Texas Schools Will Teach the Bible
Texas Schools Will Teach the Bible
德州學校將教授《聖經》
Introduction
Schools in Texas will now teach students to read the Bible and other famous books.
德州的學校現在將教導學生閱讀《聖經》及其他名著。
Main Body
Five million students will start this in 2030. They will read the Bible and books by authors like Charles Dickens.
五百萬名學生將於2030年開始實施。他們將閱讀《聖經》以及查爾斯·狄更斯等作者的著作。
Other states like Utah and Louisiana also teach religious texts. Texas is doing this on a very large scale.
其他州如猶他州和路易斯安那州也教授宗教文本。而德州則是在非常大的規模上執行此舉。
Some people like this plan. They say the Bible is important for history. Other people are angry. They say schools should not teach religion.
有些人支持這個計劃。他們認為《聖經》對歷史至關重要。而另一些人則感到憤怒，認為學校不應該教授宗教。
Conclusion
Texas is starting a new rule. This rule will likely lead to problems in court.
德州正開始執行一項新規定。這項規定很可能會導致法庭上的爭議。
Vocabulary Learning
Future Actions with "Will"
When we talk about things that happen later, we use will + action word.
Examples from the text:
- Will teach → (Something happening in the future)
- Will start → (Beginning at a later date)
- Will lead → (A future result)
Quick Pattern:
Person/Place + will + action
Texas + will + teach → Texas will teach.
Note: Unlike some other words, will does not change if you are talking about one person or many people. It is always the same!
- One school will teach.
- Five million students will start.
Vocabulary Learning
Texas State Board of Education Requires Biblical Texts in Public Schools
德州教育委員會要求公立學校將聖經文本列入教材
Introduction
The Texas State Board of Education has approved a mandatory reading list for public school students that includes biblical passages alongside traditional literature.
德州教育委員會已批准一份公立學校學生的強制閱讀清單，其中將聖經篇章與傳統文學並列。
Main Body
This new rule will be introduced gradually starting in the 2030-31 school year and will affect about five million students. The curriculum requires students to study biblical texts, such as the Book of Job and Genesis, alongside famous authors like Charles Dickens and Jane Austen. This move follows other recent efforts in Texas to increase religion in schools, such as the 2025 requirement to display the Ten Commandments and the introduction of school chaplains.
這項新規定將從 2030-31 學年開始逐步引入，將影響約五百萬名學生。課程要求學生在研讀查爾斯·狄更斯與簡·奧斯汀等名作家作品的同時，也要研究聖經文本，例如《約伯記》與《創世記》。此舉是繼德州近期其他增加學校宗教元素的努力之後，例如 2025 年要求展示《十誡》以及引入學校牧師。
Texas is now part of a small group of states, including Utah, Louisiana, and Oklahoma, that are expanding religious instruction. For example, Utah will include biblical passages in social studies by 2028, and Louisiana has mandated the display of the Ten Commandments. However, Texas's approach is unique because it uses a comprehensive, statewide reading list. In contrast, a similar plan in Oklahoma was cancelled in 2024 after facing legal challenges.
德州現在成為少數擴大宗教教學的州之一，包括猶他州、路易斯安那州與俄克拉荷馬州。例如，猶他州將在 2028 年前將聖經篇章納入社會研究，而路易斯安那州已強制要求展示《十誡》。然而，德州的方法較為獨特，因為它使用了一套全面的全州閱讀清單。相比之下，俄克拉荷馬州的一個類似計劃在 2024 年面臨法律挑戰後被取消。
Opinions on this decision are deeply divided. Supporters emphasize that the Bible is a fundamental historical and literary source that is necessary to understand Western civilization. On the other hand, critics from organizations like PEN America argue that this mandate limits the freedom of teachers and ignores non-Christian viewpoints. Legal experts are now focusing on a 1963 Supreme Court ruling, which allows the Bible to be studied as a historical tool but forbids schools from leading religious worship.
對於此項決定，意見分歧嚴重。支持者強調，聖經是基礎的歷史與文學來源，是理解西方文明的必要條件。另一方面，來自 PEN America 等組織的批評者則認為，這項指令限制了教師的自由，並忽略了非基督教的觀點。法律專家目前正關注 1963 年最高法院的一項裁決，該裁決允許將聖經作為歷史工具來研究，但禁止學校領導宗教崇拜。
Conclusion
Texas has set a significant example for mandatory religious reading in public schools, which will likely lead to further legal battles over the constitution.
德州為公立學校強制閱讀宗教內容樹立了一個重大先例，這可能會導致更多關於憲法的法律之爭。
Vocabulary Learning
⚡ The "Contrast Bridge": Moving Beyond 'But'
At the A2 level, you probably use 'but' to show a difference. To reach B2, you need to orchestrate your ideas using Contrast Markers. These are words that signal a shift in direction, making your writing sound professional and academic.
🔍 Analysis of the Text
Look at how the article manages opposing ideas. It doesn't just say "Texas does this, but Oklahoma doesn't." Instead, it uses:
- "In contrast..." Used to compare two different situations (Texas vs. Oklahoma).
- "On the other hand..." Used to present a second, opposing opinion after a first one.
- "However..." A powerful way to introduce a contradiction at the start of a sentence.
🛠️ Practical Upgrade
If you want to sound like a B2 speaker, stop using 'but' at the beginning of your sentences. Try these shifts:
| A2 Level (Simple) | B2 Transition (Fluent) |
|---|---|
| But Texas is different. | However, Texas's approach is unique. |
| But some people disagree. | On the other hand, critics argue... |
| But Oklahoma stopped. | In contrast, a similar plan in Oklahoma was cancelled. |
💡 Pro Tip: The "Comma Rule"
Notice that However, In contrast, and On the other hand are almost always followed by a comma.
