The right to die

It was 3:45 in the morning when the vote was finally taken. After six months of arguing and final 16 hours of hot parliamentary(议会的) debates, Australia’s northern Territory became the first legal authority in the world to allow doctors to take the lives of incurably sick patients who wish to die.

The measure passed by the convincing vote of 15 to 10. Almost immediately word flashed on the Internet and was picked up, half a world away, by John Hofsess, executive director of the Right to Die Society of Canada. He sent it on via the group's on line service, Death NET. Says Hofsess: "We posted bulletins all day long, because of course this isn't just something that happened in Australia. It's world history."

The NT Rights of the Terminally III law has left physicians and citizens alike trying to deal with its moral and practical implications. Some have breathed sighs of relief, others, including churches, right to life groups and the Australian Medical Association, bitterly attacked the bill and the haste of its passage（通过）.

But the tide is unlikely to turn back. In Australia - where an aging population, life extending technology and changing community attitudes have all played their part, other states are going to consider making a similar law to deal with euthanasia(安乐死). In the US and Canada, where the right to die movement is gathering strength, observers are waiting for the dominoes to start falling.

Under the new Northern Territory law, an adult patient can request death, probably by a deadly injection or pill, to put an end to suffering. The patient must be diagnosed(诊断) as terminally ill by two doctors. After a "cooling off" period of seven days, the patient can sign a certificate of request. After 48 hours the wish for death can be met. For Lloyd Nickson, a 54-year-old Darwin resident suffering from lung cancer, the NT Rights of Terminally III law means he can get on with living without the haunting fear of his suffering: a terrifying death from his breathing condition. "I'm not afraid of dying from a spiritual point of view, but what I was afraid of was how I'd go, because I've watched people die in the hospital fighting for oxygen and clawing at their masks," he says.

1.This passage is mainly about ________.

A．the development and function of euthanasia

B．the passage（通过）of a law on euthanasia and its worldwide influence.

C．some successful examples about euthanasia

D．conditions and procedures to perform euthanasia in Australia.

2.What does “observers are waiting for the dominoes to start falling” mean?

A．Observers are taking a wait-and –see attitude towards the future of euthanasia.

B．There is a possibility of similar bills being passed in the US and Canada.

C．Observers are waiting to see the movement end up in failure.

D．The process of the bill taking effect may finally come to a stop.

3. During a “cooling off” period, a patient will _________.

A．wait for two doctors’ diagnosis

B．sign a certificate of request

C．think over his decision of euthanasia

D．turn to his doctors for more advice

4.What’s the author’s attitude towards euthanasia?

A．Hostile           B．doubtful           C．Favorable         D．Indifferent

The right to die
It was 3:45 in the morning when the vote was finally taken. After six months of arguing and final 16 hours of hot parliamentary(议会的) debates, Australia’s northern Territory became the first legal authority in the world to allow doctors to take the lives of incurably sick patients who wish to die.
The measure passed by the convincing vote of 15 to 10. Almost immediately word flashed on the Internet and was picked up, half a world away, by John Hofsess, executive director of the Right to Die Society of Canada. He sent it on via the group's on line service, Death NET. Says Hofsess: "We posted bulletins all day long, because of course this isn't just something that happened in Australia. It's world history."
The NT Rights of the Terminally III law has left physicians and citizens alike trying to deal with its moral and practical implications. Some have breathed sighs of relief, others, including churches, right to life groups and the Australian Medical Association, bitterly attacked the bill and the haste of its passage（通过）.
But the tide is unlikely to turn back. In Australia - where an aging population, life extending technology and changing community attitudes have all played their part, other states are going to consider making a similar law to deal with euthanasia(安乐死). In the US and Canada, where the right to die movement is gathering strength, observers are waiting for the dominoes to start falling.
Under the new Northern Territory law, an adult patient can request death, probably by a deadly injection or pill, to put an end to suffering. The patient must be diagnosed(诊断) as terminally ill by two doctors. After a "cooling off" period of seven days, the patient can sign a certificate of request. After 48 hours the wish for death can be met. For Lloyd Nickson, a 54-year-old Darwin resident suffering from lung cancer, the NT Rights of Terminally III law means he can get on with living without the haunting fear of his suffering: a terrifying death from his breathing condition. "I'm not afraid of dying from a spiritual point of view, but what I was afraid of was how I'd go, because I've watched people die in the hospital fighting for oxygen and clawing at their masks," he says.
【小题1】This passage is mainly about ________.

