1997年

Text1

Itwas3:45inthemorningwhenthevotewasfinallytaken.Aftersixmonthsofarguingandfinal16hoursofhotparliamentarydebates,Australia’sNorthernTerritorybecamethefirstlegalauthorityintheworldtoallowdoctorstotakethelivesofincurablyillpatientswhowishtodie.Themeasurepassedbytheconvincingvoteof15to10.AlmostimmediatelywordflashedontheInternetandwaspickedup,halfaworldaway,byJohnHofsess,executivedirectoroftheRighttoDieSocietyofCanada.Hesentitonviathegroup’son-lineservice,DeathNET.SaysHofsess:“Wepostedbulletinsalldaylong,becauseofcoursethisisn’tjustsomethingthathappenedinAustralia.It’sworldhistory.”

Thefullimportmaytakeawhiletosinkin.TheNTRightsoftheTerminallyIlllawhasleftphysiciansandcitizensaliketryingtodealwithitsmoralandpracticalimplications.Somehavebreathedsighsofrelief,others,includingchurches,right-to-lifegroupsandtheAustralianMedicalAssociation,bitterlyattackedthebillandthehasteofitspassage.Butthetideisunlikelytoturnback.InAustralia--whereanagingpopulation,life-extendingtechnologyandchangingcommunityattitudeshaveallplayedtheirpart--otherstatesaregoingtoconsidermakingasimilarlawtodealwitheuthanasia.IntheUSandCanada,wheretheright-to-diemovementisgatheringstrength,observersarewaitingforthedominoestostartfalling.

UnderthenewNorthernTerritorylaw,anadultpatientcanrequestdeath--probablybya

deadlyinjectionorpill--toputanendtosuffering.Thepatientmustbediagnosedasterminallyillbytwodoctors.Aftera“coolingoff”periodofsevendays,thepatientcansignacertificateofrequest.After48hoursthewishfordeathcanbemet.ForLloydNickson,a54-year-oldDarwinresidentsufferingfromlungcancer,theNTRightsofTerminallyIlllawmeanshecangetonwithlivingwithoutthehauntingfearofhissuffering:aterrifyingdeathfromhisbreathingcondition.“I’mnotafraidofdyingfromaspiritualpointofview,butwhatIwasafraidofwashowI’dgo,becauseI’vewatchedpeopledieinthehospitalfightingforoxygenandclawingattheirmasks,”hesays.

Fromthesecondparagraphwelearnthat .

theobjectiontoeuthanasiaisslowtocomeinothercountries

physiciansandcitizenssharethesameviewoneuthanasia

changingtechnologyischieflyresponsibleforthehastypassageofthelaw

ittakestimetorealizethesignificanceofthelaw’spassage

Whentheauthorsaysthatobserversarewaitingforthedominoestostartfalling,hemeans .

observersaretakingawait-and-seeattitudetowardsthefutureofeuthanasia

similarbillsarelikelytobepassedintheUS,Canadaandothercountries

observersarewaitingtoseetheresultofthegameofdominoes

theeffect-takingprocessofthepassedbillmayfinallycometoastop

WhenLloydNicksondies,hewill .

facehisdeathwithcalmcharacteristicofeuthanasia

experiencethesufferingofalungcancerpatient

haveanintensefearofterriblesuffering

undergoacoolingoffperiodofsevendays

Theauthor’sattitudetowardseuthanasiaseemstobethatof .

opposition

suspicion

approval

indifference

Text2

AreportconsistentlybroughtbackbyvisitorstotheUSishowfriendly,courteous,andhelpfulmostAmericansweretothem.Tobefair,thisobservationisalsofrequentlymadeofCanadaandCanadians,andshouldbestbeconsideredNorthAmerican.Thereare,ofcourse,exceptions.Small-mindedofficials,rudewaiters,andill-manneredtaxidriversarehardlyunknownintheUS.Yetitisanobservationmadesofrequentlythatitdeservescomment.

