To all whom these Presents shall come, We, the undersigned Delegates of the States affixed1 to our names, send greeting—Whereas, the Delegates of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, did, on the 15th day of November, in the year of our Lord 1777, and in the Second Year of the Independence of America, agree to certain Articles of Confederation and Perpetual union between the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and Providence2 Plantations3, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey4, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, in the words following, viz.:
Articles of Confederation and Perpetual union between the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
Article 1. The style of this Confederacy shall be “The United States of America.”
Art. 2. Each State retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction5, and right, which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States in Congress assembled.
Art. 3. The said States hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defense6,[182] the security of their liberties, and their mutual7 and general welfare, binding8 themselves to assist each other against all force offered to, or attacks made upon them, or any of them, on account of religion, sovereignty, trade, or any other pretense9 whatever.
Art. 4. The better to secure and perpetuate10 mutual friendship and intercourse11 among the people of the different States in this union, the free inhabitants of each of these States—paupers, vagabonds, and fugitives12 from justice excepted—shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities13 of free citizens in the several States; and the people of each State shall have free ingress and egress14 to and from any other State, and shall enjoy therein all the privileges of trade and commerce, subject to the same duties, impositions, and restrictions16, as the inhabitants thereof respectively, provided that such restriction15 shall not extend so far as to prevent the removal of property, imported into any State, to any other State of which the owner is an inhabitant; provided, also, that no imposition, duties, or restriction shall be laid by any State on the property of the United States, or either of them.
If any person guilty of or charged with treason, felony, or other high misdemeanor in any State, shall flee from justice, and be found in any of the United States, he shall, upon demand of the Governor, or executive power of the State from which he fled, be delivered up and removed to the State having jurisdiction of his offense17.
Full faith and credit shall be given in each of these States, to the records, acts, and judicial18 proceedings19 of the courts and magistrates20 of every other State.
Art. 5. For the more convenient management of the general interest of the United States, Delegates shall be annually21 appointed, in such manner as the legislature of each State shall direct, to meet in Congress on the first Monday in November, in every year, with a power reserved to each State, to recall its Delegates, or any of them, at any time within the year, and to send others in their stead, for the remainder of the year.
[183]
No State shall be represented in Congress by less than two, nor more than seven members; and no person shall be capable of being a Delegate for more than three years in any term of six years; nor shall any person, being a Delegate, be capable of holding any office under the United States, for which he, or another for his benefit, receives any salary, fees or emolument22 of any kind.
Each State shall maintain its own Delegates in any meeting of the States, and while they act as members of the Committee of the States.
In determining questions in the United States in Congress assembled, each State shall have one vote.
Freedom of speech and debate in Congress shall not be impeached23 or questioned in any court or place, out of Congress, and the members of Congress shall be protected in their persons from arrests and imprisonments, during the time of their going to and from, and attendance on Congress, except for treason, felony, or breach24 of the peace.
Art. 6. No State, without the consent of the United States in Congress assembled, shall send an embassy to, or receive an embassy from, or enter into any conference, agreement, alliance, or treaty with any King, Prince, or State; nor shall any person holding any office of profit or trust under the United States, or any of them, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title of any kind whatever from any King, Prince, or Foreign State; nor shall the United States in Congress assembled, or any of them, grant any title of nobility.
No two or more States shall enter into any treaty, confederation, or alliance whatever between them, without the consent of the United States in Congress assembled, specifying25 accurately26 the purposes for which the same is to be entered into, and how long it shall continue.
No State shall lay any imposts or duties which may interfere27 with any stipulation28 in treaties, entered into by the United States in Congress assembled, with any King, Prince, or State,[184] in pursuance of any treaties already proposed by Congress, to the Courts of France and Spain.
