Legislative Branch
美音、自然拼读、分级阅读与词汇复习
Table of Contents The U.
内容列表 The U.
S.
师曰.
Congress.
国会.
4 How the Constitution Organizes the U.
4 宪法如何组织U.
S.
师曰.
Government.
现政府.
5 How Congress Works.
5 国会如何运作。
6 How a Bill Becomes a Law.
6 法案如何成为法律。
9 What Members of Congress Do.
9 国会议员们做什么。
12 Committees.
12 委员会。
12 Speeches.
12发言.
12 Getting Elected.
12 当选。
13 Voting.
13 表决。
13 How Power Is Shared in the U.
13 权力如何在U共享。
S.
师曰.
Government.
现政府.
14 The Responsibility of Congress.
14 国会的责任。
15 Glossary.
15 词汇。
16 The U.
16 U. (英语).
S.
师曰.
Congress In the summer of 1964, members of the United States Congress were discussing a new law.
国会 1964年夏,美国国会成员正在讨论一部新法律.
The Civil Rights Act would allow people of color to use the same schools, libraries, restaurants, and swimming pools as white people.
公民权利 法案允许有色人种使用与白人相同的学校,图书馆,餐馆和游泳池.
The act had already passed the House of Representatives, but it still had to pass the other half of Congress—the Senate.
该法案已经通过了众议院,但仍必须通过国会的另一半——参议院。
However, a group of senators were making long speeches on the Senate floor.
然而,一群参议员在参议院发言很长。
They were trying to prevent a vote from taking place.
他们试图阻止投票。
One senator talked for fourteen hours and thirteen minutes.
一名参议员交谈了14小时13分钟。
Soon after that speech, the Senate finally passed the Civil Rights Act.
在该演讲后不久,参议院终于通过了"民权法案".
President Lyndon Johnson later signed it into law.
林登·约翰逊总统后来将其签署为法律.
Passing this act is only one example of how the U.
通过这一行为只是U如何进行的例子.
S.
师曰.
Congress works.
国会的工作。
Made up of members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, Congress is the central body of the legislative branch.
由参议院和众议院议员组成,国会是立法部门的核心机构.
Members of both parts of Congress represent U.
国会两部分的议员代表U.
S.
师曰.
citizens.
公民们
They are responsible for writing and amending the laws of the country.
他们负责起草和修订国家法律。
They also have other important duties.
他们还负有其他重要职责。
Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia gave a long speech trying to block the Civil Rights Act.
西弗吉尼亚州参议员罗伯特·伯德(Robert Byrd)发表了长篇演说,试图阻止"民权法案".
How the Constitution Organizes the U.
宪法如何组织U.
S.
师曰.
Government The Constitution, adopted in 1788, serves as a blueprint for the U.
政府 1788年通过的"宪法"成为了U的蓝图.
S.
师曰.
government.
政府。
It divides the government into three parts, or branches.
它将政府分为三部分,即分支.
The executive branch, led by the president, manages most government operations and departments.
行政部门由总统领导,管理大多数政府业务和部门.
The legislative branch, made up of the Senate and House of Representatives, represents U.
由参议院和众议院组成的立法部门代表U.
S.
师曰.
citizens in government and also makes laws.
公民在政府中,也制定法律。
The judicial branch handles the U.
司法部门负责U。
S.
师曰.
system of courts.
法院制度。
At times, the different branches work together.
时有不同分会相通.
At other times, they disagree with each other.
其他时候,他们彼此意见不一.
Article I of the Constitution gives the legislative branch the right to create new laws or change existing ones.
《宪法》第一条赋予立法部门制定新法律或修改现行法律的权利。
It is the only part of the government that can do so.
这是政府中唯一能够做到这一点的部分。
It also gives Congress many other rights and duties.
它还赋予国会许多其他权利和义务.
Since it was adopted, twenty-seven amendments, or changes, have been made to the Constitution.
自《宪法》通过以来,对《宪法》进行了27项修正或修改。
How Congress Works Members of the Senate and the House both work in the Capitol Building.
国会如何在国会大厦工作 参议院议员和众议院议员
They have different numbers of members.
他们的成员数量不同。
No matter what a state’s size or population is, two senators represent each state.
无论州大小或人口多少,每个州都有两名参议员代表.
One hundred senators make up the Senate.
100名参议员组成了参议院.
Senators are elected for a term of six years.
参议员由选举产生,任期六年.
The Senate must approve certain positions that the president appoints people to, such as Supreme Court judges.
