being isolated or treated as outcasts. They long for our pity and they are worthy of our compassion and support.

6) How have Fisher’s family members reacted to her being infected with HIV?

Instead of practicing prejudice against her, they have rendered strong support to her. Her parents and her brother have shown concern for her consistently. They have always encouraged her and have helped her pull through the hardest moments in her struggle against the disease.

7) What does Mary Fisher call on her listeners to do?

She calls on the whole nation to be aware of AIDS. She calls on the HIV positive to have the courage to fight it out. She calls on the healthy people to set aside prejudice and show compassion and support for AIDS patients.

2 Read the following sentences carefully and discuss in pairs what the author intends to say by the italicised parts.

1) I have come tonight to bring our silence to an end. (Para. 1)

To act on the proposal I made, I have to break the silence myself tonight. It is time to speak out the truth about the deadly disease — AIDS.

2) Tonight, I represent an AIDS community whose members came reluctantly from every segment of American society. (Para. 5)

AIDS has become so widespread that those who have been infected come from every part of society.

3) Are you human? And this is the right question: Are you human? (Para. 7)

This question reveals the essence of the AIDS issue: Since AIDS poses a threat to humankind, every one of us, irrespective of race, age or sex, may contract HIV and become a victim of AIDS for the simplest reason that we are all human.

4) Because people with HIV have not entered some alien state of being. (Para. 7)

Because people with HIV have not turned into some strange kind of creature that is totally different from us. They are just as human as anyone else. We have no reason to practice prejudice against them.

5) Then their children, and yours, may not need to whisper it at all. (Para. 15)

Then the future generations will face the problem in an honest and frank manner. Only in this way can they deal with the disease effectively and make the world safe and free from this deadly disease.

Optional Classroom Activities

The two tables below illustrate respectively the leading causes of death worldwide in 2002 (Table 1) and the leading causes of death among 15 to 59-year-olds worldwide (Table 2) in the same year. Work in small groups and study the tables carefully, and then do the following two tasks:

1) Compare the two tables and find out in Table 2 a. What new causes of death are added?

New causes of death added in Table 2 are: suicide, violence and liver cancer.

b. What causes move up in ranking?

Causes that move up in ranking in Table 2 are: HIV / AIDS, road accidents and tuberculosis.

Suggestions for this activity:

Since students will have no difficulty in finding out the answers to the questions in Task 1, this activity should focus on Task 2. In fact, no professional knowledge is required for a fruitful discussion. Students are encouraged to share their existing knowledge and pool their ideas. If time permits, ask some students to give presentations to the whole class.

2) Discuss what might have caused the above differences.

Table 2 shows an increase in the ranking of deaths due to HIV / AIDS, tuberculosis, road accidents, suicide, violence and liver cancer among people in the 15–59 age bracket, compared to their rankings in all age groups.

Teenagers (13–19 year olds) and young people tend to be more passionate, emotional and adventurous. So they may love taking risks: breaking traffic laws, taking drugs, being loose with sexual relationships. And they may easily feel frustrated with failures in their study or relationships. Hence more deaths resulting from road accidents, violence, HIV / AIDS, and suicide.

People in their thirties and forties are generally under great pressure from their work and family burdens. The pressure may continue to be a threat to their health before they reach 60.

Enhance Your Language Awareness Words in Action

Working with Words and Expressions

1 In the boxes below are some of the words you have learned in this unit. Complete the following sentences with them. Change the form where necessary.

Text A accelerate equip familiarize guarantee monitor process resume sponsor Text B appeal contract ignorance infect isolate issue prejudice threat

1) You should familiarize yourself with the rules before you start to play the game.

2) A judge must be free from prejudice — his opinions must be fair and reasonable.

3) The police are appealing to the public for detailed information about the murderer.

4) The car that had been following ours suddenly accelerated and overtook us.

5) I won’t take his threats seriously — he often says he will punish me, but he never does.

6) Patients who are given the new drug will be asked to monitor their heartbeat, temperature and blood pressure.

7) It is the hospital’s policy to isolate any patient who is suffering from an infectious disease.

8) Clear skies are no guarantee of continued fine weather; it may rain in the evening.

9) If one child gets sick with chicken-pox (水痘), the rest of the children in the same kindergarten will be exposed to the danger of being infected .

10) His total ignorance of the subject is truly surprising. How come he knows nothing about it?

11) Having anticipated the problems I might encounter, I was well equipped to deal with the situation.