CHAPTER 10.
PAGE 169,170,171.
The Right to Die
A difficult problem that is facing society is the legalization of euthanasia. Euthanasia is the act of causing death painlessly in order to end suffering. People who are in a coma because of injury to their brains and elderly people who are terminally ill are being kept alive by artificial means. They do not have a chance to recover, but laws in most states of the United States do not allow doctors to end their lives. Although, many people feel that doctors must do everything possible to keep their patients alive, I believe that euthanasia should be legal for three reasons.
The first, and most important reason to support euthanasia is that some patients who have no chance to recover do not wish to be kept alive on machines. These patients are kept alive by life-support machines such as respirators to help them breathe and feeding tubes to provide them with nutrition. A well-known example in the United States is the case of Terri Schiavo, a young woman who went into a coma in 1,990. Mrs. Schiavo was able to breathe on her own, but her brain was dead. For fifteen years, she was kept alive by a feeding tube. After eight years of seeking treatment for her condition, Michael Schiavo, her husband, asked the courts for permission to remove her feeding tube. He said that his wife had
told him she would not want to be kept alive artificially when there was no hope of recovery. Mrs. Schiavo's parents, Robert and Mary Schindler, disagreed with Mr. Schiavo and fought to keep their daughter alive. After seven years of bitter court battles, Mr. Schiavo finally won. Doctors removed Mrs. Schiavo's feeding tube, and she soon died, fifteen years after first falling into a coma. Clearly, when there is absolutely no hope of recovery, society should allow a person in Terri Schiavo's condition to die if that is his or her wish.
A second reason to support euthanasia is that medical costs in the United States are very high. Keeping a person alive for years and years requires roundthe-clock care in a hospital or nursing home. According to an administrator at a local hospital, daily hospital room charges average $5,000 there. Nursing home care is also expensive. A nursing home in our area charges $4,500 per month. These high costs can cause serious financial problems for a family.
The final reason to support legalizing euthanasia is that the family suffers. Hospital or nursing home staff give terminally ill patients only minimal care. Thus, the family must spend time caring for the special needs of their loved one. For instance, a cousin of mine who had been in a motorcycle accident was kept on life-support machines for eight years. He needed someone to stay with him twenty-four hours a day. During those years, his parents took turns taking care of him. His father stayed with him during the day while his mother worked, and then his mother stayed with him at night while his father worked. Other family members tried to help out when they could, but his parents did most of the physical work and suffered most of the emotional stress. After he finally died, my aunt said, "Of course, I am sad, but since we all knew he would eventually die, it might have been better if it had happened right when he had the accident. These past eight years have been hard."
The final reason to support legalizing euthanasia is that the family suffers. Hospital or nursing home staff give terminally ill patients only minimal care. Thus, the family must spend time caring for the special needs of their loved one. For instance, a cousin of mine who had been in a motorcycle accident was kept on life-support machines for eight years. He needed someone to stay with him twenty-four hours a day. During those years, his parents took turns taking care of him. His father stayed with him during the day while his mother worked, and then his mother stayed with him at night while his father worked. Other family members tried to help out when they could, but his parents did most of the physical work and suffered most of the emotional stress. After he finally died, my aunt said, "Of course, I am sad, but since we all knew he would eventually die, it might have been better if it had happened right when he had the accident. These past eight years have been hard."
To summarize, patients who are either terminally ill or who are in an irreversible coma often wish to die. Their care is a financial, physical, and emotional burden for their families. Therefore, families should have the right to ask doctors to turn off life-support machines or to remove feeding tubes.
Questions on the Model
1 . In the introduction, which sentence expresses the writer's opinion about the right to die? Underline with a line. How many body paragraphs can the reader expect? Three body paragraphs.
2. How many body paragraphs are there? Underline the topic sentences, and circle the transition signals that introduce each paragraph.
There are three body paragraphs.
3. Which body paragraph has a concluding sentence?
The first paragraph.
The first paragraph.
4. Does the concluding paragraph summarize the reasons, or does it repeat the thests statement? summarize the reasons.
PAGE 171.
Practice 1.
C. Work alone, with a classmate, or in a small group. Complete each thesis statement by adding the opposite opinion. Notice that statements 3 and 6 require a separate sentence.
Note: You may want to use one of these topics for your own essay at the end of this chapter.
PAGE 171.
Practice 1.
A. Turn back to the model essay "The Right to Die" on pages 169 -170, and find the thesis statement. What contrast signal connects the opposing opinions?
