Lesson Four Die as You Choose
自己选择死亡方式
○课文逐句翻译
制定关于安乐死的法律已经到了不能再回避的地步。
The need for laws on euthanasia cannot be dodged for much longer.
在世界上某个较小的国家里，安乐死被医疗机构普遍接受，每年都有数千例公开实施。
In one of the world’s smaller countries, mercy killing is accepted by the medical establishment and openly practiced a few thousand times each year.
而在某个世界大国，安乐死虽然经常受到医疗机构的公开谴责，每年却以数倍于此的次数秘密实施，且从未公之于众。
In one of the world’s biggest countries, euthanasia is condemned by the medical establishment, secretly practiced many times more often, and almost never comes to light.
但是，在上述那个国家有医生因为实施安乐死而在监狱里服刑呢？
Which of these countries has a mercy-killing doctor now languishing in its jails?
是在小国荷兰。荷兰制定了有关安乐死的法律，能有效地管理它。
It is the small one, Holland, which has rules for euthanasia and so can police it effectively.
那位荷兰的医生违反了他国家的规定。
The Dutch doctor broke his country’s rules.
有关安乐死的问题在所有国家都存在，决不仅出现在美国这个禁止安乐死的大国。
There is a moral here for all the countries, and not just for the big death-forbidding country, America.
目前美国正再次展开有关安乐死的辩论。
Right now it is going over the arguments about euthanasia once again.
美国医学协会会刊1月份发表了一封非同寻常的来信。一位医生在信中宣称自己按照病人的意愿，杀死了一位身患癌症的20岁女孩。
In January the Journal of the American Medical Association published a bizarre letter, in which an anonymous doctor claimed to have killed a 20-year-old cancer patient at her own request.
这件事引起了一场辩论，而这场辩论将轰轰烈烈地持续到秋季，那时加利福尼亚州可
能会就一项使安乐死合法化的法律进行投票表决。
This started a debate that will rumble on into the autumn, when Californians may vote on a proposed law legalizing euthanasia.
这封信可能是为了起到引发争论的效果，内容并不可信。
The letter was probably written for polemical impact. It is scarcely credible.
是作者自己在信中声称他（或她）第一次与那位得了癌症的病人见面，听到病人说出5个字——“让我去死吧”——然后就杀了她。
It’s author claims that he met the cancer patient for the first time, heard five words from her – “Let’s get this over with” – then killer her.
即使是极端的安乐死支持者也不赞成在这种情况下采取如此做法。
Even the most extreme proponents of euthanasia do not support such an action in those circumstances.
然而，医疗上出现的可怕事件如洪水猛兽一般，并不比安乐死的情况更好。它们无疑会在英美以及其他国家中继续肆虐，几乎成了令人恐怖的常规。
Yet medical monstrosities that are hardly any better undoubtedly continue, almost as a matter of macabre routine, in America, Britain and many other countries.
一些医生私下透露他们有时会故意杀死病人，这样的情况非常普遍，令人担忧。
It is disturbingly easy to find doctors who will say, in private, that they sometimes kill patients on purpose.
多数医生说他们知道其他医生也有同样的行为，但是因为即使在病人乞求他们的时候，医生也几乎不能与病人公开讨论安乐死，因此医生往往倾向于仅在要死的人处于垂危昏迷之际而无法表达是否同意安乐死时，才结束其生命。
Most say that know somebody else who does. But because they can rarely discuss euthanasia openly with patients – even when those patients beg them for it – doctors tend to kill only when the dying are too far-gone to consent.
由于自愿要求安乐死受到禁止，就只能由医生自行做出决定了，病人会在夜间受到药物注射而非自愿地离开人世。
Thus, because voluntary euthanasia is taboo, a doctor makes the decision himself – and the patient is killed involuntarily in the night with a syringe.
这是不使安乐死公开的代价。
That is one price of keeping euthanasia secret.
如果所有形式的安乐死都是错误的，那就应该统统列入禁止之列。
If all forms of mercy-killing are wrong, they should remain taboo.
可情况果真如此吗？
But are they?