No vessels29 of war shall be kept up in time of peace by any State except such number only, as shall be deemed necessary by the United States in Congress assembled, for the defense of such State, or its trade; nor shall any body of forces be kept up by any State in time of peace, except such number only, as in the judgment30 of the United States in Congress assembled, shall be deemed requisite31 to garrison32 the forts necessary for the defense of such State; but every State shall always keep up a well regulated and disciplined militia33, sufficiently34 armed and accoutred, and shall provide and have constantly ready for use, in public stores, a due number of field-pieces and tents, and a proper quantity of arms, ammunition35, and camp equipage.
No State shall engage in any war without the consent of the United States in Congress assembled, unless such State be actually invaded by enemies, or shall have received certain advice of a resolution being formed by some nation of Indians to invade such a State, and the danger is so imminent36 as not to admit of a delay, till the United States in Congress assembled can be consulted; nor shall any State grant commissions to any ships or vessels of war, nor letters of marque or reprisal37, except it be after a declaration of war by the United States in Congress assembled, and then only against the Kingdom or State, and the subjects thereof, against which war has been so declared, and under such regulations as shall be established by the United States in Congress assembled, unless such State be infested38 by pirates, in which case vessels of war may be fitted out for that occasion, and kept so long as the danger shall continue, or until the United States in Congress assembled shall determine otherwise.
Art. 7. When land forces are raised by any State for the common defense, all officers of, or under the rank of colonel, shall be appointed by the legislature of each State respectively, by whom such forces shall be raised, or in such manner as such[185] State shall direct, and all vacancies39 shall be filled up by the State which first made the appointment.
Art. 8. All charges of war, and all other expenses that shall be incurred40 for the common defense or general welfare, and allowed by the United States in Congress assembled, shall be defrayed out of a common treasury41, which shall be supplied by the several States, in proportion to the value of all land within each State, granted to or surveyed for any person, as such land and the buildings and improvements thereon shall be estimated according to such mode as the United States in Congress assembled shall, from time to time, direct and appoint. The taxes for paying that proportion shall be laid and levied42 by the authority and direction of the legislatures of the several States, within the time agreed upon by the United States in Congress assembled.
Art. 9. The United States in Congress assembled shall have the sole and exclusive right and power of determining on peace and war, except in the cases mentioned in the sixth article—of sending and receiving ambassadors—entering into treaties and alliances: provided that no treaty of commerce shall be made whereby the legislative43 power of the respective States shall be restrained from imposing44 such imposts and duties on foreigners as their own people are subjected to, or from prohibiting the exportation or importation of any species of goods or commodities whatsoever—of establishing rules for deciding in all cases what captures on land or water shall be legal, and in what manner prizes taken by land or naval45 forces in the service of the United States shall be divided or appropriated—of granting letters of marque and reprisal in times of peace—appointing courts for the trial of piracies46 and felonies committed on the high seas, and establishing courts for receiving and determining finally appeals in all cases of captures, provided that no member of Congress shall be appointed a judge of any of the said courts.
The United States in Congress assembled shall also be the last resort on appeal in all disputes and differences now subsisting,[186] or that hereafter may arise, between two or more States concerning boundary, jurisdiction, or any other cause whatever, which authority shall always be exercised in the manner following: Whenever the legislative or executive authority or lawful47 agent of any State in controversy48 with another shall present a petition to Congress, stating the matter in question, and praying for a hearing, notice thereof shall be given by order of Congress, to the legislative or executive authority of the other State in controversy, and a day assigned for the appearance of the parties by their lawful agents, who shall then be directed to appoint, by joint49 consent, commissioners50 or judges to constitute a court for hearing and determining the matter in question; but if they cannot agree, Congress shall name three persons out of each of the United States, and from the list of such persons each party shall alternately strike out one, the petitioners52 beginning, until the number shall be reduced to thirteen, and from that number not less than seven nor more than nine names, as Congress shall direct, shall, in the presence of Congress, be drawn53 out by lot, and the persons whose names shall be so drawn, or any five of them, shall be commissioners or judges to hear and finally determine the controversy, so always as a major part of the judges who shall hear the cause shall agree in the determination; and if either party shall neglect to attend at the day appointed, without showing reasons which Congress shall judge sufficient, or, being present, shall refuse to strike, the Congress shall proceed to nominate three persons out of each State, and the Secretary of Congress shall strike in behalf of such party absent or refusing; and the judgment and sentence of the court to be appointed, in the manner above prescribed, shall be final and conclusive54; and if any of the parties shall refuse to submit to the authority of such court, or to appear or defend their claim or cause, the court shall, nevertheless, proceed to pronounce sentence or judgment, which shall in like manner be final and decisive, the judgment or sentence and other proceedings being in either case transmitted to Congress and lodged55 among the acts of[187] Congress for the security of the parties concerned: provided that every commissioner51, before he sits in judgment, shall take an oath, to be administered by one of the judges of the Supreme56 or Superior Court of the State where the cause shall be tried, “well and truly to hear and determine the matter in question, according to the best of his judgment, without favor, affection, or hope of reward:” provided also that no State shall be deprived of territory for the benefit of the United States.