IS: Although, many people feel that doctors must do everything possible to keep their patients alive, I believe that euthanasia should be legal for three reasons.
NOTE: the word that is in a text color is the contrast signal that connects the opposing opinions.
B. What contrast signal connects the opposing opinions in the above example about curfew laws? Is although.
Note: You may want to use one of these topics for your own essay at the end of this chapter.
1. Although the law prohibits separate classes for boys and girls in public schools, I think boys and girls learn better in separate classes. especially in the middle grades.
2.Many people believe that women should not serve in the mil itary, but women have the possibility to exercise their right to choose weapons on equal terms with men.
3. Society often ignores steroid use by well-known professional athletes because of the athletes' popularity. However, many doctors are easy to identify if a person uses steroids with only direct questions.
4 . Although professional athletes undoubtedly feel that they deserve their million-dollar salaries, I feel that they no longer deserve to receive a lot of money.
5. Some people are in favor of drug testing for high school athletes, but I feel that it is not necessary to do that.
6. Some people feel that the United States needs more laws to control the sale and ownership of guns. However, it is the country that is well organized with crime and is the country where there are more weapons in private hands than in any other country in the world.
PAGE 172.
Try It Out!
Choose one of the suggested topics and write and introductory paragraph for an opinion essay about it.
Note: You may want to use one of these topics for your own essay at the end of this chapter.
Step 1 Discuss the topic with a classmate, a small group, or the entire class until you understand the problem or issue. Discuss both sides of the issue.
Step 2 Decide whether you are for or against the issue.
Step 3 Then write an explanation of the issue as the fi rst part of your introductory paragraph.
Step 4 Write a thesis statement as the last sentence of your introductory paragraph. Be sure to mention the opposing view.
Topic Suggestions
any topic from Practice/
school uniforms
dress codes in schools
arranged marriages
antismoking laws
laws against cell phone use while driving
required homework /attendance in college or university classes
grades in university classes
antiterrorism regulations
censorship of films, song lyrics,
books, video games, or television programs
genetically engineered food
genetically engineered food
Genetically modified foods are foods that have been modified by their inherited genetic characteristics, adding other genetic materials. This genetic material imparts desirable characteristics, such as less softening, better color or taste, or changes thereof, greater resistance to plant diseases or other characteristics. However, genetically modified ingredients can cause diseases such as cancer in people who consume it.
PAGE 173.
Practice 2.
Choose three thesis statements from Practice 1 on page 171 or the Try It Out! exercise on page 172. Write down at least three reasons to support each one.
1 Thesis statement: Although for many people wearing chool uniforms in our times have become only customs
Reason A: The school uniform and school clothes avoid discrimination among students that may involve the use of certain brands and clothing.
Reason B: The school uniform helps to correct image and lends itself to personal decorum
Reason C: It prevents teachers from accepting the student's clothes or not for school.
2. Thesis statement: However there are laws against the use of the cell phone while driving.
Reason A: When driving it is not good to send text messages.
Reason B: It is forbidden to make calls while diving, except in cases of emergency.
Reason C: Not only do you place yourself in danger, by using your phone while driving, but you also place others in danger.
3. Thesis statement: There is also be an increase in students being sent to the office for violation of the dress code.
Reason A: Very short pants.
Reason B: Suspenders blouses.
Reason C: Very long hairs on the part of the boys.
PEGE 174
Try It Out!
Write a concluding paragraph for one of the items from Practice 2 on page 173.
In summary many young people want to violate the dress code of the school, using shorts pants, suspenders blouses and long hair of boys.
PAGE 175.
Pracice 3.
Negative Influences
PAGE 178.
EXERCISE 1
Complete the outline of the model essay "The Right to Die" on pages 169-170 with the supporting detai ls. Notice that the supporting details are examples, statistics, or Outlining quotations.
1. Terry Schiavo's story
B. Medical are very high
1. A daily cost of a hospital room is $ 5,000.
2. Nursing home in our area charges $ 4,500 per month.
C. The family suffers.
1. a cousin of mine who had been in a motorcycle accident
2. Of course, I'm sad,
III. CONCLUSION.
To summarize, patients who are either terminally ill or who are in an irreversible coma often wish to die. Their care is a financial, physical, and emotional burden for their families. Therefore, families should have the right to ask doctors to turn off life-support machines or to remove feeding tubes.
PAGE 179
Exercise 2.
Write a one-paragraph summary of the model essay "The Right To Die" on pages 169- 170 .
