📚 Year 7 AQA Law: Vocabulary and Terminology Quick Guide | 七年级 AQA 法律：词汇术语速记指南
Legal vocabulary can feel like a foreign language at first, but once you crack the code, the entire subject becomes much clearer. This guide is designed to help Year 7 students master the essential terms found in the AQA Law syllabus, using simple explanations and memory tricks that turn tricky words into lasting knowledge.
法律词汇起初可能像一门外语，但一旦你破解了密码，整个学科就会变得清晰许多。本指南旨在帮助七年级学生掌握AQA法律大纲中的核心术语，通过简单的解释和记忆技巧，让难懂的词汇转化为持久的理解。
1. Introduction to Law: Why Words Matter | 法律入门：词汇为何重要
Law is built on precise language. A single word, like ‘reasonable’ or ‘intention’, can change the outcome of an entire case. Learning legal vocabulary is not just about passing exams; it is about training your brain to think clearly about fairness, rules and justice.
法律建立在精确的语言之上。一个词，比如“合理的”或“意图”，就可能改变整个案件的结果。学习法律词汇不仅是为了通过考试，更是训练你的大脑清晰地思考公平、规则与正义。
When you study law in Year 7, you start with the building blocks. You will hear words like ‘rights’, ‘parliament’ and ‘crime’ frequently, but understanding their exact legal meaning makes all the difference. Think of this guide as your personal dictionary and memory toolkit rolled into one.
当你在七年级学习法律时，你从基础模块开始。你会经常听到“权利”、“议会”和“犯罪”等词，但理解它们精确的法律含义至关重要。把这份指南看作是你的个人词典和记忆工具箱的结合体。
2. The Rule of Law | 法治
The term ‘Rule of Law’ means that everyone in a society, including the government and the police, must follow the law and be held accountable if they break it. No person or institution is above the law, and all actions are judged by the same set of rules.
“法治”一词意味着社会中的每一个人，包括政府和警察，都必须遵守法律，并在违反法律时承担责任。没有人或机构可以凌驾于法律之上，所有行为都由同一套规则来评判。
Arbitrary power is the opposite of the rule of law. Arbitrary refers to decisions made by a ruler or official based on personal preference, bias or random choice, without following established legal procedures. A country governed by the rule of law rejects arbitrary use of power.
专断权力是法治的对立面。专断指的是统治者或官员基于个人偏好、偏见或随机选择做出的决定，而不遵循既定的法律程序。一个法治国家拒绝专断地使用权力。
Equality before the law is a key principle: a billionaire and a school student must receive the same legal treatment if they commit the same offence. This idea prevents unfair privilege and underpins a just society. Remember the phrase: Law rules, not rulers.
法律面前人人平等是一项关键原则：亿万富翁和在校学生如果犯下同样的罪行，必须受到相同的法律对待。这一理念防止不公正的特权，支撑起一个正义的社会。请记住这句话：法律统治，而非统治者。
3. Rights and Responsibilities | 权利与责任
A right is something you are entitled to by law, such as the right to education or the right to a fair trial. Rights are protected by legal rules and, often, by documents like the Human Rights Act 1998. However, every right comes with a corresponding responsibility: the duty to respect the rights of others.
权利是法律赋予你应得的某种东西，例如受教育权或获得公正审判的权利。权利受法律规则的保护，也常常受《1998年人权法案》等文件的保障。然而，每一项权利都伴随着相应的责任：即尊重他人权利的义务。
For example, you have the right to express your opinions, but your responsibility is not to spread hateful or false statements that harm others. In the Year 7 syllabus, concepts like the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) help you explore how rights apply specifically to young people.
例如，你有表达自己意见的权利，但你的责任是不传播伤害他人的仇恨言论或虚假陈述。在七年级大纲中，像《联合国儿童权利公约》这样的概念帮助你理解权利如何特别适用于年轻人。
Memorise the pair: Right = entitlement; Responsibility = duty. Think of them as two sides of the same coin.
请记住这对词组：权利 = 应得的权益；责任 = 应尽的义务。把它们想象成同一枚硬币的两面。
4. Criminal Law vs Civil Law | 刑法与民法
Criminal law deals with actions that are considered harmful to society as a whole, such as theft, assault or vandalism. The state, through the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), prosecutes the defendant. If found guilty, the defendant can face punishments like a fine, community service, or imprisonment.
