Spark Study Buddy (Challenger): Fire triggers halt of Hong Kong Observation Wheel
The story on this page has some tougher vocabulary words and questions to improve your understanding and English grammar
On the Hong Kong Observation Wheel, riders can enjoy beautiful views of Hong Kong’s famous skyline. Photo: Nora TamContent provided by British Council
[1] Nearly 200 people were trapped on the Hong Kong Observation Wheel for about 45 minutes after a fire halted its operation in December. Rescue services were sent to the scene after receiving a call at 5.16pm because the Ferris wheel at the Central harbourfront had stopped running with 190 people on it.
[2] An electrical device was said to have released smoke before the attraction lost its power. Ten fire engines and two ambulances were sent to the scene. At about 5.50pm, the 60-metre-tall wheel continued running on a backup power supply. All 190 riders returned to the ground. The group had 76 men, 97 women and 17 children. No injuries were reported.
[3] The SCMP learned that police were told an uninterruptible power supply device had caught fire. It was immediately put out. The fire service inspected the wheel’s power room and confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances. An electrical malfunction was believed to have caused the fire. Service was resumed a day later.
[4] Some residents and tourists who had been trapped recalled their experience. “It was so scary because not only did the wheel stop, the ventilation system and air conditioning also ceased to function,” said a local university graduate. “We were afraid there might not be enough air to breathe in the gondola, as the door seemed to be quite tightly closed.”
[5] A tourist from mainland China said: “At first, it was fine. But no one told us what was going on, and everyone in the gondola seemed so confused.” She added that her four-year-old son burst into tears after a while. “We only planned one day for Hong Kong, and we happened to experience this incident. It has greatly affected our schedule and our mood.”
[6] Another person planned a ride on the wheel to celebrate her graduation from Hang Seng University of Hong Kong. She was disappointed to find it had closed after the stoppage. Dozens of people were queuing up around 7pm to ask if the wheel would start operating soon. It continued running, but no one was allowed in the area.
[7] The wheel has 42 gondolas; each can hold up to eight passengers. Each ride involves two to three rotations and takes about 15 minutes. Passengers can enjoy spectacular views of Hong Kong’s famous skyline and Victoria Harbour.
Source: South China Morning Post, December 5
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Reflect: Would you feel scared if you were stuck on a ride?
Questions
1. According to paragraph 1, rescue services received a call regarding the incident …
A. close to 4pm.
B. slightly after 5pm.
C. at almost 6pm.
D. around midnight.
2. In paragraph 2, how many people were hurt?
3. What does “it” in paragraph 3 refer to?
4. What was the rider mentioned in paragraph 4 concerned about, and why? (2 marks)
5. Why did the visitor mentioned in paragraph 6 want to ride the Ferris wheel?
6. The following sentences are written in the passive voice. Rewrite them using the active voice. (3 marks)
(i) Passive voice: Smoke was emitted by an electrical device.
Active voice: ___________________________________________
(ii) Passive voice: The power room was inspected by the fire service.
Active voice: ___________________________________________
(iii) Passive voice: Ten fire engines and two ambulances were sent to the scene.
Active voice: ___________________________________________
Answers
1. B
2. none
3. the fire
4. They were afraid there might not be enough air to breathe in the gondola, as the door seemed to be quite tightly closed.
5. She wanted to celebrate her graduation.
6. (i) An electrical device released smoke. (ii) The fire service inspected the power room. (iii) Ten fire engines and two ambulances went to the scene.