(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
By eighteen hundred and one, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia had already done much for his country. He wrote the Declaration of Independence in seventeen seventy-six. He served as America's first ambassador to France and its first secretary of state. Now he would govern the nation. This week in our series, Maurice Joyce and Richard Rael continue the story of America's third president. Thomas Jefferson was happy and hopeful as he took office. His new political party, the Republicans, had defeated the older Federalist Party. The Federalists had controlled the government for twelve years. America's first president, George Washington, was not a Federalist. But Federalists controlled the cabinet and the Congress during Washington's two terms. America's second president, John Adams, was a Federalist. So the party continued its control during his term. The Federalists and the Republicans held very different opinions about how to govern the nation. Yet the change in power from one party to the other took place peacefully. Thomas Jefferson recognized the importance of this fact.
He said: "What we have done in this country is all new. The force of public opinion is new. But the most important and pleasing newness is that we have changed our government without violence. This shows a strength of American character that will give long life to our republic." President Jefferson wanted to work with Federalists for the good of the nation. But he chose no Federalists for his cabinet. All the cabinet officers were strong Republicans. All were loyal to Thomas Jefferson. James Madison of Virginia was secretary of state; Albert Gallatin of Pennsylvania, secretary of the treasury; General Henry Dearborn of New Hampshire, secretary of war; Robert Smith of Maryland, secretary of the Navy; and Levi Lincoln of Massachusetts, attorney general. For other government positions, Jefferson decided to take a middle road. He would remove all officials appointed by former President John Adams during his lame duck period. That was the time after Jefferson won the election, but before he took office. He also would remove all officials found guilty of dishonesty. He said: "Federalists in government positions have nothing to fear if they have acted honestly and with justice.
Those who have acted badly must go. As for the men I appoint to office, they must be of the highest character. I will accept no others." Federalist leaders denounced Jefferson's policy. They thought all Federalists should keep their government jobs. Many Republican leaders denounced Jefferson, too. They thought no Federalist should have a government job. The president was caught between the two groups. He finally answered his critics. "Shouts and screams from Federalists or Republicans," he said, "will not force me to remove one more official, or one less. I will do what I think is right and just." Once President Jefferson formed his cabinet, he began planning the policies of his administration. His two closest advisers were Secretary of State Madison and Treasury Secretary Gallatin. First, they discussed financial policy. They agreed that the government must stop spending as much money as it did under former president Adams. So, government departments would get less money. They also agreed that the government must pay its debts as quickly as possible. The government owed millions of dollars. Each year, the debt grew larger because of the interest on these loans. Albert Gallatin said: "We must have a strong policy. The debt must be paid. If we do not do this, our children, our grandchildren, and many generations to come will have to pay for our mistakes."
President Jefferson wanted to pay the government debt. He also wanted to cut taxes on the production and sale of some products, such as whiskey and tobacco. He hoped the government could get all the money it needed from import taxes and from the sale of public lands. Jefferson began saving money by ending unnecessary jobs in the executive branch. He reduced the number of American ambassadors. He dismissed all tax inspectors. Congress would have to take the next steps. "Most government offices," Jefferson said, "were created by laws of Congress. Congress alone must act on these positions. The citizens of the United States have paid for these jobs with their taxes. It is not right or just for the government to take more than it needs from the people." Jefferson especially wanted Congress to reduce the judicial branch. He hoped to dismiss all the Federalist judges former President Adams appointed during his last days in office. These men were known as "midnight judges." The Federalists were furious. They accused Jefferson of trying to destroy the courts. They warned that his financial program would crush the nation. They declared there would be anarchy if Federalist officials were dismissed. Most people, however, were happy. They liked what Jefferson said.
They especially liked his plan to cut taxes. Jefferson's biggest critic was his long-time political opponent, Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton had served as the nation's first treasury secretary. Now, he was a private lawyer in New York City. He published his criticism of Jefferson in a newspaper he started, the New York Evening Post. While the public debated Jefferson's policies, the Congress debated his proposal to reduce the number of federal courts. Federalist congressmen claimed that the president was trying to interfere with the judiciary. This, they said, violated the Constitution. Republican congressmen argued that the Constitution gave Congress the power to create courts and to close them. They said the former administration had no right to appoint the so-called "midnight judges." The Republicans won the argument. Congress approved President Jefferson's proposal on the courts. Next, Congress debated the president's proposal to cut taxes. Federalists said it was dangerous for the government to depend mainly on import taxes. They said such a policy would lead to smuggling.
