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  • 50 years ago Barbie Millicent Roberts first appeared before the world of toys. Barbie,

  • as everyone called her, has become one of the most successful toy in history.

  • Ruth Handler watched her daughter Barbara play with paper dolls, and noticed that she

  • often enjoyed giving them adult roles. At the time, most children's toy dolls were representations

  • of infants. Realizing that there could be a gap in the market, Handler suggested the

  • idea of an adult-bodied doll to her husband Elliot, a co-founder of the Mattel toy company.

  • During a trip to Europe in 1956 Ruth Handler saw a German doll called Bild Lilli. The adult-figured

  • doll was exactly what Handler had in mind, so she purchased three of them and took them

  • to Mattel. The Lilli was based on a popular character appearing in a comic strip. Lilli

  • was a blonde bombshell, a working girl. The Lilli doll was first sold in Germany in 1956.

  • Mattel acquired the rights to the Bild Lilli in 1964 . The first Barbie doll wore a black

  • and white zebra striped swimsuit and signature topknot ponytail, and was available as either

  • a blonde or brunette. The doll was marketed as a "Teen-age Fashion Model," with her clothes

  • created by Mattel fashion designer Charlotte Johnson. The first Barbie dolls were manufactured

  • in Japan, with their clothes hand-stitched. Around three hundred and fifty thousand Barbie’s

  • were sold within a year. According to Barbie's parents, the Mattel

  • Company, 90% of all American girls between 3 and 10 have had at least one Barbie.

  • Today, however, Barbie is facing an identity crisis. There are many rivals in market. Bratz

  • dolls, for example, came to life seven years ago. They look more like today's pop stars

  • with lots of makeup and miniskirts. Bratz is a challenge for Barbie, as the company

  • offers a wide variety of clothing too. Indeed, sales have been going down over the

  • past year, partly because of the world's economic crisis.

  • Barbie still has a lot going for her. More and more doll lovers all over the globe have

  • become collectors. They trade Barbies or buy them on eBay. Other look for special and rare

  • Barbie dolls, like Scarlett O'Hara from "Gone with the Wind".

  • On the international scene, Barbie remains number one. Although Mattel has been selling

  • fewer Barbies in the United States over the past year. In January Mattel opened its first

  • Barbie store in Shanghai, where girls can shop, eat or even become their own fashion

  • designer. Barbie is present in the virtual world at

  • Barbiegirls.com. users can play games and chat with other Barbie fans. There are Facebook

  • groups and YouTube channels. Barbie has changed her image many times over

  • the past decades. Originally she wore blond pony tails and had bright red lips. In the

  • 80s she changed to a more colourful neon look. For her 50th birthday Mattel is planning some

  • big events. Fashion designers from all over the world have been called to make new clothes

  • for Barbie. She is also scheduled to be a big star during a New York fashion week.

  • How long will Barbie stay on as a celebrity in the world of toys. Hard to stay, but 50

  • is definitely not the age to retire.

50 years ago Barbie Millicent Roberts first appeared before the world of toys. Barbie,

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B1 barbie doll handler fashion barbies toy

Things You Didn't Know About Barbie Girl Vs Bratz Doll

  • 3 0
    Anita Lin posted on 2017/03/27
Video vocabulary

Keywords

figure

US /ˈfɪɡjɚ/

UK /ˈfiɡə/

  • verb
  • To appear in a game, play or event
  • To calculate how much something will cost
  • To understand or solve something.
  • To understand after thinking; work out
  • other
  • To consider, believe, or conclude.
  • To calculate or work out (a sum or amount).
  • noun
  • Your body shape
  • Numbers in a calculation
  • A diagram or illustrative drawing in a book or magazine.
  • Doll-like thing meant to represent a person
  • Picture or diagram giving information in a text
  • Person who is very important or famous
  • A set pattern of movements in ice skating.
  • Shape of a person seen indistinctly or in outline
  • Amount that is expressed in numbers
  • A person, especially one who is important or well-known.
  • A numerical amount or value expressed in numbers.
  • A statue or other representation of a person or animal.
  • An outline or shape, especially of a person or animal.
  • other
  • To conclude or expect; think.
present

