3

1.2. What kinds of experiments are animals subjected to?

•    overdosing with tested substances to see the effects;

•    addiction to drugs;

•    putting in very Iow or high temperatures;

•    exposure to harmful conditions (radiation);

•    deliberate infecting with diseases, damaging of organs, killing for post-mortem analys f ń tissues and organs.

1.3. Decide which of the following statements are true or false. Support you opinion with ar. e if you can:

a.    Very few animals are experimented on and die in research laboratories all over the world.

b.    Testing pharmaceuticals and cosmetics on animals is cruel as it always causes distress 5 -and pain to living creatures.

c.    Animal and human organisms function in a very similar way, so tests on animals help pred:: reaction to drugs and Chemicals.

d.

Testing medicines and Chemicals on animals is the only way to make surę that they are sa • human use.

The influence of some Chemicals on living organisms is observed on animals and their c: morę effectively as they maturę and age faster than humans.

Not all experiments carried out on animals are vital to the health of humans, e.g. testing cosrr.e:»3 It would be too hazardous, especially at the initial stage of research, to use people for the pur: $ testing new cures as it could harm or kill them.

It happens that Chemical products which are passed safe in animal tests cause side effects i used by people.

Most people check whether a pharmaceutical or a cosmetic they are buying has been tes.r. animals.

)•

Much morę reliable information concerning the human body can be gained from testing r. -volunteers as its main objective is to predict human, and not animal reaction to various subsi;' and conditions.

1.4. As it is not very likely that animal testing will ever cease, is there anything that can be dom n improve the situation of laboratory animals?

While animals continue to be used in research, every possible effort must be madę to reduce the number; i animals used and prevent their suffering:

•    alternative, morę humane testing methods such as Computer testing and tissue cultures shoulc : : used instead of experimenting on live creatures;

•    the distress, pain and suffering caused to research animals must be minimised;

•    putting animals to sleep after using them for experiments to alleviate unnecessary suffering;

•    the conditions in which laboratory animals are kept must be of suitable standards (enough space possible contact with other animals of the same species, etc.).

2. 'Trust, like the soul, never returns once it’s gone.' How important is it to trust and be trusted?

2.1.    Explain the meaning of the saying:

Once you are deceived by someone, you will never be able to trust them again.

2.2.    Do you think the adjective 'honest' is gradable, i.e. can one be morę honest, or less honest? Does an;. scalę of honesty exist?

No, this adjective is non-gradable. It is not possible to be morę or less honest in different situations One either is or is not truthful and honest.