unit 3 A crime of compassion

1、Unit 3 A Crime of Compassionv1. If you have ever witnessed the sufferings of a dying person, tell us the feelings that the scene evoked from you.v2. Do you think doctors and nurses should do everything within their means to try to save a terminally ill patient even when they know clearly all their e

2、fforts would mean nothing more than prolonging his suffering?Topic for Discussion Euthanasia ju:nezi , or mercy killing, is one of the most controversial issues in the world. Some people maintain that one is entitled to choose when to die and how to die; some other people hold that the legalization

3、of euthanasia might pose dangers for society, for it might be used as a pretext for murdering. Discuss the main ideas of either party and present your own view. vArgumentative NarrationvWhat Is Argumentative Narrationv If an essay is basically an argumentative one and the chief means used for argume

4、ntation is narration, it is called argumentative narration.vText Analysisv Huttmann begins the essay with the incident that the TV audience lodged strong accusations against her for murdering a patient she was supposed to care for. But her response does not follow immediately.v She withholds her res

5、ponse to the accusation until the last paragraph, where the audiences accusation of her is mentioned again, and her argument is presented.v Most of the essay is devoted to the narration of the painful dying process of a terminally ill cancer patient, which she witnessed. Based on the narrated incide

6、nt her argument seems only a natural conclusion.vThere seems to be a contradiction in the title A Crime of Compassion. What is it?v vThere are various kinds of crimes, but criminals can be anything but compassionate. It is hardly possible to associate compassion with any crime and being compassionat

7、e with a criminal.vto play Godvto function as God, i.e. to decide when to terminate a persons life. Christians believe that only God has the right to decide when a persons life should end.v1.Huttmann begins her essay with a metaphor. Locate it and then explain it. (para. 3)v vThe first sentence of p

8、ara. 3: It was the Phil Donahue show where the guest is a fatted calf and the audience a 200-strong flock of vultures hungering to pick at the bones. vHuttmann likens herself (the guest of the talk show) to a fatted calf, and the audience to a flock of more than 200 vultures hungering to pick at the

9、 bones. With the metaphor she intends to tell the reader that the way she handled the case of Mac was strongly disapproved of by the general public, and that the concept of mercy killing was unacceptable to them.vPara.4v“Otherwise, he felt great.”vHe had nothing wrong but some coughing.vPara.5v“with

10、out ever giving death a thought.”vNone of us had ever thought that Mac would die.vSix months isnt such a long time in the whole scheme of things, but it was long enough to see him lose his youth, his wit, his macho, his hair, his bowel and bladder control, his sense of taste and smell, and his abili

11、ty to do the slightest thing for himself. v Paraphrasing:vSix months shouldnt be considered a long period of time, but six months is an unbearably long passage of time when we had to see him gradually reduced from a strong and intelligent young guy to a helpless and disabled man.v在万物的发展过程中，六个月并不长，但长

12、得足以目睹他失去那么多的东西：年轻的身体、灵活的头脑、强壮的体魄、头发、控制大小便的能力、味觉和嗅觉、还有一丁点儿自理的能力。 vWhen Mac had wasted away to a 60-pound skeletonvWhen Mac had been reduced to a 60-pound skeletonvwaste awayv(of a person or a part of the body) become progressively weaker and more emaciatedve.g.vShe is dying of AIDS, visibly wasting a

13、way.vHe became ill and began to waste away. vi.v. solutionsvi.v. is the abbreviation of intravenous, meaning within a vein, and i.v. solutions refers to the liquid substances infused directly into the vein of a patient for therapeutic purposes.vPara.6 v“When Mac had wasted away to a sixty-pound skel

14、eton kept alive by liquid food we poured down a tube, I.V. solutions we dripped into his veins, and oxygen we piped to a mask on his face, he begged us: Mercy for Gods sake, please just let me go.”vSuffering the disease, Mac was much weaker than before who cannot live without the instruments or medi

