【近代民主思想与实践】

材料一   国王是上帝在尘世的代理，因上帝之名被尊为神……《圣经》里是把国君比作神，明确地把他们的权力与上帝的权力相提并论。臣民在议会(不过是国王的首要议事机构和工具)里所恳请之法律，只能由国王在议会的建议下制定。国王制定日常法令，没有国王的权威参与其间，议会无权制定任何法律或法令。

——英国国王詹姆斯一世：《对议会的演讲》 (1610年)

材料二  良好的政府必定有一以贯之，堪与一种哲学体系堪与一种哲学体系相媲美的观念。所有的举措必定是深思熟虑的，举凡财政、政治和军事，惟须朝向一个目标，即国家强盛，国势昌隆。如此一种体制只能源于一个人的头脑，此人非君主莫属。

君主是国家另一公仆，人们要求他为了国家的利益干练地工作，最起码要密切关注最重大的问题。 君主有责任重视农业，使商业和工业受到鼓励。他是一个应该时常警惕国家敌人行动的终身哨兵。

  ——普鲁士国王腓特烈二世《政治典范》(1752年)

    We are warned not to waste time because time 1 will never return. I think it quite 2. What does time look 3? Nobody knows, and we can't see it or touch it and no 4 of money can buy it. Time is abstract(抽象的), so we have to 5 about it.

    Time passes very quickly. Some students say they don't have 6 time to review their lessons. It is 7 they don't know how to make use of their time. They waste it in going to theatres or playing, and 8 other useless things. Why do we study every day? Why do we work? Why do most people 9 take buses instead of walking? The answer is very 10. We wish to save time because time is 11.

    Today we are living in the 21^st century. We 12 time as life. When a person dies, his life ends. Since life is short, we must 13 our time and energy to our study so that we 14 be able to work and live well in the future. Laziness is the 15 of time, for it not only brings us 16, but also does other 17 to us. If it is necessary for us to do our work today, 18 us do it today and not 19 it until tomorrow. Remember that time is much more 20.