13.Name one branch or part of the government.
13.说出政府的一个分支或部分。
Answer:
答案：
Congress/legislative
●国会/立法
President/executive
●总统/执法
The courts/judicial
●法院/司法
Explanation:
解释：
The United States government is divided into three branches (or parts), and all three share equal (or the same) amounts of power. The easiest way to understand the divisions (or parts) of American government is to think of the government as a tree, with three branches of the same size growing from the trunk (or the base, which is the biggest part of the tree). The government was set up this way in the Constitution by the Founding Fathers so that no one branch of government would be able to have absolute power (or total control) over another.
美国政府分为三个分支（或部分）并享有同等权力。理解美国政府各部门最简单的方法就是将政府比作一棵树，枝干（树的主干部分）长出三个尺寸一样的分支。建国元勋们在宪法中将政府如此设立是为了防止某一部门拥有绝对的权力。
The first of the three branches of government is Congress, which is also known as the legislative branch. Legislative is another word for lawmaking, so Congress is the branch that makes and passes (or approves) laws. Congress also has the power to control how the government spends its money, known as appropriations. The legislative branch is located in the U.S. Capitol building, a famous building with a dome roof (or round top) in Washington, D.C.
政府的第一个分支是国会，也就是立法部。立法即编纂法律，国会就是制定和通过法律的分支。国会还有控制政府开支的权利，即财政拨款。立法部位于哥伦比亚州华盛顿著名的圆顶国会大厦。
The second branch is the executive branch, which is the president of the United States. Executive means “leader,” so it is the president’s job to lead the country and its military (or the people and organizations who fight for a country, usually to protect it). The vice president, the president’s top advisor (or most trusted guide), is also an important part of the executive branch. The president lives and works in the White House, which is also located in Washington, D.C. The executive branch also includes all of the departments, agencies, and government organizations that help carry out or put into practice the laws of the United States.
第二个分支是行政部，也就是美国总统。行政即领导，因此总统的职责是领导国家和军队（为保护国家而战的个人或组织）。副总统是总统的高级顾问（最信任的向导），也使行政分支重要的一部分。总统生活办公都在华盛顿的白宫。行政分支还包括所有执行美国法律的部门，机构和政府组织。
The third branch of government is the judicial (or legal) branch, also known as the courts. The Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. is the highest or most powerful court in the judicial branch, but there are also many smaller federal (or national) courts. All of these courts interpret (or decide how to understand) and explain the laws passed by Congress.
政府的第三个分支是司法部，也就是法院。位于华盛顿的最高法院是司法部最高最权威的法院，不过还有很多联邦法院。所有这些法院解释（或决定如何理解）说明国会通过的法案。
Each division of the government holds separate and different powers, but the three branches are all part of the same tree and are all necessary for making sure that the United States’ system of government continues to work.
政府的每一个分支都拥有独立不同的权力，但三个分支又同属一个政府并确保美国政体持续运作。
Glossary
词汇
13.Name one branch or part of the government.
13.说出政府的一个分支或部分。
branch - a part of something, usually of the government or an organization; one of many parts
Branch—某物的一部分，通常指政府或机构；许多部分中的一部分
*Most American children learn about the three branches of government when they are in elementary school.
*大部分美国人在小学时就会学到政府的三个分支。
equal - the same; not different
Equal—相同；一样
*Do you and your wife do an equal amount of work in the home, or do you clean more than she does?
*你在家和妻子共同分担家务劳动还是你比她做的多一些？
division - a separate part of something; a major part or section of an organization
Division—某物分开的一部分；一个部分或机构重要的一部分
*My husband and I work for the same company. I work in the research division and he works in the marketing division.
*我和老公在同一家公司上班，我在调研部，他在市场部。
absolute power - total control; having all of the power; unshared power
Absolute power—全部控制；集权；独享的权力
*The little boy sometimes wished that he had absolute power in life so that he could play all day, get dirty, and eat nothing but pizza and ice cream.
*小男孩有时候希望自己有绝对的权力能整天玩耍，抹的脏兮兮的，只吃比萨和冰激凌。
lawmaking - legislative; related to making new laws and changing existing laws
Lawmaking—立法；与编写新法和变更旧法有关的
*Who has lawmaking power for the city?
*谁拥有该市的立法权？
appropriations - related to how the government decides how it will spend its money
Appropriations—与政府该如何开支有关的
*Congress has been arguing over appropriation for months.
*国会就预算一事讨论了数月。
military - the people and organizations who fight for a country, usually to protect it
Military—为保护国家而战的个人或组织
*Have you thought about joining the U.S. military after you finish high school?
你想过高中毕业后参加美国军队吗？
advisor - a trusted guide; a person who gives advice and shares his or her opinions and beliefs
Advisor—可信任的向导；提出建议并分享意见和信仰的人
*Who is the president's advisor on education?
*总统的教育顾问是哪位？
Supreme Court - the highest, most powerful court in the United States
Supreme court—美国最高最有权威的法院
*Only the most important legal questions are ruled on by the Supreme Court.
*最高法院只负责最重要的法律问题。