government.
This is a new discussion in France. It makes people think about what is truly important in life. It also makes people ask what the law should _____.