Should We or Should We Not Put Stray Animals Down?
我們應該或不應該讓動物安樂死？
語音播放：

In early 2017, Taiwan enacted a new law banning the killing of stray animals. The issue was first put in the spotlight in 2016 after a vet working in an animal shelter committed suicide. Prior to her suicide, she had put down more than 700 dogs at the shelter. In her suicide letter, she said, “I hope my departure will let all of you know stray animals are also life. I hope the government knows the importance of controlling the source of the problem.”

2017年初，台灣通過一項法案禁止殺害流浪動物。2016年時一名在流浪動物之家的獸醫自殺之後，這項議題第一次受到大家重視。自殺前，她在動物之家撲殺了700隻狗兒。她留下的這封自殺信中說道：「我希望我的離開會讓你們所有人知道流浪動物也是生命。我希望政府知道如何控制問題的起源才是重要的事」。

語音播放：

Those who oppose killing stray animals argue that it is simply inhumane. Killing innocent animals is just not right. We ought to help these animals and find them good homes, not murder them. And as the above story shows, those who must go through with the killing can suffer from guilt, depression, or ever worse. 
那些反對撲殺流浪動物的人們單純認為這很不人道。撲殺無辜的動物是不對的。我們應該幫助這些動物，幫他們找到好的家庭，而不是謀殺牠們。如以上故事顯示，那些一定要執行動物撲殺的人可能會有罪惡感、感到沮喪或更糟。

語音播放：

However, there are also strong arguments for putting stray animals down. Animal shelters could become more and more crowded and unable to take in more animals, which mean more would be left on the streets. What’s more, people might feel less guilty about abandoning their pets if they know they won’t be put down. So we could actually see an increase in strays. Many animal welfare groups actually support continuing to put animals down for these reasons.
然而，也有一些有力的論點支持流浪動物安樂死。動物之家可能會愈來愈擁擠，而後就無法再收容更多的動物，這就代表街上會有更多的流浪動物。此外，假如人們知道動物不會被撲殺的話，他們丟棄寵物時就可能不會覺得有罪惡感。因此我們其實可以預見流浪動物的增加。許多動物保護團體就是因為這些原因而支持動物安樂死。

語音播放：

The bottom line is that what we really need to do is address the source of the problem. Why are so many people abandoning their pets? Taiwan needs to encourage people to adopt more pets, and to think harder before they decide to get one.
最重要的是我們真的需要檢視問題的起源。為何有許多人會拋棄他們的寵物？台灣需要鼓勵人們多領養，而且在決定領養前要想清楚。

Vocabulary 好字精選

1. stray (adj/n) with no home (for animals only) 無家的，流浪的(只用於動物)
My aunt feeds the stray cat on our street every day.
我的阿姨每天會餵街上的流浪貓。

2. enact (v) make a new law  頒布(法律)，
The government enacted a new law banning cell phone usage while driving. 
政府頒布新法令禁止開車時使用手機。

3. shelter (n) a place that offers protection  庇護所，收養所，收留處
The homeless shelter downtown has more than 200 beds.   
市區的街友收容所擁有超過兩百張床舖。

4. inhumane (adj) cruel 不人道的
The inhumane practice of killing baby cows for their meat needs to be stopped. 
宰殺幼小牛隻來取得小牛的肉這種不人道的行為需要被制止。

5. abandon (v) to give up ownership or your connection to something/someone  拋棄，丟棄
The group of girls abandoned their friend in the schoolyard after she said mean things to them.
一群女孩在她們的朋友說了惡劣的話後就在拋下她離開學校遊樂場。

6. welfare (n) the happiness/well-being of a group  福祉
Our government’s welfare program offers financial support to the needy.
我們政府的社會福利計畫對貧困的人提供金援。

7. adopt (v) to take in to your home/family  收養，採用
My best friend was adopted as a child.  
我最好的朋友從小就被收養。

