2021届巴蜀中学新高考英语美国文化外刊[04]修正案（含注解与翻译）.docx

1、2021届巴蜀中学新高考英语美国文化外刊04（含翻译与重点词汇短语注解）Whatisanamendment?什么是修正案？Answer:Achange(totheConstitution);Anaddition(totheConstitution)对宪法进行变更和添加Explanation:ThemenwhowrotetheU.S.Constitutionknewthattheirdocumentwasnot perfect.撰写美国宪法的人知道他们的法律文件并不完美。ThatiswhytheyincludedwaystochangeoraddlawstotheConstitutioninth

2、efuture.所以他们允许以后对宪法进行变更或添加。Thefiftharticle(orsection)oftheConstitutionsaysthatAmericanscanchangetheConstitutionintwoways.宪法第五条规定美国人有两种改变宪法的方式。articlea part of a law or legal agreement that deals with a particular point 条款：Article 1 of the constitution guarantees freedom of religion. 宪法的第一条保障宗教信仰自由Th

3、efirstwayistohaveanotherConstitutionalConvention, a big meeting where representatives from all of the states would gather anddecide onthe changes, just like they did when the Constitution was written inPhiladelphiain 1787.第一种方式是召开另一个制宪会议，一次所有的州代表们聚集在一起决定变更的大会，正如他们在1787年费城撰写宪法时一样。Thisway,however,hasn

4、everbeenused.然而，这种方式从未使用过。TherehasneverbeenasecondConstitutionalConvention.美国从未召开过第二次制宪会议。ThesecondandmorecommonwaytochangetheConstitutionhastwosteps.第二种更常见的变更宪法的方式分为两步。First,Congress(thegroupofelectednationalrepresentatives)passes(orapproves)aspecial law to change or add something to the Constituti

5、on.首先，国会（一组选举出来的国民代表）批准专门的法律来变更或添加宪法。Thischangeoradditioniscalledanamendment.这样的变更或添加称之为修正案。Two-thirds(or 67%) of the members of Congress has to votein favor of(or say yes to approve) this amendment.三分之二（或者67%）的国会议员必须投票支持这个修正案。Thentheamendmentmustbeapprovedbythree-fourths(or 75%) of the states.然后，这个

6、修正案必须由四分之三（或者75%）的州批准。Gettingtwo-thirdsof Congress andthree-quartersof the states to agree is not an easy thing to do, and that is why there are not very manyamendmentsto the Constitution.得到三分之二的国会议员和四分之三的州的赞同并不容易，这就是没有太多宪法修正案的原因。The President cannot create amendments and does not have the right (or

7、 power or ability) toveto, or say no to, amendments.美国总统既不能创造修正案，也不能否决修正案。veto/vit/a constitutional right to reject a decision or proposal made by a law-making body 否决权否决权After three-fourths of the states approve the amendment that has already been approved by Congress, the amendment officially beco

8、mes part of the Constitution.四分之三的州批准已由三分之二的国会议员通过的修正案后，这个修正案才能正式纳入到宪法中。Many of the rights that Americans believe are extremely important in the United States are actually not in the original Constitution of 1787.美国人认为美国的很多极其重要的权利实际上并没有写入1787年最初的宪法中。Instead they are in amendments to the Constitution

9、.而是出现在宪法的修正案中。Freedom of religion, the right to voteregardless ofsomeones skin color or sex (being a man or woman), and who can be a citizen are all described in differentamendments to the Constitution.宗教自由、无肤色或性别歧视的选举权和成为美国公民条件的界定都是在不同的宪法修正案中提出来的。Amendments can berepealed(or taken back) by passing

10、other amendments.修正案可被其他通过的修正案废除。repeal/rpil/ verbwith obj.revoke or annul (a law or act of parliament)撤销, 废止（法律, 议会法案）：the legislation was repealed five months later五个月后, 这项立法被废止了Only one amendment has beenrepealedin the history of the United States.美国史上只废除了一个修正案。The Eighteenth Amendment made it il

11、legal (or against the law) to make or sell alcohol, such as beer and wine.第十八次修正案将制造或销售啤酒或葡萄酒等酒定为犯罪。This amendment was calledthe Prohibition amendment, because toprohibitmeans not to allow something, or to make something illegal.此修正案被称为“禁酒令修正案”，因为“禁止”意味着不允许某事，或使某事不合法。The Eighteenth Amendment wasapprovedin 1919.However, the Twenty-First Amendment, passed in 1933,repealedthe Eighteenth Amendment, so today Americans can make and sell alcohol again.第十八次修正案于1919年通过。然而，1933年通过的第二十一次修正案废除了第十八次修正案，所以现在美国人又能制造和销售酒品了。