This year's five-day Animation and Comics festival (動漫節) drew a record (破紀錄) 696,000 visitors - a 2.2 percent rise on last year's 680,000.
Toys exhibitors estimate profits have soared 10 to 15 percent, saying fans were not hindered (阻止，阻撓) by higher prices brought about (note 2) by inflation. Lego Hong Kong director Fung Hin-wai said business on the first day of the festival was poor (差), but it picked up (note 3) over the next four days.
Most vendors(攤販) say sales rose on the improved economy as well as promised government cash handouts (派送現金)."Since the government is to give out HK$6,000 to Hong Kong citizens, some customers were prepared to pay the higher prices for their favorite items (心愛物)," said Oriental Trading director of sales and marketing Chan Wing-leung.
"Prices have risen 10 to 15 percent due to inflation but the number of products purchased in each transaction was relatively higher than last year," said Chan, whose company sells a variety of toys for adults and children. Though about 16,000 mainlanders attended the festival, Chan said only a few (note 4) called at his stall.
Animation and comic festivals are common in the mainland, with one due to be held in Guangzhou in October. To get rid of (note 5) stock (存貨) in the closing hours (note 6) of the festival, Hong Comic Studio started auctioning (note 7) all its products, which included comic posters and stuffed toys, from 6pm for as little as HK$1. A woman employee who did not give her name said all products came from Japan. "We did not want to send them back to Japan, hence the auction," she said.
From good to better English:
(note 1) extra punch=額外吸引力。Punch (動詞)=拳打，毆打。There was not much punch in Victor’s remarks=Victor的話沒啥力量。pull the punches=故意不用力打，故意讓對手打勝。Fruit punch=多味果汁飲料。
(note 2) brought about=引致。Bring=拿來，帶來，攜來，取來。I cannot bring myself to do it=我實在不能幹那件事。The news brought Victor to his feet=這個消息使Victor驚得站了起來。Bring around=說服。Bring back= 使回憶起，使恢復。
(note 3) picked up=增加。Pick=摘，挑選，挑毛病。Pick one's teeth=剔牙。 Mo Mo picks a quarrel with Bo Bo= Mo Mo找機會和Bo Bo吵架。 Pick fault with=挑眼。 Pick pocket=扒竊。
(note 4) only a few=人數不多 (A small number of persons or things)。A few 不等於few。例句: Victor’s singing party was to end at eight, but a few stayed on= Victor 的歌唱表演8時結束，但仍有不少人留下來。 Victor’s singing party began at eight, and few attended= Victor歌唱表演8時開始，但只有3，4人到來。
(note 5) get rid of=除去，散掉。
(note 6) the closing hours=關門前數小時。at all hours=在任何時候。for hours= 好幾個鐘頭。hour after hour=連續地。
(note 7) auction=拍賣。a public auction=公開拍賣。
Victor’s View: The Animation and Comics festival is always popular among young people. The number of attendees this year wasn’t impressive, however. It’s time the authorities tried some more new gimmicks to attract customers.
(Victor Fung Keung, director of HK Baptist University’s M.A. in international journalism program, has published 4 books on English-enhancement [the latest, titled <<學會演說、改變你的人生>>, was published on July 18] and plans to write 6 more by the end of 2012. Write to him: deanfungenglish@gmail.com)
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