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Episode: 176.2 - English Story: Irregular Verbs with The Ferris Wheel

Author: Sonoro | Shana Thompson
Duration: 00:34:24

Episode Shownotes

⭐ My annual BLACK FRIDAY SALE IS HAPPENING NOW! Sign up for Premium Content for a HUGE savings: ➡️ https://bit.ly/44822TQ In this episode, we’re taking a ride through the fascinating history of the Ferris wheel while learning some tricky irregular verbs along the way! Together, we’ll explore how this iconic

amusement ride came to life as a bold attempt to rival the Eiffel Tower at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Practice the terms, hear them in a variety of contexts and then take a quiz to test what you've learned! At the very end, we'll go through fun facts about the Ferris Wheel. Did you know the original Ferris wheel was dynamited? Or that Ain Dubai is the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, standing at a jaw-dropping 820 feet? So, let’s ride through history, learn some grammar, and have a little fun together. Let’s do it! 🎡 // TOP-RATED ENGLISH RESOURCES ○ Season 4 ➡️ https://bit.ly/3rF36k4 (at a discount when you purchase Season 1, 2 and 3 as a bundle) ○ Premium Content (Seasons 1, 2 and 3) ➡️ https://bit.ly/44822TQ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Full Transcript

00:00:05 Speaker_02
Hi everybody! My name is Shawna and this is the American English Podcast. My goal here is to teach you the English spoken in the United States.

00:00:13 Speaker_02
Through common expressions, pronunciation tips, and interesting cultural snippets or stories, I hope to keep this fun, useful, and interesting. Let's do it! Welcome to today's English lesson.

00:00:29 Speaker_02
We're going to be talking about the history of one of the most famous rides in the world, the Ferris wheel. Do you know what a Ferris wheel is? Through my research, I discovered that in many languages, this ride is simply called the giant wheel.

00:00:51 Speaker_02
Roda gigante in Portuguese, Riesenrad in German, but in English, it's Ferris wheel because the man who made the first one was named George Ferris. Today, you'll hear the story of how and why the first Ferris wheel came to life. But that's not all.

00:01:13 Speaker_02
As I tell the story today, you'll hear many irregular past tense verbs, words like think, pay, and choose. In the past, they're thought, paid, and chose. They don't follow the usual rules for the past tense, so they don't have "-ed endings."

00:01:35 Speaker_02
They're unique. ten of them in the story, well, a few more than that, but they require some memorization. My favorite way to memorize is, of course, through stories, repetition, and having fun.

00:01:52 Speaker_02
So, after the story, we'll practice these verbs with new examples to help you remember them. Then we'll listen to the story again. At the very end, you'll hear fun facts about Ferris wheels in general. Stay tuned for that part.

00:02:08 Speaker_02
It's my favorite part of these irregular verb episodes because there's more detail. Just to reiterate, this lesson is about irregular verbs and the Ferris wheel. Before we begin, though, I would like to talk about rides. Where do you find rides?

00:02:31 Speaker_02
You might find them at an amusement park. You might also find them at a fair. Do you know the difference between the two? Amusement parks are typically fixed locations, so permanent locations, like Disneyland, Disney World, Six Flags, or Universal.

00:02:52 Speaker_02
They don't travel from city to city, they're permanent. So rides at amusement parks reflect that. They're typically more thrilling, there are larger roller coasters, some with higher drops, and there are usually more themes.

00:03:11 Speaker_02
Fairs, on the other hand, are not permanent. County fairs or state fairs are really popular in the U.S. Usually they appear in summertime and attract a lot of locals and tourists with rides and cooking competitions and so much more.

00:03:30 Speaker_02
The thing is, there are a few rides that you'll find at fairs and amusement parks because they're just popular. The first, of course, I already mentioned. Roller coasters. Roller coasters are fast. They have big drops, twists, and turns.

00:03:50 Speaker_02
There's, of course, the carousel, which is a ride with painted horses usually, but sometimes there are other animals. And it goes in a circle. And your animal goes up and down slowly as you move.