SUMMARY. BODY PARAGRAPH TWO
A second reason to supportmeuthanasia is that medical costs in the United States are very high. Thus, these high costs can cause serious financial problems for a family.
Writing Assignment
Choose one of the topics in the Try It Out! exercise on page 172 and write an opinion essay. Follow the steps in the writing process.
Step 1 Prewriting
Take a survey and interview your classmates, friends, and/or family in order to gather statistics and quotations .
A. Think of questions that will give you useful quotations and statistics.
B. Write your questions on a piece of paper. If possible, make one copy for each classmate.
1 Thesis statement: Although for many people wearing chool uniforms in our times have become only customs
Reason A: The school uniform and school clothes avoid discrimination among students that may involve the use of certain brands and clothing.
Reason B: The school uniform helps to correct image and lends itself to personal decorum
Reason C: It prevents teachers from accepting the student's clothes or not for school.
2. Thesis statement: However there are laws against the use of the cell phone while driving.
Reason A: When driving it is not good to send text messages.
Reason B: It is forbidden to make calls while diving, except in cases of emergency.
Reason C: Not only do you place yourself in danger, by using your phone while driving, but you also place others in danger.
3. Thesis statement: There is also be an increase in students being sent to the office for violation of the dress code.
Reason A: Very short pants.
Reason B: Suspenders blouses.
Reason C: Very long hairs on the part of the boys.
PEGE 174
Try It Out!
Write a concluding paragraph for one of the items from Practice 2 on page 173.
In summary many young people want to violate the dress code of the school, using shorts pants, suspenders blouses and long hair of boys.
PAGE 175.
Pracice 3.
Punctuate the following sentences containing quotations. Add quotation marks, commas, and capital letters.
1. Dr. T. Berry Brazelton said, "the average child today spends more time in front of a TV set than she does studying in school or talking with her parents."
2. As a result, he added, "children often learn more about the world and about values from television than from their families."
3. "A majority of child characters on ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox programs tend to engage in antisocial behavior such as, lying or physical aggression" reported Damon Ho, president of Parents for Responsible Programming.
4. Advice columnist Abigail van Buren wrote in a recent column "the television set may provide some people with the only human voice they hear for days."
5. "It provides news and entertainment for millions of people who cannot leave the comfort, privacy, and safety of their homes," she continued.
6. "Not everyone can attend college in a traditional way" says Greenhills Col lege professor Caroline Gibbs "so we televise courses that students can view on their TV sets at home."
PAGE 177.
´Practice 4.
Turn back to the model essay "The Right to Die" on pages 169- 170.
1. What kind of supporting details does the writer give in the first body paragraph: examples, statistics, and/or quotations?
The type of detail is: EXAMPLE.
2. What kind of supporting details does the writer give in the second body paragraph?
Is: STATISTICS.
3. What kind of supporting details does the writer give in the third body paragraph?
Is: QUOTATION.
Try It Out!
Practice using quotations and statistics.
A. Everyone agrees that television has had a tremendous influence on society since it was developed in the 1,940s. Some influences have been positive, but others have been negative. With your entire class or in a small group, brainstorm the influences of television. Brainstorm both positive and negative influences. Think about how television has changed communication, education, and family Life. Make two lists.
Negative Influences
- Excessive TV has been related to poor school performance and decreased scores on standardized tests in reading, writing and mathematics.
- Television decreases the time available for conversation and the exchange of opinions or conversation between a couple.
- Reduce social interactions with family and friends.
- Children and young people has been related watching TV for more than four hours show violent behavior.
- Television represses the inclination to reading.
- Television reduces the will to exercise.
- The number of murderers aged 15 to 17 in the USA increased by 75% between 1984 and 1994.
- In a comparative study of 75 pregnant and non-pregnant adolescents, pregnant girls had seen more telenovelas than the control group.
Positive Influences
- Sports channels, news, documents influence a good education in children, young people and the elderly.
- Some movies teach how to handle emotions typical of age (like the fear of going to school, sharing toys or night terrors)
- Drives the innate curiosity of children to learn.
- Awaken the imagination and boosts early reading and math skills in preschool children.
- It is an excellent idea to practice another language if we have available to change the language of some programs. Listening to newscasts in English or watching movies in this last language, for example, can stimulate hearing by listening to different ways of speaking by the natives. This is an educational feature provided by television.
B. Read the following interviews about some positive and negative effects of television:
Harry Wang, grocery store manager: With proper programming, TV can be good.
