54. Mr. Kelada admitted that he was mistaken; he lost the bet because

A. he was an expert on pearls, but this time the imitation was too good.

B. he didn’t want the narrator to detect his sympathy with Mrs. Ramsay.

C. he wanted to help Mrs. Ramsay out even though it was a painful thing to do.

D. he wasn’t really very skilled in distinguishing between culture pearls and real ones.

55. Which of the following is NOT a reason why Mr. Kelada’s hands were trembling when he gave Mr. Ramsay the money?

A. He was sorry to part with the hundred dollars.

B. He knew he was right and yet, he had to say he was wrong.

C. As an expert on pearls it was painful to admit he had made a mistake.

D. It hurt his pride to be beaten by someone who didn’t know much about pearls.转贴于：自学考试_博学在线

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Passage 2

Dr. kimsma, from the Netherlands, believes that euthanasia (安乐死) is not simply a question of ending someone’s life. The important thing is how that person’s life ends. If someone chooses euthanasia, he doesn’t have to think about the worry and the suffering only. He can also focus on the things he really wants to do, such as taking a last trip, or making up a fight with someone in the family, or saying goodbye. The pressure on that person becomes lighter when he knows he won’t have to go on suffering long. Often, people who have chosen euthanasia have such peace of mind that they die naturally.

Dr. Kimsma visits his patients every day in the final period of their lives, usually at their home, where most people prefer to die. He talks to them often about various treatments and ways to relieve their pain, so that they know about all the choices, not just euthanasia. “If I ended the life of a patient because I had not given him good care, I would feel ashamed and guilty,” he said.

Dr. Kimsma admits that in the case of euthanasia there is a conflict between his goals as a doctor: saving life and helping those who are suffering. He believes that helping people is the morally right thing to do. “My patients can be sure that I will not let them suffer unnecessarily alone. That is just my goal and duty as a physician.”

However, he thinks that euthanasia should never be easy for a doctor, or for a person’s family, so that people do not begin to think of it as something ordinary. He says he can only continue to perform euthanasia because it is something that happens very rarely.

In 1996 the government of Australia’s Northern Territory passed a law allowing voluntary (自愿的) euthanasia. Peter Ravenscroft, a medical professor in Australia, suggests that this law was passed because very little care is available for patients beyond cure in the Northern Territory of Australia.

Dr. Ravenscroft holds that euthanasia is wrong. He believes that when people have an incurable illness, they should be given care that lessens their pain and suffering and helps them to feel less afraid. He says that such care should improve the quality of a person’s life , even in the very last part of his life, without bringing death. Dr Ravenscroft suggests that a patient should be given a drug to help him sleep for the last few days of his life, if nothing else will help him.

Ravenscroft says, “I value sitting with dying patients or holding their hands . It reminds me that life is a great mystery and we all share the characteristics of being human. We take part in all of life including dying, but we are not masters of it.”

If euthanasia is legal, it may be easier to choose death instead of continuing to look for a better treatment. Ravenscroft has had patients who lived much longer than they were expected to live , and other patients whose pain suddenly became less. If euthanasia had been available, they might have died too soon.

Ravenscroft has another reason for not making euthanasia legal. He fears that people can be persuaded to choose euthanasia when they do not really want to. He thinks it is unlikely that any law can stop this from happening.

56. Which of the following is NOT Dr. Kimsma’s opinion?

A. People may die peacefully in euthanasia because they feel less pressure .

B. Euthanasia allows people to focus on important personal things in the last phase of  their lives.

C. It is wrong to give up looking for a better treatment for an incurable disease.

D. It is wrong to let a patient suffer when the disease is beyond cure.

57. According to Dr. Kimsma, when the two goals of a doctor conflict,

A. saving life of those who are sick should come first.

B. helping people who are suffering should come first.

C. it is up to his patient to make a decision.

D. the solution varies according to the situation.

58. Dr Ravescroft is against euthanasia. One of his reasons is that

A. nobody really wants to end his own life.

B. saving life is the only goal for a doctor.

C. care given to people having incurable diseases can prolong their lives.

D. people can be given painkillers and drugs to make them suffer less.

59.