《中英對照讀新聞》New head of ’space nation’ aims for the stars－「太空國」新領袖瞄準繁星

◎周虹汶

Feel like the world is going to the dogs? Want to get away from it all? Here’s a solution : become a citizen of the nation of Asgardia and hope it makes good on its promise to colonize the moon.

覺得這個世界正墮落毀滅嗎？想全然跳脫它嗎？這兒有個解決方法：變成阿斯伽迪亞國的公民，然後期望它實現殖民月球的承諾。

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Asgardia was founded just 20 months ago, and it already has about 200,000 citizens, a constitution and an elected parliament. It has a leader, Igor Ashurbeyli, who was inaugurated on Monday.

阿斯伽迪亞20個月前才成立，已有約20萬名公民、一部憲法以及一個選舉而來的議會。它有一個領導人，伊格爾．阿舒爾貝利週一就職。

It also has grandiose ambitions. It wants to build up a population of 150 million within 10 years. It plans to set up "space arks" with artificial gravity in outer space where humans could live permanently.

它也有宏大野心，想在10年內擴增到1.5億人口，計劃以人造重力在外太空設立人類可能永久生活的「太空方舟」。

Asgardia - named after Asgard, a world in the sky in Norse mythology - says its citizens now live in more than 200 countries, outnumbering the United Nations’ 193 member states.

阿斯伽迪亞——依據北歐神話一處位於天上的世界「阿斯嘉特」命名——說它的公民們目前住在超過200個國家，數量超越聯合國193個會員國。

Ashurbeyli said he intends to have satellites providing Internet access around the globe in five to seven years, space arks operating in 10 to 15 years, and finally to establish a permanent settlement on the moon within 25 years.

阿舒爾貝利說，他打算在5到7年內以衛星提供全球上網，10至15年內運行太空方舟，最終在25年內於月球建立一處永久定居地。

《新聞辭典》

aim for the stars：片語，指目標（志向）遠大，本文中有一語雙關用意。

go to the dogs：片語，指組織、機構等不復往日之盛。例句：This firm’s gone to the dogs since he took over.（這家公司從他接手以來，已大不如前。）

make good on：片語，指實現諾言、償債。例句：She made good on her pledge to donate $500.（她兌現了捐獻500美元的誓言。）