00:04:08 Speaker_02
Number three, there are, of course, bumper cars, usually at amusement parks and at fairs, and that's pretty self-explanatory.

00:04:17 Speaker_02
Bumper cars are small cars you drive in and you bump into other people, which is usually funny because you don't know the people you're bumping into. Number four, is one that Lucas really hates, and it's the spinning teacups.

00:04:39 Speaker_02
You know what a spinning teacup is. I'm sure you've been in it. It's where you sit inside of a big cup that spins you around, and it makes you feel very dizzy. Hey, Lucas, how do you feel about the spinning teacups at fairs and amusement parks?

00:04:58 Speaker_00
Don't like it. Makes me dizzy. Spins too fast, and yeah.

00:05:03 Speaker_02
You hate it.

00:05:03 Speaker_00
Yeah, I don't like it.

00:05:05 Speaker_02
Dizzy means unsteady, lightheaded, when it feels like the world around you is spinning. Let's just say it's not Lucas's cup of tea.

00:05:17 Speaker_02
So once again, we had roller coasters, carousels, bumper cars, spinning teacups, but one of the most famous rides around the world is without a doubt the Ferris wheel.

00:05:30 Speaker_02
which is a massive wheel that turns in place and passengers sit on the outside rim of that wheel, usually in a car, carriage, gondola. There are plenty of words for that actual physical space that you sit inside. What's your favorite ride?

00:05:52 Speaker_02
Do you enjoy going on the bumper cars? Do you like riding roller coasters? Do you like thrills? Or do you like the slow movement and views of a Ferris wheel? Imagine yourself on a Ferris wheel, just for a minute, gently rising above the carnival lights.

00:06:14 Speaker_02
Have you ever wondered where this iconic ride came from? Well, without further ado, let's dive into its story. It all began at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago, commonly known as the World's Fair. And the event was remarkable.

00:06:37 Speaker_02
It was a celebration of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas. and it was designed to showcase the artistic, scientific, and industrial achievements of the era. But the fair had a unique challenge.

00:06:56 Speaker_02
It needed a showpiece that could rival the architectural marvel of the Eiffel Tower, the highlight of the 1889 World's Fair in Paris.

00:07:08 Speaker_02
Daniel H. Burnham, the lead architect of the event, thought deeply about how to surpass the grandeur of the Eiffel Tower. Was it even possible?

00:07:21 Speaker_02
Engineers and inventors from across the country pitched ideas, but none captured the bold, innovative spirit Burnham sought until George Ferris Jr. entered the scene.

00:07:35 Speaker_02
Ferris, who spent years as a bridge builder and civil engineer, proposed a daring idea, a massive rotating wheel that would lift people high into the sky.

00:07:49 Speaker_02
Unlike the smaller wooden wheels of the time, Ferris' innovation would use steel instead of wood and feature nearly 3,000 light bulbs, which were a novelty at the time.

00:08:03 Speaker_02
The completed wheel would be 264 feet tall, with passenger cars the size of train carriages, each capable of holding up to 60 people. Critics doubted it could be built safely, let alone function reliably.

00:08:22 Speaker_02
It required over 100,000 precisely manufactured parts. Yet Ferris believed in it, he drew plans for the structure, chose skilled engineers to assist him, and kept faith in the project despite the skepticism.

00:08:40 Speaker_02
Building the wheel, though, was a monumental undertaking, and it cost a significant amount of money. Apart from his own contributions, investors paid a fortune to see the dream come true. The $385,000 spent is equivalent to around $15 million today.

00:09:04 Speaker_02
Construction began in January 1893 during a harsh Chicago winter. Workers braved freezing temperatures and strong winds as they excavated the foundation and assembled the massive structure.

00:09:20 Speaker_02
In six months' time, they brought Ferris' ambitious vision to life. On June 21, 1893, Ferris' wheel, known as the Big Wheel, was unveiled at the Columbian Exposition, and it was an instant sensation.

