There seems never to have been a civilization without toys, but when and how they developed is unknown. They probably came about just to give children something to do.
In the ancient world, as is today, most boys played with some kinds of toys and most girls with another. In societies where social roles are strictly determined, boys pattern their play after the activities of their fathers and girls after the tasks of their mothers.This is true because boys and girls are being prepared, even in play, to step into the roles and responsibilities of the adult world.
What is remarkable about the history of toys is not so much how they changed over the centuries but how much they have remained the same. The changes have been mostly in terms of skill, mechanics, and technology. It is the universality of toys with regard to their development in all parts of the world and their insistence to the present that is amazing. In Egypt, the US, China,Japan and among the Arctic peoples, generally the same kinds of toys appeared. Variations depended on local customs and ways of life because toys reflect their surroundings.Nearly every civilization had dolls, little weapons, toy soldiers, tiny animals and vehicles.
Because toys can be generally regarded as a kind of art form, they have not been affected by technological quick development that characterize inventions for adult use. The progress from the wheel to the ox-cart to the automobile is a direct line of ahievement. The progress from a rattle(拨浪鼓) used by a baby in 3000 BC to one used by a baby today, however, is not characterized by inventiveness. Each rattle is the product of the artistic tastes of times and subject to the limtations of available materials.
The reason why the toys most boys play with are different from those that girls play with is that_________.
A.their social roles are strictly determined |
B.most boys would like to follow their fathers’ professions |
C.boys like to play with their fathers while girls with their mothers |
D.they like challenging activities |
Which of the following is the author’s view on the historical development of toys?
A.The making skills in toys has remained essentially unchanged. |
B.Toys have remained basically the same all through the centuries. |
C.The toy industry has witnessed great improvement in technology in recent years. |
D.Toys are playing an increasingly important role in shaping a child’s character. |
Regarded as a kind of art form, toys________.
A.follow a direct line of achievement |
B.also appeal greatly to adults |
C.are not characterized by technological progress |
D.reflect the pace of social progress |
The author uses the example of a rattle to show that________.
A.in toy-making there is a continuity in the use of materials |
B.even the simplest toys can reflect the progress of technology |
C.it often takes a long time to introduce new technology into toy-making |
D.even a simple toy can mirror the artistic tastes of the time |