Баранова, Starlight 9. Учебник. Module 4b

A acrobats
В tightrope walkers
C fire-eater
D trapeze artist/acrobat

I am watching a circus performance in a huge circus tent. I can see trapeze artists performing tricks in the air and there’s a lion tamer in the ring in front of me. There are also clowns and magicians entertaining the crowds. I feel excited by all the activity. I can’t wait to see all the performances.

I think the life of a trapeze artist is usually quite thrilling. However, I imagine a trapeze artist has to travel a lot and practise all the time, so it must get quite tiring, too. Practise is very important for a trapeze artist, because they must be able to perform their routines perfectly. It’s a dangerous job, but a trapeze artist probably doesn’t get scared easily.

1 В (1995 … immediately fixated … becoming a travelling performer… sights, smells and sounds attracted me… recalls)
2 F (trapeze artists… how wonderful it must be to fly through the air for a living)
3 E (road to circus stardom began … classes, lessons, hone her craft)
4 D (not for the faint-hearted… can’t be nervous)
5 C (she says training – lots of it… it’s effort)
6 A (the thrill of performing in front of a live audience …the sounds of people applauding forme)

a)
flipped = tossed
twirl = spin
defying = resisting
intense = tough
faint-hearted = not confident
carefree = easy-going
b)
1 fixated
2 stardom
3 key
4 twist
5 awe

In the impersonal passive sentence, the subject follows the verb, and it has the structure ‘It + passive verb (+ that) + subject + verb’. The impersonal passive always starts with ‘it’ followed by the passive form of verb of the main clause. In the personal passive sentence ‘the stunt’ becomes the subject of the sentence, and it has the form ‘subject + passive verb + to-infinitive of the verb of the subordinate clause (in the appropriate tense).

1 His show is expected to attract a large audience, (personal)
2 It is said that the magician’s act is the best at the festival, (impersonal)
3 It is believed that she is one of the world’s best jugglers, (impersonal)
4 They are thought to win the championship again, (personal)
5 The fire-eater is reported to be amazing, (personal)

A: Have you always dreamt of being in the circus?
B: Yes. I first went to the circus when I was five years old, and I wanted to become a trapeze artist ever since.
A: Did you have to train a lot to become a trapeze artist?
B: Yes, I trained hard from a young age to master the stunts and make them look effortless.
A: What is your favourite thing about being a trapeze artist?
В: I get a thrill from flying through the air, but I love to hear people applauding me and seeing the awe I inspire in them when they see me perform. That’s the best feeling.
A: Do you think anyone could do your kind of work?
B: Not everyone would enjoy it. The hours are long and you have to be prepared to travel constantly and to suffer from aches and pains. If someone is prepared for all that, then the thrill of being a trapeze artist is unbeatable.

Tightrope walking is a highly skilled circus act. A tightrope walker has to walk along a thin piece of rope from one platform to another. It requires a lot of balance and concentration to make it all the way to the end of the rope. The tightrope is usually located high up, so there is a big fall to the ground if the tightrope walker loses their balance. There is often a net to catch anyone who might fall, but many tightrope walkers prefer to perform without a net. It takes years of practice to master the art of tightrope walking. A good tightrope walker can also perform other tricks, such as juggling while walking along the thin wire.

The show must go on’ means that no matter what might have happened before or might happen during a public performance, the show must continue. I think people use this phrase because an audience expects to be entertained and it is important that they don’t leave disappointed.