Are you in favor of abortion?



Abortion1 happens when an unborn2 baby’s life ends. About3 200 million women get pregnant4 every year. During the same time5 44 million abortions are carried out6 around the world. Fortunately7, the abortion rate has gone down8 because more and more people, especially in developing countries9, are receiving a better sexual education. Better family planning also leads to10 fewer11 abortions.

Abortions have been performed12 for thousands of years. The ancient13 Romans and Greeks14 were not very concerned about15 the lives of unborn babies. In the Old Testament women had to pay a fine16 if they had a miscarriage17. Abortion laws have changed in most of the western world throughout the past centuries18.

Abortion is an issue19 that has been discussed for ages.  Doctors, theologists, philosophers and politicians20 disagree21 on two issues: Should22 a mother be allowed23 to have an abortion and should an unborn child be protected?

In the course of the 20th century two groups evolved24. Those who are in favor of allowing abortion are called the pro-choice25 movement, those who are against26 it the pro-life movement.

Abortion and religion: The Roman Catholic Church holds the strictest position38 on abortion. It is against ending an unborn child’s life in every case.  It claims that39 human life must be respected from the second it starts.

 

Islam considers abortion as wrong but still lets woman carry it out for medical reasons.
Buddhists think that life should not be destroyed and reject abortion. However40, modern Buddhism is divided on the issue.

Types of Abortion: Spontaneous abortions happen naturally. Doctors call them miscarriages. They occur41 for many reasons, for example, because of a disease42 that a pregnant woman might get43 or a horrible event that occurred to her. In an induced abortion the fetus is taken out of44 a mother’s body on purpose45.


Arguments against abortion

·         Human embryos27 should have the same rights as normal people
·         Killing28 unborn life is murder29
·         A child is a gift of God30
·         Abortion disrespects human life
·         Women who undergo31 an abortion may have32 serious psychological problems later on in life

Arguments in favor abortion

·         Abortion should be allowed if a woman’s life is in danger
·         Some say that abortion should be allowed if a child is expected to have a mental deficiency or is going to be mentally ill33.
·         Many doctors and psychologists think that abortion should be allowed if a woman has been raped34.
·         Everyone should have control over their own35 body.
·         Some young mothers live in poverty36 and are too young to cope with37 a child.

Vocabulary
1.      Abortion = aborto
2.      Unborn = não nascido
3.      About = aproximadamente
4.      get pregnant = ficam grávidas
5.      During the same time = durante a mesma época
6.      are carried out = são realizados
7.      Fortunately = Felizmente
8.      The abortion rate has gone down = o índice de abortos tem caído
9.      developing countries = países em desenvolvimento
10.  leads to = conduz a , leva a
11.  fewer = menos (plural)
12.  have been performed  = têm sido realizados
13.  ancient  = antigos
14.  Greeks  = Gregos
15.  concerned about = preocupados com
16.  fine  = multa
17.  miscarriage = aborto espontâneo
18.  throughout the past centuries = ao longo dos ultimos séculos
19.  issue  = questão
20.  politicians  = politicos
21.  disagree  = discordam
22.  Should = Deveria
23.  be allowed = ser permitida
24.  evolved = desenvolveram-se
25.  pro-choice = a favor da escolha
26.  against = contra
27.  embryos  = embriões
28.  Killing = matar
29.  Murder = assassinato
30.  gift of God = Dom de Deus
31.  undergo  = submeter-se a
32.  may have  = podem ter
33.  is going to be mentally ill = será mentalmente doente
34.  raped = estuprada
35.  own = próprio, própria
36.  poverty  = miséria, pobreza
37.  to cope with = lidar com
38.  holds the strictest position = mantém a posição mais rigorosa
39.  claims that = argumenta que
40.  However = contudo
41.  occur  = ocorrem
42.  disease  = doença
43.  might get = pode pegar
44.  taken out of = tirado de
45.  on purpose = de proposito