特别广播英语第 180 课：The American Two-party System 美国的两党制-4

As a result, the defeated major party is able to maintain a monopoly of the opposition. 因此，失败的大党能够保持在反对派中的垄断。

The advantage of the second party over the third is so great that it is the only party that is likely to be able to overturn the party in power. 第二大党相对于第三党派有巨大的优势，它是唯一可能击败执政党的党派，

It is able, therefore, to attract the support of everyone seriously opposed to the party in power. 从而能够吸引强烈反对执政党的每一个党派的支持。

The second party is important as long as it can monopolize the movement to overthrow the party in power, because it is certain to come into power sooner or later. 只要第二大党能够垄断击败执政党的运动，它就是重要的，因为迟早它肯定能上台执政。

Another consequence of the two-party system is that whereas minor parties are likely to identify themselves with special interests or special programs and thus take extreme positions, the major parties are so large that they tend to be moderate. 两党制的另一个结果是：鉴于小党派可能把自己与特殊的利益和特殊的纲领认同为一，因而有可能采取极端立场，而大党很强大所以倾向于温和。

Evidence of the moderation of the major parties is that much business is conducted across party lines. 大党温和倾向的证据是许多事务都是超越党派界限进行。

What happens when the Democrats control one house of Congress and the Republicans control the other? 当民主党控制国会的一个院而共和党控制另一个院时，会发生什么呢？

About the same volume of legislation is passed as when one party controls both houses, although some important legislation is likely to be blocked temporarily. 像一个党控制国会两院一样，虽然一些重要法规可能被搁置，大约相同卷册的法规会得到批准。

It is possible to carry on the work of the government even when party control is divided because party differences are not fundamental. 由于党派的分歧不是根本的，即使在两个党控制不同部门时，政府工作仍然能够进行。