Hello Kitty’s enduring appeal 歷久不衰的凱蒂貓


1. Hello Kitty, that easily recognizable symbol of cuteness, is using
her enduring feline appeal to win customers young and old once again.
凱蒂貓不但是最容易辨認的可愛象徵，她也正以她歷久不衰的魅力，再度擄獲老少消費者的心。

2. This time the benefactor is a convenience store chain in Taiwan,
which is offering coin-sized, three-dimensional badges of Hello Kitty
in 31 different poses ─ on a bike, making a wish, and even riding a
dolphin ─ to people who spend more than NT$77 each visit to any of the
convenience store’s many locations.
這次的受益者是台灣一家連鎖超商，只要人們到這家超商任何一家門市消費滿新台幣七十七元，便可得到一個銅板大小，具有三十一種不同造型的3D凱蒂貓磁鐵，這些磁鐵包括凱蒂貓騎腳踏車、許願、甚至是騎海豚等造型。
3. Since the campaign began in early May, sales are 20 percent above their level a year ago, said a company spokeswoman.
該連鎖超商一名女姓發言人表示，這項促銷活動從五月初展開後，業績比起去年增加了兩成。

4. By the time the promotion ends in mid-July, more than 100 million
badges will be give away ─ or four for every one of the islands
inhabitants, the company predicts.
該連鎖超商預測，促銷活動七月中結束後，送出的磁鐵將超過一億個，平均每個台灣人會擁有四個。

5. Hello Kitty, created in 1974 by Japanese designer Yuko Shimizu of
Sanrio Co., has an almost cult-like following across Asia.
凱蒂貓是在一九七四年由日本三麗鷗公司設計師清水侑子所創，在亞洲各地深受許多人喜愛。

6. There aren’t many consumer segments where the Kitty doesn’t pop up.
She adorns clothing, housewares, cosmetics, jewelry, toys of all sorts,
paper goods and electronics ranging from waffle irons to computers. The
character’s appeal spans all ages, particularly among girls and women.
上面沒有凱蒂貓圖案的消費產品種類少之又少，她的倩影出現在服飾、家庭用品、化妝品、珠寶、各種玩具、紙製品，以及烤煎餅機到電腦等電子產品。凱蒂貓的魅力襲捲各年齡層、尤其是少女和女性。

7. But this year’s promotion seems to be the biggest one of all, with
enthusiastic fans exchanging” Hello Kitty” badges on the Internet and
attending collectors’ meeting to fill in missing pieces.
但今年的促銷活動似乎是規模最大的一次，興奮的凱蒂迷會在網路上交換磁鐵並參加收藏者大會，以收集仍然缺少的磁鐵。

Words

1. enduring: (adj)持久的; 永久的
Tim and Harry knew they would have an enduring friendship. 提姆與哈利知道他們的友誼會持續到永遠。

2. recognizable: (adj)可以辨識的; 可以認識的
Leonardo da Vinci’s art is easily recognizable. 達文西的藝術創作很容易辨認出來。

3. feline: (adj)貓科的; 似貓的
She has a very feline walk; her steps make no sound. 她走路很像貓，腳步不會發出任何聲音。

4. benefactor: (n.)幫助者; 捐助者
Rich people are often benefactors of artists. 有錢人時常是藝術家的贊助者。

5. pose: (n.)姿勢; 姿態
She struck a pose for the photographer. 她為攝影師擺了一個姿勢。

6. campaign: (n.)活動; 運動
The campaign to destroy all rats in the city was successful. 那座城市的滅鼠運動相當成功。

7. promotion: (n.)促銷活動
The company’s promotion offers a discount on some products. 那家公司的促銷活動中，部份產品有打折優惠。

8. to predict: (v.)預測
Brad was always able to predict who would win the World Series. 布萊德總是預測得出哪一隊會贏得世界大賽冠軍。

Phrases

1. to pop up: 突然發生; 突然出現
As we were preparing to go home, a problem popped up that had to be taken care of. 當我們準備回家時，突然發生一個必須處理的問題。

2. collectors’ meeting: 收藏者的集會
Fifty thousand people came to the baseball card collectors’ meeting. 這場棒球卡收藏者大會共有五萬人參加。



以上文章來自:英文自學教室之新聞英語