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 more gentle. 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. 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 George Washington Gale Ferris. 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. 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!
A
The best title for the passage could be:
B
The underlined word "gorgeous" in paragraph 2 is the antonym of:
C
The underlined word “it” in paragraph 3 refer to:
D
The purpose of the writer is to:
E
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE about the Ferris wheel?
F
Why does the writer describe The Ferris Wheel as “quite complex”?
G
What does the writer enjoy doing at the top of The Ferris Wheel?
