Political Terms

The government of a country is its control system.

Governments make laws and provide services to their citizens.

译文：一个国家的政府是它的控制系统。政府制定法律并为公民提供服务。

The land over which a government has control is its territory.

A country's territory has boundaries, or borders.

When you leave or enter a country's territory you usually need a passport.

译文：政府控制的土地是它的领土。一个国家的领土是有边界的。当你离开或进入一个国家的领土时，通常需要护照。

A country's military provides defense for its territory and its citizens.

The military includes an army, an air force, and a navy.

The main purpose of a military is to defend a country from attack.

译文：一个国家的军队为其领土和公民提供防卫。军队包括陆军、空军和海军。军队的主要目的是保卫国家不受攻击。

A country's criminal justice system includes the police, courts, and prisons.

Its purpose is to enforce the law and protect people from criminal activities.

译文：一个国家的刑事司法系统包括警察、法院和监狱。它的目的是执法和保护人们免受犯罪活动。

A country's social services system provides support to people in need.

It provides basic health care services and helps poor people support their children.

译文：国家的社会服务体系为有需要的人提供支持。它提供基本的卫生保健服务，帮助穷人抚养他们的孩子。

Exercise:

1. What rules a country?

The government.

2. Which part of a government help to support poor people?

A country's social services system.

3. What includes an army and an air force?

The military.

4. What branch of a government enforces the law?

The criminal justice system is responsible for enforcing the law.

5. What separates one country from another?

A country's borders mark its territory and separate it from its neighbors.

6. Governments make laws and provide services to their citizens.

7. A country's borders mark its territory and separate it from its neighbors.

8. The criminal justice system is responsible for enforcing the law.

Repeat & Read Sentences:

1. Governments make laws and provide services to their citizens.

2. When a country wants to change its boundaries, there may be a war.

3. The main purpose of a military is to defend a country from attack.

4. The land over which a government has control is its territory.

5. A country's criminal justice system includes the police, courts, and prisons.

6. Most of the citizens of a country live within its territory.

7. The territory of a country is defined by its boundaries.

Types of Government

A state of anarchy exists when a country has no effective government.

In an anarchy, there is nobody to make decisions or enforce the laws.

译文：当一个国家没有有效的政府时，它就处于无政府状态。在无政府状态下，没有人做决定或执行法律。

An autocracy is the simplest form of government.

In an autocracy, the government is controlled by a single individual, known as the autocrat.

Whether or not an autocracy is successful depends on the character and ability of the leader.

译文：专制政体是最简单的政府形式。在专制政体中，政府由单个个体控制，称为专制者。一个独裁政权是否成功取决于领导人的性格和能力。

In an oligarchy, a small group of people controls the government.

Membership in this group often depends on family connections, wealth, or military power.

译文：在寡头政治中，一小群人控制着政府。这个群体的成员身份通常取决于家庭关系、财富或军事实力。

In a republic, individuals are elected to represent the citizens.

The power of the government in a republic is limited by a constitution.

A constitution is a written document that makes the rules for a government to follow.

This limits the power of the government.

A constitution defines the relationship between the government and its citizens.

译文：在一个共和政体里，个人被选出来代表公民。共和国政府的权力受宪法的限制。宪法是为政府制定规则的书面文件，这限制了政府的权力，宪法规定了政府和公民之间的关系。

Exercise:

1. What exists when a country has no effective government?

A state of anarchy.

2. What is the simplest form of government?

An autocracy.

3. Which type of government is run by a small group of individuals?

an oligarchy

4. Which type of government is run by elected representatives?

In a republic, individuals are elected to represent the citizens.

5. What limits the power of a government?

The power of the government in a republic is limited by a constitution.

6. In an anarchy, there is nobody to make decisions or enforce the laws.

7. Membership in this group often depends on family connections, wealth, or military power.

8. In a republic, individuals are elected to represent the citizens.

Repeat & Read Sentences:

1. In an anarchy, there is nobody to make decisions or enforce the laws.

2. Without a government there is nobody to make decisions or enforce the laws.

3. An autocracy is the simplest form of government.

4. In an autocracy, the government is controlled by a single individual, known as the autocrat.

5. The power of the government in a republic is limited by a constitution.

6. Without a good government, decisions that need to be made won't be made.