50 years ago Barbie Millicent Roberts first appeared in the world of toys. Barbie, as everyone called her, has become the most successful toy in history. According to Barbie's parents, the Mattel Company, 90% of all American girls between 3 and 10 have at least one Barbie at home. In today's world, however, Barbie is facing an identity crisis. There are many rivals on the market. For example, Bratz dolls, which are very popular among older girls, came to life seven years ago. They look more like today's pop stars with heavy make-up and fashionable miniskirts. Today Bratz is a challenge for Barbie, because the company offers a wide variety of clothing, too. It seems that Barbie has lost her appeal to older girls. "For younger girls playing with a Barbie is much fun, but when you get older you want something _ , says Alina Foley, a shop assistant in a New York toy store. 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. Others look for special and rare Barbie dolls, like Scarlett O'Hara from "Gone with the Wind". On the international market, Barbie remains number one. Although Mattel has been selling fewer Barbies in the United States over the past year, sales in other countries have been going up. In January Mattel opened its first Barbie store in Shanghai, where girls can shop, eat or even become their own fashion designer. Barbie has changed her image many times over the past decades. Originally she worn blond pony tails and had bright red lips. In the 80s she changed to a more colorful new 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 the New York Fashion Week. How long will Barbie stay on as a celebrity in the world of toy dolls? Hard to say, but 50 is... What would be the best title for the text? A) Barbie Turns Fifty B) Hottest Toys for Girls C) Mattel's Barbie Sales D) Play with Bratz Toys
A
In nowadays,people tend to get married late.Does it have advantage or disadvantage?Different people have different opinions.Now let's have a look at a telated study about Americans. A study has found that marrying later in life is generally financially benfeicial for women,but not for men. The University of Virginia has published a report that college-educated women who get married in their thirties earn an average of 56 percent more than those who wed a decade earlier. In contrast,men who settle down in their twenties have higher intomes than those who wait until after 30,whatever their education. The Natioal Marriage Project's study,with the title:The Benefits and Costs of Delayed Marriage in America,examines the consequences of marrying later,a growing trend in the US. It notes that the average age of marriage is ag an all-time high of 27 for women and 29 for men,compared to 1990 when the averages were 23 for women and 26for men. But while wome have actually benefited financially from delayed marriages,men who getmarried earlier in life tend to be more successful later on. The study says that childbirth plays a role in these results. Around tow-thirds of lifetime income growth takes place during the first ten years of a career,according to clinical psychologist Meg Jay. Since college-educated women who marry in their twenties also tend to have their first baby earlier,forcing them to take a break from their careers. But getting hiched at a younger age tends to be a good career move for men,perhaps because married men are more sure of themselves and they have more responsibility for their family compared to single men ,leadng to more productivity,suggests Business Insider. The study also found that while college-deucated women profit from delayed marriage,those without a degree do not. In fact,among women who drop out of high school, 83 percent of first births are to unmarried mothers,according to the study. A woman without a college education therefore has less time to advance her career during ist vital... From the study we can know that _ . A) it's a bad thing for a woman to get married later B) men usually earn more if they get married earlier C) for a woman,the suitable age of marriage is 27 D) men who wed earlier in life is sure to be more successful
B
Q: Xiangzi - Lucky, in English - is appropriately named. His owner Qiu Hong, a sports marketer,lets the dog enjoy two daily walks,a collection of imported American toys, $300 worth of monthly food and treats and his own sofa in her high-rise apartment. When Ms. Qiu feels bored, she takes Xiangzi out for a long run in her car. In a sense, Xiangzi is not just a dog, but a social phenomenon - and, perhaps, a marker of how quickly the Chinese nation is booming through its transformation from poor farmer to first-world citizen.Twenty years ago,there were hardly any dogs in Beijing, but now there're 900,000 registered dogs with countless thousands of others unlicensed. How this came to be is, in some ways, the story of modern China as well. "People used to be focused on improving their own lives, and they weren't really acquainted with raising dogs," said Ms. Qiu. "But with the improvement in the economy, people's outlooks have changed." Having a dog can be a way to relieve the stress in people's lives, but mostly Beijing dogs have, as in the West, become objects of affection - even devotion - by their owners. It's easy to find dog-treat stores, dog Web sites, dog social networks, dog swimming pools - even, for a time recently, a bring-your-dog cinema and a bring-your-dog bar on Beijing's downtown nightclub row. The doglike devotion of pet owners here seems to have softened the city government heart. In 1994, Beijing officials relaxed their no-dog policy to "severely restrict" dogs. In 2003,it was changed again to allow anyone to own a dog, but to limit city dogs to no more than 35 centimeters in height. And nowadays the restriction seems to be loosely carried out. As for sti-fried Pekingese - well, that dog,too, may have seen its day. A formal suggestion to ban the eating of dogs has been made by a law professor named Chang Jiwen, who considered himself "not so much a dog lover as a China lover". "With China developing so quickly, more people should know how to treat animals properly," he said in 3 telephone interview. Which is NOT mentioned in the article? A) China's economical development. B) The psychological problems in modern society. C) People's attitude to wards animals. D) The problems caused by dog keeping.
A: D