许多人都认为依靠医学技术来延续生命带给人的痛苦是令人悲哀、可憎可恶的，完全不顾人的尊严，因此被动的安乐死——让病人自行死亡——被人们普遍接受。
Because many people accept that it is sad, undignified and gruesome to prolong the throes of death will all the might of medical technology, passive euthanasia – letting patients die – is widely accepted.
美国大多数州都有关于“活遗嘱”的法规，为医生提供保护。如果医生没有尽力救助曾声明不想延续生命的病人，不会为此受到起诉。
Most American states have “living – will” legislation that protects doctors from prosecution if they do not try to save someone who has said he does not want life prolonged.
主动的安乐死——杀死病人——却依然争论颇多。
Active euthanasia – killing – remains controversial.
将人杀死与让人死亡之间的界线还能维持多久呢？
How long can the distinction between killing and letting die hold out?
正如因未履行某种职责受到处罚一样，人也可能因干了某事而不受责难。
Just as there can be culpable omissions, so too can there be blameless acts.
让我们从道德伦理著作中举例说明。假定一个人会从某个孩子的死亡中获益，当这个孩子在浴缸中撞伤头部而失去知觉时，那个人视而不见，任其溺水身亡。
Suppose – to take an example from the moral philosophy books – that a man stands to gain from the death of a certain child. The child strikes his head in the bath and falls unconscious. The man sits down and watches him drown.
虽然这个人什么都没有做，但他并不能因此开脱罪责。
The fact that the man has performed no action does not excuse him.
同样，再假设为了缩短而不是延长死亡到来的时间，医生终止某种治疗是无可指责的做法，那么如果这位医生使用足够的镇痛剂致使病人死亡，他就一定大错特错吗？
Similarly, suppose that a doctor does no wrong by withholding some treatment in order that death should come sooner rather than later. Is he then necessarily wrong if he administers enough painkillers to kill?
这位医生采取了某种行动，而不是未尽某种职责，这会使他有罪吗？
Does the fact that the doctor performed an action, rather than an omission, condemn him?
许多医生一直在为解除病人临终前的痛苦而奋斗着。他们认为在病人请求安乐死时，根本无法截然区分被动与主动的安乐死。
Many doctors working on the battlefield of terminal suffering think that only squeamishness demands a firm difference between passive and active euthanasia on request.
他们赞成医生杀死病人的理由是：医生的职责之一就是使病人免遭痛苦，这是医生所做的全部事情，而杀死病人则是做到这一点的惟一办法。
Their argument for killing goes like this: one of a doctor’s duties is to prevent suffering; sometimes that is all there is left for him to do, and killing is the only way to do it.
这个观点并不新颖。当希波克拉底为医生制定信条的时候，曾明确禁止安乐死，而多数其他希腊医生和思想家都不赞成这一禁令。
There is nothing new in this view. When Hippocrates formulated his oath for doctors, which explicitly rules out active killing, most other Greek doctors and thinkers disagreed with his ban.
前事不忘，后事之师。
Let the past be a guide.
有人认为死亡的时间是上帝安排的，任何人不得缩短他人的生命，然而假如一位病人
的人生观使其接受安乐死，那么人们不禁要问：为什么其他人还要用不同的宗教观念去干预其死亡呢？
Some people believe that the time of death is appointed by God and that no man should put the clock back on another. Yet if a patient’s philosophical views embrace euthanasia, it is not clear why the religious objections of others should intrude on his death.
另一个令人担忧问题是，有关安乐死的法律体系允许医生在规定的情况下按照垂死病人的请求实施安乐死，就可能为杀人首开先例，从而危害社会。
Another worry is that a legal framework for euthanasia, permitting a doctor to comply with a dying man’s request in a prescribed set of circumstances, might pose dangers for society by setting a precedent for killing.
这个问题取决于社会。
That depends on the society.
尽管有不同意见，荷兰对建立这样的法律体系已经准备就绪。
Holland, arguably, is ready for it.
当年就是荷兰医生英勇无比地顶住了压力，拒绝参与使安乐死声名狼藉的纳粹用人体进行医学实验的暴行，这恐怕不是巧合。
It is probably no coincidence that it was Dutch doctors who most heroically resisted pressure to join in the Nazi medical atrocities that have given euthanasia its worst name.
