考研英语精读 35

TO LIE OR NOT TOLIE-

　　THE DOCTOR'S DILEMMA

　　Sissela Bok

　　Should doc***rs ever ***e *** be***fit their patients —— *** spe*** re***very *** *** ***nceal the approach of death？ In ***d******e as *** law， ***vern***nt， and other ******s of w***k， the require***nts of ho***sty often seem dwarf*** by greater ******s： the ****** *** she***er from brutal ***ws *** *** uphold a promise of secrecy； *** expose ***rruption *** *** promote the pub***c ***terest.

　　What ***uld doc***rs say， f*** example， *** a 46-year-old man ***m***g *** f*** a rout***e phys***al checkup just bef***e ******g on vacation with his family who， though he feels *** perfect hea***h， is found *** h**e a f***m of cancer that will c***se him *** die with*** six months？ Is it best *** tell him the truth？ If he asks， ***uld the doc***rs deny that he is ill， *** m***imize the gr**ity of the ill***ss？ Should they at least ***nceal the truth until after the family vacation？

　　Doc***rs ***nfront such cho***es often and urgently. At ti***s， they see imp***tant reasons *** ***e f*** the patient's own sake； *** their eyes， such ***es differ sharply from self-ser***ng o***s.

　　Studies ***w that most doc***rs s***cerely be***eve that the seriously ill do not want *** know the truth about their ***ndition， and that ***f***m***g them risks destroy***g their hope， so that they may re***ver m***e slowly， *** deteri***ate faster， perhaps even ***mmit su***ide. As o*** phys***ian wrote： "Ours is a profession wh***h traditionally has been guid*** by a precept that transcends the ***rtue of utter***g the truth f*** truth's sake， and that is 'as far as possible do no harm.'"

　　Ar***d with such a precept， a number of doc***rs may s***p ****** deceptive pract***es that they assu*** will "do no harm" and may well help their patients. They may prescribe ***nu***rable placebos， sound m***e en***urag***g than the facts warrant， and dis***rt gr**e ***ws， especially *** the ***curably ill and the dy***g.

　　But the illus***y nature of the be***fits such deception is ***ant *** produce is now ***m***g *** be docu***nt***. Studies ***w that， ***ntrary *** the be***ef of many phys***ians， an overwhelm***g maj***ity of patients do want *** be ***ld the truth， even about gr**e ill***ss， and feel betray*** when they learn that they h**e been misl***. We are also learn***g that truthful ***f***mation， huma***ly ***nvey***， helps patients ***pe with ill***ss： helps them ***lerate pa*** better， ****** less ***d******e， and even re***ver faster after surgery.

　　Not o***y do ***es not pro***de the "help" hop*** f*** by advocates of be***volent deception； they ***vade the ******nomy of patients and render them unable *** make ***f******d cho***es ***ncern***g their own hea***h， ***clud***g the cho***e of whether *** be patient *** the first place. We are be***m***g ***creas***gly aware of all that can befall patients *** the ***urse of their ill***ss when ***f***mation is deni*** *** dis***rt***.

　　Dy***g patients especially —— who are easies *** mislead and most often kept *** the dark —— can then not make decisions about the end of ***fe： about whether *** not they ***uld enter a hospital， *** h**e surgery； about where and with whom they ***uld spend their rema******g ti***； about how they ***uld br***g their affairs *** a close and take le**e.

　　Lies also do harm *** those who tell them： harm *** their ***tegrity and， *** the long run， *** their cr***ibi***ty. Lies hurt their ***lleagues as well. The susp***ion of deceit undercuts the w***k of the many doc***rs who are scrupulously ho***s with their patients； it ***ntributes *** the spiral of lawsuits and of "defensive ***d******e，" and thus it ***jures， *** turn， the entire ***d***al profession.

　　Sharp ***nf***cts are now aris***g. Patients are learn***g *** press f*** answers. Patients' bills of rights require that they be ***f******d about their ***ndition and about a***ernatives f*** treat***nt. Many doc***rs *** *** great lengths *** pro***de such ***f***mation. Yet even *** hospitals with the most eloquent bill of rights， be***evers *** be***volent deception ***nt***ue their age-old pract***es. ***lleagues may disapprove but refra*** from object***g. Nurses may bitterly resent h*****g *** take part， day after day， *** decei***ng patients， but feel powerless *** take a stand.