All controversies57 concerning the private right of soil claimed under different grants of two or more States, whose jurisdictions58, as they may respect such lands and the States which passed such grants, are adjusted, the said grants, or either of them, being at the same time claimed to have originated antecedent to such settlement of jurisdiction, shall, on the petition of either party to the Congress of the United States, be finally determined59, as near as may be, in the same manner as is before prescribed for deciding disputes respecting territorial60 jurisdiction between different States.
The United States in Congress assembled shall also have the sole exclusive right and power of regulating the alloy61 and value of coin struck by their own authority, or by that of the respective States; fixing the standard of weights and measures throughout the United States; regulating the trade and managing all affairs with the Indians not members of any of the States—provided that the legislative right of any State within its own limits be not infringed62 or violated; establishing or regulating post offices from one State to another, throughout all the United States, and exacting63 such postage on the papers passing through the same as may be requisite to defray the expenses of the said office; appointing all officers of the land forces in the service of the United States, except regimental officers; appointing all the officers of the naval forces, and commissioning all officers whatever in the service of the United States; making rules for the government and regulation of the said land and naval forces, and directing their operations.
The United States in Congress assembled shall have authority[188] to appoint a committee to sit in the recess64 of Congress, to be denominated “A Committee of the States,” and to consist of one delegate from each State, and to appoint such other committees and civil officers as may be necessary for managing the general affairs of the United States under their direction; to appoint one of their number to preside—provided that no person be allowed to serve in the office of president more than one year in any term of three years; to ascertain65 the necessary sums of money to be raised for the service of the United States, and to appropriate and apply the same for defraying the public expenses; to borrow money or emit bills on the credit of the United States, transmitting every half year to the respective States an account of the sums of money so borrowed or emitted; to build and equip a navy; to agree upon the number of land forces, and to make requisitions from each State for its quota66, in proportion to the number of white inhabitants in such State, which requisition shall be binding; and thereupon the legislatures of each State shall appoint the regimental officers, raise the men, and clothe, arm and equip them in a soldierlike manner, at the expense of the United States; and the officers and men so clothed, armed, and equipped, shall march to the place appointed, and within the time agreed on by the United States in Congress assembled; but if the United States in Congress assembled shall, on consideration of circumstances, judge proper that any State should not raise men, or should raise a smaller number than its quota, and that any other State should raise a greater number of men than the quota thereof, such extra number shall be raised, officered, clothed, armed and equipped in the same manner as the quota of such State, unless the legislature of such State shall judge that such extra number cannot be safely spared out of the same, in which case they shall raise, officer, clothe, arm and equip as many of such extra number as they judge can be safely spared; and the officers and men so clothed, armed and equipped shall march to the place appointed, and within the time agreed on by the United States in Congress assembled.
