很多親愛的們反映法律類的題材有點難度，最近幾年偏偏傾向考這種題材，所以大家還是要硬啃啊，真在考試時遇到可能就不會覺得那么惡心了！

本文選自【大西洋月刊】：美國：如何才能獲得特赦。

背景知識  在美國的憲法中，總統(tǒng)特赦權(quán)是一個神奇的存在。作為美國總統(tǒng)的一項重要的專有權(quán)限，不受任何機構(gòu)的干涉和限制。赦免權(quán)適用于在美國一切法院的判決中被宣告有罪的人?？偨y(tǒng)的這項權(quán)力，是憲法賜予其用來平衡司法的矯枉過正。而在奧巴馬執(zhí)政的8年間，已簽署了774份特赦令。迄今為止奧巴馬已經(jīng)簽署了774條特赦令，而上周四一次性簽署了多達102條。重獲自由的人中，大部分犯下的都是輕微且非暴力性質(zhì)的販毒罪。在20世紀八九十年代對抗毒品的戰(zhàn)斗中，他們中的很多人被判處長期監(jiān)禁，而且其中常常夾雜著種族歧視?，F(xiàn)在這些強制性最低判刑年限準則已經(jīng)被廢止。但如何才能獲得這份特赦令，其中又有哪些不為人知的心酸與艱難，讓我們跟著曾經(jīng)因販毒入獄的Jason去看看在美國，如何才能申請到特赦令。

        1 Hernandez fashioned an argument for clemency focused on having been a nonviolent offender whose crime did not involve gangs, guns, or links to cartels. 2 “Even though I had sold a fair amount of drugs, the only reason my sentence was so severe was because I sold crack cocaine as opposed to powder cocaine,” he said. 3 Offenders in the 1980s and 90s received lighter sentences if the drug involved was powder cocaine and not crack cocaine. 4 In practice, that meant more severe sentences to people of color who used crack and much lighter sentences to white cocaine users. 5 “The guidelines that I was sentenced under were ruled unconstitutional in 2005. 6 The judge at my sentencing didn’t want to give me life without parole, but he had to,” Hernandez said. 7 In his application, he wanted to show that “I made a bad decision as a kid, but I didn’t deserve to die in prison for it.”

［詞匯］

fashion    /'f??(?)n/     v. 制作，使用（在考研英語translation中也多次考查過這個詞的動詞意思，所以背下來）

clemency     /'klem?ns?/     n. 仁慈，赦免

nonviolent    /?n?n'va??l?nt/    adj. 非暴力的

cartel     /kɑ?'tel/     n. 聯(lián)合，集團

crack    /kr?k/     n. 裂縫，碎裂

unconstitutional    /??nk?nst?'tju??(?)n(?)l/    adj. 違憲的

［知識點］

1、focus on=center on=concentrate on    集中，聚焦

2、a fair amount of    大量，許多

3、in practice    實際上

4、make a decision    做決定

［逐句精講］

1 Hernandez fashioned an argument for clemency focused on having been a nonviolent offender whose crime did not involve gangs, guns, or links to cartels. 

分析 本句主干是Hernandez fashioned an argument。focused on having been a nonviolent offender修飾clemency，whose引導(dǎo)的從句修飾offender。

翻譯 Hernandez收集了過去那些非暴力且不涉及黑社會、槍支或者團體犯罪卻獲得特赦的罪犯的資料。

2 “Even though I had sold a fair amount of drugs, the only reason my sentence was so severe was because I sold crack cocaine as opposed to powder cocaine,” he said. 

分析 本句主干是he said。引號中的內(nèi)容是said的賓語從句，從句主干是the only reason was because。because I sold crack cocaine as opposed to powder cocaine引導(dǎo)的是was的表語從句，Even though I had sold a fair amount of drugs引導(dǎo)的是讓步狀語從句。

翻譯 他說“即便我販賣了大量毒品，但是我的刑期如此之長的唯一原因就是我賣的是可卡因而不是可卡因粉末?！?/span>

3 Offenders in the 1980s and 90s received lighter sentences if the drug involved was powder cocaine and not crack cocaine. 

分析 本句主干是Offenders received lighter sentences。if引導(dǎo)的條件狀語從句中的主干是the drug was powder cocaine and not crack cocaine。

翻譯 在上世紀八九十年代，如果你販賣的是可卡因粉末而不是固體狀的可卡因，那么你的刑罰要輕得多。

4 In practice, that meant more severe sentences to people of color who used crack and much lighter sentences to white cocaine users. 

分析 本句主干是that meant more severe sentences and much lighter sentences。

翻譯 事實上，對于有色人種使用固體可卡因的判刑要比白人重得多。

5 “The guidelines that I was sentenced under were ruled unconstitutional in 2005. 

分析 本句主干是The guidelines were ruled unconstitutional。that I was sentenced under修飾guidelines。

翻譯 Hernandez 說“給我判刑的刑法依據(jù)在2005年時被判違憲。

6 The judge at my sentencing didn’t want to give me life without parole, but he had to,” Hernandez said. 

分析 本句主干是Hernandez said，said前面內(nèi)容是賓語從句，從句主干是The judge didn’t want to give me life , but he had to。

翻譯 當時判決我的法官并不想讓我沒有假釋就被釋放，但是他不得不這樣做。”

7 In his application, he wanted to show that “I made a bad decision as a kid, but I didn’t deserve to die in prison for it.”

分析 本句主干是he wanted to show that。引號內(nèi)是賓語從句，從句主干是I made a bad decision, but I didn’t deserve to die。

翻譯 在他的特赦申請中，他想證明：“我在孩童時犯了一個錯誤，但是我不該因此在監(jiān)獄中度過一生。”

親們覺得老師講的好，就打賞個銅板唄?。。∧銈兊馁p贊是對我勞動成果的最大肯定~~~打賞可按住二維碼進行哦。