People would try to bring goods into the United States secretly, without paying taxes on them. Federalists also said that if the United States cut taxes, it would not have enough money to pay its debts. Then no one would want to invest in the United States again. Republicans said they were not afraid of smugglers. The danger, they said, would come from taxing the American people. There was no need for production and sales taxes. And, they said, the American people knew it. The Republicans also said they were sure the government would have enough money to pay its debts. The Republicans won this legislative fight, too. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives voted to approve the president's plan to cut taxes. Congress then turned to other business. But the question of the midnight judges would not die. In fact, the Supreme Court would hear the case of one of those judges. Its decision gave the court an extremely important power, which it still uses today. That will be our story next week.
重点解析
1.work with 与…共事;对……有效
You have to work with him.
你得和他一起工作 。
2.In fact 事实上,实际上
So this code is, in fact, correct.
所以这个代码实际上是正确的 。
3.bring into 使开始;使进入某种状态
Appreciate what others bring into your life and how they help shape your life.
感激别人为你生活所带来的一切以及如何帮助你塑造自己的生活 。
4.Treasury Secretary 财政部长
The US Treasury secretary and the head of the Federal Reserve appeared before the senate banking committee this afternoon.
美国财政部长和美联储主席出席了今天下午的参议院银行业委员会会议 。
5.There was no need for 没有必要
Eventually, I realised that there was no need for me to have my head under water.
最终我总算意识自己没必要将头浸在水下 。
参考译文
1801年,弗吉尼亚州的托马斯·杰斐逊已经为他的国家做出了很多贡献
。他在1776年撰写了《独立宣言》 。杰斐逊曾担任美国驻法国的第一任大使,也是美国第一任国务卿 。现今,他将担任美国总统 。本周,莫里斯·乔伊斯和理查德·拉尔将继续讲述美国第三任总统的故事 。托马斯·杰斐逊就任总统时幸福洋溢、满怀憧憬 。他领导的新政党共和党击败了原来的联邦党 。联邦党人控制政府已有12年 。美国第一任总统乔治·华盛顿并不是联邦党人 。但是在华盛顿的两届任期内,联邦党人控制了内阁和国会 。美国第二任总统约翰·亚当斯是联邦党人,因此,在其任期内,联邦党一直占据主导地位 。联邦党人和共和党人在如何治理国家的问题上分歧很大 。然而,从一个政党到另一个政党的权力交接是以和平的方式进行的 。托马斯·杰斐逊认识到这一事实的重要性 。他说:“我们在这个国家所做的一切都是新的 。舆论的力量是全新的 。但最重要和令人欣慰的是,我们在没有暴力的情况下改变了政府 。这显示了美国的力量,这将使我们的共和体制拥有长久的生命力” 。杰斐逊总统希望为了国家的利益与联邦党人合作 。但是他没有选择联邦党人进入内阁 。所有的内阁官员都是强大的共和党人 。他们都效忠于托马斯·杰斐逊 。弗吉尼亚州的詹姆斯·麦迪逊担任国务卿,宾夕法尼亚州的阿尔伯特·加拉廷担任财政部长;新罕布什尔州的亨利·迪尔伯恩将军担任战争部长,马里兰州的罗伯特·史密斯担任海军部长,马萨诸塞州的利瓦伊·林肯担任司法部长
他们还同意政府必须尽快偿还债务
。政府欠债数百万美元,加上利息,债务每年都在增加 。加勒廷说:“我们必须有一个强有力的政策 。债务一定要还清 。如果我们不这样做的话,我们的子孙后代将不得不为我们的错误付出代价 。”杰斐逊总统想要偿还政府债务 。他还希望对威士忌和烟草等产品的生产和销售减税 。他希望政府能从进口税和出售公共土地中获得所需的全部资金 。杰斐逊开始通过终止行政部门不必要的职务来节省资金 。他减少了美国大使的人数,解雇了所有的税务稽查员 。国会将不得不采取下一步措施 。杰斐逊说:“大多数政府机构都是由国会立法设立的 。只有国会才能按照这些立场行事 。公民已经交税养活官员 。政府从人民那里过分索取于情于理都说不通 。”杰斐逊特别希望国会裁减司法部门 。他希望解除前总统亚当斯在任的最后几天里任命的所有联邦法官 。这些人被称为“午夜法官” 。联邦党人愤怒不已 。他们指责杰斐逊试图破坏法院体制 。他们警告说,杰斐逊的财政计划将摧毁整个国家 。他们宣称,如果联邦政府官员被免职,将会出现无政府状态 。然而,大多数人都很高兴,他们喜欢杰斐逊的主张,尤其是他的减税计划 。杰斐逊最主要的批评者是他长期以来的政治对手亚历山大·汉密尔顿
译文为可可英语翻译,未经授权请勿转载!