刑法处理的是被认为对整个社会有害的行为，例如盗窃、袭击或故意破坏。国家通过皇家检察署（CPS）对被告人提起公诉。如果被判有罪，被告人可能面临罚款、社区服务或监禁等惩罚。
Civil law, by contrast, deals with disputes between individuals or organisations. These cases often involve issues like contracts, property, or personal injury. The person bringing the case is the claimant (previously called plaintiff), and the person defending is the defendant. The remedy is usually compensation, not punishment.
相比之下，民法处理的是个人或组织之间的纠纷。这些案件通常涉及合同、财产或人身伤害等问题。提起诉讼的一方是原告（以前称为原告人），应诉的一方是被告。救济方式通常是赔偿，而非惩罚。
A quick memory trick: Criminal = Crime against society, State prosecutes, Punishment. Civil = Citizens in conflict, Claimant sues, Compensation.
一个快速的记忆方法：刑事 = 针对社会的犯罪，国家提起公诉，处以惩罚。民事 = 公民之间的冲突，原告起诉，索取赔偿。
5. The Court System | 法院体系
The court system in England and Wales has different levels. Most criminal cases start in the Magistrates’ Court, where magistrates (volunteer judges) or a district judge decide the outcome for less serious offences. Serious criminal cases, like robbery or murder, are sent to the Crown Court, where a judge and jury hear the case.
英格兰和威尔士的法院体系有不同的层级。大多数刑事案件始于治安法院，由治安法官（志愿法官）或地区法官裁定情节较轻的罪行。严重刑事案件，如抢劫或谋杀，则移送刑事法院，由一名法官和陪审团审理。
Civil cases may begin in the County Court or, if complex or high in value, in the High Court. The ultimate court of appeal for both criminal and civil matters is the Supreme Court. Its decisions set precedents that all lower courts must follow.
民事案件可能在郡法院开始审理，如果案情复杂或涉及金额巨大，则在高等法院审理。刑事和民事案件的终审上诉法院是最高法院。其判决形成判例，所有下级法院都必须遵循。
Visualise a pyramid: Magistrates’ Court at the bottom, Crown Court and County Court in the middle, High Court above them, and the Supreme Court at the peak.
可以将其可视化为一 座金字塔：治安法院在最底层，刑事法院和郡法院在中间，高等法院在上方，最高法院则在塔尖。
6. Key Legal Roles | 关键法律角色
A judge is an impartial decision-maker who ensures the trial is fair and, in the absence of a jury, decides the verdict. In the Crown Court, the jury – 12 randomly selected members of the public – listens to evidence and delivers a verdict of ‘guilty’ or ‘not guilty’. The judge then passes the sentence.
法官是公正的裁决者，确保审判公平，并在没有陪审团的情况下，决定判决结果。在刑事法院，陪审团——由12名随机抽选的公众组成——听取证据，并做出“有罪”或“无罪”的裁决。然后由法官判刑。
Barristers and solicitors are both types of lawyers, but with different roles. A solicitor typically gives legal advice from a firm and prepares cases, while a barrister specialises in representing clients in court, often wearing the traditional wig and gown. In Year 7, you mainly need to know these as ‘lawyers who present cases in court’ and ‘lawyers who advise clients’.
出庭律师和事务律师都是律师类型，但角色不同。事务律师通常在律师事务所提供法律咨询并准备案件，而出庭律师专门在法庭上代表客户出庭，常穿着传统的假发和长袍。在七年级，你主要需要了解他们是“在法庭上陈述案件的律师”和“为客户提供咨询的律师”。
Magistrates are unpaid volunteers from the local community who handle minor criminal cases. Remember: Magistrates = Minor offences; Judge + Jury = Major trials.
治安法官是来自当地社区的无薪志愿者，负责处理轻微的刑事案件。记住：治安法官 = 轻微罪行；法官+陪审团 = 重大审判。
7. Parliament and Legislation | 议会与立法
In the United Kingdom, the supreme law-making body is Parliament, which consists of the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the monarch (Royal Assent). A proposed new law is called a bill, and once it passes through both Houses and receives Royal Assent, it becomes an Act of Parliament, also known as a statute.
在英国，最高立法机构是议会，由下议院、上议院和君主（御准）组成。一项新提出的法律被称为法案，一旦它在两院获得通过并获得御准，就成为《议会法案》，也称为制定法。
The House of Commons is made up of elected Members of Parliament (MPs) who represent the public. The House of Lords is composed of appointed members, including life peers and bishops, who review and suggest amendments to bills. Legislation is the general term for laws that Parliament creates.
下议院由代表公众的当选议员（MPs）组成。上议院由获任命的成员组成，包括终身贵族和主教，负责审查法案并提出修正案。立法是议会制定的法律的总称。
Link the words: Bill + Royal Assent = Act of Parliament. This simple formula helps you track the legislative process.
