[時事英文] 精神錯亂辯護
　
The insanity defense, also known as the mental disorder defense, is an affirmative defense by excuse in a criminal case, arguing that the defendant is not responsible for their actions due to an episodic or persistent psychiatric disease at the time of the criminal act. This is contrasted with an excuse of provocation, in which the defendant is responsible, but the responsibility is lessened due to a temporary mental state.
　
1. the insanity defense 精神錯亂辯護
2. mental disorder 精神障礙
3. an affirmative defense 積極抗辯；確認的抗辯
4. defendant 被告人
5. responsible for their actions 為他們的行為負責
6. episodic 發作的；偶發的
7. persistent psychiatric disease 持續的精神性疾病
8. a criminal act 犯罪行為
9. an excuse of provocation 義憤殺人的免責條款*
10. be lessened 被減輕
11. a temporary mental state 暫時的精神狀態
　
精神錯亂辯護 ，也叫做精神障礙辯護，是刑事案件中用以積極抗辯的理由，鑑於被告犯罪時偶發或持續的精神性疾病，故無法為其行為負責。這與義憤殺人的免責條款形成對比——在義憤殺人的情況中被告負有刑責，惟由於暫時的精神狀態，刑責得以減輕。
　
*an excuse of provocation 詳參——
《中華民國刑法》：https://bit.ly/2SqhOqh
最高法院刑事判決：https://bit.ly/35kEo8K
　
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《台北時報》報導：
　
The man charged in the slaying of a railway police officer last year was acquitted of murder by the Chiayi District Court yesterday, with judges saying that the suspect, surnamed Cheng, had a mental disorder. However, Cheng was ordered to undergo five years of psychiatric treatment.
　
12. be charged with 被控告
13. the slaying of 殺害⋯⋯
14. a railway police officer 鐵路警察
15. be acquitted 被宣判無罪
16. suspect (n.) 嫌犯
17. undergo 接受（治療或檢查等）；經歷，經受（令人不快的事或變化）
18. psychiatric treatment 精神病治療
　
昨日，這名於去年被控殺害一名鐵路警察的男子，被嘉義地方法院宣判無罪，法官表示鄭嫌患有精神障礙。惟令鄭接受五年的精神病治療。
　
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The parents of Lee Cheng-han, the 25-year-old railway officer killed in July last year, were at the court. Lee Tseng-wen, Lee Cheng-han’s father, told reporters after the verdict was announced: “This is outrageous.”

“My son was killed in the line of his duty as a police officer and the court gave a not guilty ruling,” he said. “It is painful for me right now. The judges have lost their senses and reason.”
　
19. verdict 裁決
20. in the line of duty 在工作中；在執行任務時
21. not guilty 無罪
22. a court ruling 法院判決
　
去年７月遭殺害的２５歲鐵路警察李承翰的父母在法庭上。在判決宣布後，李承翰的父親李增文對記者說：「這太可恥了。」

他說：「我兒子在履行警察的職責時被殺害，而法院竟作出無罪的判決。」「此時此刻，這對我來說很痛苦。法官們失去了判斷力與理智。」
　
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“He was our only son. He worked diligently and was devoted to his family. We have to suffer the pain and sorrow of his death to this day,” he said. “If we could turn back the clock, we would never allow him to work as a police officer.”
　
23. suffer 遭受；受苦
24. pain and sorrow 痛苦與悲傷
25. turn back the clock 將時間倒轉
　
「他是我們的獨生子。他工作勤奮並為家庭犧牲奉獻。直到今天，我們都必須承受他去世的痛苦與悲傷，」他說。「 如果我們可以讓時間倒轉，我們絕不允許他當警察。」
　
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Cheng, 55, was examined by psychiatrists, who said that he was suffering from schizophrenia when he stabbed Lee Cheng-han. “He was under a delusion that affected his behavior at the time,” the psychiatrists said in a report. “His actions resulted from his mental condition.”
　
26. be examined by 被⋯⋯檢查
27. schizophrenia 思覺失調症；精神分裂症
28. stab（用刀等銳器）刺
29. under a delusion 陷入一種妄想（或幻想）
30. result from 肇因於⋯⋯
31. mental condition 精神狀況
　
鄭現年５５歲，接受了精神科醫生的檢查，醫生說他刺傷李承翰時正受思覺失調症所苦。「他當時正陷入一種妄想，影響了他的行為。」精神科醫生在一份報告中寫道。「他的行為乃肇因於他的精神狀況。」
　
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“Psychiatrists say that people with schizophrenia must take medication their whole lives. If they do not, they will relapse,” the report said. “Cheng’s mental capacity had deteriorated and he had lost awareness of his action at the time.”