00:09:40 Speaker_02
Towering above the fairgrounds, it offered breathtaking views of Chicago and Lake Michigan. Over 1.4 million people rode the wheel during the fair, each paying 50 cents for a 20-minute spin.

00:09:56 Speaker_02
That was a lot of money at the time, but tickets sold easily. The wheel became the fair's centerpiece, and historians agree. It led to a new era of grand-scale amusement parks and rides, such as wooden coasters, swing rides, and more.

00:10:16 Speaker_01
So what happened to the wheel?

00:10:18 Speaker_02
After the fair, the original Ferris wheel was relocated twice, first to Chicago's North Side and later to the St. Louis World's Fair. It was eventually dismantled in 1906.

00:10:32 Speaker_02
Today, the Ferris wheel stands as a timeless symbol of joy and amusement, with modern versions like the London Eye and the High Roller in Las Vegas honoring Ferris's legacy. So, what were the 10 irregular verbs you heard in the story?

00:10:52 Speaker_02
Let's go through them. Number one, to think. To think in the past is thought. Daniel H. Burnham, the lead architect of the event, thought deeply about how to surpass the grandeur of the Eiffel Tower. Let's go through some more examples of thought.

00:11:16 Speaker_02
She thought long and hard before deciding to move to a new city. He thought he saw a ghost in the hallway. Number two, to spend. To spend in the past is spent. Ferris, who spent years as a bridge builder and civil engineer, proposed a daring idea.

00:11:42 Speaker_02
She spent hours trying to fix the computer. We spent the whole day at the beach. Number three, to draw. To draw in the past is drew. Or sometimes we say drew. It sounds like a J. Critics doubted it could be built safely, let alone function reliably.

00:12:07 Speaker_02
Yet Ferris believed in it. He drew plans for the structure. chose skilled engineers to assist him and kept faith in the project despite the skepticism. Let's go through a few other examples. The child drew beautiful pictures.

00:12:24 Speaker_02
My grandma drew a heart in the sand. Number four, to choose. What's to choose in the simple past? Chose. He drew plans for the structure, chose skilled engineers to assist him, and kept faith in the project despite the skepticism.

00:12:47 Speaker_02
He chose to stay home and watch a movie instead of going out. I chose a salad instead of a hamburger. Number five, to keep. To keep in the past is kept. We just went over this twice, but here we go once again. Yet Ferris believed in it.

00:13:08 Speaker_02
He drew plans for the structure, chose skilled engineers to assist him, and kept faith in the project despite the skepticism. She kept her favorite childhood books on a special shelf in her room. He kept his promise to call me. Number six, to cost.

00:13:32 Speaker_02
To cost in the past is cost. It doesn't change. Not to mention, it cost a significant amount of money. Our home renovations cost way more than we budgeted for. The new car cost a lot of money. Number seven, to pay. To pay in the past is paid.

00:13:59 Speaker_02
Apart from his own contributions, investors paid a fortune to see the dream come true. She paid close attention to her teacher's instructions. I paid for the expensive dinner with my credit card. Number eight, to sell. To sell in the past is sold.

00:14:23 Speaker_02
That was a lot of money at the time, but tickets sold easily. He sold his car to buy a more fuel-efficient model. They sold their house last year. Number nine, to become. To become in the past is became. The wheel became the fair's centerpiece.

00:14:50 Speaker_02
More examples. After years of hard work and dedication, she finally became a doctor. The caterpillar eventually became a butterfly. 10. To lead To lead in the past is lead.

00:15:09 Speaker_02
The wheel became the fair's centerpiece and led to a new era of grand-scale amusement parks and rides, such as wooden coasters, swing rides, and more. Her strong leadership led the team to victory in the final match.

00:15:28 Speaker_02
The artifact's discovery led to groundbreaking research in archaeology.

00:15:35 Speaker_02
There were many other simple past tense forms that we introduced in previous lessons, for example, to come in the past is came, to seek in the past is sought, to bring in the past is brought,

00:15:51 Speaker_02
There were a few more, but in any case, I hope you learned the 10 we just went over. We're going to do a quiz on them now. Fill in the blank with the correct past tense form. Are you ready?

