VOA标准英语2010年-Australians Fed Up with Government Cre

They're called micronations - individuals, or small groups - who try to create their own countries, while living in a recognized state.  They say they comprise a burgeoning² movement for people who are dissatisfied with politics - or just want to have some fun.  But some are questioning their legal validity.

"We wrote and said that we were seceding³ from Australia," said Princess Doreen Khandekar from the Principality of Dubeldeka.

When an Australian municipality eyed Doreen and Vas Khandekar's historic property as the site for a new sewer⁴ line, the now royal couple say they had no other option than to declare independence. "So we decided⁵ that the only course available was to form a principality, that means seceding from the regulations which were imposed on us, and which were undesirable," said Prince Vas Khandekar.

The two formed a micronation - a small entity⁶, in a recognized country, which asserts a claim of territory and governance.

With that, the two went from fighting higher authority, to, well, being the higher authority, or in their case: Your Royal Highnesses.  And that sewer line? Well, at least part of it went somewhere else.

Author William Pitt wrote a book on the Australia's first secession, some 40 years ago. He explains the draw of creating a country. "The benefits to becoming a micronation are that you're independent and therefore you are not any longer under the rule and laws of the country," he said.

That's just what the Prince of Dubeldeka wants. "We could have our own currency. We could have our own stamps, postage stamps. We would have our own passport. We could have our own citizens!," he said.

But the validity of those official items, as well as the claims to sovereignty, is cause for dispute.  The director of the Sydney Center for International Law, Ben Saul, says micronations are illegal - and Australia is a hotbed for them, in part, due to outdated⁷ and untested British and local laws. "These cases are so unusual and so eccentric, in many ways, I mean these are people making quite odd claims to be separate from a country which they've always been a part of, and which they have no legal right in international law to become separate from," Saul said.

"Eccentricity⁸ is something which is present in everyone.  We are all mad to some extent. But we live in the sane⁹ world. We hope," said Prince Vas Khandekar.

Just several hours drive outside Sydney, we've entered what's known as a micronation. That tree line marks the border with Australia. We're here in the Empire of Atlantium. "We called it Atlantium. We started making stamps. We very shortly thereafter designed our flag.  We gave ourselves titles. And we set about writing a constitution for what we considered to be the model for a future world state," said George Cruickshank, Emperor of Atlantium.

Atlantium's imperial botanical gardens consist of one bush. Capitol Hill is just a hill. And Government House is a small modular trailer, featuring bunk¹⁰ beds and a small kitchen area with two hot plates.

All this nestled on a 76-hectare empire, which is off both the power and water grids¹¹.

Imperial Majesty¹² George II says the Internet was essential in allowing Atlantium to gain dual¹ citizens in over 100 countries. "The day that we launched the Atlantium Web site we had 12 citizens, we're now in a position where we have in excess of 1,300 citizens, and we're growing at a rate of one-to-two new applicants¹³ per day," he said.

In April, for the first time, a group of representatives from around 10 micronations held a conference at a university in Sydney, where they discussed ways to push for recognition.

All silliness, and costumes aside, Emperor Cruickshank says his administration has managed to hold meetings with heads of state from Brazil, India and Venezuela. "We may well be a somewhat ephemeral entity, but if those people are prepared to sit down with our representatives and actually give them the time of day, then we have actually achieved something in the real world," he said.

What remains¹⁴ to be seen is whether these smallest of countries may one day become the source of either real world strife¹⁵, or inspiration.
 

1 dual   

adj.双的；二重的，二元的

参考例句：

• The people's Republic of China does not recognize dual nationality for any Chinese national.中华人民共和国不承认中国公民具有双重国籍。
• He has dual role as composer and conductor.他兼作曲家及指挥的双重身分。

2 burgeoning   

adj.迅速成长的，迅速发展的v.发芽，抽枝( burgeon的现在分词 )；迅速发展；发（芽），抽（枝）

参考例句：

• Our company's business is burgeoning now. 我们公司的业务现在发展很迅速。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These efforts were insufficient to contain the burgeoning crisis. 这些努力不足以抑制迅速扩散的危机。 来自辞典例句

3 seceding   

v.脱离，退出( secede的现在分词 )

参考例句：

4 sewer   

n.排水沟，下水道

参考例句：

• They are tearing up the street to repair a sewer. 他们正挖开马路修下水道。
• The boy kicked a stone into the sewer. 那个男孩把一石子踢进了下水道。

5 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

6 entity   

n.实体，独立存在体，实际存在物

参考例句：

• The country is no longer one political entity.这个国家不再是一个统一的政治实体了。
• As a separate legal entity,the corporation must pay taxes.作为一个独立的法律实体，公司必须纳税。

7 outdated   

adj.旧式的，落伍的，过时的；v.使过时

参考例句：

• That list of addresses is outdated,many have changed.那个通讯录已经没用了，许多地址已经改了。
• Many of us conform to the outdated customs laid down by our forebears.我们许多人都遵循祖先立下的过时习俗。

8 eccentricity   

n.古怪，反常，怪癖

参考例句：

• I can't understand the eccentricity of Henry's behavior.我不理解亨利的古怪举止。
• His eccentricity had become legendary long before he died.在他去世之前他的古怪脾气就早已闻名遐尔了。

9 sane   

adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的

参考例句：

• He was sane at the time of the murder.在凶杀案发生时他的神志是清醒的。
• He is a very sane person.他是一个很有头脑的人。

10 bunk   

n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话

参考例句：

• He left his bunk and went up on deck again.他离开自己的铺位再次走到甲板上。
• Most economists think his theories are sheer bunk.大多数经济学家认为他的理论纯属胡说。

11 grids   

n.格子( grid的名词复数 )；地图上的坐标方格；（输电线路、天然气管道等的）系统网络；（汽车比赛）赛车起跑线

参考例句：

• Typical framed structures are beams, grids, plane and space frames or trusses. 典型构架结构为梁、格栅、平面的和空间的框架或桁架。 来自辞典例句
• The machines deliver trimmed grids for use or stock. 这种机器铸出修整过的板栅，以供使用或储存。 来自辞典例句

12 majesty   

n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权

参考例句：

• The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。
• Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下，您必须赶快做出决定！

13 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。

14 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

15 strife   

n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争

参考例句：

• We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。
• Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。