Podcast
Five types of Asiad tickets unveiled
Updated: 2010-08-19 14:01
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The Asian Games 2010 ticket center on Wednesday released five different types of anti-counterfeit tickets for the sporting extravaganza that kicks off on Nov 12.
The five varieties include commemorative tickets to the opening and closing ceremonies, tickets for registered attendees, normal spectator tickets and instantly printed tickets.
Zhang Shucang, deputy manager of Shijiazhuang Printing Co, said the anti-counterfeit technology used in the Asian Games ticket design is even more advanced than the one for printing banknotes.
The front side of the ticket has five anti-fake spots, a first in sporting event tickets.
The ticket center began receiving bookings on July 26. As of Aug 15, the center had received 20,000 bookings for the opening ceremonies of the Asian Games and the Asian Para Games.
Only 5,000 tickets will be issued to the general public for the opening ceremony through a drawing.
Guangzhou citizens can book the tickets, which have been designed with Cantonese cultures and traditions in mind, either online or at banks.
Lu Ping, a cashier at the Tianhe district branch of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, one of 400 ICBC branches across the country selling tickets, told China Daily that there have been more inquiries than bookings.
Since July 26, she has sold only a few dozen tickets for the opening ceremony.
Yuan Yue, director of the ticket center, said, "It's because we are asking people to pay for the tickets beforehand."
He said that those who pay for the ticket but are subsequently not chosen from the lucky draw would get refunds.
As residents scramble for tickets to the Asian Games opening ceremony, the Para Games, which open on Dec 12, are not getting much attention.
According to the ticket center, more than 1,000 tickets for the Para Games opening ceremony have yet to be booked.
Ticket prices for the Asian Games opening ceremony range from 1,600 yuan ($235) - seven times more expensive than the cheapest tickets for the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony - to 6,800 yuan, which is 1,800 yuan more than the most expensive ticket to the Olympics ceremony.
Questions:
1. How many different types of tickets are available for the Asian Games 2010?
2. When and where will the games be held?
3. How many tickets will be available for the opening ceremony?
Answers:
1. The ticket center released five different types of anti-counterfeit tickets.
2. On Nov 12 in Guangzhou.
3. Only 5,000 tickets will be issued to the general public for the opening ceremony through a drawing.
（中国日报网英语点津 Helen 编辑）
About the broadcaster:
Nelly Min is an editor at China Daily with more than 10 years of experience as a newspaper editor and photographer. She has worked at major newspapers in the U.S., including the Los Angeles Times and the Detroit Free Press. She is fluent in Korean and has a 2-year-old son.