Foralongperiodoftimeandinmanypartsofthecountry,atravelerwasawelcomebreakinanotherwisedullexistence.Dullnessandlonelinesswerecommonproblemsofthefamilieswho

generallyliveddistantfromoneanother.Strangersandtravelerswerewelcomesourcesofdiversion,andbroughtnewsoftheoutsideworld.

Theharshrealitiesofthefrontieralsoshapedthistraditionofhospitality.Someonetravelingalone,ifhungry,injured,orill,oftenhadnowheretoturnexcepttothenearestcabinorsettlement.Itwasnotamatterofchoiceforthetravelerormerelyacharitableimpulseonthepartofthesettlers.Itreflectedtheharshnessofdailylife:ifyoudidn’ttakeinthestrangerandtakecareofhim,therewasnooneelsewhowould.Andsomeday,remember,youmightbeinthesamesituation.

Todaytherearemanycharitableorganizationswhichspecializeinhelpingthewearytraveler.Yet,theoldtraditionofhospitalitytostrangersisstillverystrongintheUS,especiallyinthesmallercitiesandtownsawayfromthebusytouristtrails.“Iwasjusttravelingthrough,gottalkingwiththisAmerican,andprettysoonheinvitedmehomefordinner--amazing.”SuchobservationsreportedbyvisitorstotheUSarenotuncommon,butarenotalwaysunderstoodproperly.ThecasualfriendlinessofmanyAmericansshouldbeinterpretedneitherassuperficialnorasartificial,butastheresultofahistoricallydevelopedculturaltradition.

Asistrueofanydevelopedsociety,inAmericaacomplexsetofculturalsignals,assumptions,andconventionsunderliesallsocialinterrelationships.And,ofcourse,speakingalanguagedoesnotnecessarilymeanthatsomeoneunderstandssocialandculturalpatterns.Visitorswhofailto“translate”culturalmeaningsproperlyoftendrawwrongconclusions.Forexample,whenanAmericanusestheword“friend,”theculturalimplicationsofthewordmaybequitedifferentfromthoseithasinthevisitor’slanguageandculture.Ittakesmorethanabriefencounteronabustodistinguishbetweencourteousconventionandindividualinterest.Yet,beingfriendlyisa

virtuethatmanyAmericansvaluehighlyandexpectfrombothneighborsandstrangers.

Intheeyesofvisitorsfromtheoutsideworld, .

rudetaxidriversarerarelyseenintheUS

small-mindedofficialsdeserveaseriouscomment

Canadiansarenotsofriendlyastheirneighbors

mostAmericansarereadytoofferhelp

Itcouldbeinferredfromthelastparagraphthat .

cultureexercisesaninfluenceoversocialinterrelationship

courteousconventionandindividualinterestareinterrelated

variousvirtuesmanifestthemselvesexclusivelyamongfriends

socialinterrelationshipsequalthecomplexsetofculturalconventions

Familiesinfrontiersettlementsusedtoentertainstrangers .

toimprovetheirhardlife

inviewoftheirlong-distancetravel

toaddsomeflavortotheirowndailylife

outofacharitableimpulse

Thetraditionofhospitalitytostrangers .

tendstobesuperficialandartificial

isgenerallywellkeptupintheUnitedStates

isalwaysunderstoodproperly

wassomethingtodowiththebusytouristtrails

Text3

Technically,anysubstanceotherthanfoodthataltersourbodilyormentalfunctioningisadrug.Manypeoplemistakenlybelievethetermdrugrefersonlytosomesortofmedicineoranillegalchemicaltakenbydrugaddicts.Theydon’trealizethatfamiliarsubstancesabusesuchasalcoholandtobaccoarealsodrugs.Thisiswhythemoreneutraltermsubstanceisnowusedbymanyphysiciansandpsychologists.Thephrase“substanceabuse”isoftenusedinsteadof“drugabuse”tomakeclearthatsubstancessuchasalcoholandtobaccocanbejustasharmfullymisusedasheroinandcocaine.