参议院必须批准总统任命的人担任的某些职位,例如最高法院法官。
The Senate also approves treaties with other countries.
参议院还批准与其他国家的条约。
Thomas Jefferson, the third U.
托马斯·杰斐逊,第三任U.
S.
师曰.
president, held a design competition for the Capitol Building in 1792.
总统,1792年举行了国会大厦的设计竞赛.
The House of Representatives is based on population.
众议院以人口为主.
It has 435 members, each elected to a two-year term.
委员会有435名成员,每名当选,任期两年。
Members of the House are divided among the fifty states according to each state’s total population.
众议院议员根据每个州的总人口在五十个州中划分.
With the largest population in the United States, California has the most representatives in the House.
由于美国人口最多,加利福尼亚州在众议院的代表最多.
States with smaller populations, such as Delaware, only have one representative.
特拉华等人口较少的国家只有一名代表。
Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester is the only representative from Delaware.
众议员丽莎·布伦特·罗切斯特是特拉华州唯一的代表.
The members of the House of Representatives elect their leader, known as the Speaker of the House.
众议院议员选举他们的领袖,称为众议院议长.
If the president and vice president couldn’t perform their duties, the Speaker of the House would take over the presidency.
如果总统和副总统不能履行职责,众议院议长将接管总统职位。
This makes the Speaker a powerful position in government.
这使得议长在政府中占据了强大的地位.
If citizens have problems with how the country is being run, they can get in touch with their representative.
如果公民对如何管理国家有问题,他们可以与其代表取得联系。
The public can also attend town hall meetings led by politicians.
公众也可以参加由政治家领导的市民大会.
At these meetings, people can discuss government matters openly with their representatives.
在这些会议上,人民可以与其代表公开讨论政府事务.
How to Become a Senator or Representative A man asks his representative a question at a town hall meeting in Oregon.
一个男人在俄勒冈的市政厅会议上问他代表一个问题。
To serve in the Senate, people must be at least thirty years old.
要在参议院任职,人们必须至少年满30岁.
They must have been U.
他们一定是U
S.
师曰.
citizens for the last nine years and live in the state they wish to represent.
过去九年的公民,生活在他们希望代表的国家。
Those wanting to win a seat in the House must be at least twenty-five years old.
那些想赢得众议院席位的人必须至少25岁。
They must have been U.
他们一定是U
S.
师曰.
citizens for a minimum of seven years and live in the state they want to represent.
公民至少居住七年,并居住在他们想代表的国家。
How a Bill Becomes a Law Creating a new law requires many steps.
《法案》如何成为一部法律 制定一部新法律需要许多步骤。
The first step is to write the bill.
第一步是写法案.
Anyone can do this, even members of the public.
任何人都可以做到这一点,甚至公众成员。
Next, a member of Congress must present the bill as its sponsor before the Senate, the House, or both.
接下来,国会议员必须作为提案人向参议院,众议院或两者提出法案.
The bill then goes before one or more committees in either the Senate or House for review.
该法案随后提交参议院或众议院的一个或多个委员会审查。
Committee members research the bill, decide which laws should be reviewed, and recommend what to do next.
委员会成员研究该法案,决定应审查哪些法律,并提议下一步做什么。
Committees hold hearings during which they ask experts about the bill and try to find solutions to any problems.
委员会举行听证会,向专家询问该法案,并努力找到解决任何问题的办法。
A scientist speaks at a committee hearing in the Senate.
一位科学家在参议院的委员会听证会上发言.
Dead Bills Then the bill goes to a subcommittee for review.
死亡账单 然后法案交给小组委员会审查.
Subcommittees research the bill more.
各小组委员会对法案进行了更多的研究。
Next, they hold a hearing and a vote.
接下来,他们举行听证会和表决。
If the majority of the subcommittee votes to recommend the bill, it goes back to the full committee for a hearing and vote.
如果小组委员会的多数表决赞成议案,则会回到全体委员会进行听证和表决.
If the majority of the full committee does not vote to recommend it, discussion of the bill stops.
如果全体委员会多数没有投票建议,对法案的讨论就会停止.
Members of Congress can and often do reintroduce bills many times.
国会议员可以而且经常会多次重新提出法案.
If the majority of the full committee supports the bill, it is placed on the official calendar of either the Senate or the House.
如果全体委员会的多数支持该法案,则将其列入参议院或众议院的正式日历上。
Important bills get decided upon right away.
重要帐单马上决定
Others may wait for months.
