Background introduction: American political systems

The United States is a federal state. The organizational form of regime is presidential government. The United States carries out the combination of political system and political party system of the two-party system about the separation of powers and check and balance. It is a perfect system. The two big political party systems respectively represent two big different political philosophies. The Democrats stands for liberalism and the Republican stands for conservative.

Para. 1

Q: What is the general idea of paragraph one?

Paragraph one is the brief introduction of Civics. It deals with the rights and duties of citizens. And the last sentence points out the main structure of this article. There are five major questions that can make American political systems.

Civics:公民学a subject dealing with the rights and duties of citizens and the way government works.

nonprofit: not aiming at making money

the Center for Civic Education：美国公民教育中心civic:城市的，市民的connected with a town or city. E.g .It is her civic duty to vote in the elections.

the ideas of democracy: 民主制度的思想。

an international civic education exchange program: 一个国际公民教育

democracy:民主制度 a system of government in which everyone in the country can vote to elect its members.

exchange: （意见等）交换a mutual expression of views. E.g. They had a serious exchange of views in the morning.

 

Para. 2

Q: What are civic life, politics and government?

The civic life is related to the behaviour that can affect their community and their nation. That is more than their personal life. Politics is a platform of people with opposing interests and beliefs to discuss some events. Government is the organizer that can put the decisions into effect.

opposing: be against each other.

put sth into effect: to make a plan or idea happen.

It also has the power to enforce them: The government also has the power to make people or organizations obey its decisions by force. enforce:强制执行 to make people obey a rule or law. 

the Constitution: 宪法the system of basic laws and principles that a democratic country is governed by. 

founder: someone who establishes an organization, business or school, etc. 

the common good: the benefit of the public.

 

Para. 3

Q: What is the merits of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution?
  It guarantees all citizens equal protection under the law. It changed the fate of former slaves. Besides, black Americans used this amendment to seek better treatment during the civil rights movement of the nineteen fifties and sixties.

vehicle: a transportation tool that is used for carrying people or things from one place to another.

the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution: 美国宪法第十四条修正案amendment: 修正案a written change or improvement to a law or document.

take effect: to start to produce effect.

seek: look for

 

Para. 4

Q: What are the foundations of the American political system?
  The Constitution. It contains the right of life, liberty and property. The American political system is built on the idea that states have any powers not given to the federal government. The system was also built on the idea that the different groups in society would all share a common identity as Americans.

a system of checks and balances on government power: a system that can both restraint and balance the government power.  check: 控制,节制It is used as a noun in the passage which means “something that controls something else and stops it from getting worse”.

Congress: 美国国会

bill: 议案a written proposal for a new law, which is brought to the congress so that it can be discussed.

reject the veto: refuse a refusal. A veto is a refusal to give official permission for something.E.g. Kitty rejected her brother’s offer of help. veto: 否决权the power or right to prohibit or reject a proposed or intended act. E.g. The president exercised a veto on the environmental protection bill.

strike down laws: to refuse to pass the law. 

violate: 侵犯，违反to disobey or do something against an official agreement. 

identity: 身份who somebody is.

 

Para. 5

Q: what influenced the American political system?
  One factor is classic liberalism. It is the idea that governments are created by the people, for the people. The other factor is classic republicanism. It links the idea of civic virtue to the common good.  

classic liberalism: 经典自由主义

John Locke (1632-1704): English philosopher. Locke's notions of a "government with the consent of the governed" and man's natural rights - life, liberty, and estate (property)- had an enormous influence on the development of political philosophy.

The American Declaration of Independence: 美国独立宣言

liberty: freedom

classic republicanism：经典共和主义

representative democracy:代议民主制。

virtue: 道德the quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong.

clash: conflict with each other.

 

Para.6

Q: How does the government embody the purposes, values and principles of American democracy?

The most important thing behind democracy is federalism. Power and responsibilities are divided among the national, state and local governments. That maybe avoid the misuse of power.

embody:体现 express or show

federalism:联邦主义

the misuse of power: 滥用职权the use of power in the wrong way or for the wrong purpose. misuse: 误用，滥用the use of something in the wrong way or for the wrong purpose. E.g. The bank has designed a system to prevent the misuse of credit cards.

 

Para.7

legislative:立法的a legislative institution has the power to make laws.

executive:执法的connected with making decisions and organizations.

judicial:司法的 connected with a court of law, judges or their decisions.

the legislative, executive and judicial branches: 立法﹑执法与司法机构

the House of Representatives: 美国众议院

the Senate:美国参议院 

the Supreme Court: 最高法院 The final court of appeal and the authority of the American Constitution. 

cabinet-level agencies:内阁机构

Q: What are the components of federal government?
The federal government is organized into the legislative, executive and judicial branches. The legislative branch is Congress. The executive branch is the president and cabinet agencies. The judicial branch is the Supreme Court and federal court system.

 

Para.8

Q: How do the people express their own opinions to the government?

Some people become involved in political or public interest groups. Others are active through groups such as unions or religious organizations. And the laws guarantee the freedom of speech. So the media can also help shape the public opinions.

freedom of speech and of the press: the freedom of speaking to the public and publicize opinions in any forms of media.

 

Para.9

Q: What is the relationship of the United States to other nations and to world affairs?

Sometimes, the United States has closed itself off from the world. At other times, it has been an active leader. Today, it is often called the last remaining superpower, after the fall of the Soviet Union. Besides, except military strength, economic power is still a major factor that influence the relationship between countries.

declare: to state officially or publicly

the fall of the Soviet Union:苏联解体 the collapse of the other former superpower-- the Soviet Union in the year 1991.

military: 军事的 connected with war or the army.

strength: power

 

Para.10

Q: What are the roles of citizens in American democracy?

People must see how democracy depends on knowledgeable citizens who care about other citizens and their country. In order to keep democracy alive, citizens must do it themselves.

critic:评论家，批评家someone whose job is to make judgments about the good and bad qualities of something.

above all: the most important.

"If there is anything which it is the duty of the whole people to never entrust to any hands but their own, that thing is the preservation and perpetuity of their own liberties and institutions.": 如果有一件事情是全体人民皆有责任掌握在自己手中而不是委托给任何其他人的，这件事就是永远维护他们自己所拥有的自由和体制. 

entrust: 委任to make something responsible for doing something important. 

preservation: the act of keeping something unharmed or unchanged. 

perpetuity: 永久，永恒 the state of being forever or for a long time. 

institution: 制度，习俗an established system or custom. E.g. institution of marriage

 

Para.11

Q: What does the last paragraph talk about?

The topic sentence is democracy is a discussion. That means this topic still needs new ways and is never-ending.