Read the following summary of an article taken from The Guardian, Friday March 22, 2002 written by Mark Oliver and then think about the questions which follow.
The right-to-die judgement
On March 22, 2002, Miss B won her high court battle for the ‘right to die.’ It was a landmark ruling of a case that has been under discussion since 2001. Miss B was warned that a malformation of blood vessels in her spine could result in severe disability. She wrote a will stating that if this happened, she did not want to be treated and kept alive on a ventilator. At the beginning of 2001, she was left paralysed from the neck down, and was wholly dependant on a ventilator. The doctors would not accept her will and so would not switch off the machine. Today Miss B won the right to do just that. Read on to find out more.
Before you continue reading, what is your reaction to these questions?
Should humans have the right to choose when they want to die?
Should people be forced to stay alive?
How can we judge if a person is competent to make this decision for him or herself?
Is euthanasia legal in your country?
Before you read the rest of the article try this vocabulary activity which practises your understanding of words you'll find in the article. Now read the article.
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