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早教玩具能让孩子上哈佛吗(下)
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今年夏天的一天，我参观了纽约西部的费雪公司总部，这是全球最大的六岁以下儿童玩具制造商。
双语精读
One day this summer, I visited the western New York headquarters of Fisher-Price, the world's largest maker of playthings for children under six years old, to see how beliefs about child development get incarnated in particular toys.
今年夏天的一天，我参观了纽约西部的费雪公司总部，这是全球最大的六岁以下儿童玩具制造商，我想看看关于儿童发展的观点是如何体现在特定的玩具上的。
In the main building's atrium, I watched an employee ride a giant cherry-red spiral slide from an upper level down to the ground floor.
在主楼的中庭，我看到一名员工顺着巨大的樱桃红色螺旋滑梯，从较高的楼层滑到一楼。
Scattered throughout the hallways were examples of the company's best known and bestselling toys, from the classic Rock-a-Stack ring stacker, on the market since 1960, to the 4-in-1 Ultimate Learning Bot.
走廊各处散落着该公司最知名、最畅销的各种玩具样品，从1960年上市的经典彩虹套圈，到四合一终极学习机器人。
Creating a line of toys often takes a couple of years. At Fisher-Price, which has been owned by the $6bn toy conglomerate Mattel since the early 1990s, commercial concerns quite naturally come first.
创造一个玩具系列通常需要几年的时间。自上世纪90年代初以来，费雪一直由市值60亿美元的玩具集团美泰所有，商业利益自然位居首位。
The design process begins with a sheet from the marketing department specifying how many different products are needed for an upcoming season, at what prices, and for which outlets and licensing franchises.
设计过程始于市场营销部门的一张纸，上面明确列出了下一季需要多少种不同的产品，价格是多少，以及供应给哪些专卖店和特许经营店。
Then come the trend reports, which help to set design directions, from the colour palette to the personality of each toy. Every offering must be "toyetic", which translates into English as "cute" and easy to market.
然后是趋势报告，帮助确定设计方向，从每个玩具的主色调到性格特色。每个产品都必须"有玩具性"，翻译成白话就是"可爱"且易于推销。
In the late 2010s, when designing the Linkimals, a hugely popular line of educational toys in the form of quirky mammals that supposedly teach basic literacy, numeracy and the colours of the rainbow, Fisher-Price considered many types of characters.
在2010年代后期，费雪在设计"联萌"系列(一个非常受欢迎的益智玩具系列，样子是稀奇古怪的哺乳动物，据说可以教基本的读写、算术和彩虹七色)时，考虑了各式各样的角色。
"Woodland and offbeat creatures were really starting to trend," Dom Gubitosi, who oversees the design of the company's infant and toddler toys, said. "Parents were bored of elephants and tigers."
"森林动物和另类的动物真的开始流行起来了，"负责婴幼儿玩具设计的多姆·古比托西说，"父母们厌倦了大象和老虎。"
Today, the line includes the A to Z Otter, the Boppin' Beaver and the Lights & Colors Llama -- but sadly no Patterns & Prepositions Pangolin. "No matter how hard we tried, we just couldn't make the pangolin cute enough," said Kevin Crane, the Linkimals' principal product designer.
现在，"联萌"系列包括"字母表水獭""波波音乐海狸"以及"光彩羊驼"，但遗憾的是还没有"图案与介词穿山甲"。"无论我们多么努力，我们就是没办法把穿山甲做得很可爱。" "联萌"系列的首席产品设计师凯文·克兰说。
Even in the age of online delivery, the defining moment in the life of many mass-market toys occurs in the shop aisle. Children start making their own purchasing decisions around the time they enter primary school, but for nursery-age toys, adults are still by-and-large the ones doing the buying.
即使身处线上配送时代，许多大众市场玩具的决定性时刻还是发生在商店的货架过道上。孩子们大约上小学时开始自己做购买决定，但对于幼儿玩具，基本上还是成年人说了算。
To convince grownups to open their wallets -- or to incite children to wheedle, plead, cajole and then go thermonuclear until grownups open their wallets -- the "on-shelf experience" of a toy is crucial.
