【美国精神】第36期

搜索关注在线英语听力室公众号：tingroom，领取免费英语资料大礼包。

Explanation:   

  The U.S. Cabinet (or the group of people who advise the president, giving him or her ideas, advice, and information) has grown a lot over time. Under our first president, George Washington, the Cabinet had only four members: the Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury¹, Secretary of War, and Attorney General. Today, the Cabinet has 15 members. However, not all 15 are equally important. Some have much more power than others. 

 

  The four most important Cabinet members are the same ones that George Washington had, although their titles (or the names of their jobs) have changed a little bit. These four most important members are known as the “Big Four” and are the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Defense², and the Attorney General. 

 

  The Secretary of State is responsible for foreign affairs (or relationships between the United States and other countries). The Secretary of State negotiates (or discusses) international agreements and gives instructions to U.S. ambassadors (or official representatives of the United States in other countries). 

 

  The Secretary of the Treasury mostly works with finance, economics, and money. He or she recommends what the president should do to keep the U.S. economy strong. The Secretary’s signature is on all of the United States’ monetary³ bills (or paper money). 

 

  The Secretary of Defense, who used to be known as the Secretary of War, works with the military (or the people and organizations who fight to protect the United States). 

 

  Finally, the last member of the Big Four, the Attorney General, serves as the United States’ most important lawyer, making sure that laws are enforced (or applied). When the United States needs to be represented in-person in court, the Attorney General is responsible for stating the government’s position. The Attorney General is the only member of the U.S. Cabinet who does not have the title of “secretary.” 

 

问题：

分享到：