00:16:06 Speaker_02
They never, mmm, they'd find such a rare book at the flea market. What's the past tense of to think? Thought. They never thought they'd find such a rare book at the flea market. Number two.

00:16:29 Speaker_02
We ____ more than we planned on the vacation, but it was worth every penny. What's to spend in the past? Spent. We spent more than we planned on the vacation, but it was worth every penny. Number 3.

00:16:51 Speaker_02
The artist ____ and painted a beautiful sketch of the mountain scenery. What's the past tense of to draw? Drew. The artist drew and painted a beautiful sketch of the mountain scenery. Number 4. She ____ the red dress over the blue one for the gala.

00:17:22 Speaker_02
What's the past tense of to choose? Chose. She chose the red dress over the blue one for the gala. Number 5. The children ____ the secret about the surprise party. What's the past tense of to keep? Kept.

00:17:51 Speaker_02
The children kept the secret about the surprise party. Number six. The handmade necklace, mm, a lot, but its sentimental value made it priceless. What's the past tense of to cost? Cost. It doesn't change.

00:18:15 Speaker_02
The handmade necklace cost a lot, but its sentimental value made it priceless. The couple ____ a fortune for their wedding venue. What's the past tense of to pay? Paid. The couple paid a fortune for their wedding venue.

00:18:40 Speaker_02
Number eight, the bakery out of their famous croissants within hours. What's the past tense of to sell? Sold. The bakery sold out of their famous croissants within hours. Number 9.

00:19:04 Speaker_02
As the sun set, the sky ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

00:19:31 Speaker_02
The guide ____ the group through the dense forest. What's the past tense of to lead? Led. The guide led the group through the dense forest. Thanks for listening. Now let's hear the story one last time. Enjoy!

00:20:00 Speaker_02
Imagine yourself on a Ferris wheel, gently rising above the carnival lights. Have you ever wondered where this iconic ride came from? Well, let's dive into its story.

00:20:15 Speaker_02
It all began at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago, commonly known as the World's Fair. And the event was remarkable. It was a celebration of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas.

00:20:36 Speaker_02
and it was designed to showcase the artistic, scientific, and industrial achievements of the era. But the fair had a unique challenge.

00:20:46 Speaker_02
It needed a showpiece that could rival the architectural marvel of the Eiffel Tower, the highlight of the 1889 World's Fair in Paris.

00:20:59 Speaker_02
Daniel H. Burnham, the lead architect of the event, thought deeply about how to surpass the grandeur of the Eiffel Tower. Was it even possible?

00:21:11 Speaker_02
Engineers and inventors from across the country pitched ideas, but none captured the bold, innovative spirit Burnham sought until George Ferris Jr. entered the scene.

00:21:26 Speaker_02
Ferris, who spent years as a bridge builder and civil engineer, proposed a daring idea, a massive rotating wheel that would lift people high into the sky.

00:21:39 Speaker_02
Unlike the smaller wooden wheels of the time, Ferris' innovation would use steel instead of wood and feature nearly 3,000 light bulbs, which were a novelty at the time.

00:21:53 Speaker_02
The completed wheel would be 264 feet tall, with passenger cars the size of train carriages, each capable of holding up to 60 people. Critics doubted it could be built safely, let alone function reliably.

00:22:12 Speaker_02
It required over 100,000 precisely manufactured parts. Yet Ferris believed in it, he drew plans for the structure, chose skilled engineers to assist him, and kept faith in the project despite the skepticism.

00:22:31 Speaker_02
Building the wheel, though, was a monumental undertaking, and it cost a significant amount of money. Apart from his own contributions, investors paid a fortune to see the dream come true. The $385,000 spent is equivalent to around $15 million today.

00:22:55 Speaker_02
Construction began in January 1893 during a harsh Chicago winter. Workers braved freezing temperatures and strong winds as they excavated the foundation and assembled the massive structure.

