英語四級閱讀理解精煉第020篇，練習關于芭比不僅是玩具的閱讀理解，含有四級閱讀練習題，參考譯文，答案等內容。

　　created Barbie in 1959 was　inspired1 by this desire amongst girls for a confident female role model. Handler probably didn t expect the hostile reaction her doll initially received from the American public. Because Barbie had breasts she was accused of giving young girls a negative body image and making them obsessed2 with their looks.

　　Those in the anti-Barbie camp say that if Barbie were human, she would be 1 .68m tall, weigh 54kg and measure an impossible 38 - 18 - 34. Young girls, who play with Barbie, according to her critics, 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 in the world, I started to believe such pseudo -feminist arguments. I started to distance myself from my Barbie -playing childhood, and would look down upon anything that was colored pink like Barbie s clothes. Pink was evil, I thought. It signified silly and pretty things of little consequence it signified Barbie.

　　Luckily enough, this crazy phrase didn t last long. Feminism3 goes much deeper than hating Barbie, I quickly realize. I have long reclaimed4 the color pink for myself. I declare proudly that I love Barbie and all she represents.

　　Indeed, it is not wrong for a child to want to be beautiful and wear nice clothes, as long as these aren t the only things they aspire to. Educational toys are well and good they are necessary to feed 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, presidential candidate , and even astronaut. Contrary to popular belief, she is not a passive creature . She held the spotlight for women long before feminism began in the 1970s.

　　CET4大學英語四級閱讀練習題：

　　Ⅰ. Fin d re aso ns for the fo llowing fa cts according to the p as sage :

　　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?

　　參考答案

　　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.　CET4大學英語四級閱讀參考譯文：

　　芭比 不僅是玩具

　　有 個朋友告訴我, 她送給一個女孩做生日禮物的芭比娃娃被她母親退了回來。她 母親說, 對一個將來要有所成就而又處在成長中的女孩來說, 這個禮物不合適。

　　不喜歡芭比娃娃的母親并非絕無僅有。我在朋友中間 作的一個隨機調查顯示, 許多人都不喜歡芭比娃娃。

　　芭比給女生灌輸的是一種消極的價值觀。

　　她只知道怎么花錢。這可不是我要鼓勵我的孩子去做的。

　　為什么芭比會受到這樣的批評? 一個噴漆塑料做的東西真的如我朋友所想的這么邪惡, 會有損孩子們的身心健康, 把她們變成沒有頭腦消費至上的女人?

　　我童年時, 芭比是每個女孩子渴望的玩具。她美麗, 有漂亮衣服, 最重要的是她很自信, 不是平胸的尷尬女孩。我長大了要像她一樣。其實, 我們長大后都想像她那樣。實際上, 美國女人露絲 亨德利1959 年設計芭比的靈感源于女孩們渴望一個自信的榜樣。亨德利最初可能沒預料到會遭到美國民眾的非議。因為芭比娃娃很豐滿, 所以她被指責給年輕女孩負面印象, 使她們過于在意自己的外表。

　　那些反對芭比娃娃的人說, 如果芭比娃娃是真人的話, 她應該身高1 米68 , 體重54 公斤, 三圍分別是38 、18 、34 英寸。玩芭比娃娃的年輕女孩子長大后也想要豐滿的胸脯和纖細的腰身。她們會渴望那種完美, 卻可望不可及的身材。

　　長到十幾歲以后, 當我試著發展自己的個性, 尋找自己在這世界上的位置時, 我開始相信這種女權主義的觀點。我開始遠離玩芭比娃娃的童年時代, 對那些像芭比娃娃衣服一樣粉紅的東西, 我都不屑一顧。我認為粉紅是邪惡的, 它代表愚蠢和瑣碎, 代表芭比娃娃。

　　所幸的是這種近乎瘋狂的時期沒有持續多久。我很快意識到女權主義遠比憎恨芭比娃娃更為深刻。我早就找回了粉紅色。我驕傲地宣布我愛芭比娃娃和她所代表的一切。

　　實際上, 孩子愛美, 喜歡穿漂亮衣服并沒有錯, 只要不把這些當成唯一的追求。有教育意義的玩具對培養孩子的智力很重要, 但是孩子的想象力的培養也不可忽視。

　　芭比娃娃的確讓年輕的小女孩夢想成為名模和公主, 但這并非所有的意義。自1959 年以來, 芭比娃娃從事過80 種不同的職業 醫生、律師、飛行員、總統候選人甚至宇航員。和人們普遍的看法相反, 她并非是個消極的角色, 早在20 世紀70 年代女權主義運動開始以前她就已經使女性變得讓人矚目了。