其他人可能要等几个月
Many never get considered at all.
很多人从来没有被考虑过。
A term of Congress lasts for two years.
国会任期为两年.
Once the term ends, any bills that didn’t pass during that period are considered dead.
任何在此期间没有通过的法案,
This includes bills that were passed by either the Senate or the House but not both, and even those passed by both but not signed by the president.
这包括参议院或众议院通过的法案,但不同时通过,甚至包括两院通过的、但未由总统签署的法案。
Members of Congress participate in a heated debate about slavery in this illustration from 1850.
国会议员从1850年起参加这个插图中关于奴隶制的激烈辩论.
When a bill’s date arrives, either the Senate or the House debates the bill.
当法案日期到来时,参议院或众议院都会辩论该法案。
At this point, they can change it.
此时,他们可以改变它。
Then the Senate or the House votes on the bill.
然后,参议院或众议院对法案进行表决.
If a majority approves the bill, it moves to the other branch of Congress.
如果多数人批准该法案,则向国会的其他部门转移。
It is once again debated and changed.
它再次被辩论和改变。
After the majority of both houses vote to approve the bill, it goes straight to the president’s desk.
在两院多数议员投票通过法案后,
The president can sign the bill, in which case it becomes a law.
总统可以签署法案,在这种情况下,法案成为了法律.
The other way the bill becomes a law is for the president to allow ten days to pass.
法案变成法律的另一种方式是总统允许十天通过.
Then it automatically becomes law.
然后自动地变成法.
The president can also veto, or reject, the bill.
总统也可以否决或否决该法案。
In this case, the bill gets sent back to Congress.
在这种情况下,法案会被送回国会.
A bill can still become law without the president’s approval if two-thirds of both the Senate and the House vote to override the veto.
如果参议院和众议院三分之二的议员投票推翻否决权,法案仍然可以不经总统批准而成为法律。
Answer: 6,284 Math Minute Most proposed bills never become laws.
答复:6 284个数学分钟 大多数拟议的法案从未成为法律。
From January 2011 to January 2013, Congress introduced 6,845 bills.
2011年1月至2013年1月,国会提出了6,845个议案.
Only 561 of these bills passed and became laws.
只有561项法案获得通过并成为法律。
How many did not become law?
有多少人没有成为法律?
What Members of Congress Do Members of Congress typically have very busy schedules.
国会成员的工作日程通常非常繁忙。
Here is a glimpse into some parts of their work.
以下是他们工作的一些部分。
Committees Senators and members of the House are assigned to committees and subcommittees.
参议员和议员被分配到委员会和小组委员会。
Permanent committees in Congress, such as those dedicated to education and the workforce, agriculture, and the budget, are called standing committees.
国会的常设委员会,如专门从事教育和劳动力、农业和预算的常设委员会,称为常设委员会。
Other committees investigate a specific problem for a certain amount of time.
其他委员会则在一定时间内调查某个具体问题.
Committees form subcommittees to take care of certain tasks.
委员会组成小组委员会负责某些任务。
Speeches Senators can talk about a bill for as long as they like unless a time limit has been set.
参议员们可以讨论法案,除非规定时限。
Often only a few senators are actually on the Senate floor to discuss a bill.
通常只有少数参议员实际上在参议院会场讨论法案.
Other senators are busy working on committees or in their offices.
其他参议员忙于委员会或办公室的工作.
When a bell rings, senators go to the floor to vote.
当钟声响起时,参议员们会到地上投票.
Because there are so many more representatives than senators, certain rules limit the amount of time they can speak about a bill as well as how many changes they can make to a bill.
因为代表人数比参议员多得多,所以某些规则限制他们谈论法案的时间,以及他们可以对法案作多少修改.
Getting Elected Members of Congress spend a lot of their time campaigning and fund-raising.
争取当选国会议员花大量时间进行竞选和筹款.
Since representatives are elected every two years, fund-raising is very important for them to keep their jobs.
由于代表每两年选举一次,所以筹款对他们保持工作非常重要.
In election years, representatives might spend four hours a day fund-raising.
在选举年份,代表们可能每天花4小时进行筹款。
They need money for advertisements, travel, posters, stickers, and stamps.
他们需要钱做广告、旅行、海报、贴纸和邮票。
Through phone calls, speeches, and interviews, members of Congress try to win votes by talking about what they have done and plan to do to help the people they represent.
通过电话,演讲,以及采访,国会议员们试图通过谈论他们所做的和计划所做的来帮助他们所代表的人民来赢得选票.