[189]
The United States in Congress assembled shall never engage in a war, nor grant letters of marque and reprisal in time of peace, nor enter into any treaties or alliances, nor coin money, nor regulate the value thereof, nor ascertain the sums and expenses necessary for the defense and welfare of the United States, or any of them, nor emit bills, nor borrow money on the credit of the United States, nor appropriate money, nor agree upon the number of vessels of war to be built or purchased, or the number of land or sea forces to be raised, nor appoint a commander-in-chief of the army or navy, unless nine States assent67 to the same; nor shall a question on any other point, except for adjourning68 from day to day, be determined unless by the votes of a majority of the United States in Congress assembled.
The Congress of the United States shall have power to adjourn69 to any time within the year, and to any place within the United States, so that no period of adjournment70 be for a longer duration than the space of six months; and shall publish the journal of their proceedings monthly, except such parts thereof relating to treaties, alliances, or military operations, as in their judgment require secrecy71; and the yeas and nays72 of the delegates of each State on any question shall be entered on the journal when it is desired by any delegate; and the delegates of a State, or any of them, at his or their request, shall be furnished with a transcript73 of the said journal, except such parts as are above excepted, to lay before the legislatures of the several States.
Art. 10. The committee of the States, or any nine of them, shall be authorized74 to execute, in the recess of Congress, such of the powers of Congress as the United States in Congress assembled, by the consent of nine States, shall, from time to time, think expedient76 to vest them with; provided that no power, be delegated to the said committee, for the exercise of which, by the Articles of Confederation, the voice of nine States, in the Congress of the United States assembled is requisite.
Art. 11. Canada, acceding77 to this confederation and joining in the measures of the United States, shall be admitted[190] into, and entitled to all the advantages of, this union; but no other colony shall be admitted into the same unless such admission be agreed to by nine States.
Art. 12. All bills of credit emitted, moneys borrowed, and debts contracted by or under the authority of Congress, before the assembling of the United States, in pursuance of the present confederation, shall be deemed and considered as a charge against the United States, for payment and satisfaction whereof, the said United States and the public faith are solemnly pledged.
Art. 13. Every State shall abide78 by the determinations of the United States in Congress assembled on all questions which, by this confederation, are submitted to them. And the articles of this confederation shall be inviolably observed by every State, and the union shall be perpetual; nor shall any alteration79 at any time hereafter be made in any of them, unless such alteration be agreed to in a Congress of the United States, and be afterwards confirmed by the legislatures of every State.
And whereas, It hath pleased the Great Governor of the World to incline the hearts of the legislatures we respectively represent in Congress to approve of and to authorize75 us to ratify80 the said Articles of Confederation and perpetual union: Know ye that we, the undersigned delegates, by virtue81 of the power and authority to us given for that purpose, do by these presents, in the name and in behalf of our respective constituents82, fully83 and entirely84 ratify and confirm each and every of the said Articles of Confederation and Perpetual union, and all and singular the matters and things therein contained. And we do further solemnly plight85 and engage the faith of our respective constituents, that they shall abide by the determinations of the United States in Congress assembled on all questions which, by the said confederation, are submitted to them; and that the articles thereof shall be inviolably observed by the States we respectively represent, and that the union shall be perpetual. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in Congress. Done at Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, the ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord 1778, and in the third year of the Independence of America.