　　閱讀導評

　　芭比娃娃是60 年代美國夢的標志之一, 她具有西方標準的女性美: 白人、高挑、曲線畢露、年輕、富有并且一律是金色頭發。這種理想化的美女形象被美國控制的全球文化機器傳播到世界的各個角落, 滲透進人們的潛意識, 左右著人們的審美觀。以致像撒切爾這樣的精英, 進入內閣以后開始將頭發染成耀眼的金黃色; 戴安娜的金發也是人工漂染的結果;麥當娜在1986 年發行唱片《真藍》的時候開始染金發。這張她第一次以純粹金發女郎形象出現的唱片銷量飆升。

　　閱讀導釋

　　1. inspire v. 賦予某人靈感 , 啟迪。一般用inspire sb. to sth., 如: The Lake District scenery inspired him to write his greatest poetry. His noble example inspired the rest of us greater effort.

　　2. obsess v. 使 牽掛、惦念、著迷或困擾, 如: The fear of death obsessed her throughout her old age. She was obsessed with the idea that she was being watched.

　　3. feminism n. 女權主義, 泛指婦女要求平等權利的社會思潮。又稱男女平權主義、男女平等主義。1872 年法國小說家在《論婦女》一文中首先提出。女權主義是近代資產階級啟蒙思想運動和婦女解放運動的產物, 提倡婦女在人類生活中所有領域和男子具有同等權利。女權主義具有廣泛的思想內涵, 涉及政治、經濟、宗教、倫理等領域, 它引發了當代聲勢浩大的女權主義運動 。

　　4. reclaim v. ① 使改過, 改造, 教化, 如: reclaim former criminals ; reclaim the natives from savagery 。② 開墾, 填海拓地, 如: reclaim the land from the sea 。

　　英語四級閱讀理解精煉第020篇，練習關于芭比不僅是玩具的閱讀理解，含有四級閱讀練習題，參考譯文，答案等內容。

　　created Barbie in 1959 was　inspired1 by this desire amongst girls for a confident female role model. Handler probably didn t expect the hostile reaction her doll initially received from the American public. Because Barbie had breasts she was accused of giving young girls a negative body image and making them obsessed2 with their looks.

　　Those in the anti-Barbie camp say that if Barbie were human, she would be 1 .68m tall, weigh 54kg and measure an impossible 38 - 18 - 34. Young girls, who play with Barbie, according to her critics, 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 in the world, I started to believe such pseudo -feminist arguments. I started to distance myself from my Barbie -playing childhood, and would look down upon anything that was colored pink like Barbie s clothes. Pink was evil, I thought. It signified silly and pretty things of little consequence it signified Barbie.

　　Luckily enough, this crazy phrase didn t last long. Feminism3 goes much deeper than hating Barbie, I quickly realize. I have long reclaimed4 the color pink for myself. I declare proudly that I love Barbie and all she represents.

　　Indeed, it is not wrong for a child to want to be beautiful and wear nice clothes, as long as these aren t the only things they aspire to. Educational toys are well and good they are necessary to feed 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, presidential candidate , and even astronaut. Contrary to popular belief, she is not a passive creature . She held the spotlight for women long before feminism began in the 1970s.

　　CET4大學英語四級閱讀練習題：

　　Ⅰ. Fin d re aso ns for the fo llowing fa cts according to the p as sage :

　　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?

　　參考答案

　　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.　CET4大學英語四級閱讀參考譯文：

　　芭比 不僅是玩具

　　有 個朋友告訴我, 她送給一個女孩做生日禮物的芭比娃娃被她母親退了回來。她 母親說, 對一個將來要有所成就而又處在成長中的女孩來說, 這個禮物不合適。

　　不喜歡芭比娃娃的母親并非絕無僅有。我在朋友中間 作的一個隨機調查顯示, 許多人都不喜歡芭比娃娃。

　　芭比給女生灌輸的是一種消極的價值觀。

　　她只知道怎么花錢。這可不是我要鼓勵我的孩子去做的。

　　為什么芭比會受到這樣的批評? 一個噴漆塑料做的東西真的如我朋友所想的這么邪惡, 會有損孩子們的身心健康, 把她們變成沒有頭腦消費至上的女人?