关联这些词语：法案 + 御准 = 议会法案。这个简单的公式有助于你追踪立法流程。
8. The Police and Crime Process | 警察与犯罪流程
When a crime is reported, the police have the power to investigate, gather evidence, and arrest a suspect if there is reasonable ground. After arrest, the suspect is taken to a police station and can be questioned. The police must follow strict rules under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.
当接到犯罪报告时，警方有权进行调查、收集证据，并在有合理依据的情况下逮捕嫌疑人。逮捕后，嫌疑人被带到警察局，并可接受讯问。警方必须遵守《警察与刑事证据法》中的严格规定。
If the police and the CPS believe there is enough evidence and it is in the public interest, they will charge the suspect with a specific offence. The charged person then becomes the defendant and must appear before a court. Witnesses, who saw or have knowledge of the event, may be called to give testimony.
如果警方和皇家检察署认为有充足证据且符合公共利益，他们将对嫌疑人提起特定罪名的指控。被指控者然后成为被告人，必须出庭。目击事件的证人或知情者可能被传唤作证。
A key vocabulary chain to remember: Crime → Investigation → Arrest → Charge → Court trial. Each word links to the next in the justice pathway.
一个需要记住的关键词汇链：犯罪 → 调查 → 逮捕 → 指控 → 法庭审判。每个词在司法路径中都环环相扣。
9. Sentencing and Justice | 刑罚与正义
Once a defendant is found guilty, the judge decides a sentence – the punishment imposed by the court. Sentencing can have several aims: punishment of the offender, deterrence to discourage future crime, rehabilitation to reform the offender, protection of the public, and reparation to compensate the victim or society.
一旦被告人被判定有罪，法官决定刑罚——法院施加的惩罚。判刑可以有几个目的：惩罚罪犯、威慑以阻止未来犯罪、改造以使罪犯改过自新、保护公众，以及赔偿以补偿受害者或社会。
Types of sentences include custodial sentences (prison for a set period), community orders (unpaid work, curfew), and fines. For young offenders, the youth justice system focuses more on rehabilitation and education. An absolute discharge means the court decides no punishment is needed.
刑罚类型包括监禁刑（一定期限的监禁）、社区令（无偿劳动、宵禁）和罚款。对于青少年罪犯，青少年司法体系更侧重改造和教育。绝对释放意味着法庭决定不需要任何惩罚。
Think of the mnemonic ‘PRDR’ – Punishment, Reform/Rehabilitation, Deterrence, Reparation – to recall the main aims of sentencing. Visualise a judge balancing these goals on a scale.
想象一个助记符“PRDR”——惩罚（Punishment）、改造/康复（Reform/Rehabilitation）、威慑（Deterrence）、赔偿（Reparation）——以回忆判刑的主要目的。想象法官在天平上平衡这些目标。
10. Memory Techniques for Legal Vocabulary | 法律词汇记忆技巧
Now that you have a notebook full of new terms, use active recall strategies to make them stick. One powerful method is the ‘keyword connection’: for example, link ‘arbitrary’ with the word ‘arrow-bit’ – imagine an arrow shot randomly, hitting any bit; this reminds you that arbitrary means random or unconstrained by rules.
现在你手头有了满满一本新术语，运用主动回忆策略让它们牢牢记住。一种有效的方法是“关键词联想法”：例如，将“arbitrary”与“箭-碎片”（arrow-bit）联系起来——想象一支箭随机射出，射中任何碎片；这提醒你arbitrary意味着随意的、不受规则约束的。
Create flashcards with the legal term on one side and a simple definition plus a doodle on the other. Use the ‘pairing’ approach: always say the English definition aloud and then the Chinese equivalent, reinforcing bilingual understanding. For processes like legislation or criminal justice, draw flowcharts with vocabulary labels.
制作闪卡，一面写法律术语，另一面写简单定义并配涂鸦。使用“配对”法：总是先大声说英文定义，然后说中文对应词，强化双语理解。对于立法或刑事司法等流程，画出带有词汇标签的流程图。
Finally, teach a friend or family member two terms each day. Teaching is one of the best ways to consolidate memory. And remember, consistency beats cramming: a short daily review of ten words works wonders.
最后，每天教一个朋友或家人两个术语。教学是巩固记忆的最佳方式之一。同时记住，持之以恒胜过突击：每日简短复习十个词汇会产生奇效。
Published by TutorHao | Law Revision Series | aleveler.com
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