Lesson-12---Barbie-Doll

Lesson12BarbieDoll•BeforeallthedifferenttypesofBarbiedollsforsale,therewasjustasingleBarbie.Actually,hernamewasBarbara.•BarbaraHandlerwasthedaughterofElliotandRuthHandler,co-foundersoftheMattelToyCompany.Inthe1950s,Ruthnoticedthatherdaughter,Barbara,preferredtoplaywithdollsthatlookedlikeadultsratherthanbabies.Atthattime,however,most3-Ddollsweremadetolooklikebabiesorsmallchildren.Realizingthattherewasaholeinthemarketplace,Ruthsuggestedtheideaofa3Dadult-likedolltoherhusband,buttheideawaslaughedat.Mattel’sdirectorstoldherthatitwouldbeimpossibletocreatesuchadoll.•Afterwatchingherdaughterplaysointerestedlywithadult-likepaperdolls,however,Ruthstucktoheridea.DuringatriptoGermanywithherdaughter,RuthdiscoveredaGermandollnamedlilyinashopwindow.Theadult-likelilydollwasexactlywhatRuthhadinmind,sosheboughtthreeofthem.ShegaveonetoherdaughterandtooktheothersbacktoMattel.•TheLilydollwasbasedonapopularcharacterinanewspapercomicstrip.Mattelre-madethedollintoadecent,all-Americanversion.Sinceherintroductionin1959,Barbiehasbecomethequeenofthedolls.MattelsaystheaverageAmericangirlownstenBarbiedolls,andtwoaresoldsomewhereintheworldeverysecond.Askandanswer•1.WhowasBarbaraHandler?•2.WhatkindofdollsdidBarbaralike?•3.Whatdidthedollslooklikeinthe1950s?•4.WheredidRuthandherdaughtergoforatrip?•5.WheredidRuthfindlily?•6.Howdidlilylook?•7.HowmanyLilydollsdidRuthbuy?•8.HowmanyBarbiedollsdoesanaverageAmericangirlown?•9.WhenwasLilyintroducedtoAmericanmarket?•10.HowmanyBarbiedollsaresoldintheworldeverysecond?