【美国精神】第41期

Explanation:

  When the 13 original states united (or came together) to make a new country, each of the states wanted to keep its powers and independence (or ability to make its own decisions). But the new federal¹ (or national) government would also need some powers or else the states would not be able to work together as a new country. That is why the Constitution (our country’s most important legal document) specifies² (or makes clear) certain powers for the federal government and others for the states.

  One of the powers of the federal government is to print money or to make the bills (or paper money) and coins (or metal money) that we use to buy and sell things. It makes sense that this is a federal power, because if each state could print its own money, then it would be very difficult to buy and sell things across state borders (or the lines drawn³ between states on a map, where one state ends and another state begins). When only the federal government can print money, all the states use the same type of currency (or the type of money used in a country).

  Another power of the federal government is to declare war (or to say that a war is beginning). Obviously⁴ this power should exist only at the national level, because it doesn’t make sense for one or two states to declare war against another country. Wars should happen only between countries.

  A third power of the federal government is to create an army (or the large group of people and organizations that fight to protect a country). States can have police that work within the state, but not armies that work internationally or in other countries.

  Finally, the federal government can make treaties⁵ (or official agreements between countries). For example, the United States is involved in NATO, spelled “N,” “A,” “T,”“O,” which stands for the North Atlantic Treaty⁶ Organizations, at the national level. Individual states do not need to participate in NATO because the entire country participates in it at the federal level.

 

问题：

41. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?

Answer:

• To print money

• To declare war

• To create an army

• To make treaties

1 federal   

adj.联盟的；联邦的；(美国)联邦政府的

参考例句：

• Switzerland is a federal republic.瑞士是一个联邦共和国。
• The schools are screaming for federal aid.那些学校强烈要求联邦政府的援助。

2 specifies   

v.指定( specify的第三人称单数 )；详述；提出…的条件；使具有特性

参考例句：

• The third clause of the contract specifies steel sashes for the windows. 合同的第三款指定使用钢窗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The contract specifies red tiles, not slates, for the roof. 合同规定屋顶用红瓦，并非石板瓦。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

4 obviously   

adv.显然；明白地

参考例句：

• Obviously they were putting him to a severe test.显然他们是在给他以严峻的考验。
• Obviously he was lying.显然他是在撒谎。

5 treaties   

n.条约( treaty的名词复数 )；协议，协商

参考例句：

• These unequal treaties were made under duress. 这些不平等条约是在强迫下签订的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The imperialist powers forced the Qing Dynasty to sign a series of unequal treaties. 帝国主义列强迫使清王朝签订了一系列不平等条约。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 treaty   

n.条约；协议，协定

参考例句：

• Hungary has indicated its readiness to sign the treaty.匈牙利已表示愿意签订该条约。
• I believe this treaty will pave the way to peace in Europe. 我相信这个条约将为欧洲的和平铺平道路。