Educational channels are excellent. You can learn about foreign cultures, wild animals, and all sorts of things from the comfort of your living room. Children's educational shows such as Sesame Street are good, too. My daughter learned her ABCs fTom watching Big Bird and his friends.
Jessica Wang, housewife: No! Te levision is destroy ing family life . Now families just sit like robots in front of the boob tube' instead of talking or playing games together. Some
families even eat dinner in front of the TV screen. There's littl.e commun ication between
parents and their children or even between husband and wife except maybe an argument
about whether to watch Monday Night Football or ER.
Angela Russell, nurse: TV is a great source of entertainment and companionship for old people. My eighty-six-year-old mother is in a wheelchair and has nothing to do all day. She loves watching the soap operas in the morning and the game shows in the afternoon. Without them, she would really be bored. I think these programs keep her mind active.
Jacques Camembert, recent imm igrant: Television is helping me and my fam ily learn English more quickly. When we first came to the United States, we could not understand anything. We stayed in our apartment and watched television all day. At first, we watched children's shows, which were easier to understand. Now we can understand a lot more. We are learning the way Americans really talk, not "textbook" English.
George Russell, engineer: You bet! My kids have learned so much from watching educational programs such as the Discovery Channel and the National Geographic specials. M y daughter became interested in science from watching the Science Channe l , and my son wants to become a chef because of all the excellent cooking shows he watches.
C. Choose two influences (positive or negative) that you and your classmates brainstormed in Part A and write a paragraph about each. Use at least one quotation from the interviews in each paragraph.
- There are many channels and programs on television when we are in the right way, for example in children, some programs awaken the imagination and increase the early reading and math skills in preschool children. As Harry Wang said "The educational channels are excellent" he also mentioned that "My daughter learned her ABC to see Big Bird and her friends." Then it will depend on us the programs that we want to see on television.
- In some cases, television is just a device that has brought separation between a couple. Because with certain people the time available for the conversation and the exchange of opinions or exchanges in a couple or with other loved ones have diminished, what Jessica Wang said "Television is destroying family life, and he is right, but television is not is the culprit, the culprits are ourselves that we do not know how to order our times
PAGE 178.
EXERCISE 1
Complete the outline of the model essay "The Right to Die" on pages 169-170 with the supporting detai ls. Notice that the supporting details are examples, statistics, or Outlining quotations.
The Right to Die
I. Introdution.
The euthanasia should be legal for three reasons.
II. Body.
A. The first and most important reason to support euthanasia is that some
patients who have no chance to recover do not wish to be kept alive on machines.1. Terry Schiavo's story
B. Medical are very high
1. A daily cost of a hospital room is $ 5,000.
2. Nursing home in our area charges $ 4,500 per month.
C. The family suffers.
1. a cousin of mine who had been in a motorcycle accident
2. Of course, I'm sad,
III. CONCLUSION.
To summarize, patients who are either terminally ill or who are in an irreversible coma often wish to die. Their care is a financial, physical, and emotional burden for their families. Therefore, families should have the right to ask doctors to turn off life-support machines or to remove feeding tubes.
PAGE 179
Exercise 2.
Write a one-paragraph summary of the model essay "The Right To Die" on pages 169- 170 .
SUMMARY. BODY PARAGRAPH TWO
A second reason to supportmeuthanasia is that medical costs in the United States are very high. Thus, these high costs can cause serious financial problems for a family.
Writing Assignment
Choose one of the topics in the Try It Out! exercise on page 172 and write an opinion essay. Follow the steps in the writing process.
Step 1 Prewriting
Take a survey and interview your classmates, friends, and/or family in order to gather statistics and quotations .
A. Think of questions that will give you useful quotations and statistics.
B. Write your questions on a piece of paper. If possible, make one copy for each classmate.
- Do you agree or disagree with this statement: "Video games are a bad influence on young people"?
- Why do you think video games are a bad/good influence on young people?
- How many hours do you/your children play video games each day?
- What games do you/your children play?
- Are there young chi ldren in your house?
- Are the young chi ldren allowed to play any video game or only certain ones?
- How many hours a day do your chi ldren spend on schoolwork? How many hours a day do they play outside?
C . Give each classmate a copy of your questions and ask him or her to complete it. If you wish and if your instructor permits, interview friends and family to get more information. Be sure to write down their answers.
Answers to the questions asked during the interview with a family:
- video games can develop certain skills in children
- Improve your knowledge
- Generate lack of communication,
- It produces stress and irritability
- Video games as a virtual drug
- play video games your children will become violent and capricious
- Playing 9 hours a week or more a week is associated with behavior problems and less social skills
- Playing video games has its advantages and disadvantages.
