State Laws Clash on Abortion — Newsletter Breakdown
Step-by-Step English & 中文解析
1) Key Vocabulary
- honor /ˈɑː.nɚ/ — to respect and follow a law or agreement. 遵守、尊重（法律或协议）
- principle /ˈprɪn.sə.pəl/ — a basic truth or rule that guides behavior. 原则
- divergent /daɪˈvɝː.dʒənt/ — very different, going in opposite directions. 分歧的、相异的
- provider /prəˈvaɪ.dɚ/ — someone who supplies or gives a service, here: a medical professional. 提供者，这里指医疗服务人员
- clerk /klɝːk/ — an office worker; in this context, a court official. 办事员，这里指法院书记员
- authority /əˈθɔːr.ə.t̬i/ — the legal power to make decisions or control something. 权力、权限
- supreme /suːˈpriːm/ — highest in rank or authority. 最高的、至高无上的
2) Sentence Breakdown
Original:
“Does Colorado have to honor the laws of Utah? The Constitution says, generally, yes.”
- Structure: Rhetorical question + short answer.
- Grammar: “have to” = obligation; “generally” = usually, not always.
- 中文：科罗拉多州必须遵守犹他州的法律吗？宪法一般来说回答是“要”。
Original:
“But abortion has begun to test that principle.”
- Structure: “has begun to + verb” 表示动作刚刚开始。
- 中文：但是，堕胎问题已经开始考验这一原则。
Original:
“Wildly divergent laws — punishing abortion in red states, protecting providers in blue states — have pitted states against one another.”
- Structure: Dash “– … –” adds extra explanation.
- Phrase: “pitted … against …” = put into conflict.
- 中文：极度不同的法律 – 红州惩罚堕胎，蓝州保护医生 – 让各州彼此对立。
Original:
“Texas fined a doctor in New York who prescribes abortion meds by mail and then sued a clerk who wouldn’t help enforce it.”
- Grammar: Relative clause “who prescribes abortion meds …” describes the doctor.
- Word: “enforce” = to make sure a law is followed.
- 中文：德州对一位在纽约通过邮件开堕胎药的医生罚款，还起诉了一名拒绝协助执行的书记员。
Original:
“Yesterday, New York stepped in to defend the clerk.”
- Phrase: “stepped in” = intervened, took action to help.
- 中文：昨天，纽约出面为这名书记员辩护。
Original:
“‘Texas has no authority in New York, and no power to impose its cruel abortion ban here,’ said the attorney general.”
- Structure: Quoted speech + attribution (“said the attorney general”).
- Phrase: “impose … on …” = 强加给别人。
- 中文：“德州在纽约没有权限，也没有权力把它残酷的堕胎禁令强加于此，”总检察长说。
Original:
“Today’s newsletter is about what happens when states battle one another about whose law is supreme.”
- Structure: “what happens when …” = noun clause as object.
- 中文：今天的新闻通讯讨论的是：当各州争夺谁的法律至高无上时，会发生什么。
3) Cultural Notes
Red states / Blue states: In U.S. politics, red = Republican (often more conservative), blue = Democrat (often more liberal).
在美国政治中，红州代表共和党（通常更保守），蓝州代表民主党（通常更自由）。Attorney General: The top legal officer of a state, representing the state in lawsuits.
总检察长是州政府的最高法律官员，代表州参加诉讼。State vs. State authority: This issue highlights the U.S. federal system — states have their own laws, but sometimes they conflict, raising the question of whose law takes priority.
这个问题体现了美国的联邦制——各州有自己的法律，但有时会冲突，产生“谁的法律优先”的问题。
4) Full Translation (全文翻译)
科罗拉多州必须遵守犹他州的法律吗？宪法一般来说回答是“要”。但是，堕胎问题已经开始考验这一原则。极度不同的法律——红州惩罚堕胎，蓝州保护医生——让各州彼此对立。
德州对一位在纽约通过邮件开堕胎药的医生罚款，还起诉了一名拒绝协助执行的书记员。昨天，纽约出面为这名书记员辩护。总检察长说：“德州在纽约没有权限，也没有权力把它残酷的堕胎禁令强加于此。”
今天的新闻通讯讨论的是：当各州争夺谁的法律至高无上时，会发生什么。
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