14.What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
14.是什么防止政府部门变得过于强大？
Answer: Checks and balances; Separation of powers
答案：三权分立和分权制
Explanation: The people who created the U.S. government wanted a way to make sure that no one branch (or part) of the government becomes too powerful.
解释：美国政府的创立者希望找到一种确保没有哪个政府部门会变得过于强大的方法。
They built a system of checks and balances, also known as a separation of powers, into the Constitution.
因此他们在宪法中创立了三权分立制度。
We can find one example of checks and balances in the United States' process for making laws.
美国制定法律的过程就是三权分立的一个典例。
Congress, or the legislative branch, is responsible for making and passing (or approving) laws.
国会（立法机构）负责制定和通过（或批准）法律。
But what if Congress writes and passes a law that is unconstitutional (or that doesn't follow the Constitution), such as a law that says that Americans no longer have freedom of speech?
而如果国会撰写并通过的法律有违宪（或与宪法不符）该怎么办？如规定美国人不再拥有言论自由的法律。
If a law like this were passed, the President as part of the executive branch could veto (or cancel) the law.
如果这类的法律获得通过，隶属于行政部门的总统可以否决该法律。
Another way to stop this law would be for the Supreme Court, part of the judicial branch, to say that it is against the Constitution, using its power of judicial review (or the power to overturn or undo laws passed by Congress).
阻止该法律的另一个方法是司法部门的最高法院使用司法复查权（或者说是否决国会通过法律的权力）宣布该法律违宪。
译文为秀哈英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
