【美国精神】第48期

Explanation:

  Voting is one of the important rights (or freedoms) that Americans have, but not everyone can vote. The Constitution, which is the most important legal document in the United States, has 27 amendments² (or changes or additions to the Constitution that have been approved by the voters). Four of these amendments are about who can vote. Let’s take a quick look at each of them.

  The 15th Amendment¹ was passed (or approved) in 1870. It forbids (or doesn’t allow) the government to use race (or skin color) in deciding who is eligible³ (or has the right) to vote. Before this amendment was passed, many states did not allow black or African American people to vote in their elections. The 15th Amendment made that illegal (or against the law).

  The next amendment related to voting was the 19th Amendment, passed in 1920. This amendment forbids the government to use gender⁴ (or whether someone is a man or a woman) in deciding who is eligible to vote. Before this amendment was passed, only men could vote. This amendment gave women the right to vote.

  In 1964, the 24th Amendment was passed. It prohibits (or doesn’t allow) the government to make people pay money to vote. Before 1964, some states had made voters pay a tax (or money paid to the government) to cast their ballot⁵ (or vote). This made it very difficult or impossible for poor people to vote and that is why it was made illegal.

  The fourth and final (or last) amendment related to voting was the 26th Amendment passed in 1971. This amendment grants (or gives) suffrage⁶ (or the right to vote) to American citizens who are at least 18 years old. Before this amendment was passed, many states would let people vote only if they were at least 21 years old. Many people thought that this was unfair, since young men could join the army when they were 18, dying for their country before they were able to vote. With this amendment, however, American citizens can begin voting once they are 18 years old.

 

问题：

There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.

Answer:

• Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote).

• You don’t have to pay (a poll tax) to vote.

• Any citizen can vote. (Women and men can vote.)

• A male citizen of any race (can vote).

1 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

2 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

3 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

4 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

5 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

6 suffrage   

n.投票，选举权，参政权

参考例句：

• The question of woman suffrage sets them at variance.妇女参政的问题使他们发生争执。
• The voters gave their suffrage to him.投票人都投票选他。