台灣律師公會發表聲明
On Friday, May 17, just days before President-elect Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party was set to take office, members of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan “shoved, tackled and hit each other” during a contentious voting session over legislative reform bills.
5月17日星期五，就在民進黨總統當選人賴清德即將就職的前幾天，台灣立法院的委員在國會改革法案的爭議投票階段中「推擠、扭打和毆打彼此」。
president-elect(n.)總統當選人be set to VR預計;即將=be slated to VR=be scheduled to VRtake office就職=be inauguratedtackle(v.)(橄欖球)擒抱、(抱在一起)扭打contentious(adj.)爭議性的=controversial=disputedlegislative reform立院改革
Reports have stated that this violence stemmed from weeks of stalemates over “controversial bills” proposed by Kuomintang and Taiwan People’s Party lawmakers aimed at giving the Legislative Yuan greater power to scrutinize the government through more “investigative rights” and the right to directly question the president in parliament.
報導指出，此起暴力事件起源於國民黨和台灣民眾黨立委提出的「爭議性法案」導致持續數週的僵局，旨在透過賦予立法院更多的「調查權」以及在國會直接質詢總統的權利，給予立法院更大的權力來審查政府。
stem from起源於、源自於=arise from=come from=derive from=originate from=result from=spring fromstalemate(n.)(西洋棋中的)逼和、僵局、僵持局面=deadlock=impassecontroversial(adj.)爭議性的=contentiousscrutinize(v.)細看、仔細審查=examine=inspect
Additionally, these two parties also proposed an amendment to the country’s Criminal Code which would add punishments for the crime of “contempt of the legislature.”
此外，兩黨還提出修改《刑法》，增加「藐視國會」罪的處罰。
additionally(adv.)此外=in additionamendment(n.)修正條文code(n.)密碼、法典、法規、行為準則;規範Morse code摩斯密碼Criminal Code刑法a moral code道德規範contempt(n.)蔑視;鄙視;輕視;輕蔑
The DPP had opposed these proposals on the grounds that KMT and TPP lawmakers were trying to push them through without allowing for the customary “line-by-line deliberation” process — an action which it has called “an unconstitutional abuse of power.”
民進黨曾反對這些提案，理由是國民黨和民眾黨立委試圖強行通過提案，而不允許進行慣例的「逐條審查」程序，民進黨稱這一行為「違憲濫權」。
had V-p.p.過去完成式(表過去某個時間點之前已經～)on the grounds that…因為;基於…的原因;根據…理由customary(adj.)慣常的line-by-line deliberation逐條審查child abuse虐待兒童verbal abuse語言暴力abuse of power濫用權力constitution(n.)憲法、constitutional(adj.)符合憲法的、unconstitutional(adj.)違憲的
However, according to the Taipei Times, despite the DPP’s objections and the physical altercations involving members of all three parties, voting on these measures was completed just before midnight on May 17 through a simple “show of hands without recording the names of voters.”
然而，據《台北時報》報導，儘管民進黨反對，三黨立委也發生肢體衝突，但這些法案的表決還是在5月17日午夜前，透過簡單的「不記名舉手表決」完成。
altercation(n.)爭辯、爭吵、口角=argument=quarrelinvolving…=which involved…涉及～measure(n.)法案show of hands舉手表決
While this voting session went on into the night, “nearly 100 people gathered outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei” to protest the lack of transparency in the process through which the KMT and TPP attempted to use their majority to force the bills through.
當這次投票階段持續到深夜時，「近百人聚集在台北立法院外」，抗議國民黨和民眾黨試圖利用多數優勢強行通過法案的過程缺乏透明度。
transparency(n.)透明度force sth. through 強行通過
Some of the young demonstrators told reporters that they were inspired to voice their views publicly after seeing the “‘unreasonable’ actions” of the two opposition parties throughout the day.
一些年輕示威者告訴記者，他們是在看到兩個反對黨一整天的「無理」行為後被激發，而公開表達自己的觀點。
demonstrator(n.)示威者demonstrate(v.)示威be inspired to VR受到啟發、激發而去做某事voice(v.)表達=expressopposition parties反對黨the ruling party執政黨
In the aftermath of these events, the Taiwan Bar Association issued a statement on Sunday, May 19 condemning both the violence and voting process.
這些事件發生後，台灣律師公會於5月19日星期日發表聲明，譴責暴力和投票過程。
in the aftermath of…在～之後=in the wake of...issue a statement發布聲明issue a typhoon warning發布颱風警報condemn(v.)譴責=denounce=censure
On the latter topic, the association urged lawmakers, especially in the opposition parties, “not to circumvent established procedures” as this would end up harming “the operating principles of Taiwan’s constitutional democracy.”
針對投票過程，台灣律師公會呼籲立委，特別是反對黨立委，「不要規避既定程序」，因為這最終會損害「台灣憲政民主的運作原則」。
the former前者(的)、the latter後者(的)urge sb. not to do sth.呼籲某人不要做某事circumvent(v.)規避=avoidcircumvent the law規避法律circumvent regulations規避規章established(adj.)既定的=existingend up V-ing最後淪落到…的地步=wind up V-ing