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English Comprehension Passage

The passage discusses the author's favorite amusement park ride - the Ferris wheel. While most prefer rollercoasters, the author finds Ferris wheels relaxing. They provide beautiful views from the top in a calm setting, unlike the busy crowds below. The first Ferris wheel was built in 1893 for the Chicago World's Fair. Though a simple ride, its mechanics were considered incredible at the time. Today, Ferris wheels remain a common sight at amusement parks despite newer attractions, thanks to George Ferris' pioneering invention.

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761 views2 pages

English Comprehension Passage

The passage discusses the author's favorite amusement park ride - the Ferris wheel. While most prefer rollercoasters, the author finds Ferris wheels relaxing. They provide beautiful views from the top in a calm setting, unlike the busy crowds below. The first Ferris wheel was built in 1893 for the Chicago World's Fair. Though a simple ride, its mechanics were considered incredible at the time. Today, Ferris wheels remain a common sight at amusement parks despite newer attractions, thanks to George Ferris' pioneering invention.

Uploaded by

mohad adeel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Comprehension passage

(15 marks for questions and 5 marks for timely submission)

Q: Read the following passage carefully and answer the given questions in your notebooks.
The Incredible Machine
Everyone has a favourite attraction at an amusement park, and I am no different. However,
unlike most people who seem to prefer rollercoasters, my favourite ride is a little gentler. Every
time I go to Coney Island, Navy Pier, or the Santa Monica Pier, I absolutely have to ride the
Ferris wheel.
The Ferris wheel is simple and yet also quite complex. That is, riding it is easy, but how it works
is complicated. A series of carts are attached to a wheel, which is attached to a rim. That rim
rotates vertically around an axis, and gravity keeps the carts upright. As simple as the ride
seems, only advanced engineers can make safe and fun Ferris wheels.
While the Ferris wheel is not as thrilling as a rollercoaster, it is still very exciting. The fact of
being high in the air makes it so much more entertaining than a lot of rides. I mean, how often do
you hang from that high up in daily life? Nevertheless, I have to admit, I don’t seek Ferris
wheels out because of their excitement. Rather, I find them very relaxing. At the top of the Ferris
wheel, you get beautiful sights of the park. You also get a sense of calm that you don’t get in the
hustle and bustle of the park below. Additionally, Ferris wheels are also gorgeous to look at
when they are lit up at night. In fact, the original Ferris wheel was designed as much to be seen
as to be ridden.
The first Ferris wheel was made by and named after George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. He
designed it for the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. It was the tallest attraction there, standing 264
feet high. However, visitors to the fair were impressed by the size of the ride as well as the
mechanics of it. In 1893, anything that was not turned by hand was considered a sight to see.
And the wheel, which was a machine, was truly incredible to see. Further, as one visitor put it,
the wheel was amazing because it seemed to be missing support. That is, it did not look like it
could stand on its own. And yet it did and even rotated!
Ferris wheel technology has only improved since then. Most of today’s Ferris wheels are much
larger than that first one. The largest in the world is the "Singapore Flyer," which stands slightly
taller than twice what Ferris’s did! Today, the Ferris wheel is the most common amusement park
ride. But that does not mean you should take them for granted. Instead, be thankful for Ferris’
invention. The next time you’re at an amusement park, don’t just look up at the impressive
wheel in the sky on your way to a newer attraction. Take it for a spin!
Q 1: Write the correct option in your pamphlet. / 4 (1 each)
i) As used in paragraph 1, the word attraction most nearly means
a. sense b. park c. ride d. vision
ii) As used in paragraph 2, which is the best antonym for complex?
a. impressive b. beautiful c. exciting d. simple
iii) What does the author like best about Ferris wheels?
a. the impressive engineering and beauty of them b. the excitement and thrills they guarantee
c. the beautiful sights and relaxation they allow d. the fact that most amusement parks
have one
iv) According to the passage, the Ferris wheel was originally designed for
a. Coney Island b. the world’s fair c. Disneyworld d. Singapore
v) The writer has given the title “The Incredible Machine”. What do you think is incredible
for him? What title would you give to this article? Why?
/6
Q2: Write the contextual meanings of the following words.
/5
Words
1 hustle and bustle
2 incredible
3 thrilling
4 Spin
5 sights

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