The judges cited Article 19 of the Criminal Code: “An offense is not punishable if it is committed by a person who is mentally disordered.” Cheng was granted release on NT$500,000 bail, but his family reportedly could not pay the amount, so he remained in detention yesterday.
　
32. take medication 服藥
33. relapse 舊病復發
34. mental capacity 意思能力*
35. deteriorate 惡化；變壞
36. lose awareness 失去意識
37. an offense 罪過
38. not punishable 不罰
39. be granted release 被批准釋放
40. bail 保釋金
41. pay the amount 支付該筆金額
42. remain in detention 持續拘留
　
「精神科醫生說，思覺失調症患者須終生服藥。否則將會舊病復發。」報告寫道。「鄭的意思能力已惡化，他當時已對自身行為失去意識。」法官們引述了《刑法》第１９條：「行為時因精神障礙或其他心智缺陷，致不能辨識其行為違法或欠缺依其辨識而行為之能力者，不罰。」鄭獲准以新臺幣五十萬元交保，但據報導他的家人無法支付這筆罰金，因此他昨日仍被拘留。
　
*意思能力：「對於自己之行為及其效果，能正常判斷、識別及預期之精神能力。」詳參：https://bit.ly/2KPeVuN
　
資訊出處: https://bit.ly/2KQz4k9
　
圖片出處：https://bit.ly/3dhI9Pl
　
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時事英文講義：https://bit.ly/2XmRYXc
　
時事英文大全：http://bit.ly/2WtAqop
　
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#Crux 點解可以等於 #戲肉
//• The crux of Hong Kong's crisis is Beijing's excessive emphasis on "one country" over "two systems". 香港危機的癥結，就是北京過分着重 「#一國」#先於「#兩制」。//
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2019-12-09 明報
A20 | 英文 English | 毛孟靜
Crux 與「戲肉」
許多事故、每 個爭議，都會有個中心點。這個癥結 所在，英文叫 the crux of the matter。

曾多次聽到有人把 crux 講成crust，這肯定是錯的。Crust 是指任 何物體硬的外層，像a thin crust of snow；而bread crust，就是 我們口語的麵包「皮」。

Crux，拉丁文中指十字，但與宗教的十字架無關，用於英文，解作困難difficulty 或puzzle 疑團， 包含一點在十字路口 （crossroads）徘徊的意思。

• The rule of law should have been the crux of democracy. 法治精神原應是民主制度的 核心。

• The crux of Hong Kong's crisis is Beijing's excessive emphasis on "one country" over "two systems". 香港危機的癥結，就是北京過分着重 「一國」先於「兩制」。

• The crux of Hong Kong's problems is that we need true universal suffrage — minus Beijing's power to screen out candidates who are politically "unfit" in its eyes. 香港問題的 核心，是我們要有真普選—— 除去北京可篩走政治「不適當」候選人的權力。

• The crux of the trial is his whereabouts at the time of the murder. 這場審訊的重點，是謀殺發生之際，他到底身在何處。

• Never mind the wedding ceremony. The crux is do you really love her ? 不必理會婚禮。重點是，你愛她嗎？

也有許多人用heart 心臟來代替crux，以示重要、中心部位，a critical, central point：the heart of the matter。

• Let's stop arguing superficially and get to the heart of the matter. 我們停止表面的爭 執，直接談問題的核心吧。

• Sigh. As expected, money was at the hear t of the matter. 唉！一如所料，講到底也不過是為了錢。

留意以上這句，譯做中文不必 用上重點、癥結、核心之類的 詞語，用回我們的常用語更能達意。

中英文一樣，不管寫作或說 話，最好避免重複用同樣的字。 在英語寫作中，懂得用同義詞 synonyms 非常重要。

譬如說，不想重複crux 或 heart of the matter，可以簡單改說the focus、the focal point 焦點。

• We mustn't digress. We must stick to the focus of the matter. 大家不可離題，必須專注事件的焦點。

更好的說法，可以是：

• We mustn't digress. Let's focus on what really matters. 視乎上文下理，crux 的同義詞另有core 核心、essence 精粹 及gist 主旨。

• Cash flow often lies at the core of the small shop's problems. 資金周轉不靈老是這家小店的最大問題。

• Don't tell me everything. I just need to know the essence/ gist of their argument. 不用什 麼都告訴我。我只要知道他們 論點的撮要/ 重點。

留意上述essence 及gist 的 用法，主旨是不必囉嗦，把重點 「一句過」說明就好。最後還有 許多人都未必知道的：

Meat of the matter，一樣解作事件主題、核心或重點。為什麼會用到meat 肉呢？這 個，也許記得我們口語中「戲肉」的肉就好。

文︰毛孟靜

🔡#英兒讀讀樂 📖 #每日一句
又到了 #每日五分鐘，今天要學習有趣的『諺語』！

👩‍🏫 a storm in a teacup【小題大做】
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a storm in a teacup 直接翻譯為“茶杯裏的風暴”，是18世紀法國哲學家孟德斯鳩，在聖馬利諾(歐洲最小的共和國)發生動亂時說的話，這場動亂對整個歐洲局勢無關緊要，所以後來就用來比喻“小題大做，大驚小怪”的意思。

例句-
Don't worry about their arguing. It is just a storm in a teacup.
不用擔心他們的爭論，那沒什麼大不了的。
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📌英兒小教室
擔心 worry
爭論 argue
暴風雨 storm
茶杯 teacup
小題大做 a storm in a teacup
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適合 #中高年級小朋友
#輕鬆學英文 #幼智英兒abc 👦 👶 👧