委內瑞拉選美業難逃經濟危機影響
Despite a second consecutive victory at this year's Miss Universe, even Venezuela's hugely successful beauty factory is feeling the global pinch.
The local "Miss Venezuela" organization -- which has landed the South American nation more international pageant titles than any other country -- announced on Wednesday it had slashed the number of national competitors to 20 from 30.
"We have had to tighten our belt a bit too," said Joaquin Riviera, organizer of the annual Miss Venezuela competition, which is wildly popular and draws huge TV audiences.
The next national winner will be chosen on September 24.
"I've asked Osmel to be a bit stricter choosing 20 girls, so we only have the best," Riviera added, referring to local beauty "czar" Osmel Sousa, who prepares the competitors.
Sousa denied the cuts, however, would mean fewer dresses or less plastic surgery for girls competing. Venezuela has one of the highest rates of cosmetic surgery in the world.
Venezuela's Stefania Fernandez, an 18-year-old brunette, won the Miss Universe 2009 title last month in the Bahamas, giving her country its second win in a row and its sixth in that pageant's history.
儘管委內瑞拉小姐今年連續第二年摘得“環球小姐”桂冠，但該國極爲成功的“造美工廠”也感受到了全球經濟危機的影響。
當地的“委內瑞拉小姐”選美機構於本週三宣佈其已將參加全國比賽的選手人數從30名縮減到了20名。來自南美的“委內瑞拉小姐”向來是國際選美大賽的奪冠熱門。
一年一度的“委內瑞拉小姐”選美比賽的組織者傑昆•裏維埃拉說：“我們也不得不縮緊開支了。“委內瑞拉小姐”選美大賽十分受歡迎，吸引了大批電視觀衆觀看。
下一屆“委內瑞拉小姐”全國冠軍將於9月24日決出。
裏維埃拉說：“我已經要求奧斯梅爾把標準定得更加嚴格一點，只選出20個女孩，這樣我們選出來的都是最好的。” 奧斯梅爾·索薩是當地的選美“教父”，專門負責訓練選手。
然而，索薩表示，人數減少並不意味着選手們的比賽服裝或整容手術會減少。委內瑞拉是全世界整容手術率最高的國家之一。
上月，委內瑞拉18歲的黑髮美女斯特法妮婭•費爾南德斯在巴哈馬摘得2009年度”環球小姐“桂冠。這是委內瑞拉連續第二年奪冠，也是該國在選美歷史上第六次獲此殊榮。
Vocabulary:
tighten one's belt: 束緊腰帶；節約度日
pinch:a painful, difficult, or straitened circumstance 困難
land: to win; secure贏得（land a contract 攬得一份合同）
pageant: 指beauty pageant，選美大賽
brunette: a girl or woman with dark or brown hair 黑髮或褐發女人
