Barbie

Mini-Biographies

11 Barbie

1. In 1945, Ruth and Elliot

Handler made a new
company called Mattel.
Their company made
action toys for boys and
girls in America.

2. In 1957, Ruth Handler

designed a doll for little
girls. The new doll was named after the Handlers own daughter, Barbie. The Barbie dolls
were made of plastic and manufactured in Japan. By 1959, Barbie was being sold in stores
all over America.

3. Before Barbie, most dolls for young girls were baby dolls. The baby dolls taught girls how
to be mothers. Barbie was different. The new doll was a young woman. She looked like a
fashion model. Most importantly, Barbie had many beautiful clothes. Barbie taught young
girls how to shop.

4. Later, Mattel designed a wedding dress for Barbie. After they designed the wedding dress,
they designed Ken, Barbies boyfriend. Ken was named after Ruth and Elliot Handlers son,
Ken Handler.

5. Barbie was sold on television. In 1959, this was a new way to sell toys to children. Today,
Barbie is still very popular in America. The average American girl has seven Barbie dolls.

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 Barbie
Mini-Biographies

2 READING COMPREHENSION

Answer the following questions using complete sentences.

1. What year did Ruth and Elliot Handler make a new company?
____________________________________________________________________________________
2. What did their new company make?
____________________________________________________________________________________
3. What did Ruth Handler design?
____________________________________________________________________________________
4. When did she design the new doll?
____________________________________________________________________________________
5. The new doll was named Barbie. Who was the doll named after?
____________________________________________________________________________________
6. Where were Barbie dolls manufactured?
____________________________________________________________________________________
7. Where was Barbie sold?
____________________________________________________________________________________
8. Before Barbie, what kind of dolls did most young girls have?
____________________________________________________________________________________
9. What did baby dolls teach young girls?
____________________________________________________________________________________
10. What did Barbie look like?
____________________________________________________________________________________
11. What did Barbie teach young girls?
____________________________________________________________________________________
12. Who was Ken?
____________________________________________________________________________________
13. When was Ken designed?
____________________________________________________________________________________
14. Where were Barbie dolls sold?
____________________________________________________________________________________
15. How many Barbie dolls does the average American girl have?
____________________________________________________________________________________

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 Barbie
Mini-Biographies

3 VOCABULARY REVIEW

Unscramble the words below from the story. Then write one original sentence for each word.

1. f a m u n a c u r t e d! !
________________ _________________________________________________________________
2. rabbie! !
________________ _________________________________________________________________
3. s o l l d !!
________________ _________________________________________________________________
4. c l a s p t i! !
________________ _________________________________________________________________
5. k n e! !
________________ _________________________________________________________________
6. d e w d i n g! !
________________ _________________________________________________________________
7. a v e r g e a!
________________ _________________________________________________________________

Find the words from above b o b s e r v a t i o n

4 in the Word Search below. b w e d d i n g t e c i
h o i r d a g o s p o l
f a v e r a g e t t n h
n a s c d t g e s a s t
a r m a b i p s r d t f
b c r o s s l u m h b i
i r e a u e a g b e a n
d e d o l l s i o n r g
o i k l a n t t l i b n
o v e r z t i a r e i r
m a n u f a c t u r e d
b g g o r i l l a r n e

Copyright 2012, Red River Press Inc. For use by members of ESL-library.com in accordance with membership terms. 3
 Barbie
Mini-Biographies

2 READING COMPREHENSION A ANSWER KEY

1. Ruth and Elliot Handler made a new company in 1945.

2. Their new company made action toys.
3. Ruth Handler designed a doll for little girls.
4. She designed the new doll in 1957.
5. The new doll was named after the Handlers own daughter, Barbie.
6. Barbie dolls were manufactured in Japan.
7. Barbie was sold in stores all over America (and later on television).
8. Before Barbie, most young girls had baby dolls.
9. Baby dolls taught young girls how to be mothers.
10. Barbie looked like a fashion model.
11. Barbie taught young girls how to shop.
12. Ken was Barbies boyfriend.
13. Ken was designed after the Handlers designed Barbies wedding dress.
14. Barbie dolls were sold on television (and in stores all over America).
15. The average American girl has seven Barbie dolls.

Find the words from above

3 VOCABULARY REVIEW 4 in the Word Search below.

1. f a m u n a c u r t e d! = manufactured
BOBSERVATION

BWEDDINGTECI
2. rabbie! ! = barbie! !
HOIRDAGOSPOL
3. s o l l d! ! ! = dolls! FAVERAGETTNH
4. c l a s p t i! ! = plastic NASCDTGESAST
5. k n e! ! ! = ken ARMABIPSRDTF
BCROSSLUMHBI
6. d e w d i n g! ! = wedding
IREAUEAGBEAN
7. a v e r g e a! ! = average DEDOLLSIONRG
OIKLANTTLIBN
OVERZTIAREIR
MANUFACTURED

BGGORILLARNE

Copyright 2012, Red River Press Inc. For use by members of ESL-library.com in accordance with membership terms. 4