这些医生对个人自由坚定不移的尊重使他们没有杀害渴望活下去的健康人。今天正是同样的精神又使他们去帮助不愿活下去的垂危病人。
The same tenacious respect for individual liberty that stopped them killing healthy people, who did not want to die, now lets them help dying people who do.
与之相反，西德在未来相当长的时间里都无法使任何形式的安乐死合法化。
West Germany, by contrast, will not be able to legalize any form of euthanasia for a long time to come.
由于历史的阴影反对安乐死的力量异常强大，在那些近年来自由意志的传统未受任何干扰的国家里，为自愿安乐死制定有限的规定并不会使人们产生太多的恐惧。
Opposition is too fierce, because of the shadow of the past. Countries with an uninterrupted recent libertarian tradition have less to fear from setting some limited rules for voluntary euthanasia.
拒绝讨论这个问题会使情况更加糟糕。
By refusing to discuss it, they usher in something worse.
○课后练习解答
A. Answer the following questions on the text:
1.Is euthanasia openly practiced in Holland?
Yes, it is.
2.Why did the doctors in the U.S. sometimes secretly practice euthanasia without consulting the dying patients?
Because they could rarely discuss euthanasia openly with patients and voluntary euthanasia was taboo, the doctor had to make the decision himself.
3.What is the difference between passive euthanasia and active euthanasia? Do you think they make any difference?
Passive euthanasia means the doctor lets the patient die without giving him any treatment on his own request. Active euthanasia means the doctor kill the patient by giving him an injection or enough painkillers. No, I don’t think they make any difference.
4.What is a “living-will “?
“Living will “is a will made by a person when he is living that he does not want life prolonged when he is dying.
5.Did Hippocrates prohibit euthanasia? Did most ancient Greek doctors and thinkers agree with his ban? What did the author want to tell the reader by presenting this historical fact?
Yes, he did.
No, they didn’t.
The author wanted to explain that when in ancient Greece doctors and thinkers had the courage to disagree with Hippocrates, we should support euthanasia today.
6.What is the danger involved if euthanasia is legalized?
It may pose dangers for society by setting a precedent for killing.
7.Why did the author say that West Germany will not be able to legalize any form of euthanasia for a long time to come?
West Germany will not legalize any form of euthanasia for a long time because of the shadow of the past.
8.What is the author’s view on euthanasia?
The author has an appositive attitude towards euthanasia. He supports it.
A. Translate the following into Chinese:
1.The need for laws on euthanasia cannot be dodged for much longer. 现在迫切需要制定有关安乐死的法律。
2.In Holland mercy-killing is accepted by the medical establishment and openly practiced a few thousand times each year. 在荷兰，安乐死已经被医疗机构所接受，并于每年公开实施数千次。
3.The debate on euthanasia will rumble on into the autumn, when Californians may vote on a proposed law legalizing euthanasia. 这场有关安乐死的辩论将持续到秋天，直到加利福尼亚人投票表决了一项提议，使安乐死合法化为止。
4.Many people accept that it is sad, undignified and gruesome to prolong the throes of death with all the might of medical technology. 许多人认为用所能使用的医疗科技来延长死亡前的痛苦是悲哀的，不高尚的，可怕的。
5.How long can the distinction between killing and letting die hold out? 这种主动实施与被动使用安乐死的区别还能维持多长时间呢？
6.Is he then necessarily wrong if he administers enough painkillers to kill? Does the fact that the doctor performed an action, rather than an omission, condemn him? 如果他使用足够数量的止痛片来为其实施安乐死就有错了吗？ 医生采取行动,就应受到谴责吗？
7.It is probably no coincidence that it was Dutch doctors who most heroically resisted pressure to join in the Nazi medical atrocities. 这不是一种巧合，当时荷兰医生就英勇地反抗用人体做医学试验。
8.Countries with an uninterrupted recent libertarian tradition have less to fear from setting some limited rules for voluntary euthanasia.不间断提倡思想和行动自由的国家对主动实施安乐死进行限制性规定，就没有什么可担心的了。
B. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary:
dodge/ drown/ intrude/ legalize/ oath/ withhold/ precedent/ rumble/ taboo/ credible/ arguable/ usher
1.She skillfully (dodged) the questions about her private life她熟练地躲避了有关私人的问题。
2.It was very rude of him to (intrude) on my privacy.他侵扰我的隐私，真是太无礼了。
3.The schools decided to (withhold) payment until they had completed the construction of the building.学校决定整座大楼建成之后再付款。
4.Reform and Open-door policy has (ushered) in a new ear of economic development.改革开放预示着经济发展的新纪元。
5.They started a campaign to (legalize) abortion.他们发起一项运动以使多太合法化。
6.If you let the boy go without punishment, he will use it as a (precedent) for doing wrong again.如果你放了这个男孩，不给他任何惩罚，他会以此作为先例，再次犯错。
7.After the exposure of his lies the Congressman is no longer a (credible) politician.自从他的谎言被揭穿后，国会议员不再是一个可信的政治家了。
8.It is (arguable) that primary school students should pay any tuition.小学生是否应交学费的问题还存在争议。
C. Choose the right word or expression in the brackets to complete each of the following sentences:
1.The warrior managed to (evade, dodge√) the arrow that came flying through the air. 老战士成功得多开了空中飞来的箭。
2.The speaker’s last few words were (drowned out√, stopped) by the audience ‘s thunderous applause.演讲者的最后几个字淹没在观众雷鸣般的掌声中。
3.Would I be (intruding√, invading) if I joined in your discussion?如果我加入你们的讨论，是否打扰呢？
4.The (omission√, exclusion) of a full stop at the end of the sentence is a
deliberate act by the writer.作者故意在句子最后省略了句号。
5.The newly –recruited soldiers swore an (oath√, promise) of loyalty to their country.新入伍的士兵宣誓效忠于自己的国家。
6.The suspect was accused of (preventing, withholding√) some important evidence from the court.嫌疑人被指控向法院隐瞒了重要的证据。
7.Whether or not he is the best person for the promotion is (debatable, arguable√).他是否是提升的最好人选还存在争议。
8.He has established himself as a (credible√, believable) businessman.他已经树立了一个可信任商人的形象。
E. Explain the underlined words in English:
1.The need for laws on (euthanasia) cannot be dodged for much longer.
mercifully easy and painless death for persons suffering from an incurable and painful disease , esp. the doctor let the patients die on their own request.
2.The letter was probably written for (polemical impact).
resulting in arguments
3.Thus, because voluntary euthanasia is (taboo)…
something that religion or custom regards as forbidden
4.…with all the (might) of medical technology…
everything could be used or done
5.…by (setting a precedent for killing)
creating an earlier example of killing
6.…only (squeamishness) demands a firm difference between…
those who are too modest and scrupulous
7.Active euthanasia killing –remains (controversial).
polemical ,arguable
8.Yet if a patient’s philosophical views (embrace) euthanasia…
support , be in favour of
F. Translate the following into English:
现在迫切需要制定有关安乐死的法律。大多数国家禁止安乐死。在这些国家医生只能偷偷地给病人实施安乐死。但是，也有的国家公开实施安乐死，例如荷兰.越来越多的国家
目前正在就安乐死的合法性展开辩论。当一个病人长期遭受疾病的折磨而又无治愈的希望时，为什么要让他继续痛苦下去呢？为什么不能用安乐死来结束他的痛苦？但是，如果安乐死合法化，也存在一种危险——有人会利用安乐死进行谋杀.总之，安乐死是一个不能回避的问题。
The need for laws on euthanasia can’t be dodged for much longer. Euthanasia is a taboo in most countries. In these countries doctors can only practice it secretly. But it is openly practiced in some countries, such as Holland. Right now more and more countries are going over the arguments about legalizing euthanasia. When a patient suffers from illness for a long time and there is no hope of curing it, why do we let him prolong the throes? Why can’t we practice euthanasia to stop the throes? But if we legalize euthanasia, there will be a danger someone may use it for killing. All in all, euthanasia is question we can’t dodge.
