運動鞋的用途廣泛、款式多樣，還引領著潮流時尚。你是 “運動鞋迷（sneakerhead）” 嗎？最初，運動鞋是專為體育運動員設計的實用鞋品。而如今它已成為一種時尚的符號，產業價值數十億美元。本期節目聚焦運動鞋行業的誕生和發展。

詞匯：fashion 時尚

Many of us wear trainers, or sneakers as they are called in American English. They might not seem like anything special, but these items of footwear have become an obsession for some people. Get ready to meet the sneakerheads.

From their beginnings as practical footwear for athletes, trainers or sneakers have become big business. They are now a massive part of the global fashion industry, and the sneaker market could be worth $120bn by 2026. Trainers started to gain cultural cachet in the 1970s due to the popularity of basketball and football in US and UK youth culture, says fashion gallery curator Ligaya Salazar. Celebrity endorsements from the likes of Run DMC and Michael Jordan boosted the market through the 1980s and 90s. Brendan Dunne, host of a podcast dedicated to sneakers, describes how, as they became cooler and more expensive, sneakers became status signifiers.

While most trainers are made for the mass market, limited-edition pairs are made to appeal to those who are looking for something special. Sneakerheads are those who collect rare trainers, sometimes paying thousands of dollars for a pair. Dunne compares it to art collecting, pointing out that they have been sold by major auction houses and are seen by some as an investment.

Trainer manufacturers have seen this market for rare sneakers as a good business opportunity and have teamed up with celebrities to produce limited edition pairs. This feeds into the resale market for this footwear. Some sneakerheads spend hours camping outside shops to get their hands on the most desirable limited editions which they can then flip for a huge profit.

So, an item that started as an everyday functional object for people playing sports can now also be a high-fashion item worth thousands of dollars.

詞匯表

trainers （英式英語）運動鞋
sneakers （美式英語）運動鞋
footwear 鞋類
sneakerhead 運動鞋迷，癡迷于收集或交易運動鞋的人
practical 實用的
market 市場
cultural cachet 文化聲望
celebrity endorsement 名人代言
status signifier 地位的象征
mass market 大眾市場
limited-edition 限量版的
appeal to 吸引
rare 稀有的
pair 一雙
investment 投資
manufacturer 制造商
resale market 轉售市場
desirable 渴望得到的
flip （為盈利而）迅速轉售
high-fashion 高級時裝的

測驗與練習

1.  閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. What are trainers called in American English?

2. How big could the market for trainers be by 2026?

3. According to the article, when did trainers start to become cool?

4. Which famous people does the article say were important in promoting sneakers?

5. According to the article, how do some sneakerheads get hold of limited-edition shoes?

2.  選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. The company hopes to dominate the global _______ within the next few years.

shop                          market                       store                         site

2. The clothes people wear can have cultural _______.

weight                       size                            community                cachet

3. Many trainers are named after celebrities because people pay more for products with _______.

items                         speeches                   endorsements           meetings

4. Expensive trainers can be a status _______ for some people.

signifier                     magnet                       sign                           highlight

5. Limited-_______ sneakers can be very expensive.

number                     size                            use                             edition

答案

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。 

1. What are trainers called in American English?

They are called 'sneakers' in American English.

2. How big could the market for trainers be by 2026?

The trainer market could be worth $120bn by 2026.

3. According to the article, when did trainers start to become cool?

Trainers started to gain cultural cachet in the 1970s.

4. Which famous people does the article say were important in promoting sneakers?

Celebrity endorsements from the likes of Run DMC and Michael Jordan boosted the market through the 1980s and 90s.

5. According to the article, how do some sneakerheads get hold of limited-edition shoes?

Some sneakerheads spend hours camping outside shops to get hold of limited-edition shoes.

2.  選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. The company hopes to dominate the global market within the next few years.

2. The clothes people wear can have cultural cachet.

3. Many trainers are named after celebrities because people pay more for products with endorsements.

4. Expensive trainers can be a status signifier for some people.

5. Limited-edition sneakers can be very expensive.