US Supreme Court Rules Same-Sex Marriage Is Legal in 2015
时间：2018-12-01 作者：英语课 分类：2018年VOA慢速英语(八)月
The Supreme 1 Court often looks at a major social issue over a series of cases. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, it considered the rights of gay 2 people.
At the time, voters in many states had approved laws strongly limiting gay rights. For example, police in Texas were permitted to arrest same-sex partners. Around the same time, voters in other states began permitting official same-sex unions.
Like voters, the Supreme Court members were divided about the issue. But in three cases, a majority struck down laws limiting homosexual relationships.
The fourth case was brought by a man named Jim Obergefell. He had married a man named John Arthur in the state of Maryland, where gay marriage was legal. But the couple lived another state, where it was not. Three months after they were married, Arthur died. The question was: what would the official death certificate 4 say? Was Arthur married? Or not?
The dispute 5 made its way to the Supreme Court in 2015. Five of the nine justices sided with Obergefell. Yes, they said, he and Arthur were married, and the death certificate must say so. Their decision made gay marriage legal in every state.
Words in This Story
homosexual - adj. based on or showing a sexual 3 attraction to people of the same sex
gay - adj. of, relating to, or used by homosexuals
death certificate - n. an official document that gives information about a person's death
- It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
- He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
- I don't know he was a gay person.我不知道他是同性恋者。
- Spring comes round to the earth again and everything looks fresh and gay.春回大地，万象更新。
- He was a person of gross sexual appetites.他是个性欲旺盛的人。
- It is socially irresponsible to refuse young people advice on sexual matters.拒绝向年轻人提供性方面的建议是对社会不负责任。
- She proudly displayed her degree certificate to her parents.她自豪地向父母展示了学位证书。
- No one had seen her marriage certificate.没人看到过她的结婚证书。