要想说服成年人掏钱 -- 或者鼓动孩子们哄骗、恳求、劝诱，然后撒泼打滚，直到大人掏钱 -- 玩具的"货架体验"至关重要。
词汇预习
educational [高考]
美[ˌedʒuˈkeɪʃənl] | 英[ˌedʒuˈkeɪʃənl]
adj. 教育的；有教育意义的
giant [高考]
美[ˈdʒaɪənt] | 英[ˈdʒaɪənt]
n. 巨人；巨物；大公司 adj. 巨大的
cherry [高考]
美[ˈtʃeri] | 英[ˈtʃeri]
n. 樱桃；樱桃树；樱桃色；[俚]处女膜
literacy [高考]
美[ˈlɪtərəsi] | 英[ˈlɪtərəsi]
n. 识字；读写能力；文化，教养
upcoming [高考]
美[ˈʌpˌkʌmɪŋ] | 英[ˈʌpkʌmɪŋ]
adj. 即将来临的；预定将要
infant [高考]
美[ˈɪnfənt] | 英[ˈɪnfənt]
n. 婴儿；幼儿 adj. 婴儿的；初期的；幼稚的
trend [高考]
美[trend] | 英[trend]
n. 趋势；倾向；方位 vi. 倾向；转向
convince [高考]
美[kənˈvɪns] | 英[kənˈvɪns]
vt. 使确信；使信服；说服
mass [高考]
美[ mæs] | 英[mæs]
n. 大量；块；众多 adj. 大规模的；群众的 v. 集中 n. 弥撒曲；弥撒
commercial [高考]
美[kəˈmɜːrʃl] | 英[kəˈmɜːʃl]
adj. 商业的 n. 商业广告
sheet [高考]
美[ʃiːt] | 英[ʃiːt]
n. 被单；纸；(薄)片；一片 n. [船]帆脚索 v. 铺盖；使成片 adj. 片状的
classic [高考]
美[ˈklæsɪk] | 英[ˈklæsɪk]
n. 杰作；古典作品；第一流艺术家 adj. 最优秀的；传统的；古典的
upper [高考]
美[ˈʌpər] | 英[ˈʌpə(r)]
adj. 较高的；上面的；上部的 n. 鞋帮；上铺 n. 兴奋剂；令人兴奋的经历
rainbow [高考]
美[ˈreɪnboʊ] | 英[ˈreɪnbəʊ]
n. 彩虹；五彩缤纷的排列；幻想 adj. 五彩缤纷的；彩虹状的 v. 使呈彩虹状
nursery [高考]
美[ˈnɜːrsəri] | 英[ˈnɜːsəri]
n. 托儿所；保育室；苗圃
in particular [高考]
美[ɪn pər'tɪkjələr] | 英[ɪn pə'tɪkjələ(r)]
特别； 尤其
primary school [高考]
美['praɪˌmeriː skʊl] | 英['praɪmərɪ skuːl]
n.小学，初等学校;参见：elementary school
crucial [高考]
美[ˈkruːʃl] | 英[ˈkruːʃl]
adj. 决定性的；关键的
headquarters [四级]
美[ˈhedkwɔːrtərz] | 英[ˌhedˈkwɔːtəz]
n. 总部；司令部；指挥部
supposedly [四级]
美[səˈpoʊzɪdli] | 英[səˈpəʊzɪdli]
adv. 推测地；大概
but for [四级]
美[bʌt fɔːr] | 英[bʌt fɔː]
要不是，倘没有
a couple of [四级]
美[ə ˈkʌpl əv] | 英[ə ˈkʌpl ɒv]
两个, 几个
marketing [四级]
美[ˈmɑːrkɪtɪŋ] | 英[ˈmɑːkɪtɪŋ]
n. 市场营销；行销
offering [四级]
美[ˈɔːfərɪŋ] | 英[ˈɒfərɪŋ]
n. 供品；作品；出售物
aisle [四级]
美[aɪl] | 英[aɪl]
n. 侧廊；(席位间的)通道
plead [六级]
美[pliːd] | 英[pliːd]
v. 辩护；恳求；提出借口；认罪
spiral [六级]
美[ˈspaɪrəl] | 英[ˈspaɪrəl]
n. 螺旋；螺旋形之物；不断恶化、增加或减少 v. 螺旋移动；盘旋上升；不断恶化、增加或减少 adj. 螺旋形的；盘旋的
incite [专四]
美[ɪnˈsaɪt] | 英[ɪnˈsaɪt]
v. 煽动；刺激；激励
cajole [专八]
美[kəˈdʒoʊl] | 英[kəˈdʒəʊl]
v. (以甜言蜜语)哄骗
hugely [考研]
美[ˈhjuːdʒli] | 英[ˈhju:dʒli]
adv. 巨大地；非常地
重点讲解
One day this summer, I visited the western New York headquarters of Fisher-Price, the world's largest maker of playthings for children under six years old, to see how beliefs about child development get incarnated in particular toys.
