Summary By Sandra Fisher Martins

Should we learn to read and analyze more complex as time goes on, or should we learn to write simpler for the sake of society? Sandra Fisher-Martins emphasizes that there is a serious dilemma in Portugal: too many people can't read official legal documents. Sandra Fisher-Martins tells a story of how she was baffled at some of her everyday legal documents like the electricity bill and her work documents. She was baffled because she had to reread the papers a few times before grasping their meaning, and she states that the majority of Portugal is just as confused as she was. She justifies this claim with evidence that nearly 80% of the population of Portugal can't read complicated or unfamiliar documents.

After stating the facts, Fisher-Martins then proceeds with an anecdote of her apartment building's doorkeeper, Mr. Domingos. The anecdote shows how Mr. Domingos is in need of knee surgery, and Mr. Domingos was going to throw away a bank check
Domingos. Fisher-Martins vindicates her credibility by revealing that these documents are her house-payment and doctor-agreement indentures. By proving that these papers are the everyday public documents, Fisher-Martins cracks down on the fact that everyone should be worried. She then tries to comfort her audience by stating there are several ways for the words to be more understood across the community. She notes that legal matters have been accounted for in Portugal and that there's legislation to enforce the language used is common but backs up the fact that the legislation isn't truly enforced. She also notes that they can involve marketing, but that it only really works in the private sector. By now, the audience worries that there is no true way to fix the matter at hand, but then Fisher-Martins introduces her