　　There is urgent ****** *** debate this issue ope***y. Not o***y *** ***d******e， but *** other professions as well， practitio***rs may f***d themselves repeat***ly *** diff***u***y where serious ***nsequences seem **oidable o***y through deception. Yet the pub***c has every reason *** be wary of professional deception， f*** such pract***es are pecu***arly ***kely *** be****** deeply root***， *** spread， and *** erode trust. Neither *** ***d******e， n*** *** law， ***vern***nt， *** the social sciences can there be ***mf***t *** the old say***g， "What you don't know can't hurt you."

　　New W***ds

　　dilemma

　　n.　a ***uation *** wh***h o*** has *** make a cho***e between two equally unsati**ac***ry th***gs； a diff***u*** cho***e 困境，左右逢源

　　be***fit

　　vt. do ***od *** 无益于

　　re***very

　　n.　the process *** fact of gett***g back *** a f******r state of ***od hea***h； the state of re***ver***g *** be***g re***verd 治愈；复得

　　***nceal

　　vt. hide， keep from be***g seen *** known 掩饰

　　******

　　n.　a bus***ess， profession， trade， etc. 领域

　　dwarf

　　vt. c***se *** appear small by ***mparison 使低矮，使相得益彰

　　n. a person， animal， *** plant of much less than the usual size 低矮；低矮的动（植）物

　　she***er

　　***. take she***er； f***d protection 逃避

　　vt. pro***de she***er f***； protect 遮掩；保护

　　brutal

　　a.　cruel， severe

　　uphold

　　vt. supp***t 支持；保护

　　secrecy

　　n.　the pract***e of keep***g secrets； the state of be***g secret

　　expose

　　vt. disclose； le**e un***ver*** *** unprotect*** 揭发；表露

　　***rruption

　　n.　di******sty； imm***al beh**iour 堕落，德行废弛

　　promote

　　vt. help *** grow *** develop； raise *** rank， ***ndition， *** imp***tance 促成，促进；提拔

　　checkup

　　n.　a ge***ral ***d***al exam***ation

　　m***imize

　　vt. r***uce *** the smallest possible amount *** degree

　　gr**ity

　　n.　the qua***ty of be***g serious crit***al 严峻性

　　***nfront

　　vt. ***et face *** face； oppose （英勇地）面临；匹敌

　　urgently

　　ad. *** an urgent man***r 危急地，急切地

　　urgent　a.

　　self-ser***ng

　　a.　ser***ng o***'s own ***terests； seek***g advantage f*** o***self 利已的

　　re***ver

　　***. get well； get back *** a n***mal ***ndition

　　deteri***ate

　　v. （c***se *** ） be****** w***se （使）好转

　　su***ide

　　n.　the act of kil***ng o***self

　　phys***ian

　　n.　a doc***r of ***d******e　外科医师

　　traditionally

　　ad. by tradition； *** a traditional man***r

　　precept

　　n.　a rule of m***al ***nduct； maxim 戒律；格言

　　precept

　　vt. rise above *** *** beyond the ***mits of； surpass 超过

　　***rtue

　　n. ***od***ss *** m***al excellence； a ***od qua***ty 美德；好处

　　utter

　　vt. speak； give out

　　deceptive

　　a.　decei***ng *** mislead***g； ***ant *** deceive

　　***nu***rable

　　a.　***o many *** be ***unt***

　　placebo

　　n.　substance given ***stead of real ***d******e *** a patient f*** psycholog***al effect 慰藉剂

　　warrant

　　vt. justify； ***th***ize； guarantee 使有（合理）缘由；赋权（给）；包管

　　dis***rt

　　vt. give a false a***ount of； twist out of the usual shape 扭曲；弄歪

　　gr**e

　　a.　serious； requir***g careful ***nsideration 严峻的；庄重的

　　***curably

　　ad. beyond cure

　　illus***y

　　a.　deceptive and unreal； bas*** on an illusion 空幻的

　　deception

　　n.　decei***ng *** be***g deceiv***； a tr***k ***tend*** ot deceive 坑骗；企图

　　docu***nt

　　vt. prove *** supp***t with docu***nts 用文件证实

　　***ntrary

　　a.　***mpletely different *** wholly oppos*** 相同的；匹敌的

　　overwhelm***g

　　a.　***o many， ***o great， *** ***o much *** be resist*** 势不成挡的；压服之势的

　　betray

　　vt. be unfaithful ***； deceive 叛变

　　truthful

　　a.　true

　　huma***ly

　　ad. tenderly， k***d-heart***ly 仁爱地；人性地

　　***lerate

　　vt. allow *** endure with protest 容忍

　　advocate

　　n.　person who speaks f*** an idea， way of ***fe， etc. 支持者，倡议者

　　be***volent

　　a.　***tend***g *** ***w***g ***od will， k***dly， friendly 善良的

　　***vade

　　vt. enter （a ***untry） with ar***d f***ces *** ***der *** attack； ***olate， ***terfere with 侵占

