第 2 篇　Passage 2

Read and interpret the following passage from Chinese into English:

1999 年 12 月 20 日，中葡两国政府举行了澳门政权交接仪式，向世人宣告中国政府对澳门恢复行使主权。澳门特别行政区，除外交事务和防务由中央政府管理外，享有澳门基本法赋予的高度自治权，包括行政管理、立法权、独立的司法权和终审权。澳门作为自由港和单独关税区，可以用“中国澳门”的名义单独同各国各地区及有关国际组织建立和发展经济关系。澳门居民，不分种族和信仰，都是这片土地上的主人，平等地享有法律保障的各项权利和自由。

澳门同胞具有光荣的爱国主义传统，始终与祖国人民血脉相连，心心相通。我们可以坚信，在中央政府和全国各族人民的支持下，澳门特别行政区政府和澳门同胞一定能够把澳门管理好、建设好、发展好。回到祖国怀抱的澳门，必将迎来更加美好的未来！

第 2 篇　Passage 2

On December 20, 1999 , the Chinese government and the Portuguese¹ government held a ceremony to mark the Chinese government's resumption of sovereignty over Macao . Since then, the Macao Special Administrative² Region has been, in accordance with the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region, vested with a high degree of autonomy, which includes executive, legislative³ and independent judicial⁴ power and the power of final adjudication. As a free port and separate customs territory, Macao can, using the name of " Macao , China ", independently establish and develop economic relations with all countries, regions and international organizations. Macao residents, irrespective of race or belief, are the masters of this land, enjoying as equals, the rights and freedoms guaranteed by law.

Macao compatriots have a glorious spirit of patriotism⁵, and they have always been related by blood and mutual⁶ affinity⁷ with the rest of the country. It is our firm belief that, with the support of the central government and people of all ethnic⁸ groups in China , the Macao Special Administrative Region will do a great job in the administration and development of Macao . The territory, back in the embrace of the motherland, will surely have an even brighter tomorrow.