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South China Morning Post

Spark Study Buddy (Challenger): Hong Kong aerialist dazzles on ‘Britain's Got Talent'

Content provided by British Council [1] Watching aerialist Jimmy Wong from Hong Kong is amazing. He performs gravity-defying acts, like spinning high in the air while holding onto a strap with one arm. Last month, the 39-year-old, who moved from Hong Kong to the UK two years ago, impressed everyone with his skills on Britain's Got Talent. [2] Wong's audition on the long-running talent show was a mix of acrobatics and water dancing that had some audience members on their feet. His act received a 'yes' vote from all four judges, allowing him to proceed to the next round. 'It is a high-stress environment for performers, but the audience was really supportive,' Wong said of his audition that was taped in October. [3] Speaking via video call from his adopted home city of London, Wong said he preferred video games to sports growing up. He was about 15 years old when dance came onto his radar. In 2008, he graduated from City University of Hong Kong with a degree in linguistics, but was not keen on a desk job. It was the stage that attracted him. [4] His first dance role was as a hyena in the Festival of the Lion King musical at Hong Kong Disneyland. He also danced on stage with Hong Kong singers G.E.M. and Jacky Cheung Hok-yau and performed in musicals on cruise ships. Most recently, he took part in Come Alive: The Greatest Showman Circus Spectacular, a circus-meets-musical-theatre production in London. [5] Before taking up aerial, Wong was doing callisthenics. Callisthenics is a form of strength training that uses one's own body weight as a form of resistance to perform full-body exercises. But he found it lacking in artistry and self-expression. Aerial straps allow for the performance of holds, twists, and rolls. For Wong, they presented the perfect marriage of dance and strength. [7] As for those spins, it begs the question: does Wong get dizzy? 'I get asked that a lot and the answer depends on the speed of the spins. 'I've been doing the fast spins for a while, so when I come out of them, I get a little dizzy for the first two or three seconds, but I can quickly regain my focus. 'It's something that you just need to practise … The more you do it, the quicker your body finds ways to adapt.' Source: South China Morning Post, April 20 Questions 1. Based on your understanding of paragraph 1, Wong performs acrobatics … A. without his arms. B. with a partner. C. high in the air. D. to loud music. 2. According to paragraph 2, when did Wong become interested in dance? 3. What two elements did Wong's audition combine, according to paragraph 2? 4. Based on paragraph 4, where else has Wong performed in musicals besides Hong Kong Disneyland? 5. How does Wong feel immediately after coming out of fast spins, according to paragraph 7? 6. Below is a summary of the story. Two of the sentences have grammatical mistakes. Find the errors and write the corrections. If there is no mistake, put an x. The first one has been done for you. (3 marks) Jimmy Wong blends artistry and strength in his unique performances. Photo Courtesy of Jimmy Wong Answers 1. C 2. when he was 15 years old 3. acrobatic and water dancing 4. He also performed in musicals on cruise ships. 5. He gets a little dizzy for the first two or three seconds. 6. (i) x; (ii) spinning; (iii) unanimously