造成社群分裂
Referendums are democratic instruments of “political decision-making,” which put the power to choose directly into the hands of the people.
公投是作政治決定的民主手段，將權力直接交到人民的手中。
instrument (n.)手段democratic (adj.)民主的
Topics can include new proposals, laws or other political issues. In addition to needing a majority of votes for approval, voter turnout must also reach a certain level for a referendum to be valid.
公投議題可以包括新提案、法律或其它政治議題。除了需要有絕大多數同意票之外，投票率也必須到達一定程度，公投才算有效。
in addition to 除……之外voter turnout 投票率valid (adj.)有法律效力的,合理的,有效的；a valid reason 合理的理由；a valid visa 有效的簽證；a valid passport 有效的護照
There are several benefits that referendums can provide to democracies.
公投能提供民主國家幾項好處。
benefit (n.)好處,利益
First, results can show whether a majority of voters agree with the issue being voted on.
第一，公投結果可顯示多數民眾是否同意投票議題。
Next, referendums represent political priorities of voters and allow politicians and governments to make policies that reflect the majority’s will.
其次，公投反映出選民對政治議題的優先順序，並讓政治人物和政府作出能反映多數人意願的政策。
priority (n.)優先考慮的事will (n.)意願,心願,希望
Finally, a referendum can help a government find a new direction to approach tough issues that it is facing.
最後，公投可以幫助政府在處理棘手議題時找到新方向。
approach (v.)接近,處理,應付
Despite these pros, there are a few cons of referendums.
儘管有這些優勢，公投也有一些缺點。
despite (prep.)儘管
First, they can allow false actors to campaign for specific results, including spreading disinformation about one of the sides in order to influence voters to vote a certain way.
第一，公投可能讓有心人士力鼓吹特定結果，包括散播其中一方的錯誤資訊，以影響選民投票。
campaign for… 爭取~、支持~disinformation (n.)(故意扭曲的)不實訊息；misinformation (n.)錯誤資訊,假消息
Another disadvantage is that referendums can create divisions within communities.
公投另外一項缺點是可能造成社群分裂。
disadvantage (n.)劣勢,不利因素divide (v.)分開；division (n.)分歧；division within… (某組織內的)分歧；division within the party 該政黨中的分歧
Narrow victories or losses can create further conflict, which can sometimes take time to heal.
以些微差距取勝或落敗都可能進一步造成衝突，有時需要一段時間才能化解。
narrow (adj.)窄的,狹隘的,差距微小的；narrow-minded (adj.)心胸狹隘的；a narrow victory 險勝；a narrow defeat 以些微差距落敗