Voting Members of Congress must be physically present in the Capitol Building to vote.
国会议员必须亲自到国会大厦投票。
Representatives vote by putting a card into a machine at one of forty- seven voting stations located throughout the House.
众议员投票方式是将一张卡片放入位于全院47个投票站之一的机器.
Senators have three options for voting.
参议员有三种投票选择.
In a roll call vote, senators vote aloud after a clerk calls their name.
在一次点名投票中,参议员在书记员点名后大声投票.
In a voice vote, senators vote aloud together; exact numbers are not counted.
在一次声音投票中,参议员一起大声投票;确切数字不计算.
In a division or standing vote, individual votes in a voice vote are counted.
在分出票或常年投票中,以声音投票方式进行个人投票计算.
At a 2018 rally, a senator introduces Representative Ayanna Pressley from Massachusetts.
在2018年的一次集会上,一位参议员介绍来自马萨诸塞州的代表Ayanna Pressley.
How Power Is Shared in the U.
(原始内容存档于2012-10-12). How Power is shared in the U.
S.
师曰.
Government The framers of the Constitution did not want the legislative, executive, and judicial branches to abuse their power.
政府 《宪法》的制定者不希望立法、行政和司法部门滥用权力。
A system of checks and balances in the Constitution ensures that power is distributed fairly among the three branches.
《宪法》的制衡制度确保权力在三个分支之间公平分配。
The legislative branch checks the executive branch by approving people the president chooses for certain positions and treaties made by the president.
立法部门通过批准总统为总统的某些职位和条约选择的人来检查行政部门。
The legislative branch checks the judicial branch by approving the president’s choices of judges.
立法部门通过批准总统对法官的选择来检查司法部门。
In addition, Congress checks the judicial branch by proposing amendments to the Constitution that would overturn judicial decisions.
此外,国会通过对《宪法》提出修正,推翻司法裁决,对司法部门进行核查。
The other two branches can also check the legislative branch.
其他两个分支也可以检查立法分支.
The presidential veto is an example of the executive branch’s check on the legislative branch.
总统否决权是行政部门检查立法部门的例子。
Even after the majority of Congress has accepted a bill, the president can prevent it from becoming law.
即使在国会多数人接受法案后,总统仍可以阻止法案成为法律.
However, to maintain a balance of power, Congress can vote to override a presidential veto if two-thirds of each house votes to accept the bill.
然而,为了保持权力平衡,如果每院三分之二的议员投票接受法案,国会可以投票推翻总统否决.
The judicial branch checks the legislative branch when the Supreme Court overturns a law passed by Congress and the president because the court decides it is unconstitutional.
当最高法院推翻国会和总统通过的一项法律,因为法院裁定它违宪时,司法部门会检查立法部门。
The Responsibility of Congress A statue called Freedom stands on top of the dome of the Capitol Building, where the Senate and the House of Representatives meet.
国会的责任 一座被称作"自由"的雕像矗立在国会大厦的穹顶上,参议院和众议院在此相会.
The female figure wears a helmet and holds a sword and a laurel wreath.
女性人物戴起头盔并手持一把剑和一朵荣耀花圈.
She wants peace, but she is ready to fight to protect her country’s freedom.
她希望和平,但她准备为保护国家的自由而斗争。
Freedom reminds the politicians representing the American people what the United States stands for.
自由提醒代表美国人民的政治人物美国代表什么.
With the power to write and change laws, the legislative branch is an important part of the United States government.
拥有写作和修改法律的权力,立法部门是美国政府的重要组成部分.
Senators and representatives make sure that all citizens have a voice and are fairly represented in their government.
参议员和代表确保所有公民都有发言权,并在政府中有公平的代表性。
Freedom is made of bronze and weighs around 15,000 pounds (6,804 kg).
自由由青铜制成,重约15,000磅(6,804公斤).
Glossary amending (v.)
修改(五)的词汇表
making a change to improve something (p.
进行修改以改进某事(p.
4) committees (n.)
4) 委员会(无)
groups of people who consider or decide on a course of action (p.
考虑或决定行动方针的人群(p.
9) debates (v.)
9) 辩论(五.
discusses an important subject at length and in detail (p.
详细讨论一个重要议题(p.
11) fund-raising (n.)
11) 筹款(n.
the process of collecting money from individuals or groups to support a certain cause or goal (p.
从个人或团体筹集资金以支持某一事业或目标的过程(p.
13) House of Representatives (n.)
13) 众议院 (n.