今年夏天的一天，我参观了纽约西部的费雪公司总部，这是全球最大的六岁以下儿童玩具制造商，我想看看关于儿童发展的观点是如何体现在特定的玩具上的。
incarnate v. & adj.
1. 作动词：使具体化；体现；代表
【例】In this man the spirit of the times is incarnated.
时代精神体现在此人身上。
【近义词】embody v. 具体表现；体现
2. 作形容词：人体化的；化身的
【例】a devil incarnate 魔鬼的化身
【拓展】incarnation n. 化身；代表某种品质的人
In the main building's atrium, I watched an employee ride a giant cherry-red spiral slide from an upper level down to the ground floor.
在主楼的中庭，我看到一名员工顺着巨大的樱桃红色螺旋滑梯，从较高的楼层滑到一楼。
spiral n. & v. & adj.
1. 作名词：螺旋形
【例】A spiral of smoke rose into the air.
一缕烟打着旋升入空中。
2. 作动词：螺旋式上升（或下降）；急剧增长
【例】The plane spiraled down to the ground.
飞机盘旋降落。
【例】the spiraling cost of health care 急剧上涨的医疗费用
3. 作形容词：螺旋形的
【例】a spiral curve 螺旋曲线
Scattered throughout the hallways were examples of the company's best known and bestselling toys, from the classic Rock-a-Stack ring stacker, on the market since 1960, to the 4-in-1 Ultimate Learning Bot.
走廊各处散落着该公司最知名、最畅销的各种玩具样品，从1960年上市的经典彩虹套圈，到四合一终极学习机器人。
scatter v. 撒落；散开；四散
【例】The explosion scattered a flock of birds.
爆炸声惊散了鸟群。
【搭配】be scattered with sth 散落着某物
【例】The beach is scattered with shells.
海滩上散落着贝壳。
【拓展】a scattering of 零零星星的；三三两两的
【例】a scattering of visitors/applause 稀稀拉拉的几个客人/掌声
Creating a line of toys often takes a couple of years. At Fisher-Price, which has been owned by the $6bn toy conglomerate Mattel since the early 1990s, commercial concerns quite naturally come first.
创造一个玩具系列通常需要几年的时间。自上世纪90年代初以来，费雪一直由市值60亿美元的玩具集团美泰所有，商业利益自然位居首位。
specify v. 具体说明；明确列出
【例】Remember to specify your size when ordering clothes.
订购服装时记着要详细说明你要的号码。
【拓展】specific adj. 明确的；具体的
【例】specific instructions 明确的指示
The design process begins with a sheet from the marketing department specifying how many different products are needed for an upcoming season, at what prices, and for which outlets and licensing franchises.
设计过程始于市场营销部门的一张纸，上面明确列出了下一季需要多少种不同的产品，价格是多少，以及供应给哪些专卖店和特许经营店。
specify v. 具体说明；明确列出
【例】Remember to specify your size when ordering clothes.
订购服装时记着要详细说明你要的号码。
【拓展】specific adj. 明确的；具体的
【例】specific instructions 明确的指示
Then**** come**** the trend reports,**** which help**** to**** set design**** directions****,**** from**** the colour**** palette to**** the personality of**** each**** toy.**** Every offering**** must**** be**** "toyetic****", which translates**** into**** English as**** "cute"**** and easy**** to**** market****.****
然后是趋势报告，帮助确定设计方向，从每个玩具的主色调到性格特色。每个产品都必须"有玩具性"，翻译成白话就是"可爱"且易于推销。
In the late 2010s, when designing the Linkimals, a hugely popular line of educational toys in the form of quirky mammals that supposedly teach basic literacy, numeracy and the colours of the rainbow, Fisher-Price considered many types of characters.
在2010年代后期，费雪在设计"联萌"系列(一个非常受欢迎的益智玩具系列，样子是稀奇古怪的哺乳动物，据说可以教基本的读写、算术和彩虹七色)时，考虑了各式各样的角色。
literacy n.
