A lot of things we read are either old and use difficult language or new and use big words and such, making them difficult to read. The only way to understand what the author is saying is put parts of the writing into your own words—essentially translating it into language that you understand. As we read the Declaration of Independence, The Crisis, and Letter from Birmingham Jail, use these steps to break down passages and put them into your own words.
Read the passage and try to get a feeling for what is going on.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
Then follow these steps to understanding:
Translating Notes
Click the slide to view the notes. The key is to replace information you don’t understand with information that you do.
The king has forbidden his governors to pass important laws, or if they do pass laws, they are temporarily stopped from taking effect till the king gives the ok; and when the laws are temporarily stopped, he has completely ignored the laws so they could never take effect.
