📚 OCR Year 8 Politics: Key Vocabulary Quick Memorisation Guide | OCR 八年级政治：关键词汇速记指南
Politics can feel like a secret language, full of words borrowed from ancient Greece, Latin and modern debate halls. But once you break down the key terms, everything from 'democracy' to 'legitimacy' starts to make sense. This guide is designed to help Year 8 students studying the OCR curriculum build a strong political vocabulary, with clear definitions, memorable examples and links to real-world understanding. Each term is presented in English and Chinese, so you can master the concepts from both linguistic directions.
政治有时候像一种秘密语言，充满了源自古希腊、拉丁语和现代辩论场的词汇。但一旦你拆解了这些关键术语，从“民主”到“合法性”，一切都会变得清晰。本指南旨在帮助学习 OCR 课程的八年级学生建立扎实的政治词汇基础，提供清晰的定义、好记的例子以及与现实世界的联系。每个术语都以英文和中文呈现，让你从两个语言方向掌握这些概念。
1. Democracy | 民主
Democracy comes from the Greek words 'demos' (people) and 'kratos' (power or rule). It means a system of government where citizens have the right to vote and influence decisions. In a direct democracy, everyone votes on every issue; in a representative democracy, we elect politicians to decide on our behalf. An example is the United Kingdom, where MPs are chosen in general elections to represent constituencies.
民主一词源自希腊语“demos”（人民）和“kratos”（权力或统治），指一种公民有权投票并影响决策的政府体制。在直接民主制中，每个人对每个问题都投票；在代议制民主中，我们选举政治家代我们决定。例如，英国就是代议制民主，大选中选出的下议院议员代表各自的选区。
2. Parliament | 议会
Parliament is the supreme legislative body in a country like the United Kingdom. It is made up of the Monarch (King or Queen), the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The House of Commons is elected by the public, while the House of Lords is appointed. Parliament debates and passes laws, holds the government to account, and represents the interests of the people.
议会是像英国这样的国家中的最高立法机构。它由君主（国王或女王）、下议院和上议院组成。下议院由公众选举产生，上议院则是任命的。议会辩论并通过法律，监督政府，并代表人民利益。
3. Government | 政府
Government is the group of people who run the country day to day, led by the Prime Minister. It is formed by the political party that has the most MPs in the House of Commons after a general election. The government proposes new laws, manages public services like the NHS, and makes decisions about how taxpayers' money is spent. It must keep the confidence of Parliament to stay in power.
政府是日常管理国家的集体，由首相领导。它由大选后在下议院拥有最多议席的政党组成。政府提出新法律，管理像英国国家医疗服务体系这样的公共服务，并决定如何使用纳税人的钱。它必须保持议会的信任才能继续执政。
4. Constitution | 宪法
A constitution is the set of rules and principles that outline how a country is governed. Some countries, like the USA, have a single written constitution. The United Kingdom has an uncodified constitution, meaning it is found in many different sources: statutes (laws passed by Parliament), common law, conventions and historical documents like the Magna Carta. The constitution limits the power of those in authority and protects citizens' rights.
宪法是概述国家如何治理的一套规则和原则。一些国家，比如美国，有一部成文宪法。英国则有一部不成文宪法，这意味着宪法存在于许多不同来源中：制定法（议会通过的法律）、普通法、惯例以及像《大宪章》这样的历史文件。宪法限制了当权者的权力并保护公民的权利。
5. Separation of Powers | 三权分立
The separation of powers is a model that divides the state's power into three branches: the legislature (which makes laws), the executive (which carries out laws) and the judiciary (which interprets and applies laws). This prevents any one branch from becoming too powerful. In the UK, the branches overlap a little — government ministers are also MPs — but there are still checks and balances to protect freedom.
三权分立是一种将国家权力分为三个分支的模式：立法权（制定法律）、行政权（执行法律）和司法权（解释和应用法律）。这能防止任何一个分支变得过于强大。在英国，各分支有部分重叠——政府大臣同时是议员——但仍然存在制衡来保护自由。
6. Rule of Law | 法治
The rule of law means that no one is above the law — not even the government. Everyone must follow the same laws, and laws should be clear, fair and applied equally. This principle protects individuals from arbitrary power. For example, if a politician commits a crime, they can be tried in a court just like any other citizen.
