YEAR 6+ ENGLISH TERM 3 MODULE 8
ANSWERS FOR MODULE 8
STEP 1
statement number person or group
Performed songs and delivered news on street corners. 1 minstrels
P.T. Barnum and James
The Greatest Show on Earth stages its first performance. 6
Anthony Bailey
The idea of a tent as a circus venue starts. 5 Joshuah Purdy
New approaches to training circus performers, including The Moscow Circus
the use of gymnastics skills expanded the types of acts in 9 School , trainee circus
circuses performers
Performances traditionally associated with the circus,
2 troupes
such as juggling and acrobatics were seen at country fairs.
An extended circus tour of Europe includes animal acts,
human circus performers and humans with deformities or 7 P.T. Barnum and J A Bailey
disabilities.
Death defying hire wire stunts become an enormously
popular act at the Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey 8 The Flying Wallendas
Circus.
Trick horse riding became the first event performed for an
3 Philip Astley
audience in a circus ring.
Successful contemporary circuses rely less on animal acts
10 Cirque du Soleil
and more an a theatrical approach to circus.
Circus is performed for the queen of Russia. 4 Charles Hughes
1. To advertise a circus – to advertise the Barnum and Bailey greatest show on earth circus?
2. A horse that is carried by a balloon.
3. A fireworks display.
4. Jupiter is associated with space/ sky and distance away from the Earth- a terrestrial body and
the horse is elevated towards the heaven, in the act. A strong, white horse suggests a majestic
and pure animal with a mystical or mythical connotation. A possible link to Pegasus might be
drawn by the viewer.
STEP 2
1. C
2. A
3. C
4. A
5. D
6. C
7. B
8. D
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YEAR 6+ ENGLISH TERM 3 MODULE 8
STEP 3
1. Cirque du Soleil changed the style of circus making it more theatrical and removing some of
the more traditional circus acts such as animal acts. It includes an international cast and some
new features with the combinations of music dance theatre and more traditional circus acts
such as trapeze.
2. The text is documenting the growth and development of Cirque du Soleil and how the circus
has transformed modern circus. It is providing information and evidence.
3. Guy Laliberté is one of the founders of Cirque du Soleil which has grown into a hugely
successful business with over 5000 employees that tours the world and attracts audiences of
millions. This would bring in a lot of money.
4. showcase physical skill of the performers
spectacle, storytelling and imagination
acrobats clowns and trapeze
music and dance
5. They had to overcome financial difficulties. They didn’t have enough money to expand.
6. The writer is using a play on words based on the sun rising and the circus growing in
popularity – the pun is used because the circus’ name includes the sun.
7. To demonstrate the multinational nature of the performers in the circus.
8. Engage the reader with theatre and story – provide a narrative thread to the circus performance
STEP 4
Maria Katharina
Rosa Richter
Spelterina Brumbach
Each time she made the crossing she increased the
X
difficulty by adding extra impediments.
She was unable to perform after seriously injuring
X
herself during one of her performances.
She challenged men to compete against her with the
X
incentive of prize money, if they could beat her.
The newspaper reports of her feats suggested that her
X
skill put the audience at ease.
She was protected from being killed during her
performances by the use of fireworks to create the X
illusion of an explosion.
As part of her publicity she lifted her husband up using
X
just one arm.
Shackling her wrists would have made the crossing
difficult because she needed to use her wrists to control X
the pole.
At first a spring was used to propel her into the air but
X
later compressed air, which was safer, was used.
© Copyright Pre-Uni New College English
YEAR 6+ ENGLISH TERM 3 MODULE 8
She used her most famous victory to advantage by
changing her stage name to remind people of the man X
she had defeated.
After her first successful attempt she gained the
X
confidence to make several more attempts.
Her size was an important factor in determining the act
X
she would perform in her family’s circus.
Before taking on a new name and changing the trick
she performed she was already doing dangerous stunts X
on a tightrope.
STEP 5
1. A
2. C
3. D
4. A
5. B
6. D
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