15、cal substances. The treatment itself is a torture also. Mac could not bear the agony anymore and pleaded for death.vwork their miracles: vresuscitate the patient who has stopped breathing, make the patient who almost dies alive again. Its a miracle process.virrigate the big craters of bedsoresvThe v

16、erb irrigate normally means to supply water to land or crops to help growth. vIn medicine, the word can be used to mean to apply a continuous flow of water or medication to an organ or a wound.vsuction the lung fluids that threatened to drown himvdrain the excessive lung fluids that threaten his lif

17、evWhere in the essay can we find descriptions of Macs condition when he was being treated? Why do you think Huttmann is being so specific and detailed? (paras. 6 & 7)v vMostly in para. 6, and the latter part of para. 7. vShe gives such detailed and specific descriptions of Macs condition to make

18、 vivid to the reader the horrifying sufferings Mac had to endure, ultimately to support her argument that a patient in such condition should be given the right to die if he should so request.vPara 7 当他第一次停止呼吸时，护士按动按当他第一次停止呼吸时，护士按动按钮去呼叫遍布整个医院的紧急救命，然后派遣钮去呼叫遍布整个医院的紧急救命，然后派遣医疗小组赶去抢救这个病人。每次他停止呼吸，医疗小组赶去抢救

19、这个病人。每次他停止呼吸，有时一天会有两三次，医疗小队又会过来抢救有时一天会有两三次，医疗小队又会过来抢救他。医生和技术人员创造着他们的奇迹然后离他。医生和技术人员创造着他们的奇迹然后离开。护士们会继续留在那里擦拭着从病人嘴里开。护士们会继续留在那里擦拭着从病人嘴里流出来的唾液，冲洗掉布满他臀部由于褥疮而流出来的唾液，冲洗掉布满他臀部由于褥疮而产生的点点，抽吸掉几乎要把他淹死的肺部液产生的点点，抽吸掉几乎要把他淹死的肺部液体，清理掉那些像碱液一样会燃烧他的皮肤的体，清理掉那些像碱液一样会燃烧他的皮肤的粪便，把营养液注入他胃部的管道，把枕头放粪便，把营养液注入他胃部的管道，把枕头放在他膝盖中间去

20、减轻骨头与骨头碰触的疼痛，在他膝盖中间去减轻骨头与骨头碰触的疼痛，每隔两个小时要换掉他的病服以防被汗水浸湿。每隔两个小时要换掉他的病服以防被汗水浸湿。vthat seemed woven into the fabric of my uniformvthat seemed to have become an element of the fabric of my uniformvweave sth. intovinclude sth. as an integral part or element (of a fabric); include an element in a story, an a

21、rtistic work, etc.vSome golden threads are woven into the fabric.vArgumentative paragraphs are naturally woven into Huttmanns narration.vAnd every night I prayed that Mac would die, that his agonized eyes would never again plead with me to let him die. vParaphrasing:vEvery night I spoke to God, wish

22、ing that He could let Mac go peacefully so that he would no longer look at me so painfully, begging me not to let him suffer anymore.v to be liable for negligencev to be held responsible for failing to perform my dutyv be liable forv to be responsible for by law, to be legally answerable tov be liab

23、le tov be likely to do or to be something, likely to experience sth. (unpleasant)v e.g.v Once you have contacted the credit card protection scheme, you are no longer liable for any loss that might occur.v He is suffering from hypertension(高血压) and thus is liable to fall if he gets up too suddenly.v

24、The low-lying areas are liable to floods during the rainy season.vTo not do it is to be liable for negligence, at least in the eyes of many people, including some nurses. vParaphrasing:vIf we fail or refuse to resuscitate him, we are likely to be sued for criminal negligence, and at least many peopl