1. 读写能力；识字能力
【例】a campaign to promote adult literacy 提高成人读写能力的运动
2. 素养；能力
【例】computer/financial/hygiene literacy 用电脑的能力/金融素养/卫生知识
【拓展】literate/illiterate adj. 识字的/不识字的
"Woodland and offbeat creatures were really starting to trend," Dom Gubitosi, who oversees the design of the company's infant and toddler toys, said. "Parents were bored of elephants and tigers."
"森林动物和另类的动物真的开始流行起来了，"负责婴幼儿玩具设计的多姆·古比托西说，"父母们厌倦了大象和老虎。"
offbeat adj. 不寻常的；另类的
【例】an offbeat approach to interviewing 别开生面的采访
【拓展】upbeat/downbeat adj. 乐观的/悲观的
【例】The meeting ended on an upbeat/downbeat note.
会议在乐观的/悲观的气氛中结束。
Today, the line includes the A to Z Otter, the Boppin' Beaver and the Lights & Colors Llama -- but sadly no Patterns & Prepositions Pangolin. "No matter how hard we tried, we just couldn't make the pangolin cute enough," said Kevin Crane, the Linkimals' principal product designer.
现在，"联萌"系列包括"字母表水獭""波波音乐海狸"以及"光彩羊驼"，但遗憾的是还没有"图案与介词穿山甲"。"无论我们多么努力，我们就是没办法把穿山甲做得很可爱。" "联萌"系列的首席产品设计师凯文·克兰说。
offbeat adj. 不寻常的；另类的
【例】an offbeat approach to interviewing 别开生面的采访
【拓展】upbeat/downbeat adj. 乐观的/悲观的
【例】The meeting ended on an upbeat/downbeat note.
会议在乐观的/悲观的气氛中结束。
Even in the age of online delivery, the defining moment in the life of many mass-market toys occurs in the shop aisle. Children start making their own purchasing decisions around the time they enter primary school, but for nursery-age toys, adults are still by-and-large the ones doing the buying.
即使身处线上配送时代，许多大众市场玩具的决定性时刻还是发生在商店的货架过道上。孩子们大约上小学时开始自己做购买决定，但对于幼儿玩具，基本上还是成年人说了算。
define v.
1. 下定义
【例】Life imprisonment is defined as 60 years under state law.
按照州法律，终身监禁定义为 60 年。
2. 使明确；使清楚
【例】We need to define the task ahead very clearly.
我们需要明确今后的任务。
【搭配】defining moment 决定性时刻；关键时刻
【例】Smith’s 2022 win was a career-defining moment for a rising star.
对于一个冉冉升起的球星来说，史密斯在2022年的获胜是其职业生涯中的决定性时刻。
To convince grownups to open their wallets -- or to incite children to wheedle, plead, cajole and then go thermonuclear until grownups open their wallets -- the "on-shelf experience" of a toy is crucial.
要想说服成年人掏钱 -- 或者鼓动孩子们哄骗、恳求、劝诱，然后撒泼打滚，直到大人掏钱 -- 玩具的"货架体验"至关重要。
incite v. 煽动；鼓动
【例】He incited the workforce to come out on strike.
他煽动工人罢工。
【拓展】incitement n. 煽动；鼓动
课后练习
The purpose of the author’s visit to the Fisher-Price headquarter was to ____.
A. obtain information about the latest theory of child development
B. understand the way child development theories are reflected by toys
C. learn about how working environment can spark employees’ creativity
D. carry out a survey of the most popular toys created by the company
For Fisher-Price, the major consideration in creating toys is ____.
A. the thorough planning of the product line
B. the unique design of each toy
C. the educational effect on children
D. the profitability on the market
Which of the following is true about Linkimals?
A. It can teach a wider range of things than other toys.
B. It has pioneered the trend of exotic animals in toys.
C. It caters to the consumers’ interest in unusual characters.
D. It faces the problem of running out of cute animal designs.
Why is the “on-shelf experience” crucial for a toy’s commercial success?
A. Because physical stores cost less than online delivery.
B. Because children make their first purchasing decisions in stores.
C. Because toys have to appeal to both adults and kids to buy them.
D. Because toys on shelves can easily arouse kids’ desire for them.