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Before reading Text A, you may need the following information to help you with a better understanding.
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of animals should be given the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings. Despite the fact that advocates may take different positions on this issue, they broadly agree that animals should be treated as human beings and members of the moral community, and should not be used as food, clothing, research subjects, or for entertainment. Critics of the idea argue that animals are unable to enter into a social contract or make moral choices, and thus they cannot be seen as possessors of rights. However, defenders of animal rights disagree with this view. They think that humans are considered to have rights regardless of their mental competence, so animals have rights too.
Henry Spira
Henry Spira (1927-1998) was an American animal rights advocate. He was born in Belgium and moved with his family to the United States when he was 13. He once worked as a merchant seaman, served in the army, worked on a car assembly line, and taught in a New York high school.
Henry Spira became interested in animal rights movement in his 40s, under the influence of a book entitled Animal Liberation (1975) written by an Australian philosopher named Peter Singer. He is best known for a campaign in 1976 that successfully stopped animal experiments at the American Museum of Natural History, and for a full-page advertisement in 1980 in The New York Times that criticized Revlon for using rabbits to test its cosmetics. These victories were the first big successes of the animal rights movement in the United States.
New York University
New York University (NYU) is one of the biggest private universities in the United States. Established in 1831 and located in New York City, its main campus is situated at Washington Square in Greenwich Village. NYU consists of 18 schools and colleges at five major centers in Manhattan and in sites in Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America. It is also one of the member institutions of the Association of American Universities, an organization of leading research universities.
Revlon
Revlon is one of the leading cosmetics companies in the world. It was founded in 1932 by Charles Revson, his brother Joseph, and a chemist named Charles Lachman. The company started with a single product, which was a nail enamel (指甲油), and then developed quickly. It became one of the top five American cosmetics companies by the end of World War II. Today, Revlon sells a variety of skin care products, fragrances, and personal care products.
Avon
Avon is an American company focusing on manufacturing and distributing beauty and personal care products. It was started by David H. McConnell in New York City in 1886. It is one of the largest beauty companies and direct sales enterprises in the world. Its products include cosmetics, toiletries, fragrances, apparel, accessories, and decorative home furnishings.
Bristol-Myers
Bristol-Myers, or Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS), is an American pharmaceutical company. It was formed in 1989 as a result of the merger of Bristol-Myers and the Squibb Corporation. BMS produces prescription medicines for various diseases such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, hepatitis, rheumatoid arthritis and psychiatric disorders. Its primary research and development sites are in Princeton, New Jersey and Wallingford, Connecticut. Its corporate headquarters are located in New York City. In 2013, BMS was ranked as the best drug company by Forbes Magazine.