G. Write a short passage of 150-200 words in English on the topic“How Is Euthanasia Handled in Different Countries?” You should cover the following points:
1.How euthanasia is practiced in Holland;
2.the situation in America, Britain and many other countries;
3.what the biggest worry is if euthanasia is legalized.
How Is Euthanasia Handled in Different Countries?
In Holland, mercy-killing is accepted by the medical establishment and openly practiced a few thousand times each year. The government has rules for euthanasia and so doctors can police it effectively.
But in America, Britain and many other countries, euthanasia is condemned by the medical establishment, secretly practiced many times more often, and almost never comes to light. Now it is going over the arguments about euthanasia once again. The doctors in America can rarely discuss euthanasia openly with patients ----even when those patients beg them for it ----doctors tend to kill only when the dying are too far gone to consent. The doctors have to make decision themselves. That is one price of keeping euthanasia secret. Fortunately most American states have “living-will” legislation that protests doctors from prosecution it they do not try to save someone who has said he does not want life prolonged.
Some people suggest legalizing euthanasia. But other people worry that if government permits the doctors to comply with a dying man’s request in prescribed set of circumstances, it might pose dangers for society by setting a precedent for killing. But if the government set up some rules, there will be no problems. In Holland, the tenacious respect for individual liberty stop them killing healthy people but lets them help dying people.
○词组摘要
1. dodge：avoid，evade or elude 逃避。如:He was accused of dodging his taxes. 他被指控逃税。You shouldn’t dodge your responsibilities. 你不能回避责认。He threw a chair at me, but luckily I dodged.他朝我扔过一把椅子，但幸运的是我躲过了。
move aside suddenly突然闪开。如：I dodged out of the way when he threw a chair at me. 他将椅子向我扔来的时候，我急忙闪开。
2. condemn： express an unfavorable judgment or opinion of 谴责。如：We condemned empty talk instead of hard work.我们谴责只说空话不务实的行为。
3. to come to light ： to be discovered or revealed 暴露。如：n investigation some new facts came to light. 一经调查，一些新的事实就被暴露了。It has now come to light that he was financially backed by some interest group.人们刚刚得知，他受到了某个利益集团的经济支持。
4. languish ： 1） become feeble ；droop ； lose liveliness or the will to do things凋萎，有气无力。如：languish from the heat /in prison/ in his dull job 由于天气炎热/坐牢/工作乏味而萎靡不振。2）suffer from a feeling of longing 苦思。如：languish for some kind words/her love 苦苦期盼一些安慰的话语/她的爱。
5. moral：the moral teaching or practical lesson continued in a fable，tale， experience，etc.寓意。如：There is a moral to the story. 这个故事有个寓意。
6. bizarre：unusual in appearance，style，or characters 外貌，风格或性格怪异。如：a bizarre coincidence一次奇怪的巧合；his bizarre behavior 他怪异的行为。
7. at her own request 根据她本人的要求。另如：He wrote this book at the request of his… 他根据……的要求写了那本书。
8. vote on：就……进行表决。如：Let‘s vote on this issue， since we can’t agree. 既然我们不能达成一致意见，就来投票表决吧。
9. in private：not publicly，secretly 私下。如：Such a thing is best discussed in private. 这种事情最好私下讨论。He can be very rube in private， though he is usually polite in public. 他私下可能很粗鲁，但在大众面前通常彬彬有礼。
10. taboo adj. 忌讳的，禁止的。如：This topic is taboo on the campus. 校园里忌讳讨论这个话题。
11. A. prolong：cause sth. to continue longer 延长。如：I have to prolong my stay here for another three days. 我必须继续在这里呆三天时间。You should not have prolonged the ceremony. 你本不该延长仪式的时间。B. throes：agony 痛苦。如：in death throes 处于临终痛苦。
12. hold out：continue to last 坚持，挺住。如：Can you hold out much longer？ 你能再坚持一段时间吗？
13. administer to apple as a remedy 施用。如：administer laws 执行法律。The doctor administered some me medicine to the girl. 医生给女孩施用了一些药。
14. comply with：act in accordance with wishes，requirements or conditions 遵
守（意愿，要求或条件等）。如：You ought to comply with the rules /the demands/ the law/ the requests.你应该遵守规章/命令/法律/要求。
15. pose danger 造成危险。
pose：cause sth. to exist 导致产生。另如：pose problems 引起问题。
16. by contrast 相比之下。
By contrast，his brother is quite easygoing. 相比之下，他的兄弟比较好相处。
17. usher in：herald 预报，宣告。如：usher in a new age of prosperity 宣告新的繁荣时期的到来。The rising sun ushered in a new day. 太阳的升起宣告新的一天开始了。The cuckoo ushered in spring. 布谷鸟宣布春天到来。
○考点辨析
＃evade, 也有躲避的意思，但更强调用心机和计划狡猾的手段，回避对自己不利的东西。e.g. He evaded the question by talking about something else.
