A teddy bear for life – Quiz

1. Read the text and answer the questions.

1. Where might your teddy bear end up once you have grown out of it?
They sometimes are put into storage or sold in a jumble sale.

2. In one study, how many people in the UK said they needed a teddy bear in bed?
One sleep survey suggested a tenth of people in the UK need a teddy bear in bed.

3. Where do teddy bear festivals often take place?
Teddy bear festivals regularly take place around the world.

4. True or false? Experts say we shouldn’t be ashamed of our comfort blankets.
True. A teddy bear can act as a comfort blanket and experts say we shouldn’t be ashamed of this.

5. What does buying toys like a teddy bear allow you to be again?
It allows you to be a big kid again.

2.  Choose the appropriate words or phrases to complete the following sentences.

1. Having my brother at the funeral was a comfort .

2. She’s being very childish by not talking to you!

3. My daughter needs her comfort blanket to help her get to sleep at night.

4. I’m traveling with my companion on a road trip to Paris.

5. Red buses have an enduring appeal to visitors and residents of London alike. 

A teddy bear for life

One thing we always remember from our childhood is our favourite teddy bear. This soft, ragged toy was our comfort and companion. As we grow up, we normally give up our childish ways, and our furry friend often ends up in storage or at a jumble sale. But that’s not the case for everyone.

It seems that some grown-ups continue to need their cuddly toy by their sides. One sleep survey suggested a tenth of people in the UK need a teddy bear in bed. And for some adults, soft toys remain an essential presence ­– they take them wherever they go.

A cuddly toy can come in many forms – animals, strange shapes or just a piece of stuffed material. But it’s the teddy bear in particular that seems to have an enduring appeal – it gives us a nostalgic feeling and a reminder of our younger days. Writing for the BBC, historian David Cannadine says, “Perhaps it’s that bears represent the happy security of a childhood friend who never changes or lets you down.” For whatever reason, teddies appeal to both children and adults of all ages.

The teddy bear is much celebrated these days, and they’ve become something that we don’t just grow up with – people buy them as adults too. There are shops which sell only teddy bears, there are teddy bear museums in many countries, and teddy bear festivals regularly take place around the world.

While our soft toys offer us a kind of comfort blanket, some experts say it’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s sometimes good to let go of the constraints of adult life and be a big kid again. And research commissioned by Barclaycard in the UK found 44% of adults have purchased playthings they enjoyed as children because they bring back happy memories. Colouring books, cuddly toys and board games were top of the list. So, if you’re still keeping your teddy a secret, don’t worry – you’re not alone!