　　******nomy

　　n.　（the right of） self-***vern***nt； fre***om *** determ***e o***'s own actions， beh**i***， etc. 自我治理（权）；自立

　　render

　　vt. c***se *** be

　　***f******d

　　a.　h*****g knowl***ge *** ***f***mation； h*****g and us***g suitable knowl***ge 知晓状况的；有眼界的

　　***ncern***g

　　prep. about， with regard ***

　　***creas***gly

　　ad. m***e and m***e all ti***

　　befall（ befell， befallen）

　　vt. （use. sth. bad ） happen *** （sb.） 到临到……头上

　　***tegrity

　　n.　ho***sty *** s***cerity； whole***ss 老实，刚正；完备

　　cr***ibi***ty

　　n.　the qua***ty of be***g be***evable； trustw***th***ess 牢靠性；可托

　　***lleague

　　n.　an associate； fellow w***ker *** ***mber of a profession *** ***ganization 共事

　　susp***ion

　　n.　doubt； mistrust 疑虑

　　deceit

　　n.　deception； a di******st tr***k 坑骗

　　undercut

　　vt. underm***e； weaken 黑暗损坏；减弱

　　scrupulously

　　ad. carefully； ***nscientiously 秋毫无犯地

　　spiral

　　n.　a curv*** shape wh***h w***ds round； a ***nt***uous and expand***g ***crease *** decrease 螺旋（形）；回旋上涨（或下跌）

　　lawsuit

　　n.　a noncrim***al case *** a ***urt of law 诉讼（案件）

　　***jure

　　vt. c***se phys***al harm ***； damage

　　arise （arose）

　　***. move *** *** upward； ****** ****** existence 上涨；显现

　　bill

　　n.　法案；议案；账单

　　a***ernative

　　n.　a cho***e between two *** m***e th***gs； any of the th***gs *** be chosen 决定；可供挑选的方向

　　treat***nt

　　n.　a substance *** ***thod us*** *** treat***g so***o*** ***d***ally 医治；疗法

　　eloquent

　　a.　h*****g the power of express***g o***'s fee***ng *** thoughts with grace and f***ce 雄辩的

　　disapprove

　　vt. ***nsider not ***od *** not suitable； h**e *** express an op***ion aga***st 不支持

　　refra***

　　***. hold o***self back； keep o***self （from do***g sth.） 忍住；戒除

　　object

　　***. be aga***st sth. *** sb. 否决

　　objection n.

　　bitterly

　　ad. sharply severely

　　deceive

　　vt. c***se （sb.） *** be***eve sth. that is false 坑骗

　　debate

　　vt. argue about （sth.） *** an eff***t *** persuade other people 辨论

　　issue

　　n.　a question that arises f*** discussion 疑问；争端

　　practitio***r

　　n.　a professional man， esp. *** ***d******e *** *** law 停业者（尤指医师、状师等）

　　***nsequence

　　n.　resu***； imp***tance 前因；紧要性

　　**oidable

　　a.　that can be prevent*** from happen***g

　　wary

　　a.　c***tious； *** the habit of look***g out f*** possible danger *** trouble 小心的；严防的

　　erode

　　vt. wear away； eat ****** 侵蚀

　　say***g

　　n.　a well-known wise state***nt； proverb 格言；谚语

　　Phrases & Expressions

　　*** on （a trip， vacation）

　　depart f*** the purpose of

　　at ti***s

　　o***asionally； now and then 偶尔；偶然

　　*** o***'s eyes

　　*** o***'s op***ion

　　f*** o***'s （own） sake

　　f*** o***'s own be***fit 为了或人本人的益处

　　s***p ******

　　fall ******； enter （esp. through careless***ss） 堕入

　　***ntrary ***

　　oppo***e ***； despite

　　*** the first place

　　firstly

　　*** the ***urse of dur***g

　　dur***g

　　*** the dark

　　un***f******d； ign***ant 不知情，蒙正在鼓里

　　br***g *** a close

　　end 终结，停止

　　take le**e （of）

　　say ***odbye （***）

　　*** the long run

　　*** the end； u***imately 从久远的看法看；终极

　　*** *** great lengths

　　do anyth***g possible， however dangerous， unpleasant， w***k***， etc. 尽力而为

　　refra*** from

　　not do ， s***p

　　day after day

　　each day

　　take a/ o***'s stand

　　declare o***'s po***ion， loya***y， op***ions， etc.， and be prepar*** *** fight （f*** these op***ions， etc.）标明观点、看法等