Section C

[25 marks]
Questions 26 31 are based on the following passage.
1

6
7

The Teddy Bear, once the most loved stuffed toy, is losing its appeal. This
alarming news comes from the German company which claims it made the first
jointed soft toy bears in 1902. The toy bears were delivered to toy shops before
Christmas that year. Toy collectors are losing interest in the Teddy Bear and are
looking for other types of stuffed toys.
Rival British and American companies, however, challenge the German
companys claim to being the creator of the Teddy Bear but the German toy
company, Steiff, says that it has documents to prove their claim. Typical of
German thoroughness, Steiff has files filled with sketches, diagrams and
photographs of the first Teddy Bear.
Germans learnt about President Theodore Teddy Roosevelts brush with
a bear while hunting. Likely exaggerated, the account went on to say that after the
incident, the American president went hunting in an area where there were no
bears. In hopes of placating the president someone tied a bear cub to a tree. The
president was infuriated at what he termed unsporting behaviour and called off
the hunt.
A field day was had by pundits and cartoonists because of the incident.
Teddy Bear stories and cartoons cropped up everywhere. This opportunity was
not missed by composers and entrepreneurs who quickly pounced on the
merchandising gimmick. Soon almost every type of product had pictures of Teddy
and his Bear printed on them.
Toymakers jumped on the bandwagon, too. Here is where rival companies
lay claims to being the creator of the original Teddy Bear. German toymaker,
Richard Steiff, said that his company finished making the first jointed Teddy Bears
in the autumn of 1902 and supplied toy-shops with them in time for Christmas.
It was at the Leipzig Trade Fair in 1903 that the breakthrough came for the
Teddy Bear when an American toy seller ordered 3 000 bears at the last possible
moment.
For a century, Teddy Bears played a very important role in the lives of
young and old alike. The bears provided comfort and consolation to these people
and never went out of fashion through good and bad times. In the nostalgic 90s,
Teddy Bears became highly-valued collectors items. Previously, there were
already serious collectors, but enthusiasm peaked during this period. All at once,
there were Teddy Bear Magazines, Teddy Bear fairs and markets only for Teddy
Bears and ancient threadbare Teddy Bears fetched astronomical sums.
However, there are signs that Teddy is losing its appeal as the most
desired collectable. Certain manufacturers blame it on the aftermath of September
11 and others on the economic downturn. Whatever the reason, people are
buying fewer Teddy Bears than they used to.
(A dapted from Ernest Gill, Sunday Star, 24 November 2002)

10

15

20

25

30

35

26 In paragraph 1, according to the writer,

(a) Which was once the most popular stuffed toy in the world?
_____________________________________________________________ [1 mark]
(b) What has happened to it now?
______________________________________________________________ [1 mark]
27 From paragraph 1, when and by whom was the first Teddy Bear made?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________ [2 marks]
28 From the evidence in paragraphs 4 and 5, name two groups of people who exploited the
Teddy Bear stories.
(i) _____________________________________________________________ [1 mark]
(ii)_____________________________________________________________ [1 mark]
29 In Paragraph 6, the writer says that it was at the Leipzig Trade Fair in 1903 that
the breakthrough came for the Teddy Bear. What was the breakthrough?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________ [2 marks]
30 In your own words, explain how the Teddy Bear became such an important part
of peoples lives in the nostalgic 90s.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________ [2 marks]

31 Based on the passage given, write a summary on:

the origin of the Teddy Bear

its rise in popularity and its recent decline.

Credit will be given for use of own words but care must be taken not to change the original
meaning.
Your summary must

be in continuous writing form (not in note from)

use materials from lines 1 to 39

not be longer than 130 words, including the 10 words given below
Begin your summary as follows:
A German toymaker claimed that he was the creator of