HK big wheel a giant success

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HK big wheel a giant success
Around 15,000 visitors flock to new attraction in first three days
Visitors, like this family,
rush to be among the
first to ride the Hong
Kong Observation Wheel.
(Sing Tao Daily)
H
ONG KONG has a
new landmark. About
15,000 locals and
tourists flocked to Hong Kong’s
Ferris wheel in its first three days, topping
the operator’s expectations.
Originally due to open in September,
the Hong Kong Observation Wheel (香港
摩天輪) began spinning on 5 December as
people rushed to be among the first to ride the
60-metre attraction on the harbourfront.
Operated by Swiss AEX, its chief
executive Leon Snep said the bumper crowds
from that weekend exceeded all expectations.
The company is expecting one million
passengers a year to ride the wheel, which
equates to about 2,740 each day.
It costs HK$100 for an adult and
HK$70 for concessions, including those with
disabilities, children under 12 years, full-time
students and senior citizens, to ride the wheel,
which is open from 11am to 11pm each day.
Spokesman Timothy Peirson-Smith said,
“The Hong Kong Observation Wheel is not just
in the best location in Hong Kong but on one
of the best harbourfront locations in the world,
and we are deeply proud of this.”
Lan Kwai Fong Group (蘭桂坊集團)
chairman Allan Zeman (盛智文) was one
of the first to ride the wheel and praised the
operators and urged Hongkongers to try it out
for themselves.
The wheel has 42 gondolas (including
one VIP gondola), each holding eight seated
passengers. The special VIP gondola is fitted
out with leather seats and a crystallised floor
for passengers to see through.
(The Standard, 9 December 2014)
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P03
Monday 15 December 2014
Text: Ms Yee
Photos: Sing Tao Daily, Internet
5W1H
5W
When
Where
Who
early December 2014
Hong Kong
Swiss AEX
Vocabulary
What
Why
How
it said visitors to the Hong Kong
Observation Wheel exceeded
expectations
gondola (n) 遊樂設施的車廂
M: Meaning
E: Example
M: a hanging part that people sit in in an
amusement park ride
there were about 15,000 visitors
E: The family of four sat in the same gondola of
the cable car.
it opened the Hong Kong Observation
Wheel on 5 December
The gondola of a Ferris wheel is also known as a
cabin, capsule, pod or passenger car. The gondola
is also the name of the kind of long boat used on
canals in Venice (威尼斯).
E: Some observation wheels have spherical
passenger cars.
E: Is a gondola ride a must-do or a tourist trap
in Venice?
Comprehension
1
True or False
M: something, such as a large structure, that can
be seen clearly from a distance to help people
know where they are
Answer if these statements are true (T) or false (F).
1. The Hong Kong Observation Wheel had about 15,000 passengers on the first day. .........
2. The Ferris wheel is 60 metres in diameter.
.........
3. Lan Kwai Fong boss Allan Zeman owns the Big Wheel.
.........
4. A 70-year-old would pay HK$70 to ride the wheel.
.........
5. The wheel is open 24 hours a day.
.........
6. The wheel can accommodate 336 people.
.........
Answers on P12
Think About It
Do you think the Hong Kong Observation Wheel can attract
locals in the long run? How about foreign visitors? Do you think
HK$100 for an adult is a reasonable fare? If you could add one
more landmark in Hong Kong to attract visitors, what would it be?
I feel that…
landmark (n) 地標
E: The Eiffel Tower (艾菲爾鐵塔) is a prominent
landmark in Paris (巴黎).
2
Ferris wheel (n phr) 摩天輪
M: a large wheel standing in a vertical position for
people to ride on
E: He cannot ride a Ferris wheel because he
has a fear of heights.
3
top (v) 超過
M: to be higher than a particular amount
E: Our profits for the last year topped $5 million.
4
attraction (n) 景點
M: an interesting or enjoyable place to go or
thing to do
E: The Great Wall of China (萬里長城) is
surely a major tourist attraction.
5
bumper (adj) 異常大的
M: unusually large
E: Fishermen have been making bumper catches
this season.
6
VIP (n) 貴賓
M: abbreviation of ‘very important person’
E: This area is for VIPs only. Regular guests may
not enter.

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