7.2

今日长难句

Although it ruled that there is no constitutional right to physician-assisted suicide, the Court in effect supported the medical principle of “double effect,” a centuries-old moral principle holding that an action having two effects—a good one that is intended and a harmful one that is foreseen—is permissible if the actor intends only the good effect.（Text4. 2002）

constitutional / ˌkɔnstiˈtju:ʃənl / adj.宪法的；章程的

suicide / ˈsu:isaid / n.自杀

in effect 实际上

moral / ˈmɔrəl / adj.道德的

permissible / pəˈmisəbl / adj.允许的；许可的

结构分析（图片点击可放大）

翻译

尽管法庭认定宪法并未赋予医生协助病人自杀的权利，实际上却认可了“双效”医疗原则。这个存在了几个世纪的道德原则，认为一种具有双重效果的行为（即希望达到的好效果和可以预见的坏效果）是可以允许的，只要行为实施者的出发点只是为了好的效果。

预告明日长难句

Doctors have used that principle in recent years to justify using high doses of morphine to control terminally ill patients’ pain, even though increasing dosages will eventually kill the patient.（Text4. 2002）