It was 3:45 in the morning when the vote was finally taken. After six months of arguing and final 16 hours of hot debates, Australia’s Northern Territory became the first legal area in the world to allow doctors to take the lives of incurably ill patients who wish to die. Almost immediately word spread on the internet and was picked up, half a world away, by John Hofsess, director of the Right to Die Society of Canada. He sent it on through the group’s on-line service, Death NET. “We posted statements all day long, because this isn’t just something that happened in Australia. It’s world history.” says Hofsess.

The newly-passed law has left doctors as well as citizens trying to deal with its different meanings. Some have shown satisfaction, others, including churches, right-to-life groups and the Australian Medical Association, bitterly fought against the law. But the tide is unlikely to turn back. In Australia — where an aging population, life-extending （延长生命） technology and changing society attitudes have all played their part — other states are going to consider making a similar law to deal with euthanasia （安乐死）. In the US and Canada, where the right-to-die movement is gathering strength, observers are waiting for the dominoes （多米诺骨牌） to start falling.

Under the new Northern Territory law, an adult patient can require death — probably by a deadly injection or pill — to end suffering. The patient must be diagnosed as incurably ill by two doctors. After a “cooling off” period of seven days, the patient can sign a certificate of requirement. After 48 hours the wish for death can be met. For Lloyd Nickson, a 54-year-old Darwin citizen suffering from lung cancer, the new law means he can get on with living without the fear of his suffering: a terrifying death from his breathing condition. “I’m not afraid of dying, but what I was afraid of was how I’d go, because I’ve watched people die in the hospital fighting for oxygen and tearing at their masks （氧气面罩）,” he says.

1．From the second paragraph we learn that ________.

    A．the disagreement of euthanasia is slow to come in other countries

    B．doctors and citizens share the same view on euthanasia

    C．changing technology is mainly responsible for pass of the law

    D．it takes time to realize the importance of the law’s passage

2．When the author says that observers are waiting for the dominoes to start falling, he means __.

    A．observers are against euthanasia

    B．similar laws are likely to be passed in the US, Canada and other countries

    C．observers are waiting to see the result of the game of dominoes

    D．the passed bill may finally come to a stop

3．When Lloyd Nickson dies, he will ________.

    A．choose euthanasia and die peacefully

    B．experience the suffering of a lung cancer patient

    C．have a strong fear of terrible suffering

    D．have a cooling off period of seven days

4．The author’s attitude towards euthanasia seems to be that of ________.

    A．disagreement             B．doubt           C．agreement               D．cold

The right to die
It was 3:45 in the morning when the vote was finally taken. After six months of arguing and final 16 hours of hot parliamentary(议会的) debates, Australia’s northern Territory became the first legal authority in the world to allow doctors to take the lives of incurably sick patients who wish to die.
The measure passed by the convincing vote of 15 to 10. Almost immediately word flashed on the Internet and was picked up, half a world away, by John Hofsess, executive director of the Right to Die Society of Canada. He sent it on via the group's on line service, Death NET. Says Hofsess: "We posted bulletins all day long, because of course this isn't just something that happened in Australia. It's world history."
The NT Rights of the Terminally III law has left physicians and citizens alike trying to deal with its moral and practical implications. Some have breathed sighs of relief, others, including churches, right to life groups and the Australian Medical Association, bitterly attacked the bill and the haste of its passage（通过）.
But the tide is unlikely to turn back. In Australia - where an aging population, life extending technology and changing community attitudes have all played their part, other states are going to consider making a similar law to deal with euthanasia(安乐死). In the US and Canada, where the right to die movement is gathering strength, observers are waiting for the dominoes to start falling.
Under the new Northern Territory law, an adult patient can request death, probably by a deadly injection or pill, to put an end to suffering. The patient must be diagnosed(诊断) as terminally ill by two doctors. After a "cooling off" period of seven days, the patient can sign a certificate of request. After 48 hours the wish for death can be met. For Lloyd Nickson, a 54-year-old Darwin resident suffering from lung cancer, the NT Rights of Terminally III law means he can get on with living without the haunting fear of his suffering: a terrifying death from his breathing condition. "I'm not afraid of dying from a spiritual point of view, but what I was afraid of was how I'd go, because I've watched people die in the hospital fighting for oxygen and clawing at their masks," he says

1. 1.

