Full face transplants are no longer science fiction fantasy, a leading surgeon has said, adding that they are technically practical but ethically(道德地)complex.
Peter Butler from London’s Royal Free Hospital called for a debate on the ethics of such an operation made possible by new drugs which stop the body’s immune (免疫)system rejecting a transplanted face. “It is not ‘can you do it?’ but ‘should we do it?’” he told the BBC. “The technical part is not complex, but I don’t think that’s going to be the very great difficulty. The ethical and moral debate is obviously going to have to take place before the first facial transplantation.”
The British Association of Plastic Surgeons will discuss the microsurgical procedure (微型外科技术), which could give new skin, bone, nose, chin, lips and ears from deceased donors to patients disfigured(毁容的)by accidents, burns or cancer. But surgeons could have trouble finding enough willing donors. Butler said his survey of doctors, nurses and members of the public showed most would accept a face transplant but few were willing to donate their own after dying.
Despite a number of ethical concerns, Christine Piff, who founded the charity Let’s Face It after suffering a rare facial cancer 25 years ago, welcomed the possibility of face transplants. She rejected the idea that the procedure would mean people would end up living with a dead person’s face. “There are so many people without faces, I have half a face… but we are all so much more than just a face… you don’t take on their personality. You are still you,” she told reporters. “If we can donate other organs of the body then why not the face. I can’t see anything wrong with it.”
The underlined word “deceased” in the third paragraph probably means _________.
A.living | B.dead | C.diseased | D.dying |
When Christine Piff says “There are so many people without faces…”, she refers to the people _________.
A.who are dishonorable and shameless |
B.who disagree with the full face transplant |
C.who are seriously injured by an accident |
D.who are disfigured by accidents, burns and cancer |
According to the passage, what makes it likely to carry out a facial transplantation?
A.Drugs are available to stop the body’s immune system rejecting a transplanted face. |
B.There are some people who are willing to donate their faces after dying. |
C.Most people accept the idea of face transplants. |
D.It’s morally practical, though technically complex. |
What is implied but not stated in the passage?
A.Christine Piff has been the first lucky patient to receive a face transplant. |
B.Surgeons have difficulty finding enough willing donors. |
C.The main difficulty with the operation lies in the matter of ethics and morality. |
D.Nobody other than Christine Piff is quite in favor of the donation of organs. |
What would be the best title for the text?
A.First Facial Transplantation |
B.Debate on the Ethics of Transplant |
C.Face Transplant No Longer Science Fantasy |
D.Let’s Face It |