How would you sell Korea as a tourist destination?
Have you heard of medical tourism? What do you know?
I’m in my hometown this week and while reading the local paper, something caught my eye. It was a story about how two morbidly obese women flew to Korea to have surgery to reduce their stomach sizes. Basically, the cost of surgery here would have cost about $17,000 to $35, 000, but in Korea it runs to about $8000. Actually, their surgery was paid for by the Korean Tourism Office (KTO) as an advertisement for excellent and very affordable surgery in South Korea. This is an innovative way of advertising and attracting and developing a medical tourist market in Korea. Already many tourists come from China and Japan, but Korea wants to attract those from further abroad and is aiming for 10,000 medical tourists a year by 2013.
One of the ladies interviewed who had this life changing surgery said that now she will put in a good word for South Korea to anyone who is in the same boat as she was.
Guessing Meaning From Context
Now, match the letters of the phrasal verbs/words with the closest numbered meaning in the right column. The meanings here are based on the way the words are used in this writing. The answers are at the bottom of the table.
|
caught my eye |
A |
1 |
Very overweight, too much body fat |
|
morbidly |
B |
2 |
goal |
|
obese |
C |
3 |
A recommendation |
|
runs to about |
D |
4 |
|
|
is aiming for |
E |
5 |
Notice, see, get your attention |
|
life changing |
F |
6 |
Same problem with other/s |
|
put in a good word |
G |
7 |
Something that happens or someone does that makes a big difference to them |
|
in the same boat |
H |
8 |
Unhealthy in a way that will lead to death |
|
caught my eye |
I |
9 |
Total amount is approximately |
A=5, B=8, C=1, D=9, E=2, F=7, G=3, H=6
Some questions to help you use the new words/phrases
When you go shopping what things catch your eye?
What movies or things do you think are morbid?
If you were obese like these two women, would you get life changing surgery too? Explain your answer.
How much do air tickets to Japan/China (or some other place) run to? Answer using ‘run to.’
What things are you aiming for in the future?
Tell about a time you put in a good word for someone.
Describe a situation when you were in the same boat with someone else.
Some example sentences using the new words/phrases
One of the things that caught my eye in Europe was the old architecture.
My friend could never walk past a cemetery, he said they were too morbid.
The number of obese people in the U.S. runs to about 40%.
The U.S. government is aiming to avoid a credit problem.
For me, getting accepted into a good university was life changing.
One kind of advertising is when someone puts in a good word for a company or product.
Many people have financial difficulties these days, which means that they are in the same boat financially.
ECK Education