   This passage is mainly about ________

   1. A.
      the development and function of euthanasia
   2. B.
      the passage（通过）of a law on euthanasia and its worldwide influence
   3. C.
      some successful examples about euthanasia
   4. D.
      conditions and procedures to perform euthanasia in Australia
2. 2.

   What does “observers are waiting for the dominoes to start falling” mean?

   1. A.
      Observers are taking a wait-and –see attitude towards the future of euthanasia
   2. B.
      There is a possibility of similar bills being passed in the US and Canada
   3. C.
      Observers are waiting to see the movement end up in failure
   4. D.
      The process of the bill taking effect may finally come to a stop
3. 3.

   During a “cooling off” period, a patient will _________

   1. A.
      wait for two doctors’ diagnosis
   2. B.
      sign a certificate of request
   3. C.
      think over his decision of euthanasia
   4. D.
      turn to his doctors for more advice
4. 4.

   What’s the author’s attitude towards euthanasia?

   1. A.
      Hostile
   2. B.
      doubtful
   3. C.
      Favorable
   4. D.
      Indifferent

I was shopping at my local supermarket, as I normally have for years. One particular day, I had done about 2 weeks worth of shopping and   36   toward the register to pay for my groceries.  After the cashier had scanned my items and I had bagged them up, she stated that the 37   was $150. 

I   38  into my back right pocket to grab the money to pay and noticed that there was no money there.  I started to get   39   .  I knew my pocket book was in the car and I was sure I had put the    40    in my back right pocket. I looked at the cashier with wet eyes and a   41 look not knowing what to do.  There were people behind me on the line. She told me to speak with the courtesy counter (爱心柜台).  I  42    and said, “Really? It's  43   , no one would hand that in!”  But she  44    me to. “You never know…” she said.

I decided that there was no   45   in checking so I walked up to a woman behind the counter and said “I have to ask, did anyone   46   cash by any chance?” She asked “How much?" My face then  47   .  “$200 in the form of one hundred dollar bills.” I replied.  She said, “  48  , yes, someone did!" I was so   49  ! “Who? I want to thank her.”  She pointed to a young girl about 10 years old and says, “She did.”

I walked over to the mom and hugged her. She said, “It wasn't me, it was my    50  ” .  I said “I know, I wanted to thank you both,    51    she found it ... it's because of you that I got this back.” I was so happy, I was almost in tears. 

The next day at work, a person in another department   52   me tickets to the circus.  He handed me 5 tickets. Almost  53    that young girls face popped (突然出现) in my head.  After work I went back to the supermarket and stopped at the courtesy counter and asked if she had any idea who that woman was. She smiled and said, “Yes, She is a friend of mine”.  Then I asked her to do me a favor and pass along these 5 tickets to her.

She told me that the family of the little girl who found my money were not rich so they would really   54   this.  She also said that they had 3 children, so five was the   55   number of tickets! 

1.A. showed                     B. retired                 C. hesitated                     D. headed

2.A. percentage    B. product               C. total                              D. luggage

3.A. reached                    B. searched            C. checked              D. looked

4.A. particular                 B. curious                C. nervous               D. serious

5.A. card                           B. money                 C. purse                   D. grocery

6.A. shocked                    B. moved                 C. inspired               D. confused

7.A. laughed                    B. screamed                    C. cried                    D. blamed

8.A. reality              B. evidence             C. cash                              D. receipt

9.A. postponed               B. encouraged       C. discouraged       D. promised

10.A. doubt             B. need                    C. expense              D. harm

11.A. work out                B. turn in                 C. send for              D. take away

12.A. broke up                 B. burst out            C. send off               D. lit up

13.A. Eventually            B. Actually               C. Finally                  D. Unfortunately

14.A. interested             B. worried               C. surprised            D. absorbed

15.A. daughter                B. husband              C. mother                D. friend

16.A. because                 B. although             C. however             D. besides

17.A. lent                          B. borrowed                     C. produced            D. offered

18.A. simple                     B. constantly          C. instantly             D. previously

19.A. reject                      B. purchase            C. ignore                  D. appreciate

20.A. unique                    B. perfect                C. official                 D. typical