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 Euthanasia

Euthanasia English, baby! Video Lesson

Date: Jun 12 2007

Themes: Health

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

At first it might seem odd that it is illegal to kill yourself in most countries. How could you punish a dead person? But it makes a little more sense when you realize that it’s illegal to help someone end his or her life too. It’s even against the law for people who are very sick and will never get better to have a doctor help them die.

But some laws are very unpopular so people, and even courts, ignore them. Listen to Mason tell Marni about how a French court didn’t punish a doctor and nurse who helped a patient die.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

Log in to Listen

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Mason

Mason

Marni

Marni

Mason:  There was an interesting article in the paper the other day about a euthanasia case in France.

Marni:  Okay, stop you right there. You’re talking about…

Mason:  I’m talking about…not in Asia, even though France is in Europe…

Marni:  Not youth in Asia…

Mason:  Like, physician-assisted suicide sort of thing.

Marni:  Well, okay. Yes. Well you can see where, you know, it’s a linguistic challenge.

Mason:  It’s a weird word for us, like where Asia, youth could be. But anyway, this court acquitted a physician and nurse that were on charges, pretty serious charges, for ending a life that basically this person wanted ended and her family wanted ended.

Marni:  So, what do you think about euthanasia as a topic? It’s a very controversial issue.

Mason:  Technically it is because the laws still say it’s illegal. But one of the things this article was talking about, that this case kind of illustrates because they got off pretty scot-free, because they really didn’t do anything wrong…

Marni:  Because it was this woman’s will to die.

Mason:  Um-hm. It’s kind of like the court of public opinion, right, was really what this court was, and the public said, in France, that really this is no big deal and…

Marni:  And they supported this woman’s decision.

Mason:  Yeah, it’s like, it’s our lives, society’s at a place where it’s your right to choose when and how you go.

Marni:  Well and if you’re terminally ill I think it’s perfectly acceptable to say, “I’m going to choose how I’m going to die.”

 

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Discussion

Mason read about a French euthanasia case in the newspaper. For a moment, Marni misunderstands and thinks he is talking about youth in Asia because the words sound similar. The French doctor and nurse helped a sick woman who wanted to die end her life and were brought to trail.

Marni asks Mason what he thinks about euthanasia and she says that it’s controversial. Mason says that he thinks the only reason it is an issue is because it is illegal. He says that since the French doctor and nurse weren’t punished by the court, it shows that people don’t believe that euthanasia is wrong anymore. Marni agrees that people who are sick and in pain and going to die soon ought to have the right to end their lives earlier.

What do you think about euthanasia? Would you want to go on living even if you were in pain that would never get better?

Interesting fact: Dr. Jack Kevorkian was just released from a US prison on June 1 after serving eight years for helping a patient die.

 

Comments

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kimnga

kimnga

Viet Nam

I agree with victor25 about this matter; and I think that it’d be better for me die  than to last a living in pain.

04:51 AM Aug 13 2014 |

victor25

victor25

Moldova, Republic Of

I think euthanasia is a right thing. People have the right to chose, especially when they are terminally ill. Euthanasia will be an issue for a short time, more and more countries sooner or later will legalise it.

02:28 AM Jun 17 2007 |

penny160

penny160

China

today is father’s day,I give my dad a present,they are three hundreds star,I make it very difflcult.But they don’t give me a CD,they said give me a CD ,but,they wanted me to see cars,it’s very boring,so I follow them,when we finished,they said did’t give me a CD.and they have never give me a festival gift.I feel sad,they don’t understand me!

09:43 AM Jun 16 2007 |

lilmeowsy

lilmeowsy

Philippines

It's hard to say that EUTHANASIA is good because even if you have the concent of the person or the person's family to take that person's life, it's still considered as murder but with a consent ormaybe even suicide. Besides, a person nor his/her family does not have the right to decide whether they can take their family member's life or his/her life. Our life literally belongs to us, yes but I think that God is the only one who can decide when he can end our life. He was the one who gave it to us so he is the only who has the right to take it away from us.

