世界上最小的国家出售！

　　For sale: the world's smallest country with its own flag, stamps, currency and passports.

　　Apply to Prince Michael of Sealand if you want to run your own nation, even if it is just a wartime fort perched on two concrete towers in the North Sea.

　　A file photo of Sealand.

　　Built in World War Two as an anti-aircraft base to repel¹ German bombers², the derelict platform was taken over 40 years ago by retired³ army major Paddy Roy Bates who went

　　to live there with his family.

　　He declared the platform, perched seven miles off the east coast of England and

　　just outside Britain's territorial⁴ waters, to be the principality of Sealand.

　　The self-styled Prince Roy adopted a flag, chose a national anthem⁵ and minted silver and gold coins.

　　The family saw off attempts by Britain's Royal Navy to evict⁶ them and also an attempt in 1978 by a group of German and Dutch businessmen to seize Sealand by force.

　　Roy, 85, now lives in Spain and his son Michael told BBC Radio on Monday his family had been approached by estate agents with clients "who wanted a bit more than a bit of real estate, they wanted autonomy."

　　He suggested Sealand, which has eight rooms in each tower, could be a base for online gambling⁷ or offshore⁸ banking⁹.

　　Asked to describe the delights of living on what he described as a cross between a house and a ship, the 54-year-old said: "The neighbors are very quiet. There is a good sea view."

　　出售信息：世界上最小的国家，国旗、邮票、货币、护照样样俱全。

　　如果你想拥有一个由自己“统治”的国家，那就赶紧向“海国”的迈克尔王子申请购买吧！不过这个“海国”是战争时代建造的堡垒，座落于北海中的两根混凝土塔柱之上。

　　“海国”的前身是一个建于二战时期抵御德国轰炸的防空基地。40年前，已退休的帕迪·罗伊·贝茨海军少校携家人“占领”了这个被遗弃的平台，并宣布成立“海国”公国。

　　“海国”距英国东海岸仅7公里，而且恰好位于英国的领水之外。

　　自封为王的罗伊王子专为“海国”确定了国旗、国歌，还发行了金银铸币。

　　但英国海军却多次试图将贝茨家族从“海国”驱逐出去。1978年，一群来自德国和荷兰的商人曾试图通过武力占领这块“领土”。

　　今年85岁的罗伊现居住在西班牙，他的儿子迈克尔于本周一向BBC广播透露，一些房地产中介日前与他们联系过，因为有些客户“想购置一处可以‘自治’的房产”。

　　“海国”的两个堡垒里各有八间屋子，迈克尔王子建议，这块地方适合作在线赌博或离岸银行业务用。

　　谈到住在这个“船房一体”的“海国”的最大优点时，54岁的迈克尔王子说：“这里没有邻居的烦扰，而且还能看到海景。”

　　Vocabulary:

　　anti-aircraft   : 防空用的

　　territorial waters : 领水（territorial air 领空）

1 repel   

v.击退，抵制，拒绝，排斥

参考例句：

• A country must have the will to repel any invader.一个国家得有决心击退任何入侵者。
• Particles with similar electric charges repel each other.电荷同性的分子互相排斥。

2 bombers   

n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟

参考例句：

• Enemy bombers carried out a blitz on the city. 敌军轰炸机对这座城市进行了突袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Royal Airforce sill remained dangerously short of bombers. 英国皇家空军仍未脱离极为缺乏轰炸机的危境。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

4 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

5 anthem   

n.圣歌，赞美诗，颂歌

参考例句：

• All those present were standing solemnly when the national anthem was played.奏国歌时全场肃立。
• As he stood on the winner's rostrum,he sang the words of the national anthem.他站在冠军领奖台上，唱起了国歌。

6 evict   

vt.驱逐，赶出，撵走

参考例句：

• The lessor can evict the lessee for failure to pay rent.出租人可驱逐不付租金的承租人。
• The government always says it's for the greater good when they evict farmers from their land.当政府把农民从他们的土地赶出去的时候，总是号称是为了更大众的利益。

7 gambling   

n.赌博；投机

参考例句：

• They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
• The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。

8 offshore   

adj.海面的，吹向海面的；adv.向海面

参考例句：

• A big program of oil exploration has begun offshore.一个大规模的石油勘探计划正在近海展开。
• A gentle current carried them slowly offshore.和缓的潮流慢慢地把他们带离了海岸。

9 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。