Phrases and Sentence Patterns 句型解析

1. put (an animal) down (phr) to kill an animal because it is sick or it is a stray  安樂死
Lily was forced to have her cat put down because it had been suffering from a serious disease.  
Lily被迫要將她的貓安樂死，因為牠病得很重。

2. in the spotlight (phr) under a lot of focus/attention  受公眾注意，使突出醒目
Jean was really put in the spotlight at school after she appeared on the news for her volunteer work.
Jean因為當志工出現在新聞上後，她成為學校的焦點。

3. commit suicide (expression) to kill oneself  自殺
The soldier would rather commit suicide than be captured by the enemy.
士兵寧可自殺也不願意被敵人伏擄。

4. go through with sth. (phr) to really/actually do something  完成，實行
Emilio made plans to travel to Costa Rica but never actually went through with them.
Emilio計畫去哥斯大黎加旅行，但從未真正實行過。

5. bottom line (expression) the most important point/factor  重要的是
As you can see, the bottom line is that we need to be make every customer satisfied.
正如你所見，重點是我們需要讓每位顧客滿意。

Exercise 課後練習題

1. My dog barks at the window every time she sees a ______________ dog or cat outside.
我的狗每次看到外面的流浪貓狗都會對著窗戶吠叫。
2. A new law was ____________ limiting the release of CO2 emissions by factories.
一項限制工廠排放的二氧化碳量的新法令被頒布。
3. The construction workers built a small _______________ to seek cover when it rained heavily.
建築工人蓋了一座小棚子下大雨時可以避雨。
4. Yvonne doesn’t eat meat because she finds it ______________.
Yvonne不吃肉，因為她覺得那很不人道。
5. The thoughtless man drove his dog out to the countryside and then ______________ it.
那名做事欠考慮的男子開車載他的狗去鄉下，然後丟棄牠。
6. It is the government’s responsibility to ensure the ______________ of its people.
政府有責任確保人民的福祉。
7. Mom, can we please _______________ a dog from the animal shelter?
媽，請問我們可以從動物收容所領養一隻狗嗎？
8. The vet cried as she _____________ the injured rabbit down.
獸醫將那隻受傷的兔子安樂死的時候，她哭了。
9. Trump has been _____________ all over the world since he was elected.
從Trump(川普)參選開始，他就成為世界上的焦點人物。
10. It is so horrible that some teens _____________ due to all the pressure they face at school.
有些青少年因為他們在學校面對的壓力而自殺這件事很糟糕。
11. The CEO came up with the project idea, but it is the workers in her company that need to actually _____________ it.
執行總裁想出這個企畫案，但是她公司的員工需要執行計畫。
12. After lots of research, we now know that the _____________ is this: we need to sell a wider range of products.
做了許多研究後，我們現在知道重點是：我們需要販賣的商品要更加多元化。

解答：
1. stray
2. enacted
3. shelter
4. inhumane
5. abandoned
6. welfare
7. adopt
8. put
9. in the spotlight
10. commit suicide
11. go through with
12. bottom line

Comprehension Questions 閱讀理解

1. Which of the following would the author agree with?
a. We shouldn’t put stray animals down.      
b. We must put animals down because it is necessary.  
c. Animal shelters are to blame for the growing problem of stray animals.
d. It’s more important to focus on reducing the number of strays.  

2. Which argument is not mentioned in favor of putting stray animals down?
a. The animals don’t feel much pain when they are killed.
b. Animal shelters will become too full.
c. People may abandon even more animals.
d. There could be more abandoned pets on the streets.

解答：
1. 以下選項何者是作者會同意的論點？
a. 我們不應該將流浪動物安樂死。
b. 我們一定要將動物安樂死，因為這是必要的。
c. 流浪動物增加的問題要怪罪動物之家。
d. 將重點放在流浪動物的減少更為重要。

2. 以下贊成流浪動物安樂死的言論何者是內文中沒有提到的？
a. 動物被撲殺時不會覺得很痛苦。 
b. 動物之家會太擁擠。
c. 人們可能會丟棄更多的動物。
d. 街上可能會有更多被拋棄的寵物。

 

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