2008考研英语全题型高分强化教程九(1)

　　法令与社群

　　Text

Does a ***ve-b***n human ***fant is still a "fetus"?

　　On Tuesday even***g, the U.S. House of Representatives pass*** the B***n-A***ve Infants Protection Act on a vo***e vote. This is a simple, three-paragraph bill that would ***dify, f*** f***eral law purposes, the traditional def***ition of "b***n a***ve." Specif***ally, under the bill, the terms "person," "human be***g," "child" and "***di***dual," whe***ver they appear *** f***eral laws *** regulations, will be ***nstru*** *** ***clude "every ***fant ***mber of the species homo sapiens who is b***n a***ve." The term "b***n a***ve" is then def****** as "***mplete expulsion *** extraction from his *** her mother," follow*** by a heartbeat, respiration, *** move***nt of voluntary muscles.

　　This is the legal def***ition already ******rp***at*** *** the laws of most states.

　　At 7:39 p.m. Tuesday, the Associat*** Press bure*** *** Wash***g***n sent out a dispatch that began, "The House vot*** Tuesday *** def***e a fetus that is fully outside a woman's body as h*****g been 'b***n a***ve,' wh***h would give the fetus full legal protection." The term "fetus" was employ*** repeat***ly throughout the rest of the dispatch.

　　Qu***kly, I and at least o*** other reader po***t*** out *** the AP ***i***r on duty that "fetus" is not an appropriate *** a***urate term *** apply *** a human ***fant who is entirely b***n and a***ve. If an ***fant is b***n a***ve prematurely, then the proper term would be "premature ***fant" *** "premature baby," not "fetus."

　　So***ti***s ***duction of lab*** is us*** as a ***thod of ab***tion, and so***ti***s this resu***s *** a ***ve birth. This is so***ti***s referr*** *** as a "***ve birth ab***tion." On o***asion, other ab***tion ***thods also resu*** *** ***ve births. But a premature ***fant is a premature ***fant-and a legally protect*** person-regardless of how he *** she reach*** that state.

　　Regrettably, the AP did not ***rrect its err***. Instead AP ***i***rs ***mpound*** the ***ig***al err*** by transmitt***g updates that ***nta****** this state***nt: "The legislation is ai***d at an ab***tion proc***ure crit***s call 'partial-birth' *** wh***h a fetus is partially de***ver*** bef***e be***g destroy***. Thirty states and the Distr***t of ***lumbia already h**e laws aga***st the proc***ure."

　　In fact, the B***n-A***ve Infants Protection Act does not restr***t partial-birth ab***tion. In a partial-birth ab***tion, the fetus/baby is mostly de***ver*** but the head rema***s *** the womb while the skull is punctur***-hence the na***, PARTIAL-birth. The fetus/baby destroy*** *** a PARTIAL-birth ab***tion has not achiev*** the "***mplete extraction *** expulsion from his *** her mother" requir*** *** be "b***n a***ve" under H.R. 2175. M***eover, the laws that the AP refers *** are laws that def***e "***ve birth," not laws restr***t***g partial-birth ab***tion. A******d***g *** the House Jud***iary sub***mmittee that H.R. 2175 h**e ***difi*** the def***ition of "***ve birth" f*** their state-law purposes, and of these, 30 states and D.C. h**e ***difi*** def***itions ***rtually ident***al *** those ***nta****** *** H.R. 2175. （D.C. has ***ver enact*** a restr***tion on partial-birth ab***tion.）

　　Read***g ***mprehension

　　1. What does the first paragraph ma***ly talk about?

　　[A] A ***w bill has been pass*** by the Ho***.
　　[B] The bill would be ***difi***.
　　[C] The term "b***n a***ve" has a ***w def***ition.
　　[D] There are many debates about the bill.

　　2. What did the ***th*** probably ***an by his say***g, "This is the legal def***ition already ******rp***at*** *** the laws of most states."?

　　[A] The bill ***uld ****** ear***er.
　　[B] A lot of states h**e already adopt*** the def***ition *** their laws.
　　[C] It will affect the f***eral laws.
　　[D] Both B and C.

　　3. Read paragraph 4 carefully and then po***t out that why did the ***th*** th***k that "fetus" is not a fitt*** w***d *** describe that especially ***uation?

　　[A] An ***fant is a***ve but a fetus is not.
　　[B] The w***d "fetus" is not an a***urate term.
　　[C] When you use the w***d "fetus", there is so***th***g discrim***ation *** your talk.
　　[D] "Fetus" is not ***nsider*** as a real person but when you use the w***d "***fant" *** describe so***o*** he *** she is a real o*** who a***ve.

　　4. A******d***g *** your understand***g, what does partial-birth ***an?

　　[A] It ***d***at*** the ***uation that an ***fant was fail*** *** b***n.
　　[B] A ***thod of ab***tion.
　　[C] An unsu***es**ul b***n of a child.
　　[D] Dys***cia.

　　5. What did the Associat*** Press th***k about the ***ve-b***n human ***fant ?

　　[A] They thought that the ***ve-b***n human ***fant was still a fetus.
　　[B] They didn't th***k that the ***ve-b***n human ***fant was still a fetus.
　　[C] They h**e no idea about the def***ition of a ***ve-b***n human ***fant.
　　[D] They thought it was bloody *** use the partial-b***n ***thod *** the fetus.