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After reading the selection, write a paragraph that includes the key terms.

B. Preview the following questions. After reading the selection, answer the questions.

1. Identify the main idea of the selection.

2. Identify one question you have about conjoined twins.

3. Think about how the word spectator relates to watches. Which words relate in the same way?

spectator: watches

a) musician : plays

b) doctor : hospitals

c) firefighter: fires

d) veterinarian: dogs

C. Answer the questions that follow the selection.

Conjoined Twins

In about one out of every half-million births, something rare happens: conjoined twins are born. "Conjoined" means joined together, or united. Conjoined twins are physically attached together. Conjoined twins develop from the same egg. Because they develop from the same egg, they are identical. They look the same, are the same sex, and share the same blood type.

An embryo is an animal in the first stages of its growth. With normal identical twins, the embryo cleanly divides between the 13th and 15th days of its development. With conjoined twins, the embryo does not divide entirely. Part of it remains conjoined. Conjoined twins can be attached in a number of ways. Most conjoined twins are female and joined at the chest and abdomen. Some twins are born with two heads and share one two-legged body.

Perhaps the most famous conjoined twins are Eng and Chang. These two brothers were born in 1811 in Thailand. Thailand was called Siam at that time. For this reason, they became known as the Siamese Twins. Some people call all conjoined twins "Siamese twins;' but this is incorrect. Today, the term "Siamese twins" is considered degrading. When something is degrading, it shows disrespect.

A man named Abel Coffin paid Eng and Chang to come to the United States. Eng and Chang's father had died, and their mother was very poor. The brothers wanted to help their mother financially. Coffin exhibited the twins, charging spectators to view them. Coffin made plenty of money from the thousands of spectators, but Coffin did not treat the brothers well. When the brothers were 21, they were able to free themselves from Coffin. They married two sisters. They lived in two separate houses, each house for three days at a time. They had 21 children between them.

Today, because of medical advances, some conjoined children can be separated. Separating conjoined children brings up ethical, or moral, questions. Is it ethical to separate if one child will be harmed more than the other? What will happen to quality of life? Who should be financially responsible for the high medical costs? These are some of the decisions that face families of conjoined twins.

Respuesta :

The selection discusses the rare occurrence of conjoined twins, who are physically attached together and develop from the same egg, making them identical. Conjoined twins can be attached in various ways, with most being female and joined at the chest and abdomen. The text highlights the case of Eng and Chang, famous conjoined twins born in Thailand in 1811, who became known as the Siamese Twins. Despite their fame, they faced exploitation by Abel Coffin, who exhibited them for profit. The narrative raises ethical questions surrounding the separation of conjoined twins, considering factors such as potential harm, quality of life, and financial responsibility.

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