你還記得小時候玩過的電子游戲嗎？那些曾經讓我們愛不釋手的玩具——掌上游戲機、電子寵物雞？這些兒時 “必須擁有” 的小玩意兒和電子裝置如今又重新流行起來。“隨身英語” 討論是什么驅使我們再度開始迷戀 “Gameboy” 等游戲。

Vocabulary: nostalgia 詞匯: 對往事的懷念

I’m sure we all have childhood memories – what we did at school, the food we ate, the games we played. But perhaps the most vivid recollections are those of the toys we played with.  There were many gadgets that may seem unsophisticated now but were the must-have items in the playground back in the day. Now it seems that our passion for nostalgia means some of them are making a comeback.

One of my favourites was the Nintendo Game Boy, which returned to the shops last year, 30 years after it was first released. This handheld console has had some modifications, but still offers a simple gaming experience and a trip down memory lane! If the Game Boy wasn’t from your era, how about the Tamagotchi? This egg-shaped, plastic pet that its owner had to keep ‘alive’ with constant care and attention - was the must-have item not long after its launch in 1996.

These sometimes annoying ‘creatures’ were such a distraction in the classroom, they often got banned from school. But now, childlike adults can relive their wasted youth because Japanese manufacturer Bandai will soon release an all-colour, new-and-improved version of the classic toy. Its maker says it’s evolved from a pet into more of a character, and can inhabit different lands, as well as get married and breed.

So what’s driving this demand for retro goods? Retail Analyst for Mintel, Chana Baram,  told the BBC people are searching for comfort in 'the good old days'. Certainly, playing with an old toy brings back memories of our formative years and gives us a feel-good factor, but it’s also something brands and marketing companies want to cash in on.

Retro toys are also something we could cash in on too. In the darkest corners of many attics and spare rooms lie the toys of Christmas past. And those once much-loved and played with presents may now have a value beyond nostalgia. Toyologist Peter Jenkinson told the BBC that any number of "toys that we all played with as kids are now worth more than a few quid". He suggests there’s a real collectors' market for certain old board games, Star Wars characters, Sindy dolls and Lego sets. However, if you own something like this, it may be just too precious to sell, and part with the connection to your childhood.

詞匯表

childhood memories 童年記憶
recollection 回憶，記憶
must-have item 必備物品
back in the day 曾幾何時
nostalgia 懷舊
a comeback 再度流行
a trip down memory lane 追憶往昔
relive 重溫
classic 經典的
retro 懷舊的
the good old days 美好的過往
formative years 性格形成時期
feel-good factor （使人）感覺良好的因素
cash in 從…中獲利
toyologist 玩具專家
part with （不情愿地）舍棄

測驗與練習

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. What was the aim of Tamogotchi?

2. Who is trying to make money out of the interest in toys from the past?

3. Which handheld game console first went on sale 30 years ago?

4. True or false? Selling some of our old toys could make us some money.

5. What word used in the article, means ‘small changes, usually to improve something’?

2. 請在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. I’ve heard my favourite rock band is making a _______, so I’m definitely going to get a ticket to see them perform!

recollection                      comeback                     relive                       retro

2. I find cycling hard work now but _______ I could pedal up all the hills and ride for miles and miles without stopping.

back on the day              back in the days            back in the day       back in a day

3. She’s been to one of those _______ clothes shop and bought herself a pair of flared jeans – very trendy!

retro                                recollection                    relive                       must-have item

4. The bonus has given us all a _______ - now we have some money to go shopping with.

feel-good factors             feeling-good factor        feel-factor                feel-good factor

5. If I ever win the lottery, I’m going to spend my winnings on a _______ sports car from the 1960s.

nostalgia                         comeback                      toyologist                 classic

答案

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. What was the aim of Tamogotchi?
You had to treat it like a pet and keep it ‘alive’ with constant care and attention.

2. Who is trying to make money out of the interest in toys from the past?
Brands and marketing companies want to cash in on the interest in playing with toys from the past.

3. Which handheld game console first went on sale 30 years ago?
The Nintendo Game Boy returned to the shops last year, 30 years after it was first released.

4. True or false? Selling some of our old toys could make us some money.
True. Toyologist, Peter Jenkinson told the BBC that any number of "toys that we all played with as kids are now worth more than a few quid".

5. What word used in the article, means ‘small changes, usually to improve something’?
The word is ‘modifications’. “The Nintendo Gameboy has had some modifications but still offers a simple gaming experience.”

2. 請在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. I’ve heard my favourite rock band is making a comeback, so I’m definitely going to get a ticket to see them perform!

2. I find cycling hard work now but back in the day I could pedal up all the hills and ride for miles and miles without stopping.

3. She’s been to one of those retro clothes shop and bought herself a pair of flared jeans – very trendy!

4. The bonus has given us all a feel-good factor - now we have some money to go shopping with.

5. If I ever win the lottery, I’m going to spend my winnings on a classic sports car from the 1960s.