Weliveinasocietyinwhichthemedicinalandsocialuseofsubstances(drugs)ispervasive:anaspirintoquietaheadache,somewinetobesociable,coffeetogetgoinginthemorning,acigaretteforthenerves.Whendothesesociallyacceptableandapparentlyconstructiveusesofasubstancebecomemisuses?Firstofall,mostsubstancestakeninexcesswillproducenegativeeffectssuchaspoisoningorintenseperceptualdistortions.Repeateduseofasubstancecanalsoleadtophysicaladdictionorsubstancedependence.Dependenceismarkedfirstbyanincreasedtolerance,withmoreandmoreofthesubstancerequiredtoproducethedesiredeffect,andthenbytheappearanceofunpleasantwithdrawalsymptomswhenthesubstanceisdiscontinued.

Drugs(substances)thataffectthecentralnervoussystemandalterperception,mood,andbehaviorareknownaspsychoactivesubstances.Psychoactivesubstancesarecommonlygroupedaccordingtowhethertheyarestimulants,depressants,orhallucinogens.Stimulantsinitiallyspeeduporactivatethecentralnervoussystem,whereasdepressantsslowitdown.Hallucinogenshavetheirprimaryeffectonperception,distortingandalteringitinavarietyofwaysincludingproducinghallucinations.Thesearethesubstancesoftencalledpsychedelic(fromtheGreekwordmeaning“mind-manifesting”)becausetheyseemedtoradicallyalterone’sstateofconsciousness.

“Substanceabuse”(Line5,Paragraph1)ispreferableto“drugabuse”inthat .

substancescanalterourbodilyormentalfunctioningifillegallyused

“drugabuse”isonlyrelatedtoalimitednumberofdrugtakers

alcoholandtobaccoareasfatalasheroinandcocaine

manysubstancesotherthanheroinorcocainecanalsobepoisonous

Theword“pervasive”(Line1,Paragraph2)mightmean .

widespread

overwhelming

piercing

fashionable

Physicaldependenceoncertainsubstancesresultsfrom .

uncontrolledconsumptionofthemoverlongperiodsoftime

exclusiveuseofthemforsocialpurposes

quantitativeapplicationofthemtothetreatmentofdiseases

carelessemploymentofthemforunpleasantsymptoms

Fromthelastparagraphwecaninferthat .

stimulantsfunctionpositivelyonthemind

hallucinogensareinthemselvesharmfultohealth

depressantsaretheworsttypeofpsychoactivesubstances

thethreetypesofpsychoactivesubstancesarecommonlyusedingroups

Text4

Nocompanylikestobetolditiscontributingtothemoraldeclineofanation.“Isthiswhatyouintendedtoaccomplishwithyourcareers?”SenatorRobertDoleaskedTimeWarnerexecutiveslastweek.“Youhavesoldyoursouls,butmustyoucorruptournationandthreatenourchildrenaswell?”AtTimeWarner,however,suchquestionsaresimplythelatestmanifestationofthesoul-searchingthathasinvolvedthecompanyeversincethecompanywasbornin1990.It’saself-examinationthathas,atvarioustimes,involvedissuesofresponsibility,creativefreedomandthecorporatebottomline.

AtthecoreofthisdebateischairmanGeraldLevin,56,whotookoverforthelateSteveRossin1992.Onthefinancialfront,Levinisunderpressuretoraisethestockpriceandreducethe

company’smountainousdebt,whichwillincreaseto$17.3billionaftertwonewcabledealsclose.Hehaspromisedtoselloffsomeofthepropertyandrestructurethecompany,butinvestorsarewaitingimpatiently.