法治意味着没有人可以凌驾于法律之上——即使是政府也不行。每个人都必须遵守同样的法律，法律应该是明确、公平且平等适用的。这一原则保护个人免受专断权力的侵害。例如，如果一个政治家犯罪，他们可以像任何其他公民一样在法庭上受审。
7. Rights and Responsibilities | 权利与责任
Rights are the entitlements citizens have, such as freedom of speech, the right to a fair trial and the right to vote. Responsibilities are the duties we owe to society, like obeying the law, paying taxes and serving on a jury if called. In a democracy, rights and responsibilities go hand in hand: you cannot demand a safer community without upholding your duty to respect others' rights.
权利是公民享有的应得之物，比如言论自由、获得公正审判的权利和投票权。责任是我们对社会负有的义务，比如守法、纳税和在需要时担任陪审员。在民主社会中，权利与责任相辅相成：你不能要求一个更安全的社区，却不履行尊重他人权利的责任。
8. Political Parties | 政党
A political party is an organised group of people who share similar ideas about how the country should be run. They put forward candidates in elections and aim to win enough seats to form a government. The UK has several main parties: the Conservative Party (traditionally in favour of lower taxes and traditional values), the Labour Party (traditionally linked with workers' rights and public services), and the Liberal Democrats, among others.
政党是一个有组织的群体，成员对国家治理方式有着相似的看法。他们在选举中提出候选人，力争赢得足够席位以组建政府。英国有多个主要政党：保守党（传统上支持低税收和传统价值观）、工党（传统上与工人权利和公共服务相关）以及自由民主党等。
9. Elections and Voting | 选举与投票
Elections are the process through which citizens choose their representatives. In a UK general election, voters in each constituency pick one MP. The candidate with the most votes wins — this is called 'first past the post'. Voters must be registered, and the secret ballot ensures people can vote without fear. The right to vote is called suffrage; it was extended to women over 21 in 1928.
选举是公民选择代表的过程。在英国大选中，每个选区的选民选出一名下议院议员。得票最多的候选人获胜——这被称为“简单多数制”。选民必须登记，无记名投票确保人们可以无惧地投票。投票权被称为选举权；1928 年，投票权扩大到 21 岁以上的女性。
10. Justice and the Courts | 司法与法院
Justice means fairness in the way people are treated. The court system interprets laws and decides whether someone has broken them. Magistrates' courts handle minor offences; Crown Courts deal with serious crimes. Judges are independent, meaning they make decisions based on the law, not on pressure from the government or public opinion. This independence is crucial for a fair trial.
正义意味着人们受到公平对待。法院系统解释法律并裁决是否有人触犯法律。治安法院处理轻微犯罪；刑事法院处理严重罪行。法官是独立的，这意味着他们基于法律做出裁决，而不是迫于政府或舆论压力。这种独立性对于公正审判至关重要。
11. Local and Central Government | 地方政府与中央政府
Central government (Westminster) handles national matters like defence, foreign policy and the NHS. Local government (councils) deal with local services: schools, roads, bins and libraries. Councillors are elected to represent wards, and councils raise money partly through council tax. The division ensures that decisions are made at the right level, closer to the people they affect.
中央政府（威斯敏斯特）处理国防、外交政策和国家医疗服务等全国性事务。地方政府（议会）处理本地服务：学校、道路、垃圾和图书馆。议员经选举产生以代表选区，地方议会通过地方税等方式筹集部分资金。这种分工确保决策在合适的层级做出，更贴近受影响的民众。
12. Active Citizenship | 积极公民意识
Active citizenship means getting involved in society beyond just voting. It can include joining a campaign, writing to your MP, volunteering in the community, or starting a petition. In OCR Politics, you'll learn that democracy relies on citizens who care about issues, speak up and work together for change. Even young people can be active citizens by discussing ideas and raising awareness.
积极公民意识意味着除了投票之外，还要参与社会事务。它可以包括加入某个运动、写信给你的议员、在社区做志愿者，或者发起请愿。在 OCR 政治课程中，你会学到，民主依赖于那些关心问题、发声并协力推动变革的公民。即使是年轻人，也可以通过讨论观点和提高意识成为积极公民。
Published by TutorHao | Politics Revision Series | aleveler.com
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