Some people think that the use of animal for experimentation is cruel. Other think it is good for the development of science. Discuss the two sides and give your opinion.
我们常说动物是人类的朋友,然而,现实中,我们人类却往往表现得非常自私,常为一己之利而去出卖、折磨,甚至牺牲自己朋友的生命。动物试验便是我们这种自私行为的表现之一。
We often say that animals are our best friends. However, in real life, we human beings are often very selfish. Sometimes, we often betray this friendship by torturing and even sacrificing the lives of our “friends” for certain selfish reasons. Vivisection, or animal testing, is one of the selfish behaviors that we frequently show.
首先,我想说,动物和我们人类一样是有感觉、有思想、有尊严的。无论是科学研究还是生活经验都早已向我们证实了这一点。刀割破了我们身上的任何一个地方,我们会感到剧烈的疼痛;面对强加于我们的死亡,我们会感到惊恐万状;被他人无端地羞辱,我们会痛不欲生。我们何曾想到:当我们这样对待其它动物时,它们也是同样的感觉呀。
First of all, I’d like to say that animals have feelings, thoughts and dignity like men. Both scientific researches and life experience have long proved these to us. A knife cut on any part of our body would incur sharp pain. Facing death that is imposed on us, we would be terrified out of our wits. Being humiliated for no justified reason, we would think of death. When have we ever realized that animals have the same feeling as they are treated the same way?
有人会说了:没有动物试验,就不会有众多的科学发现。是的,听起来很有道理。不错,很多科学发现就是通过动物试验取得的。但是,谁敢说:没有动物试验,世界就停止进步了?恐怕没有人会这么说,因为社会总在进步的。许多科学的发现只是个时间早晚的问题。
Some people may say, without vivisection, there would not have had so many scientific discoveries. Yes, it sounds all reasonable. Yes, many a scientific finding was achieved by animal experimentation. But, who dare say that without vivisection, the world would stop moving forward? I’m afraid no one dares say this, for human society will always keep moving forward and many scientific findings are simply a matter of time.
诚然,并非所有的动物试验都是残酷的。某些简单、无痛苦的试验可以既造福人类,也造福动物世界。例如对某些濒危物种的繁育试验就可以使该动物种群再度兴旺起来,从而可以与我们人类一起分享这个美好的世界。这种试验应该受到鼓励。
Admittedly, not all animal experimentations are cruel. Some simple and pain-free experiments can benefit both mankind and other animals. For instance, some efforts which aim at increasing the group number of some endangered species can provide opportunities for them to thrive again on the earth so that they can share with mankind this beautiful world. Such kind of experiments should be encouraged.
我们无法改变过去,我们只拥有现在和将来。过去的已经过去了,包括那些为人类科技进步而遭受了无尽痛苦甚至牺牲了宝贵生命的动物们。我们需要谨记的一点是:当我们在考虑人类自身利益的时候,也替其它动物们想一想。
We can not change the past. We only have the present and the future. What is gone is gone, including those animals that had suffered great pains and even sacrificed their precious lives for the scientific and technological progress of mankind. However, we should bear in mind that while we are thinking about our own benefits, we should also have other animals in mind.