Discuss

Compare your decisions with those of the classmates in you discussion group. Explain and defend your opinions. Listen carefully to your classmates’ opinions, but do not be afraid to disagree with those opinions. Try to reach a group consensus on the best solution to the problem. One person in the group should write down the group’s decision.

Extend

1. Do you think only doctors should decide who receives transplant? Are here any other people who should help make such decisions?

2. What do you think about cross-species transplant – such as putting a baboon heart in a person?

3. How do you think you would feel if you received the heart of another person? How would it feel to have another person’ heart in your chest?

4. When you die would you be willing to donate you organs to a person who needs them? Explain.

5. When do you think a person is “dead” and therefore capable of giving his organs to another: when his brain has no more activity, or when his heart stops beating?

Vocabulary:

team: group

donor heart: heart that well be put in a patient

deteriorate: become worse

recipient: receiver

renowned: famous

deteriorating: worsening

dramatically: rapidly

bout: battle

welfare: government money for poor people

donate: give

organs: body parts such as eyes, heart

Euthanasia

1. Do you know any fatal and incurable diseases?

2. What do you think the reasons for such terrible diseases?

3. Do you know what euthanasia is?

4. What can be the reasons for people to wish their death?

Euthanasia is the practice of medically-assisted death. It is illegal in most countries. Euthanasia is a controversial subject, not only because there are many different moral dilemmas associated with it, but also in what constitutes its definition. At the extreme ends of disagreement, advocates say euthanasia, also known as physician aid in dying, or physician assisted suicide, is a merciful method of death. At the other end are opponents of euthanasia, who may consider this method as a form of murder. The term euthanasia comes from the Greek words “eu” and “thanatos” which combined means “well-death” or “dying well”. Hippocrates mentions euthanasia in the Hippocratic Oath, which was written between 400 and 300 B.C. English Common Law from the 1300s until the middle of the last century made suicide a criminal act in England and Wales. Assisting another to kill oneself remains illegal in that jurisdiction. And now voluntary euthanasia is legalized in some countries but still it hasn’t become a well-spread practice.

1. Do you think the issue of euthanasia must be discussed nowadays?

2. What is your attitude to euthanasia? Are you for or against it?

3. Do you think our society is developed enough to admit this? Is euthanasia possible in Russia?

4. Give possible reasons for and against euthanasia.