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1 affixed | |
adj.[医]附着的,附着的v.附加( affix的过去式和过去分词 );粘贴;加以;盖(印章) | |
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2 providence | |
n.深谋远虑,天道,天意;远见;节约;上帝 | |
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3 plantations | |
n.种植园,大农场( plantation的名词复数 ) | |
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5 jurisdiction | |
n.司法权,审判权,管辖权,控制权 | |
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6 defense | |
n.防御,保卫;[pl.]防务工事;辩护,答辩 | |
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7 mutual | |
adj.相互的,彼此的;共同的,共有的 | |
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8 binding | |
有约束力的,有效的,应遵守的 | |
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9 pretense | |
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10 perpetuate | |
v.使永存,使永记不忘 | |
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11 intercourse | |
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12 fugitives | |
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13 immunities | |
免除,豁免( immunity的名词复数 ); 免疫力 | |
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约束( restriction的名词复数 ); 管制; 制约因素; 带限制性的条件(或规则) | |
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17 offense | |
n.犯规,违法行为;冒犯,得罪 | |
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18 judicial | |
adj.司法的,法庭的,审判的,明断的,公正的 | |
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19 proceedings | |
n.进程,过程,议程;诉讼(程序);公报 | |
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20 magistrates | |
地方法官,治安官( magistrate的名词复数 ) | |
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21 annually | |
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22 emolument | |
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23 impeached | |
v.控告(某人)犯罪( impeach的过去式和过去分词 );弹劾;对(某事物)怀疑;提出异议 | |
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24 breach | |
n.违反,不履行;破裂;vt.冲破,攻破 | |
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25 specifying | |
v.指定( specify的现在分词 );详述;提出…的条件;使具有特性 | |
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26 accurately | |
adv.准确地,精确地 | |
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27 interfere | |
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28 stipulation | |
n.契约,规定,条文;条款说明 | |
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29 vessels | |
n.血管( vessel的名词复数 );船;容器;(具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的)人 | |
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30 judgment | |
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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31 requisite | |
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35 ammunition | |
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36 imminent | |
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37 reprisal | |
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38 infested | |
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39 vacancies | |
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41 treasury | |
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42 levied | |
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43 legislative | |
n.立法机构,立法权;adj.立法的,有立法权的 | |
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44 imposing | |
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45 naval | |
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46 piracies | |
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47 lawful | |
adj.法律许可的,守法的,合法的 | |
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48 controversy | |
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49 joint | |
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50 commissioners | |
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52 petitioners | |
n.请求人,请愿人( petitioner的名词复数 );离婚案原告 | |
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53 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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54 conclusive | |
adj.最后的,结论的;确凿的,消除怀疑的 | |
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55 lodged | |
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56 supreme | |
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57 controversies | |
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58 jurisdictions | |
司法权( jurisdiction的名词复数 ); 裁判权; 管辖区域; 管辖范围 | |
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59 determined | |
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60 territorial | |
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61 alloy | |
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62 infringed | |
v.违反(规章等)( infringe的过去式和过去分词 );侵犯(某人的权利);侵害(某人的自由、权益等) | |
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63 exacting | |
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64 recess | |
n.短期休息,壁凹(墙上装架子,柜子等凹处) | |
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65 ascertain | |
vt.发现,确定,查明,弄清 | |
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66 quota | |
n.(生产、进出口等的)配额,(移民的)限额 | |
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67 assent | |
v.批准,认可;n.批准,认可 | |
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68 adjourning | |
(使)休会, (使)休庭( adjourn的现在分词 ) | |
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69 adjourn | |
v.(使)休会,(使)休庭 | |
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70 adjournment | |
休会; 延期; 休会期; 休庭期 | |
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71 secrecy | |
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72 nays | |
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73 transcript | |
n.抄本,誊本,副本,肄业证书 | |
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74 authorized | |
a.委任的,许可的 | |
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75 authorize | |
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76 expedient | |
adj.有用的,有利的;n.紧急的办法,权宜之计 | |
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77 acceding | |
v.(正式)加入( accede的现在分词 );答应;(通过财产的添附而)增加;开始任职 | |
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78 abide | |
vi.遵守;坚持;vt.忍受 | |
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79 alteration | |
n.变更,改变;蚀变 | |
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80 ratify | |
v.批准,认可,追认 | |
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81 virtue | |
n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力 | |
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82 constituents | |
n.选民( constituent的名词复数 );成分;构成部分;要素 | |
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83 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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84 entirely | |
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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85 plight | |
n.困境,境况,誓约,艰难;vt.宣誓,保证,约定 | |
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