Very old people do raise moral problem for almost every-one who comes into touch with them.Their values— this can't be repeated too often— are not necessarily our values.Physical comfort,cleanness and order are not necessarily the mostimportant for them.The social services from time to time findthemselves faced with a flat with going-bad food covered withdust on the table,and an old person lying alone on bed,takingno notice of anything.Is it doing harm to per sonal freedom toinsist that they go to live with some of their relatives so thatthey might be taken better care of?Some social workers arethe ones who clean up the dust,thinking we are in danger ofcarrying this idea of personal freedom to the point where serious risks are being taken with the health and safety of the old.
Indeed,the old can be easily burt or harmed.The body islike a car:it needs more care as it gets older.You can carrythis comparison right through to the provision of spare parts Never forget that such operations are painful experiences,however good the results.At what point should you stoptreating the old body?Is it right to try to push off death by using drugs to excite the forgetful old mind and to activate the old body,knowing that there is little hope?You cannot ask doctors or scientists to decide,because so long as they can seethe technical opportunities,they will feel sure to have a try onthe belief that while there's life,there's hope.
When you talk to the old pcoople,however,you areforced to the conclusion that whether age is happy or unpleasnt depends less on money or on health than it does on your ability to have fun.
(1)
From Paragraph 1,we can infer that ________
[ ]
A.
very old people enjoy living with their relatives
B.
very old people are able to keep their rooms clean
C.
social services could have nothing to do with very old people
D.
very old people prefer to live alone so that they can have more personal freedom
(2)
Some social workers think that ________
[ ]
A.
one should not take risks of dealing with old people
B.
old people should have the idea of cleaning their rooms
C.
personal freedom is more important than health and safety
D.
health and safety are more important than personal freedom
(3)
The word“it”in the last paragraph refers to ________
[ ]
A.
whether age is happy or unpleasant
B.
the conclusion you have come to
C.
one's money or one's health
D.
your talk to the old people
(4)
The author thinks that ________
[ ]
A.
the opimion that we should try every means possible to save old people is doubtful
B.
medical decisions for the old people sbntdd be left tothe doctors
C.
old people can enjoy a happy life only if they are very rich
D.
it is always right to treat old people and push off death