Example: However, [comma] Texas is unique.
This small punctuation mark is a signal to the reader that a "turn" in the argument is coming. Master this, and you master the B2 flow.
Vocabulary Learning
The Texas State Board of Education Mandates Biblical Texts Within Public School Curricula.
德州教育委員會強制將聖經文本納入公立學校課程
Introduction
The Texas State Board of Education has approved a mandatory reading list for public school students that incorporates biblical passages alongside secular literary works.
德州教育委員會已通過一份針對公立學校學生的強制閱讀清單，將聖經片段與世俗文學作品共同納入。
Main Body
The approved mandate, which will be implemented incrementally beginning in the 2030-31 academic year, affects approximately five million students. The curriculum requires the study of various biblical texts—including the Book of Job, Genesis, and New Testament parables—integrated with traditional authors such as Charles Dickens and Jane Austen. This initiative follows a trajectory of legislative efforts in Texas to increase religious presence in schools, including the 2025 requirement for the display of the Ten Commandments and the authorization of school chaplains.
這項已通過的指令將從 2030-31 學年開始分階段實施，影響約五百萬名學生。課程要求學習多種聖經文本——包括《約伯記》、《創世記》及新約聖經的比喻——並與查爾斯·狄更斯和珍·奧斯汀等傳統作家作品相結合。此舉延續了德州增加學校宗教色彩的立法趨勢，包括 2025 年要求展示「十誡」以及授權設立學校牧師。
On a national scale, Texas is among a small cohort of states, including Utah, Louisiana, and Oklahoma, that have pursued the expansion of biblical instruction. While Utah has integrated biblical passages into social studies standards for a 2028-29 rollout, and Louisiana has mandated the display of the Ten Commandments, Texas's approach is characterized by a comprehensive, statewide mandatory reading list. This differs from the Oklahoma experience, where a similar 2024 directive was not sustained by subsequent leadership following legal challenges.
從全美範圍來看，德州與猶他州、路易斯安那州及俄克拉荷馬州共同屬於少數推動擴展聖經教學的州。雖然猶他州將聖經片段納入社會研究標準並預計於 2028-29 年推出，路易斯安那州則強制展示「十誡」，但德州的做法特點在於其全面且全州統一的強制閱讀清單。這與俄克拉荷馬州的經驗不同，後者在 2024 年發布的類似指令在面臨法律挑戰後，並未被後任領導層維持。
Stakeholder positioning remains polarized. Proponents assert that the Bible constitutes a foundational historical and literary touchstone essential for understanding Western civilization and the American founding. Conversely, critics, including representatives from the National Council of Teachers of English and PEN America, contend that the mandate constitutes a form of de facto censorship by restricting pedagogical autonomy and marginalizing non-Christian perspectives. Legal scrutiny centers on the distinction established by the U.S. Supreme Court in Abington School District v. Schempp (1963), which permits the objective study of the Bible as a literary or historical tool but prohibits school-sponsored devotional practice.
利益相關者的立場依然兩極分化。支持者主張聖經構成基礎的歷史與文學基石，對於理解西方文明與美國建國至關重要。相反，包括美國國家英語教師委員會（NCTE）和 PEN America 代表在內的批評者則認為，該指令通過限制教學自主權並邊緣化非基督教視角，構成了一種事實上的審查。法律審查的焦點在於美國最高法院在 Abington School District v. Schempp (1963) 案中確立的區分：允許將聖經作為文學或歷史工具進行客觀研究，但禁止學校贊助的宗教崇拜活動。
Conclusion
Texas has established a precedent for mandatory religious reading in public education, a move likely to precipitate further constitutional litigation.
德州為公立教育中的強制宗教閱讀建立了先例，此舉可能會引发更多憲法訴訟。
Vocabulary Learning
The Architecture of 'Institutional Neutrality'
To move from B2 to C2, a student must stop describing what is happening and start analyzing how the language frames the event. In this text, the bridge to mastery is the use of Nominalization and Latinate Abstractions to maintain an aura of clinical detachment while describing a highly volatile socio-political conflict.
◈ The Pivot: From Action to Concept
B2 learners typically use active verbs ('People disagree'). C2 discourse transforms these actions into nouns to create a sense of systemic analysis.
- Example: "Stakeholder positioning remains polarized."
- The Anatomy: Instead of saying "People are arguing," the author uses "Stakeholder positioning." This shifts the focus from the emotion of the argument to the strategic location of the actors within a political landscape.
◈ Lexical Precision: The 'C2' Nuance
Note the deployment of terms that bridge the gap between general meaning and legal/academic specificity:
- "De facto censorship": Not merely 'hidden' or 'secret' censorship, but a state of affairs that exists in reality regardless of whether it is legal or official.
- "Precipitate further constitutional litigation": A high-level alternative to "cause more lawsuits." The verb precipitate suggests a sudden, inevitable triggering of an event.
- "Pedagogical autonomy": A precise term for the freedom of a teacher to choose their methods, far superior to "teaching freedom."
◈ Syntactic Compression
Observe the phrase: "...a move likely to precipitate further constitutional litigation."
This is a reduced relative clause acting as a post-modifier. It avoids the clunky "which is a move that is likely to..." This compression is a hallmark of C2 academic writing, allowing the writer to pack maximum causality and prediction into a single concluding sentence without breaking the narrative flow.