Meet the real-life Barbie and Ken

This text is an article intitled « Meet the real-life Barbie and Ken! » and Published in Now, the 24 October 2001.
It despicts the lifes of Cindy Jackson and Miles Kendall who splashed out huge amounts of money to change their appearance.
They both underwent several cosmetic surgery procedures to look like Barbie and Ken and change their Outlook on life.
The article can be divided in three main parts : First, Miles’s life; Second, The link that exists between Barbie and Cindy, and Miles and Ken; Third, the disadvantages of plastic surgery.

I- Miles’s life:
a) Before surgery :

- his life was boring : his job, he spent a lot of time with his computer
{l.35 « My life was boring. I was stuck in front of a computer, bored out of my brains »

- dangerous : Miles drank alcohol, smoked and he tanned a lot.
{l.38 « I loved partying and I drank and smoked a lot. » l.39 « I was a real sun-worshipper which had seriously damaged my skin »

- He looked old before his time
{l.36 « I looked old before my time because of my fast living »

- People weren’t attracted to him : he had no real friend and no girlfriend for two years.
{l.38/39 « no one would look at me twice before »
l.60 « I hadn’t had a girlfriend for two years »

-He wasn’t taken seriously
{l.65 « My mates thought I was totally vain before surgery»

-He used to be the laughing stock.
{l.44 « People used to take the mickey out of me so much »

- Because of his nose which was long and sharp, he had a pseudo : Concorde.
{l.45 « My nickname was Concorde »

a) After surgery :

-He looks better, people pay more attention to him because of his look.
{ l.50 « The results is amazing »,
l.51 « I’m living proof that people do treat you differently according to the way you look »
l.56 « I’m treated totally different now »

-People talk to him all the time, they are attracted to him, like his girlfriend who finds him really good-looking.
{ l.56