25、e, including some of our nurses, believe that we should be thus punished by law.v8.8.晚上我回到家试图擦洗掉已经渗透到我工作服的腐晚上我回到家试图擦洗掉已经渗透到我工作服的腐烂的肉的味道。它在我的头发里，在我汽车座位的垫烂的肉的味道。它在我的头发里，在我汽车座位的垫子里子里洗也洗不掉。每天晚上我祈求着他万分痛苦洗也洗不掉。每天晚上我祈求着他万分痛苦的双眼不要再恳求我让他死去。的双眼不要再恳求我让他死去。v9.9.每天早上我都去向医生请求一个不再紧急治疗的命每天早上我都去向医生请求一个不再紧急治疗的命令。没有那个

26、命令的话，我们就不得不去抢救每个已令。没有那个命令的话，我们就不得不去抢救每个已经停止了呼吸的病人。他（经停止了呼吸的病人。他（Mac)Mac)的医生就是其中一个的医生就是其中一个相信只要有方法和知识去抢救病人，就一定要延长他相信只要有方法和知识去抢救病人，就一定要延长他们的生命的。不这么做就等于要对自己的疏忽负责任，们的生命的。不这么做就等于要对自己的疏忽负责任，最起码在有些人的眼里，这也包括一些护士。我想着最起码在有些人的眼里，这也包括一些护士。我想着如果如果MacMac停止了呼吸而我没有按动那个救援的按钮，停止了呼吸而我没有按动那个救援的按钮，那么当我被控告作为一个杀人者，站在法官面前时

27、，那么当我被控告作为一个杀人者，站在法官面前时，这一切会变得怎么样。这一切会变得怎么样。vwhen no amount of pain medication stilled his moaning and agonyvwhen his pain was so acute that no matter how much pain-relieving medication was used, his suffering could not be easedvstill vt. & vi.ve.g.vHe clapped his hands to still the agitated aud

28、ience.vWhen night fell, the village which was boisterous(喧喧闹的闹的 ) with tourists in the daytime stilled.vI wondered about a spiritual judge.vI wondered if there was a spiritual judge (as against a legal judge), who would be supportive of my decision not to push the code blue button, thus to put an en

29、d to all this.v“Was all this misery and suffering supposed to be building character or infusing us all with the sense of humility that comes form impotence?”vDoes God inflict all this misery and suffering on us in order to build our character or let us learn humility by knowing that we are so tiny t

30、hat we cannot rival with the destiny?vbuilding charactervdeveloping his personal qualities (so that he could face up to the adversity better)v10. 在抢救在抢救Mac 52次后，当他头脑还足够清醒次后，当他头脑还足够清醒时，他再一次向我请求死亡，时，他再一次向我请求死亡，Maura也在我的也在我的怀里崩溃了怀里崩溃了 ，当无论再多的止痛药也无法停止，当无论再多的止痛药也无法停止他的呻吟和痛苦时，我在思考着一个精神审判。他的呻吟和痛苦时，我在思考着一个精

31、神审判。是不是所有的痛苦都应该被拿去塑造个性或者是不是所有的痛苦都应该被拿去塑造个性或者使我们充满由于我们的无能为力而带来的所谓使我们充满由于我们的无能为力而带来的所谓谦逊感。谦逊感。vself-righteousvadj.vhaving a certainty, especially an unfounded one, that one is totally correct or superiorvHe is critical of the monks, whom he considers narrow-minded and self-righteous. v他对僧侣们颇有微词，认为他们思想

32、偏狭，自视清高。vmeddle invinterfere inve.g.vYoung people today do not like their parents to meddle in their lives.vmeddle withvtouch or handle sth. without permissionve.g.vYou can use my room but youre not supposed to meddle with my stuffs, especially my computer.11. 我们相信着只要通过科学就能救人的错误观念，我们，我们相信着只要通过科学就能救人

