五權分立
Checks and balances are essential parts of many democracies to make sure that no single person or branch of the government becomes too powerful.
制衡是許多民主國家重要的組成部分，以確保沒有任何一個人或政府部門變得權力過大。
balance(n.)平衡essential, critical, crucial (adj.)關鍵的democracy(n.)民主國家make sure確保、確認=ensuresingle(adj.)單一的branch(n.)樹枝、分部、部門branch out into…拓展業務
In places like the United States and Taiwan, these types of rules that divide the government’s power are written into the constitutions.
在美國和台灣等地，這類劃分政府權力的規則被寫入了憲法之中。
rule(n.)規則、習慣make it a rule to do something習慣做某事divide(v.)劃分be written into被寫入、被記載
So what are checks and balances?
那麼，什麼是權力制衡？
While the two ideas are usually written as one, “checks” and “balances” are not exactly the same.
雖然這兩個概念通常被寫在一起，但「制」和「衡」並不完全相同。
while(conj.)雖然=although
According to U.K. research group The Constitution Unit, checks are ways for different parts of the government to limit each other’s powers.
根據英國的研究機構「憲法小組」，「制」是指政府不同部門互相限制彼此權力的方式。
An example of this is the U.S. president’s ability to reject a law created by Congress.
例如，美國總統可以否決國會制定的法律。
reject(v.)否決
Balances, on the other hand, are ways for a variety of views and groups’ interests to affect how a government is run.
另一方面，「衡」則是讓各種觀點和各團體利益影響政府運作的方式。
on the other hand另一方面a wide variety of…各式各樣的…view(n.)觀點=perspectiverun(v.)運營
Taiwan’s three major political parties, for instance, are a balance because of the different points of view they bring to governing the country.
舉例來說，台灣的三大政黨就是一種平衡，因為他們為治理國家帶來了不同的觀點。
major(adj.)主要的、重大的point of view觀點=viewpoint, standpointgovern(v.)治理、掌管
In addition to allowing people to form many political parties, Taiwan’s constitution also creates a system of checks and balances between the five branches, or Yuans, of the government.
除了允許人們組建多個政黨外，台灣憲法還在政府的五院（五權）之間建立了一套權力制衡的制度。
in addition to除了…之外system(n.)體系、制度
It is through these basic laws that each branch of government is not only given clear responsibilities to the country and the people but also clear duties to help limit the power of the other branches.
正是透過這些基本法，政府各部門不僅被賦予了對國家和人民的明確責任，也被賦予了明確的職責來幫助限制其他部門的權力。
limit(v.)限制limit(n.)限制(數字上的)weight limit重量限制，speed limit速度限制limitation(n.)限制(抽象的)