The importance of law
Read The importance of law and check the IELTS Reading answers. The law influences all of us virtually all the time, it governs almost all aspects of our behavior, and even what happens to us when we are no longer alive. It affects us from the embryo onwards. It governs the air we breathe, the food…
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The law influences all of us virtually all the time, it governs almost all aspects of our behavior, and even what happens to us when we are no longer alive. It affects us from the embryo onwards. It governs the air we breathe, the food and drink we consume, our travel, family relationships, and our property. It applies at the bottom of the ocean and in space.
Vocabulary from this passage
31 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- acquaintanceship noun
A slight friendship with somebody or knowledge of something, representing a connection less intimate than a full relationship
Networking events are designed to convert brief acquaintanceships into valuable long-term professional partnerships.
- advent noun
The arrival or creation of a notable person, thing, or event that brings significant change
The advent of the internet fundamentally transformed how global businesses exchange information.
- cipher noun
A secret or disguised method of writing; an algorithm utilized for performing encryption or decryption
Military intelligence spent months attempting to break the complex cipher used in intercepted enemy communications.
- civil liberties noun
Personal guarantees and freedoms that the government cannot arbitrarily abridge by law or judicial interpretation
Activists argued that the proposed surveillance legislation constituted a severe threat to basic civil liberties.
- decipherable adjective
Capable of being read, fully understood, or decoded, despite being obscured or written indistinctly
Despite severe water damage, the signature on the historical document remained just barely decipherable.
- defy verb
To openly resist or refuse to obey; to prove extremely difficult or impossible to comprehend or resolve
The aerodynamic properties of certain insects seem to defy conventional models of flight physics.
- degradation noun
The condition or process of declining to a lower quality, level, or standard, often environmentally or morally
Unregulated industrial expansion has led to the severe degradation of local freshwater ecosystems.
- disaffection noun
A state or feeling of being dissatisfied, especially with people in authority or a prevailing system
Growing economic inequality has caused widespread disaffection among younger voters toward traditional political parties.
- encryption noun
The process of converting accessible information or data into an encoded format to prevent unauthorized access
Modern banking applications rely on sophisticated encryption to secure users' sensitive financial transactions.
- entropy noun
A measure of disorder, randomness, or the rate of transfer of information within a defined physical or data system
Linguistic analysts measure the entropy of a text to determine if it resembles a natural human language.
- esoteric knowledge noun
Information, concepts, or understanding intended for and comprehended by only a small group of specialized experts
Medieval alchemy required esoteric knowledge that was carefully guarded from the general public.
- gimmicky adjective
Utilizing novel but essentially superficial features designed primarily to attract attention rather than provide real value
Critics dismissed the smartphone's new folding screen as a gimmicky feature rather than a practical innovation.
- hoax noun
A deliberately fabricated falsehood or malicious deception meant to trick people into believing something untrue
The purportedly ancient relic was eventually exposed by carbon dating as an elaborate 19th-century hoax.
- inescapable adjective
Unable to be avoided, denied, or ignored; presenting an inevitable reality or conclusion
The transition toward renewable energy has become an inescapable reality for the fossil fuel industry.
- initiate verb
To cause a process, action, or protocol to begin; to introduce someone to a particular activity
The government plans to initiate a comprehensive review of current trade policies next quarter.
- international counterpart noun
A person or entity in another country holding a position or performing a function corresponding to one's own
The finance minister met with her international counterparts to discuss global economic stability.
- legally binding adjective
Describing an agreement, contract, or action that is lawful and strictly enforceable in a court of law
Both corporations signed a legally binding contract to ensure compliance with the merger terms.
- multinational corporation noun
A large corporate enterprise that manages production or delivers services in more than one country simultaneously
Navigating cultural differences is a daily requirement for executives working in a multinational corporation.
- permeate verb
To spread throughout something completely; to pervade or penetrate a system, organization, or society entirely
Concerns about data privacy have begun to permeate almost every sector of the digital economy.
- perplexing adjective
Completely baffling, very puzzling, or difficult to logically understand or process
The telescope transmitted a series of perplexing signals that contradicted all established astronomical theories.
- plausible adjective
Appearing reasonable, probable, or likely to be true, though lacking absolute definitive proof
The scientist presented a highly plausible hypothesis to explain the sudden fluctuation in ocean temperatures.
- provoke verb
To stimulate or give rise to a strong reaction or emotion, typically an unwelcome one, in someone
Controversial changes to the company hierarchy are likely to provoke intense debate among the board members.