Theflapoverrapisnotmakinglifeanyeasierforhim.Levinhasconsistentlydefendedthecompany’srapmusiconthegroundsofexpression.In1992,whenTimeWarnerwasunderfireforreleasingIce-T’sviolentrapsongCopKiller,Levindescribedrapasalawfulexpressionofstreetculture,whichdeservesanoutlet.“Thetestofanydemocraticsociety,”hewroteinaWallStreetJournalcolumn,“l(fā)iesnotinhowwellitcancontrolexpressionbutinwhetheritgivesfreedomofthoughtandexpressionthewidestpossiblelatitude,howeverdisputableorirritatingtheresultsmaysometimesbe.Wewon’tretreatinthefaceofanythreats.”

Levinwouldnotcommentonthedebatelastweek,butthereweresignsthatthechairmanwasbackingoffhishard-linestand,atleasttosomeextent.Duringthediscussionofrocksingingversesatlastmonth’sstockholders’meeting,Levinassertedthat“musicisnotthecauseofsociety’sills”andevencitedhisson,ateacherintheBronx,NewYork,whousesraptocommunicatewithstudents.Buthetalkedaswellaboutthe“balancedstruggle”betweencreativefreedomandsocialresponsibility,andheannouncedthatthecompanywouldlaunchadrivetodevelopstandardsfordistributionandlabelingofpotentiallyobjectionablemusic.

The15-memberTimeWarnerboardisgenerallysupportiveofLevinandhiscorporatestrategy.Butinsiderssayseveralofthemhaveshowntheirconcernsinthismatter.“Someofushaveknownformany,manyyearsthatthefreedomsundertheFirstAmendmentarenottotallyunlimited,”saysLuce.“Ithinkitisperhapsthecasethatsomepeopleassociatedwiththecompanyhaveonlyrecentlycometorealizethis.”

SenatorRobertDolecriticizedTimeWarnerfor .

itsraisingofthecorporatestockprice

itsself-examinationofsoul

itsneglectofsocialresponsibility

itsemphasisoncreativefreedom

Accordingtothepassage,whichofthefollowingisTRUE?

LuceisaspokesmanofTimeWarner.

GeraldLevinisliabletocompromise.

TimeWarnerisunitedasoneinthefaceofthedebate.

SteveRossisnolongeralive.

Infaceoftherecentattacksonthecompany,thechairman .

stucktoastrongstandtodefendfreedomofexpression

softenedhistoneandadoptedsomenewpolicy

changedhisattitudeandyieldedtoobjection

receivedmoresupportfromthe15-memberboard

Thebesttitleforthispassagecouldbe .

ACompanyunderFire

ADebateonMoralDecline

ALawfulOutletofStreetCulture

AFormofCreativeFreedom

Text5

Muchofthelanguageusedtodescribemonetarypolicy,suchas“steeringtheeconomytoasoftlanding”or“atouchonthebrakes,”makesitsoundlikeaprecisescience.Nothingcouldbefurtherfromthetruth.Thelinkbetweeninterestratesandinflationisuncertain.Andtherearelong,variablelagsbeforepolicychangeshaveanyeffectontheeconomy.Hencetheanalogythatlikenstheconductofmonetarypolicytodrivingacarwithablackenedwindscreen,acrackedrear-viewmirrorandafaultysteeringwheel.

Givenallthesedisadvantages,centralbankersseemtohavehadmuchtoboastaboutoflate.Averageinflationinthebigsevenindustrialeconomiesfelltoamere2.3%lastyear,closetoitslowestlevelin30years,beforerisingslightlyto2.5%thisJuly.Thisisalongwaybelowthedouble-digitrateswhichmanycountriesexperiencedinthe1970sandearly1980s.

Itisalsolessthanmostforecastershadpredicted.Inlate1994thepanelofeconomistswhichTheEconomistpollseachmonthsaidthatAmerica’sinflationratewouldaverage3.5%in1995.Infact,itfellto2.6%inAugust,andisexpectedtoaverageonlyabout3%fortheyearasawhole.InBritainandJapaninflationisrunninghalfapercentagepointbelowtheratepredictedattheendoflastyear.Thisisnoflashinthepan,overthepastcoupleofyears,inflationhasbeenconsistentlylowerthane