33、的错误观念，我们，整个医学界，是否已经变得太自大了？认为插手上帝的整个医学界，是否已经变得太自大了？认为插手上帝的工作也是我们的责任，道德律令及法律义务，我们是否工作也是我们的责任，道德律令及法律义务，我们是否已经变得过于自以为是？我们真的相信我们有这个权利已经变得过于自以为是？我们真的相信我们有这个权利去强制一个十分痛苦的并恳求能有权利死去的人继续活去强制一个十分痛苦的并恳求能有权利死去的人继续活下去吗？下去吗？/我们所有的医务人员是否变得如此高傲，真会相信科我们所有的医务人员是否变得如此高傲，真会相信科学手段能拯救生命这样的妄想？我们是否变得如此自以学手段能拯救生命这样的妄想？我们是否变得

34、如此自以为是，把敢于上帝的工作当做是我们的天职、我们的道为是，把敢于上帝的工作当做是我们的天职、我们的道德责任、我们的法律义务？我们难道真的相信我们有权德责任、我们的法律义务？我们难道真的相信我们有权把把“生命生命”强加给一个痛不欲生、恳求给他死的权利的强加给一个痛不欲生、恳求给他死的权利的病人？病人？vthe blessed relief of comavComa refers to a state of deep unconsciousness that lasts for a prolonged period, caused especially by severe injury or

35、illness. vWhen in a coma, the patient is not conscious of any pain. Thats why Huttmann thinks it is a blessed relief.v“I thought he at last had the blessed relief of coma.”vComa is a relief to him which is much better than the clear feeling of pain. The narrator thought he had coma because he was st

36、ill for so long.vriddled me with guiltvfilled me with a strong sense of guiltvThe verb riddle here means fill or permeate sb. or sth. esp. with sth. unpleasant or undesirable.vA clutch of panic banded my chestvI was so seized by panic that I felt simply suffocatedvclutchvn. graspvbandvv. surround (a

37、n object) with sth. in the form of a strip or ring, typically for reinforcement or decoration (usu.be banded )ve.g.vThe doors to the warehouse are all banded with iron to make them stronger.vA clutch of panic banded my chest, drew my finger to the code button, urged me to do something, anything.”vTh

38、e nurse was not cold-blooded as the public thought. The original panic and the respect of life drove her to do something or anything rather than to stand around to see Mac die.va waxen pallor slowly transformed his face from person to empty shellvthe unhealthily pale colour of his face indicated tha

39、t he was sinkingvNothing Ive ever done in my 47 years has taken so much effort as it took not to press that code button. vParaphrasing:vIt is the toughest decision I have ever had to make in the 47 years of my life that I shall not press the button this time to summon the code team.v1. Was it a diff

40、icult decision for Huttmann to make not to push the button in time? (para. 15)v vObviously it was, as she relates in para. 15 Nothing Ive ever done in my 47 years has taken so much effort as it took not to press that code button.vthe legal twilight zonevTwilight zone refers to a situation of confusi

41、on or uncertainty, which seems to exist between two different states or categories. vThus the legal twilight zone Huttmann says she entered here refers to the situation in which her action of pushing the button to call code blue can be deemed either legal or not legal.vCradling her in my arms was li

42、ke cradling myself, Mac, and all those patients and nurses who had been in this place before, who do the best they can in a death-denying society.v译文：v怀里搂着她，就像是搂着我自己、迈克、还有每一个曾经在这里的病人和护士。这些人以最大的努力生存在一个否定死亡的社会中。va death-denying societyva society where its members are not given the right to dievUntil t

43、here is legislation making it a criminal act to code a patient who has requested the right to dievUntil it becomes law that it is a criminal act to call a resuscitation team to save a patient who has voluntarily asked for the right to die vWe will all experience the same as Mac did unless a new law

44、is adopted, stipulating that it shall constitute a crime to try to bring back life to a patient who is perfectly justified to claim the right to end his life.v1. Where does Huttmann state her thesis? (para. 18)v vIn the last paragraph: Until there is legislation making it a criminal act to code a pa