　　我童年時, 芭比是每個女孩子渴望的玩具。她美麗, 有漂亮衣服, 最重要的是她很自信, 不是平胸的尷尬女孩。我長大了要像她一樣。其實, 我們長大后都想像她那樣。實際上, 美國女人露絲 亨德利1959 年設計芭比的靈感源于女孩們渴望一個自信的榜樣。亨德利最初可能沒預料到會遭到美國民眾的非議。因為芭比娃娃很豐滿, 所以她被指責給年輕女孩負面印象, 使她們過于在意自己的外表。

　　那些反對芭比娃娃的人說, 如果芭比娃娃是真人的話, 她應該身高1 米68 , 體重54 公斤, 三圍分別是38 、18 、34 英寸。玩芭比娃娃的年輕女孩子長大后也想要豐滿的胸脯和纖細的腰身。她們會渴望那種完美, 卻可望不可及的身材。

　　長到十幾歲以后, 當我試著發展自己的個性, 尋找自己在這世界上的位置時, 我開始相信這種女權主義的觀點。我開始遠離玩芭比娃娃的童年時代, 對那些像芭比娃娃衣服一樣粉紅的東西, 我都不屑一顧。我認為粉紅是邪惡的, 它代表愚蠢和瑣碎, 代表芭比娃娃。

　　所幸的是這種近乎瘋狂的時期沒有持續多久。我很快意識到女權主義遠比憎恨芭比娃娃更為深刻。我早就找回了粉紅色。我驕傲地宣布我愛芭比娃娃和她所代表的一切。

　　實際上, 孩子愛美, 喜歡穿漂亮衣服并沒有錯, 只要不把這些當成唯一的追求。有教育意義的玩具對培養孩子的智力很重要, 但是孩子的想象力的培養也不可忽視。

　　芭比娃娃的確讓年輕的小女孩夢想成為名模和公主, 但這并非所有的意義。自1959 年以來, 芭比娃娃從事過80 種不同的職業 醫生、律師、飛行員、總統候選人甚至宇航員。和人們普遍的看法相反, 她并非是個消極的角色, 早在20 世紀70 年代女權主義運動開始以前她就已經使女性變得讓人矚目了。

　　閱讀導評

　　芭比娃娃是60 年代美國夢的標志之一, 她具有西方標準的女性美: 白人、高挑、曲線畢露、年輕、富有并且一律是金色頭發。這種理想化的美女形象被美國控制的全球文化機器傳播到世界的各個角落, 滲透進人們的潛意識, 左右著人們的審美觀。以致像撒切爾這樣的精英, 進入內閣以后開始將頭發染成耀眼的金黃色; 戴安娜的金發也是人工漂染的結果;麥當娜在1986 年發行唱片《真藍》的時候開始染金發。這張她第一次以純粹金發女郎形象出現的唱片銷量飆升。

　　閱讀導釋

　　1. inspire v. 賦予某人靈感 , 啟迪。一般用inspire sb. to sth., 如: The Lake District scenery inspired him to write his greatest poetry. His noble example inspired the rest of us greater effort.

　　2. obsess v. 使 牽掛、惦念、著迷或困擾, 如: The fear of death obsessed her throughout her old age. She was obsessed with the idea that she was being watched.

　　3. feminism n. 女權主義, 泛指婦女要求平等權利的社會思潮。又稱男女平權主義、男女平等主義。1872 年法國小說家在《論婦女》一文中首先提出。女權主義是近代資產階級啟蒙思想運動和婦女解放運動的產物, 提倡婦女在人類生活中所有領域和男子具有同等權利。女權主義具有廣泛的思想內涵, 涉及政治、經濟、宗教、倫理等領域, 它引發了當代聲勢浩大的女權主義運動 。

　　4. reclaim v. ① 使改過, 改造, 教化, 如: reclaim former criminals ; reclaim the natives from savagery 。② 開墾, 填海拓地, 如: reclaim the land from the sea 。