1947年生效
Taiwan’s constitution — officially called the Constitution of the Republic of China — was originally put into effect on December 25, 1947, when the government was located in China.
台灣的憲法，正式名稱為《中華民國憲法》，最早於1947年12月25日政府位於中國時生效。
put sth. into effect實施be located in位於
At the time, the written document defined the balance of power among the republic’s “central government with five branches and a local self-government system.”
當時，這部書面文件確立了共和國「五權分立的中央政府和地方自治制度」之間的權力平衡。
written(adj.)書面的define(v.)定義definition(n.)定義by definition根據定義branch(n.)分支部門
In addition, it outlined basic policies of the nation as well as the rights and freedoms enjoyed by citizens.
此外，憲法還概述了國家的基本政策以及公民享有的權利和自由。
outline(v.)概述、勾勒
However, when the republic was threatened by Chinese communists in 1948, special laws called the Temporary Provisions were enacted.
然而，當1948年中華民國受到中國共產黨威脅時，頒布了名為《動員戡亂時期臨時條款》的特別法規。
threaten(v.)使受威脅threat(n.)威脅post a threat to~對～構成威脅enact(v.)制定、頒布
These replaced the constitution as the top laws of the country, taking away some of the rights of the people and changing the structure of authority in the country.
這些法規取代了憲法，成為國家的最高法律，剝奪了人民的部分權利，並改變了國家的權力結構。
the structure of authority權力結構authority(n.)權威
After the ROC government left China for Taiwan in 1949, it also declared martial law, which further limited the rights previously allowed under the original constitution while also giving more power to the central government.
1949年中華民國政府撤離中國前往台灣後，又宣佈戒嚴，進一步限制了原憲法允許的權利，同時也賦予中央政府更多的權力。
leave for前往=depart for
These limitations on rights lasted for more than three decades, at which time the nation began moving more toward a multi-party democracy.
這些對權利的限制持續了超過三十年，期間國家逐漸向多黨民主制邁進。
limitation(n.)限制、侷限limit(n.)(數字方面)限制last(v.)持續political party政黨
In 1991, changes began being made to the original Constitution of the ROC in order to “meet the…demands of constitutional rule.”
1991年，開始對原本的中華民國憲法進行修改，以「符合⋯⋯憲政統治的需求」。
modification(n.)修改、微調in order to VR為了=for the purpose of V-ingmeet the demands of~滿足...的需求constitutional rule憲政統治
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, revisions were made seven times, with lawmakers adding a number of amendments to the country’s basic laws each time.
從20世紀到21世紀初，共進行了七次修憲，每次立法者都添加了一些新的修正案。
throughout(prep.)整個revision(n.)修改、修訂a number of一些a large number of大量的;許多的amendment(n.)修訂、修正案
In total, these revisions updated many aspects of the country’s constitution — from giving political rights to Taiwan’s indigenous people to creating new operating procedures for the country’s legislature.
整體而言，這些修訂更新了國家憲法的許多方面——從賦予台灣原住民政治權利到創建新的國會運作程序。
in total總共、全部update(v.)更新indigenous(adj.)土生土長的;原生的=nativeoperate(v.)運作
As a result of these newer constitutional changes, Taiwan has not only become a model democracy but also one of the freest countries in Asia.
由於這些修憲，台灣不僅成為了民主典範，也成為亞洲最自由的國家之一。
as a result of~由於...的緣故democracy(n.)民主國家