大学英语四级议论文写作课程笔记八

　　Our world would be a lot better today if the world powers devoted half as much money and effort squandered in space programs to the most needed places. The space race is a huge waste of money.

　　As the most curious being in the world, man is always keen on exploration. With the earth having been fully explored, the next logical target for man is definitely the space.

　　Several countries now are engaged in the space exploration, which is fun, and which fires our imagination. Of course, they are not doing it just for fun, but also for seeking answers to the following provocative questions: How was a planet formed? What is the essence of life? Are there any extraterrestrial beings as intelligent as or even more intelligent than humankind elsewhere in the universe? If this is the case, can we set up communication with them? Can man find a better planet to live on? If so, is mass-emigration from the overpopulated earth to such a planet possible? For only scores of years as space projects have been proceeding, we have already achieved quite a few encouraging results, and have benefited a lot from such programs-crystals, drugs or chemicals produced under zero gravity, satellite communications, manned space vehicles and stations, to name just a few.

　　Yet, some less curious and less ambitious people perceive such endeavour in a less positive way. They call space exploration as space race , deeming it to be an extension of the race for power on earth and a pure waste of money. I don t want to comment on such a short-sighted argument, but at least no one should impose restrictions on man s desire for knowledge. If space research helps us gain better understanding of the working mechanism of the universe, of our earth and of our origins, there is no sound reason why anyone should go against it.

　　Should the Practice of Mercy Killing be Permitted?

　　Much as the medical science has advanced today, there still exist some diseases that cannot be cured, the most notorious of which are leukaemia , cancer and aids. Patients who have long been tortured by one of such diseases both physically and mentally usually become all skin and bones in the end. Knowing that their days are numbered no matter how hard the doctors try and how much more money their families will spend on their treatments, they tend to lose the courage to live on. To them, life no longer brings them anything except more pain and fear. They simply want to die.

　　Should the practice of mercy killing be permitted if such a patient is desperate for it? My answer is in the affirmative provided that .

　　Provided that there is not the least hope of bringing them back to health, and the patient begs for mercy killing and his or her family members accept it. If the above conditions are met, and if more days in this otherwise beautiful world mean merely more sufferings and nightmares to the dying, I see no reason why mercy killing should not be permitted as one last resort to relieving them from the unbearable trials.