 I understand that there are some people who are already terminally ill and have no chance of living anymore after an unbearable sickness and that their family members only want them to feel more convenient so they end up going for EUTHANASIA but I think that it would be better to live the remaining days of your life with hope and with happiness along with those you love. At least even if you already died, you still got the chance to enjoy your life upto the very last minute. Besides, I firmly believe that people should never lose hope. There's always a saying that goes, there is still hope because you are still alive! and I agree with that! Laughing

10:20 AM Jun 15 2007 |

Brujis67

Peru

Tough topic.

06:56 PM Jun 14 2007 |

claudia_abi_07

Germany

It is and always has been difficult to say whether people are worth living or not (exept during World War 2). I think everybody is worth living even  if he or she is disabled. We aren't god to decide this even though we have to power to do it. In Germany there was a long dicussion whether a women can commit "suicide under the supervision of a medic" and still we find articles in almost every magazin. It's up to everybody if he or she wants to live on…but why not fight for life? I know in some cases people are closer to death than to life and the relatives suffer with them. In this case it might be a release…the end of suffering…Some people also filled in a form saiyng that they don't want any help if it is clear that they will die in a short time. But I still don't think it right to legalize the help for a suicide. We have to take our life as it comes and don't try to bring it to an end. It is always sad losing a beloved person…

Our lives are gifts and we should take care of it that we do not need to decide death or life.

03:01 PM Jun 14 2007 |

plutomars

plutomars

China

is suicide illegal?

the difference btween Euthanasia and suicide is in some respects lies in who take the action to end the life

04:54 AM Jun 14 2007 |

Josh K

Josh K

Guatemala

dont easy to be in this sotuacion, sometimes the life is pain and enjoy. It's a decision each one.

03:46 PM Jun 12 2007 |

Josh K

Josh K

Guatemala

I think a situcion very difficult

03:44 PM Jun 12 2007 |

horus01

horus01

Portugal

Well, this issue is delicate. In my opinion, no one have the right to kill himself. If our destiny is to be sick and in pain we have to accept this destiny, don’t escape using the better way.

02:54 PM Jun 12 2007 |

Jaja16

Jaja16

Slovakia

I have never been in huge pains so I cant realize the situation

 

01:24 PM Jun 12 2007 |

hudengkui

hudengkui

China

Euthanasia,okay,i have an agreement on it and i think whoever entirely have the right to make a choice, including how to  go when he or she is termially ill,and the govern should be resoponsible to estabish a legal that conducts doctors,patients and other relatives.

09:02 AM Jun 12 2007 |

hudengkui

hudengkui

China

Euthanasia,okay,i have an agreement on it and i think whoever entirely have the right to make a choice, including how to  go when he or she is termially ill,and the govern should be resoponsible to estabish a legal that conducts doctors,patients and other relatives.

09:02 AM Jun 12 2007 |

shahriarheydari

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I think as we didn’t want to be born , GOD appointment death time …

06:22 AM Jun 12 2007 |

lisakd

lisakd

China

I agree with above two friend’s opinion.Because whether we alive or die is up to ourself.If we are terminally ill indeed and there is nothing else cure and you have made a mature consider aboutit,it’s better to go to go than increase your family’s burden.
Ann leonq doubted that its hard to control some bad one who maigth make use of this rule to commit murder for various reasons.I think only the doctor have this right with the premise of the patient.

05:18 AM Jun 12 2007 |

Ann_leong

Ann_leong

China

I quite agree on this point.

But there is a problem: it is hard to control some badies who maight make use of this rule to commit muder for various reasons.

03:21 AM Jun 12 2007 |

tina78

China

Frankly speaking, i think the court or jurisdicition should make it legal, people have the right to choose what they want rather than stay in bed , without moving freely.We have to spent lots of money in those who will not be well. i'd prefer to choose the euthanasia than burden the one who still live.

01:14 AM Jun 12 2007 |

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