inspired by this desire amongst girls for a confident female role model. Handler probably didn'texpect the hostile reaction her doll initially received from the American public. Because Barbie hadbreasts she was accused of giving young girls a negative body image and making them obsessedwith their looks.

　　Those in the anti-Barbie camp say that if Barbie were human, she would be 1.68m tall, weigh 54kgand measure an impossible 38 - 18 - 34. Young girls, who play with Barbie, according to hercritics, will grow up wanting to have big breasts and slim waists.

　　They will grow up starving themselves so as to achieve that perfect, but impossible, figure.

　　In my post-Barbie teen years, as I was trying to develop my own personality and find my place inthe world, I started to believe such pseudo -feminist arguments. I started to distance myself frommy Barbie -playing childhood, and would look down upon anything that was colored pink like Barbie'sclothes. Pink was evil, I thought. It signified silly and pretty things of little consequence — it signifiedBarbie.

　　Luckily enough, this crazy phrase didn't last long. Feminism goes much deeper than hating Barbie, Iquickly realize. I have long reclaimed the color pink for myself. I declare proudly that I love Barbieand all she represents.

　　Indeed, it is not wrong for a child to want to be beautiful and wear nice clothes, as long as thesearen't the only things they aspire to. Educational toys are well and good — they are necessary tofeed the brain — but a child's fantasy life also needs to be nurtured.

　　Yes, Barbie does let young girls dream they can be supermodels and princesses. But that's not all.Since 1959, Barbie has had over 80 different careers — doctor, lawyer, pilot, presidentialcandidate, and even astronaut. Contrary to popular belief, she is not a passive creature. She heldthe spotlight for women long before feminism began in the 1970s.

　　練習題：

　　Ⅰ. Find reasons for the following facts according to the passage :

　　1. The mother sent back the Barbie doll. ( )

　　2. Ruth Handler created Barbie. ( )

　　3. The author asserted Barbie was not passive . ( )

　　Ⅱ. Question:

　　What's your opinon about Barbie? Will toy have effect on children's mental development?

　　Ⅰ. 1. The mother thought that it was not an appropriate present for girl.

　　2. She was inspired by this desire amongst girls for a confident female role model.

　　3. Barbie held the spotlight for women long before feminism began in the 1970s.

　　Ⅱ. (Open discussion)