畫下冷戰句點
The Soviet Union, or the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), was a communist state that spanned Eurasia from 1922 to 1991.
蘇聯，或又稱蘇維埃社會主義共和國聯盟，是在1922到1991年間橫跨歐亞大陸的共產國家。
socialist (adj.)社會主義的(n.)社會主義者communist (adj.)共產主義的；communism (n.) 共產主義span (v.)(時間的)持續,橫跨；lifespan(n.)壽命
Throughout most of its existence, the country was a one-party state ruled by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, with Moscow as its capital.
蘇聯所存在的大部分期間裡，是由蘇聯共產黨統治的一黨制國家，首都為莫斯科。
throughout (prep.)從頭到尾party (n.)政黨capital (n.)首都
A revolutionary wave during the late 1980s and early 1990s resulted in the end of communist rule in many parts of Europe.
1980年代末期到1990年代初期的革命熱潮造成歐洲多處共產主義政權的結束。
result in 導致,引起
It led to the breakup of the Soviet Union and the rejection of communist regimes in many parts of the world.
它導致蘇聯解體，也讓世界各地拒絕接受共產政權。
regime (n.)政體,政權；a totalitarian regime 極權政體
One by one, republics that were controlled by the Soviet Union began declaring their independence, and the final blow was struck when Ukraine, the second-most powerful republic, voted overwhelmingly for independence on December 1, 1991.
一個接著一個，由蘇聯控制的共和國開始宣布獨立，最終的打擊發生於第二強大的共和國烏克蘭，在1991年12月1日壓倒性投票通過獨立。
independence (n.) 獨立declare (v.) 宣布,公布the final blow 最終一擊overwhelmingly (adv.)壓倒性地
The balance of power in the world shifted dramatically, marking the end of the Cold War, which was a period of heightened geopolitical tension between the US and the USSR.
全世界的權力平衡產生劇烈轉變，為冷戰畫下句點，那是一段美國和蘇聯間的地緣政治情勢處於高度緊張的時期。
shift (v.)轉變dramatically (adv.)很突然,很劇烈地tension (n.)緊張的心情或情勢
In some post-Soviet republics, there is a more negative view of the Soviet Union.
一些前蘇聯國家對蘇聯持負面看法。
negative (adj.)負面的, (醫學檢驗結果)陰性的
However, Russian-speaking Ukrainians in Ukraine’s southern and eastern regions reflect back on it more positively.
然而，烏克蘭南方和東方說俄語的烏克蘭人則對其有較正面的看法。
positively (adv.)正面地