＃withhold不给予，不发给，不肯做，另外还有“不投入，扣发”的意思。e.g. He is withholding his approval until after next week's meeting.他打算到下周的会议后才给予同意。The company withholds part of its employees' earning for income taxes.公司由于收入税的问题扣发了员工的部分收入。
注意辨析：prevent...from 制止，阻止
＃intrude. vi.侵入，闯入；打扰。intruder, n.另外该词还有“强加，塞入”的意思。e.g. ①I hope I'm not intruding.我希望不致打扰。②Do not intrude your opinions on others.不要将你的观点强加于别人。
＃police当名词用时意为复数名词“警察”，在本课该词为动词，意思为“to control as if using police\" 管理。e.g. A new body has been set up to police the construction of the dam.一个新的机构已经成立，用来管理水坝的建设。
＃Yet medical monstrosities that are hardly any better undoubtedly continue, almost as a matter of macabre routine, in America, Britain and many other countries.然而，那些几乎不可能比安乐死更好的医疗中的可怕事件，作为一种可怕的例行事物，毫无疑问，在美国、英国以及其他许多国家继续存在。这句话中，“that are hardly any better\"是定语从句修饰主语，短语“as a matter of macabre routine ”是条件状语，而介词“in”则是地点状语。
＃Just as there can be culpable omissions, so too can there be blameless acts。
该句意思为：Just as sometimes a person can be condemned for not doing something, it is also possible not to blame him for something he has done.正如有时人会因为疏忽了某事而受到谴责，同样他也会为自己做某事而遭到批评。这句话是倒装语序，因为副词“just\"放在句首，情态动词“can”要提前，形成倒装句。
○考点精析
# The need for laws on euthanasia cannot be dodged for much longer. dodge
v. move quickly to one side to avoid something. 闪避,躲避e.g.: I dodged behind a tree so that he should not see me.我躲在树后使他看不见我。n. quick movement to evade something 躲闪e.g.: He made a sudden dodge to the left. 他突然向左一闪。
# Euthanasia is condemned by the medical establishment
condemn v. express strong disapproval of someone or some action责备,谴责e.g. : Most people are willing to condemn violence of any sort.大部分人都极力谴责暴力。
# Right now it is going over the arguments about euthanasia once again .
argument n. disagreement , quarrel 意见不合, 争论e.g.: The player had an argument with the referee. 运动员和裁判员进行了争论。
argue v. express disagreement 争论,争吵e.g.: Don't argue with me , my decision is final. 不要跟我争论，这已经是我的最后决定了。
arguable adj. that can be argued about 可争论的,可讨论的e.g.: This question is still arguable.这个问题还可以讨论。
# In which an anonymous doctor claimed to have killed a 20-year-old cancer patient at her own request.
anonymous adj. without a name or with a name that is not made known无名的,匿名的e.g.: an anonymous letter 匿名信 an author who remains anonymous 一
直不知名的作家
# Its author claims that he (or she) met the cancer patient for the first time.
claim v. 1. state or assert 声称2.demand or request 索要 e.g.: 1. Don't claim to know what you don't know. 不要强不知以为知。2. Has anyone claimed this watch? 有人来领这只表吗?