- Many people listen to the word "videogames" and already think about violence, shooting, dead
- Teens learn to open their minds and think different ways of solving a proposed situation.
- Zelda
- Professor Layton.
- Minecraft
D. Compile the answers to develop useful statistics for your paper.
- Spokesmen of the Spanish Association of Video Games (AEVI), expose different arguments about the influence of the use of video games on the behavior and learning of children. On the one hand, the spokesmen of AEVI bet on the use of video games, since they improve the capacities and abilities of the children and, even, they are useful to regenerate the educational methods. The spokespersons of this association are convinced that the combination of the game with education favors the acquisition of knowledge and the development of skills. "It has been shown that the brain is predisposed to learning faster with games than with books," the experts say.
- The Association of Physicians of the United States (AMA for its acronym in English) called for research into the public health risks of video games and online games but did not declare them addictive. The AMA, which recommended a review of the current videogame evaluation system, also said that it would be left to the discretion of the American Psychiatric Association and other experts to decide if the addiction to video games could be designated as mental illness.
E. Select one or two quotations that support each reason.
F. Save this information to use when you write your essay.
Step 2 Organize the ideas by making an outline.
VIDEO GAMES
Therefore, here
are three reasons why the video game program is effective in your child.
REASON A. video games can develop certain skills in children.
SUPPORTING DETAILS: Improve the abilities of children.
REASON B. Generate lack of communication,
SUPPORTING DETAILS: knowledge acquisition and skill development.
REASON C. Many people listen to the word "videogames" and already think about violence, shooting, dead
SUPPORTIN DETAILS: It has been shown that the brain is predisposed to learn faster with games than with books
Use an outline form similar to the following, changing it as necessary to fit your ideas.
Step 3 Write the rough draft . Write ROUGH DRAFT at the top of your paper.
ROUGH DRAFT
VIDEO GAMES.
A means of communication so difficult to qualify, video games have their own advantages and disadvantages, children and young people, through this program, they change their way of thinking whether positive or negative. Think of different ways to educate or carry out your child in a way that will then serve you or purify your future. Therefore, here are three reasons why the video game program is effective for your child.
The first is that video games develop skills in children, when with them there is always an older and more responsible person next to her or him. As the Spokespeople of the Spanish Association of Video Games (AEVI) said, "as long as someone is with the child watching what he sees, the child will find his skills."
the second is when video games go to excessive generates lack of communication. because not only children play these video games but also older people, for example, a man named Juan spends almost 5 hours playing. His wife left and left everything because Juan no longer had much communication with her. So while you spend more time playing more you will be deviating from your level of learning every day or your values and attitudes.
and the last reason a lot of people when they hear the word videogame already think of violence, shooting or death. when in reality only d depends on how we use technology. in these video games "it has been shown that the brain is more willing to learn faster with games than with books" said the (AEVI)
Step 4 Polish the rough draft.
- Exchange papers with a classmate and ask him or her to check your rough draft using Peer-Editing Worksheet 10 on page 216. Then discuss the completed worksheet and decide what changes you should make. Write a second draft.
- Use Self-Editing Worksheet 10 on page 217 to check your second draft for grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure.
A means of communication so difficult to qualify, video games, in the children and young people, through this program, they change their way of thinking whether positive or negative. Think of different ways to educate or carry out your child in a way that will then serve you or purify your future. Therefore, here are three reasons why the video game program is effective for your child.
The first, is that video games develop skills in children, when with them there is always an older and more responsible person next to her or him. As the Spokespeople of the Spanish Association of Video Games (AEVI) said, "as long as someone is with the child watching what he sees, the child will find his skills."
The second, is when video games go to excessive generates lack of communication. because not only children play these video games but also older people, for example, a man named Juan spends almost 5 hours playing. His wife left and left everything because Juan no longer had much communication with her. So while you spend more time playing more you will be deviating from your level of learning every day or your values and attitudes.
and the last reason a lot of people when they hear the word videogame already think of violence, shooting or death. when in reality only d depends on how we use technology. in these video games "it has been shown that the brain is more willing to learn faster with games than with books" said the (AEVI)
In summary, videogames for me are not a negative influence on children as well as on the elderly and young people. What happens is that we do not abuse people.
Step 5 Write a final copy. Hand in your rough draft, your second draft, your final copy, and the page containing the two editing worksheets. Your teacher may also ask you to hand in your prewriting paper.
