VOA标准英语2010年-South Korea Energized by Figure Skater

South Korea is ablaze¹ with excitement for the Olympic debut² on Wednesday, Feb. 24 of Kim Yu-Na - a widespread favorite to bring back the country's first gold medal in figure skating. The corporate³ world has already caught Yuna fever.

Even before her first Olympic games, Kim Yu-Na had become marketing⁴ gold. Nike is just one brand hitching⁵ its wagon⁶ to the 19-year-old superstar.

Her nickname here in South Korea is "Queen Yu-Na" - and the government has printed a stamp in her honor. Her image is splashed everywhere.

 

Technology giant Samsung named a mobile phone after her. You can enjoy specially⁷ created Kim Yu-Na fruit smoothies,

And stay cool while you drink them with air conditioners that she endorses⁸. All told, Kim Yu-Na is estimated to have made between $7 and $9 million in promotional fees last year.

Won Young-shin is a professor of sports and leisure at Seoul's Yonsei University. She says Kim's rare combination of technical and artistic⁹ skill has fueled her success. But, she adds, there is even more to it. "She knows how to behave herself as a star. In a capitalistic society, she knows how to leverage¹⁰ her own marketing power, and not only manage her image, but adjust it flexibly to different circumstances. In Korea, just about everyone sees her as an idol," she said.

Some of Kim Yuna's youngest idolizers have come to be known here as "Yuna Kids." A number of South Korean parents are pouring money into figure skating lessons, hoping to cultivate the next Kim Yu-Na.

Skating coach Choi In-hwa says there are parallels between the new skating trend and the country's pressure-cooker educational system. "Some of the kids just love reading or music, but their parents force them to the ice rink, and shout at them for not concentrating enough. Typical Korean education fever has become sports fever. Some kids even start crying after being scolded by their moms," he said.

Orthodontists have also apparently¹¹ benefited from the Kim Yu-Na craze. They say parents are spending more on braces¹² - the same kind that gave Yu-Na her prize-winning smile.

 

1 ablaze   

adj.着火的，燃烧的；闪耀的，灯火辉煌的

参考例句：

• The main street was ablaze with lights in the evening.晚上，那条主要街道灯火辉煌。
• Forests are sometimes set ablaze by lightning.森林有时因雷击而起火。

2 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

3 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

4 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

5 hitching   

搭乘； （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的现在分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上

参考例句：

• The farmer yoked the oxen before hitching them to the wagon. 农夫在将牛套上大车之前先给它们套上轭。
• I saw an old man hitching along on his stick. 我看见一位老人拄着手杖蹒跚而行。

6 wagon   

n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车

参考例句：

• We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
• The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。

7 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

8 endorses   

v.赞同( endorse的第三人称单数 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• There isn't one country in the Middle East that now endorses the Eisenhower Doctrine. 但至今没有一个中东国家认可它。 来自辞典例句
• Whether any of this truly endorses Dr Patel's hypothesis is moot. 这些视频能否真正证明帕特的假设成立还是个未知数。 来自互联网

9 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

10 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

11 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

12 braces   

n.吊带，背带；托架( brace的名词复数 )；箍子；括弧；（儿童）牙箍v.支住( brace的第三人称单数 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来

参考例句：

• The table is shaky because the braces are loose. 这张桌子摇摇晃晃，因为支架全松了。
• You don't need braces if you're wearing a belt! 要系腰带，就用不着吊带了。