- remunerate verb
To pay someone adequately for services rendered, work performed, or professional expertise provided
The freelance consultants were heavily remunerated for resolving the critical software vulnerability.
- revere verb
To feel deep, profound respect or admiration for something, often treating it as practically sacred
Academics revere the ancient philosopher for his foundational contributions to ethical theory and logic.
- statutory instrument noun
A form of delegated legislation allowing governments to bring legal rules into force without a new legislative act
The minister updated the environmental regulations rapidly by issuing a new statutory instrument.
- timeless adjective
Not affected by the passage of time or changes in fashion; possessing eternal relevance
Despite rapid technological advancements, the fundamental principles of effective communication remain timeless.
- understated adjective
Presented or expressed in a subtle, elegant, and effective way rather than being obvious or heavily exaggerated
The director's understated leadership style quietly inspired confidence among her international team members.
- unprepossessing adjective
Not particularly attractive or appealing to the eye; lacking in external visual charm or distinction
The revolutionary artwork was initially discovered in an unprepossessing cardboard box in a dusty attic.
- versatile adjective
Able to adapt or be adapted to many different functions, activities, or completely distinct roles
Law is a highly versatile instrument that can be applied to vastly different societal challenges.
- vindicate verb
To clear someone of blame or suspicion, or to show a claim to be right, reasonable, or justified
The subsequent discovery of structural flaws served to vindicate the engineer's early safety warnings.
- wishful thinking noun
Forming beliefs or making decisions based on what is pleasing to imagine rather than appealing to factual evidence
Assuming that the climate crisis will resolve itself without structural economic changes is pure wishful thinking.
Answers with explanations
- 14. iv
Paragraph A explains that the law is ever-present throughout human existence, starting before birth (the embryo) and continuing until after we die. This holistic timeline of a person's life directly corresponds to heading **iv: The law applies throughout our lives**.
- 15. vii
Paragraph B (which spans multiple text blocks) explains that due to rising literacy, the general population is now increasingly able to **shape the law**. "Shape the law" is a direct paraphrase of having the "ability to influence the law," which perfectly matches heading **vii**.
- 16. i
Paragraph C compares two **different areas of professional expertise**: IT professionals (those with computer/technology skills) and legal professionals (lawyers). By comparing these two fields and highlighting how both sets of skills are vital to modern society, the paragraph is best summarized by heading **i**.
- 17. viii
Paragraph D is entirely focused on the massive increase in the volume of legislation, pointing out that "the number of laws has never been greater" and output has **more than doubled**. This directly aligns with the idea of a "growth in laws," making heading **viii** the correct choice.
- 18. vi
Paragraph E focuses on how society often views lawyers poorly, noting they are "not universally admired" and are frequent targets of jokes. This historic disdain for the profession is accurately summarized by heading **vi: A negative regard for lawyers**.
- 19. ii
Paragraph F mounts a robust defense of the legal profession, arguing that it is "no more just" (unfair) to criticize lawyers for making a living from problems when nurses and IT workers do the same. Because the entire paragraph provides reasons why attacking lawyers is unfair, it matches heading **ii: Reasons why it is unfair to criticise lawyers**.
- 20-21: CD
20: In discussing skills in today's world, the writer explicitly compares legal knowledge to IT skills, concluding that **legal understanding is just as vital**. This directly matches option **C**: "Knowledge of the law is as important as having computer skills."
21: The writer explains that society would "seize up" (fail to function) without IT experts, and then explicitly clarifies that legal experts are "just as vital." Therefore, the text implies that **society could not function effectively without legal experts**, supporting option **D**.
- 22. truth
The summary requires a noun that people believe lawyers have little interest in, prioritizing money instead. The text states that some claim lawyers prioritize "personal reward" (making money) over **truth**. Thus, **truth** is the missing word.
- 23. journalists
The summary states that some individuals from another profession, alongside scientific experts, may also be driven by financial greed. The text directly groups **scientists** with **journalists**. Therefore, the correct one-word noun is **journalists**.
- 24. nurses
The summary states that attacking lawyers for profiting from misfortune is similar to attacking IT staff or someone else. The source text explicitly lists **nurses** right before IT consultants as a comparable profession. The correct answer is **nurses**.
- 25. dedication
The summary requires a noun describing what lawyers working in civil liberties or housing must have to do their work. The text says their work relies on "considerable professional **dedication**." The word fits perfectly to complete "requires them to have [25] to their work."
- 26. documents
The summary requires a plural noun describing what lawyers spend a lot of time writing. The passage points out that instead of dealing solely with misfortune, lawyers are primarily concerned with "drafting" (writing) **documents**. The correct answer is **documents**.