# When Californians may vote on a proposed law legalizing euthanasia.
legalize v. make lawful 使合法e.g.: They legalize the sale of alcoholic drinks by doing so.他们这样做使贩酒合法化了。legal adj. allowed or made by law, lawful 法律上的，合法的，法定的e.g. : Is euthanasia legal ? 安乐死合法吗？
# active euthanasia -killing remains controversial .
controversial adj. likely to cause argument or disagreement 引起争论的e.g. : This is the controversial book. 这就是引起许多争论的那本书。
controversy n. argument about something over which there is much disagreement 争论 eg : The point in controversy is not whether we should do it , but whether we can do it.争论的焦点不是我们该不该做，而是我们能不能做。
# It is not clear why the religious objections of others should intrude on his death.
intrude v. enter without invitation 强行进入e.g.: I hope I am not intruding .我希望没有打扰你。
intrusion n. the act of intruding 闯入, 侵扰e.g. : This is an intrusion upon other people's time. 这是侵扰别人的时间。intrusive adj. of or concerning intrusion 侵扰的e.g.: It is intrusive to go into other people's privacy.走进别人的隐私是一种侵扰。
# Countries with an uninterrupted recent libertarian tradition have less to fear from setting some limited rules for voluntary euthanasia.
libertarian n. a person who stands for freedom in matters of thought, religion , etc 自由论者
○难句精析
@ and almost never comes to light
come to light : become known, be leveled or discovered 公布于众e.g. : 1.At last his bribable behaviour came to light. 最后他的受贿行为被公布于众。2. The result of the election came to light last week. 选举结果上周公布于众。
@ Right now it is going over teh arguments about euthanasia once again.
go over : examine the details of 检查细节e.g.: 1.We must go over the accounts carefully before we settle them. 在结账以前,我们必须将账目仔细核对一番。2. Go over your homework carefully before you hand in. 交作业之前仔细检查一下。
@ ...that will rumble on into the autumn.
the debate will continue till the autumn.
@ The letter was probably written for polemical impact.
The purpose of the letter was to result in argument.
@ the most extreme proponents of euthanasia ...
those who support are in favour of euthanasia to the extreme.
@ ...that protects doctors from prosecution ...
protect from : keep safe from danger, guard 保护e.g.: 1. He raised his arm to protect his face from the blow.他举起手臂挡住脸免受拳击。2.You need more clothes to protect you from the cold. 你需要多穿衣服,以免着凉。
@ How long can the distinction between killing and letting die hold out?
hold out : last 持续e.g.: 1. I think the car will hold out till we reach London.
我想这部车可以支持我们抵达伦敦。2.He held out against the wind for three hours. 他在大风中坚持了三个小时。
@ that a man stands to gain from the death of a certain child.
stand to gain : be in a position where one is likely to win , etc.获胜,盈利e.g.: 1.what do they stand to gain by the agreement? 依照合约,他们会得到何种利益?2.They stand to gain nothing in this transaction. 这笔交易他们几乎没有获利。
@ Which explicitly rules out active killing.
rule out : get rid of 排除,取消e.g.: 1.Bad weather ruled the excursion out for that day.恶劣的天气使那天不能出游。2.Illness can't be ruled out. 不能排除生病的可能性。
@ ...why the religious objections of others should intrude on his death.
intrude on : get involved in a person's private affairs 闯入,强加e.g.: 1.intrude one's views on others 把自已的意见强加于人。2.intrude on a person's privacy 侵扰一个人的隐私
@ permitting a doctor to comply with a dying man's request
comply with : act in accordance with 依从,顺从e.g.: 1. Everyone must comply with the rules. 每个人都必须遵守规则。2. You must comply with the library rules. 你必须遵守图书馆的规则。
@ might pose dangers for society
pose: create , give rise to 造成,带来e.g.: 1.The increasing number of students poses many new problems for the universities.学生人数的增加给大学带来许多新问
题。2.You have posed us an awkward question. 你给我们提出了一个困难的问题。
@ They usher in something worse.
usher in : herald , announce 预示e.g.: 1.The change of government ushered in a period of prosperity.政府的变动预示着一个繁荣时期的到来。2.Rain ushered in the summer. 雨带来了夏季。
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