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《考研英语阅读和翻译1997passage1》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在行业资料-天天文库。
1、1997Passage1 Itwas3:45inthemorningwhenthevotewasfinallytaken.Aftersixmonthsofarguingandfinal16hoursofhotparliamentarydebates,Australia'sNorthernTerritorybecamethefirstlegalauthorityintheworldtoallowdoctorstotakethelivesofincurablyillpatientswhowishtodie.T
2、hemeasurepassedbytheconvincingvoteof15to10.AlmostimmediatelywordflashedontheInternetandwaspickedup,halfaworldaway,byJohnHofsess,executivedirectoroftheRighttoDieSocietyofCanada.Hesentitonviathegroup'son-lineservice,DeathNET.SaysHofsess:"Wepostedbulletinsal
3、ldaylong,becauseofcoursethisisn'tjustsomethingthathappenedinAustralia.It'sworldhistory."Thefullimportmaytakeawhiletosinkin.TheNTRightsoftheTerminallyIlllawhasleftphysiciansandcitizensaliketryingtodealwithitsmoralandpracticalimplications.Somehavebreathedsi
4、ghsofrelief,others,includingchurches,right-to-lifegroupsandtheAustralianMedicalAssociation,bitterlyattackedthebillandthehasteofitspassage.Butthetideisunlikelytoturnback.InAustralia—whereanagingpopulation,life-extendingtechnologyandchangingcommunityattitud
5、eshaveallplayedtheirpart—otherstatesaregoingtoconsidermakingasimilarlawtodealwitheuthanasia.IntheUSandCanada,wheretheright-to-diemovementisgatheringstrength,observersarewaitingforthedominoestostartfalling.UnderthenewNorthernTerritorylaw,anadultpatientcanr
6、equestdeath—probablybyadeadlyinjectionorpill—toputanendtosuffering.Thepatientmustbediagnosedasterminallyillbytwodoctors.Aftera"coolingoff"periodofsevendays,thepatientcansignacertificateofrequest.After48hoursthewishfordeathcanbemet.ForLloydNickson,a54-year
7、-oldDarwinresidentsufferingfromlungcancer,theNTRightsofTerminallyIlllawmeanshecangetonwithlivingwithoutthehauntingfearofhissuffering:aterrifyingdeathfromhisbreathingcondition."I'mnotafraidofdyingfromaspiritualpointofview,butwhatIwasafraidofwashowI'dgo,bec
8、auseI'vewatchedpeopledieinthehospitalfightingforoxygenandclawingattheirmasks,"hesays.1997Passage2AreportconsistentlybroughtbackbyvisitorstotheUSishowfriendly,courteous,andhelpfulmostAmericansweretothem.Tobefair,this
