Toys are playthings. The 16of the word “toy”is uncertain. It may have come from Old English, meaning “tool.” Modern dictionaries focus on smallness. Just as a toy terrier is a dog that has been bred down to a small size, so most toys are miniature copies of17 objects. Dolls are miniature copies of people, and many doll houses are like normal houses in nearly every respect 18 their size. Most stuffed animals are small, 19 a few arc made life-size. There are toy tnicks, trains, and fumiiurc that bear 20 similarities to their standard counterparts. Smallness 21a child to handle and control the object easily. It can be a disadvantage in infant toys because babies 22 to put everything into their mouths. Tiny objects can be easily 23 , which is why even larger toys must be made with parts that do not come 24 easily. The eyes, noses, and cars of teddy bears must be strong and firmly 25so an infant cannot chew them loose.Anyone who has ever shopped for toys in 26a large department store or the stores devoted 27to toys has noticed the almost infinite variety of choices. Amid all the variety, 28, there are two features that should not29 unnoticed:the differences between toys for infants and those for older children. To a large degree the difference is that many infants’ toys have remained nearly 30for centuries, while those for older children arc the products of modem technology.The manufacture and selling of toys is a highly profitable industry.
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