US /ˈprɛznt/

UK /'preznt/

  • other
  • To give, provide, or show something to somebody
  • To give something to someone formally or ceremonially.
  • To give (something) to someone, especially formally or as a gift.
  • Introduce (someone) to someone else.
  • Give or offer (something) to someone.
  • To put on a performance or show.
  • To show or display something.
  • adjective
  • Being in a particular place.
  • Being in a particular place.
  • Being in a particular place; attending or existing.
  • Being in attendance; being there; having turned up
  • Existing or occurring now.
  • Being in a particular place; existing or occurring now.
  • Existing or occurring now.
  • other
  • Be in a particular place.
  • To be in a particular place.
  • To be in a particular place.
  • noun
  • Gift
  • Verb tense indicating an action is happening now
  • Current time; now
  • The period of time now occurring.
  • verb
  • To introduce someone to others
  • To host a program on television or radio
  • To give a speech or presentation
  • To show something to someone who will examine it
  • To appear or happen
  • To give an award or prize to someone
  • other
  • The period of time now occurring.
acquire

US /əˈkwaɪr/

UK /ə'kwaɪə(r)/

  • verb
  • To get or earn something by thinking or working
  • To develop a skill, habit, or quality.
  • To gain possession of something; to obtain or get.
  • other
  • To develop or learn a skill, habit, or quality.
  • To gain possession of something; to obtain or get.
character

US /ˈkærəktɚ/

UK /'kærəktə(r)/

  • noun
  • Person in a story, movie or play
  • The distinctive nature or features of something.
  • The quality of being individual in a marked way.
  • An interesting or unusual person.
  • Writing symbols, e.g. alphabet or Chinese writing
  • Your personality or nature
  • A person or other being in a narrative.
  • Person who is interesting in amusing way
  • The mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual
  • The quality of being individual in a marked way
  • A person or other being in a narrative
  • A printed or written letter or symbol
  • other
  • The distinctive nature or features of something
  • The distinctive nature or features of something.
  • The mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.
crisis

US /ˈkraɪsɪs/

UK /'kraɪsɪs/

  • noun
  • Unstable situation of extreme danger or difficulty
  • A situation that has reached a critical phase.
  • A time of intense difficulty or danger.
  • A decisive moment.
  • A time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger.
  • A time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger.
  • A situation that has reached a critical phase.
  • A time when a problem, illness, etc. is at its worst point
  • A situation related to environmental damage.
  • A state of instability or danger.
  • A difficult or painful experience in a person's life.
  • A politically unstable situation.
  • A turning point in a disease.
realize

US /ˈriəˌlaɪz/

UK /'ri:əlaɪz/

  • verb
  • To become aware of or understand mentally
  • To achieve something that you have been trying to do.
  • To understand or become aware of something.
  • other
  • To achieve or make something happen.
  • To convert something into cash.
  • To convert something into cash or a different form.
  • To understand or become aware of something.
scene

US /sin/

UK /si:n/

  • noun
  • Incident where someone behaves angrily, badly
  • View that looks like a picture
  • Place where something particular happened
  • Part of an act in a play
variety

US /vəˈraɪɪti/

UK /və'raɪətɪ/

  • noun
  • A collection of different things; an assortment.
  • A number of different kinds of things, especially ones in the same general category.
  • A form of entertainment consisting of a series of different acts, such as musical performances, comedy sketches, and dances.
  • A rank in the classification of organisms below the level of subspecies.
  • A form of a language that is spoken in a particular area or by a particular group of people.
  • A range of things from which a choice may be made.
  • A particular type of something within a larger category.
  • Particular type of thing or person
  • other
  • The quality or state of being different or diverse; the absence of uniformity, sameness, or monotony.
  • The quality of being diverse or different, making life more interesting.
  • other
  • The quality or state of being diverse or different; a number of different kinds of things or people.
  • Entertainment consisting of a series of short performances, such as singing, dancing, and comedy.
celebrity

US /səˈlɛbrɪti/

UK /sə'lebrətɪ/

  • noun
  • A (famous) entertainer known by many people
  • A famous person, especially in entertainment or sports.
  • other
  • The state of being well-known or famous.
challenge

US /ˈtʃæləndʒ/

UK /'tʃælɪndʒ/

  • other
  • To demand identification from someone.
  • To dispute the truth or validity of something.
  • To invite someone to engage in a contest or fight.
  • To invite someone to engage in a contest.
  • To object to something as being incorrect or unjustified.
  • To test someone's abilities or resources.
  • noun
  • A difficult task or problem; something that is hard to do.
  • A difficult task or problem.
  • An activity you wish to try that may be hard to do
  • A formal objection or query.
  • Act of formally inviting someone to compete
  • A demand by a sentry for identification.
  • An invitation to engage in a contest.
  • An objection or query about something.
  • A difficult task or problem.
  • Something that threatens or questions the status quo.
  • A question to determine correctness of something
  • verb
  • To formally invite someone to compete at something
  • To question the correctness of something