2006年VOA标准英语-Superbowl Fans Get More Than Football

By Steve Schy
Detroit
04 February 2006

Super Bowl 40 will air Sunday on the ABC television network and advertisers will be paying top-dollar to show their products to the huge audience expected for the game.

Pittsburgh Steelers fans take in the sights Friday, in front of Ford¹ Field in Detroit   
  
Last year more than 133 million Americans tuned² in for the National Football League's title match-up, with nearly one billion viewers around the world. According to industry sources, the cost of a 30-second commercial during the U.S. telecast will average $2.5 million, $100,000 more than last year and a new record. For those inclined to do the math, that works out to more than $83,000 a second.

Even with another high-profile media event, the Winter Olympics, set to kick off in Turin, Italy five days after the Super Bowl, advertisers have not balked³ at paying premium⁴ prices. Emerald Nuts is advertising⁵ again after their Super Bowl ad was a big hit last year and helped sales more than double. It featured a unicorn⁶ and other fantasy figures.

In a beer commercial, a cocky cockatiel defended a lady's honor in a bar.

As always, humor is expected to dominate the Super Bowl ads.
 

Ford Mustang Mach 1  
  
The Ford Motor Company used this commercial to build anticipation⁷ of a new Mustang convertible⁸. A policeman tapped a driver frozen solid in the icy winter weather with a big grin on his face.

 "You just don't introduce a convertible this irresistible⁹ in the middle of winter. Coming this spring, the Mustang convertible," the announcer says.

Some advertisers, such as Visa and McDonald's, have decided¹⁰ to skip the Super Bowl in favor of the Olympics. But others have decided that advertising during both makes sense.

Huge companies including long-time Super Bowl advertisers Anheuser-Busch, Pepsi, and General Motors will be back, joined by names as CareerBuilder.com, Ameriquest Mortgage, Toyota, Bayer and Federal Express.

Many advertisers agree, no matter which teams are competing, the Super Bowl remains¹¹ the premier¹² advertising showcase of the year, and is too big to be ignored. Emerald Nuts advertising executives say they plan to build on the awareness¹³ generated by their Super Bowl spot and reinforce it by advertising in the Olympics.
 
 

1 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

2 tuned   

adj.调谐的，已调谐的v.调音( tune的过去式和过去分词 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• The resort is tuned in to the tastes of young and old alike. 这个度假胜地适合各种口味，老少皆宜。
• The instruments should be tuned up before each performance. 每次演出开始前都应将乐器调好音。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 balked   

v.畏缩不前，犹豫( balk的过去式和过去分词 )；（指马）不肯跑

参考例句：

• He balked in his speech. 他忽然中断讲演。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• They balked the robber's plan. 他们使强盗的计划受到挫败。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 premium   

n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的

参考例句：

• You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
• Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后，清水便因稀而贵了。

5 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

6 unicorn   

n.(传说中的)独角兽

参考例句：

• The unicorn is an imaginary beast.独角兽是幻想出来的动物。
• I believe unicorn was once living in the world.我相信独角兽曾经生活在这个世界。

7 anticipation   

n.预期，预料，期望

参考例句：

• We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。
• The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。

8 convertible   

adj.可改变的，可交换，同意义的；n.有活动摺篷的汽车

参考例句：

• The convertible sofa means that the apartment can sleep four.有了这张折叠沙发，公寓里可以睡下4个人。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了。

9 irresistible   

adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的

参考例句：

• The wheel of history rolls forward with an irresistible force.历史车轮滚滚向前，势不可挡。
• She saw an irresistible skirt in the store window.她看见商店的橱窗里有一条叫人着迷的裙子。

10 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。

11 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。

12 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

13 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。