45、tient who has requested the right to die, we will all of us risk the same fate as Mac. For whatever reason, we developed the means to prolong life, and now we are forced to use it. We do not have the right to die.v1. In the Phil Donahue Show Huttmann as a guest was accused of murder by most, if not

46、all, of the audience with regard to Macs death. Put yourself in Huttmanns position and give a talk to defend yourself.v2. Thirty years after the publication of Huttmanns essay, euthanasia is still an unsettled issue in todays world. Form two groups, one for legitimizing euthanasia and the other agai

47、nst it, and have a debate on the issue.vBody ParagraphsvPurpose of Body Paragraphsv The ideas, facts, details, and examples enclosed in the body paragraphs are designed to support and develop the central point stated in the opening. The body paragraphs in an essay may vary in number depending on the

48、 subject matter and the purpose for writing. While the body paragraphs relate directly to the thesis statement in the opening, each paragraph has its own main idea to highlight and information to support that main idea.vStrategies of Writing Body Paragraphsv Essays employ a number of rhetorical stra

49、tegies, each of which describes a particular form of development or arrangement of ideas. Only rarely is any one of these strategies employed alone. Instead, they are almost always used in a combination suited to the subject matter often along with one or another of the primary modes of discourse as

50、 well.v Remember, the aim of an essay is invariably a clear presentation or explanation of ideas. You may base your choice of a strategy or strategies upon several factors: your writing purpose, the central point of your essay, your intended audience, and your viewpoint as a writer.vExamplev An essa

51、y of multiple paragraphs makes it possible for you to decide flexibly how to apply and blend strategies when you write an essay. For example, suppose you wanted to compare life in a large city with that in a small town. In only a single paragraph, you would have to focus on a few major similarities

52、and differences and cover these briefly.v However, in an essay, you might even devote an entire body paragraph to similarities and another, differences. You might even devote a third to another strategy drawing an analogy, for instance, or relating an anecdote.v Guidelines for Choosing Body Paragrap

53、h Strategiesv When you write an essay, you can combine strategies to suit your purpose, content and audience. Use the following guidelines to choose a strategy or combination of strategies wisely.v Consider your writing purpose.v Certain strategies are especially appropriate for accomplishing partic

54、ular purposes. For example, for informative or persuasive essays, facts and examples can support your ideas and a compare/contrast or cause/effect strategy can help explain them. For a descriptive essay, you will want to use description, perhaps in combination with analogy.v Consider the complexity

55、of your ideas and information and the knowledge level of your audience.v Examples and definitions help to clarify difficult content. Classification, too, can make complicated content easier to follow. An analogy can be helpful as long as the analogy is clear and sound.v Stay focused on your central

56、point.v Strategies should help to convey the central point of an essay without distracting readers. For example, narration can effectively reveal aspects of someones personality, if you choose a relevant story or anecdote. However, if the central point of your essay is how kindhearted your cousin is

57、, then, stories or anecdotes should reflect this trait. An anecdote that deals with, say, your cousins love of music will blur the focus of your essay at this point.v Put yourself in the readers place.v If you are not sure whether the strategy or strategies you have chosen are the best to use, try t

58、o view your content as a reader rather than as a writer. Suppose, for example, you are planning an essay to persuade readers that college courses should be graded on a pass/fail basis. What approach would be most likely to convince a reader? Facts and examples? An analogy? Some other strategy? Viewi

59、ng matters from the readers vantage point may help you choose your approach.v Be flexible.v Make your writing richer and more expressive by experimenting with different strategies and different combinations of strategies. For example, in an informative essay about how exercise improves muscle tone e

60、ven in elderly people, you might use narration to tell about a specific elderly persons improved strength after beginning an exercise program.v Coherence in Body Paragraphsv Coherence in an essay can be created by carefully organizing main ideas and supporting information in the body paragraphs. Methods of