HOW TO DIE

By: Bill Keller

Published: The New York Times; October7, 2012; http://www.nytimes.com Alternatively, just google the title and author’s name

Level of Difficulty: **

BEFORE YOU READ

- Have you ever known any terminally ill people?

-  Do you think people should be treated even if it is certain they are going to die?

- What do you feel about just giving such people pain medication and making them comfortable?
WATCH, LISTEN AND CONSIDER
What really matters at the end of life  https://www.ted.com/talks/bj_miller_what_really_matters_at_the_end_of_life

QUESTIONS

1.       Read the story of Anthony Gilbey. Now complete the following sentence: Doctors could have prolonged Gilbey’s life by means of ............................................................................................

2.       The hospital where Gilbey lay allows patients to refuse ............................................................

3.       What misconception concerning the Liverpool Pathway is emphasized in the text?

4.       Read paragraph 5 carefully. What do you think “concurred” means?

5.       All treatment of Gilbey was stopped with the exception of ......................................................

6.       What is the difference of attitude between the US and the UK to humane-end-of-life-practices? Use your own words.

7.       Humane-end-of-life-practices are opposed due to three straightforward reasons. They are:

8.       Humane-end-of-life-practices could benefit the government and society as a whole because they would .................................................................................................................................

9.       The affordable care act is praised in the text for the following three reasons: .........................

10.   What does “that” refer to in the sentence “But I am beginning to think that is both questionable politics and bad politics”?

11.   Why are humane-end-of-life-practices not such cost savers as one may think?

12.   Why do doctors in the UK never focus on cost when applying the Liverpool Protocol?

13.   What is the main argument in favour of humane-end-of-life-practices according to the writer?

14.   Which is the concluding statement of the text and what does it refer to? For the latter, use your own words.

WRITING TASK

First alternative: write a paragraph or an essay concerning your views on humane-end-of-life-practices

Second alternative: write an argumentative essay supporting or opposing humane-end-of-life-practices. Your purpose in the essay is to support your own views and refute the counter arguments. If you have doubts about organization, check out some examples in the file marked ”sample student essays and paragraphs”

In your introduction: introduce the concept –what humane-end-of-life-practices are. Then express your view in the thesis statement.

The arguments for are as follows: allowing patients to die a dignified death, not prolonging suffering when there is no hope, directing scarce resources to patients who could actually benefit, treatment of the big three is big business generating huge incomes to private hospitals.

The arguments against are as follows: it is a back door to euthanasia, religious reasons, doctors have taken an oath to do their best to save lives, loss of income as treatment of the big three is big business

In your conclusion: suggest ways in which the quality of life of terminally ill patients could be improved or write a restatement

HOW TO DIE KEY AND TEACHER’S NOTES

This brilliant little text introduces a controversial issue at a simple level. That being the case, it can be used to introduce argumentative essays to students with quite limited English. This, I feel, is the greatest advantage of the text. I would suggest stopping for discussions as you make your way through the text.

1.       Aggressive treatment

2.       The frantic end-of-life assault of drastic measures

3.       That it is about hastening death

4.       Agreed

5.       The drip to keep pain and nausea at bay

6.       Possible answer: the US is firmly against it while the UK is for it

7.       For religious reasons, for political gain, because it is portrayed as a back door to euthanasia.

8.       Contain costs and ensure that Medicare and Medicaid exist for future generations.

9.       It establishes a board to identify savings in Medicare, it emphasises preventive care, it finances training programs to pay doctors for achieving...

10.   Withholding care when rather than saving a life it serves only to prolong misery for a little while

11.   The programs kick in late, good palliative care is not free

12.   Because the whole program may be threatened

13.   They are a kinder way to death

14.   We should all die so well, possible answer: dying happily and peacefully