00:23:11 Speaker_02
In six months' time, they brought Ferris' ambitious vision to life. On June 21, 1893, Ferris' wheel, known as the Big Wheel, was unveiled at the Columbian Exposition, and it was an instant sensation.

00:23:31 Speaker_02
Towering above the fairgrounds, it offered breathtaking views of Chicago and Lake Michigan. Over 1.4 million people rode the wheel during the fair, each paying 50 cents for a 20-minute spin.

00:23:47 Speaker_02
That was a lot of money at the time, but tickets sold easily. The wheel became the fair's centerpiece, and historians agree. It led to a new era of grand-scale amusement parks and rides, such as wooden coasters, swing rides, and more.

00:24:07 Speaker_01
So what happened to the wheel?

00:24:09 Speaker_02
After the fair, the original Ferris wheel was relocated twice, first to Chicago's North Side and later to the St. Louis World's Fair. It was eventually dismantled in 1906.

00:24:23 Speaker_02
Today, the Ferris wheel stands as a timeless symbol of joy and amusement, with modern versions like the London Eye and the High Roller in Las Vegas honoring Ferris' legacy. Thanks for listening.

00:24:39 Speaker_02
Before we wrap up today's lesson, let's go through a few fun facts about Ferris wheels. So as we learned today, Ferris created the first modern Ferris wheel, but I mentioned that it was dismantled. Dismantled means taken apart.

00:25:00 Speaker_02
and it was actually moved twice before it was scrapped and before it was thrown away. It's sort of depressing in my mind because it was actually exploded with dynamite according to Smithsonian Magazine.

00:25:18 Speaker_02
My first thoughts after hearing this was why in the world would you get rid of the first Ferris wheel? Shouldn't it be in a museum or something? Now there's actually a few reasons.

00:25:31 Speaker_02
First of all, it was in a prime location and there was pressure to build expensive real estate where it was located. Secondly, it was expensive to maintain.

00:25:45 Speaker_02
Thirdly, there was a decline in popularity of Ferris wheels as modern theme parks rose in popularity. The original plan, before it was scrapped, was to create a sort of beer garden where you could drink and see vaudeville shows on there.

00:26:07 Speaker_02
But the liquor license they applied for wasn't granted. Can you imagine if that had actually happened? Some of you might say, well, I've seen a Ferris wheel on the Chicago skyline. You're not wrong. There is one.

00:26:25 Speaker_02
Chicago is home to the Centennial Wheel, which is a permanent Ferris wheel located at Navy Pier. And it's not as tall as the original, but it does offer panoramic views of the city skyline and Lake Michigan.

00:26:44 Speaker_02
And it's sort of in honor of the original Ferris wheel in Chicago. It's open year round. So if you want to visit, you won't freeze your booty off. There's climate control inside those gondolas. So yeah, go visit.

00:27:01 Speaker_02
The last fun fact is actually something I researched on AI. I wanted to know, where are the most notable Ferris wheels in the world?

00:27:15 Speaker_02
And I wasn't sure what AI was going to come up with because it's sort of a subjective question, but I have to say the answers were very well organized. Each of their choices had three criteria.

00:27:30 Speaker_02
for what made it notable, the height, the views, and a cool factor about it. So in terms of height alone, I have to say, engineers around the world are so competitive.

00:27:46 Speaker_02
So a Ferris wheel was unveiled in Nanchang, China, I think that's how you pronounce it, in May 2006 at 525 feet tall. Then, a few years later, in 2008, the Singapore Flyer was opened at 541 feet tall. So from 525 in China to 541 in Singapore.

00:28:04 Speaker_02
Then, in 2014, the High Roller in Vegas was unveiled at 550 feet tall. they just kept getting higher. So then Dubai came and built the absolute tallest Ferris wheel in the world, I in Dubai, at a whopping 820 feet high.

00:28:39 Speaker_02
The capsules are large enough to host small events or parties, which is pretty cool. And that's also what it says under its cool factor. In any case, I in Dubai is the tallest Ferris wheel in the world.

00:28:54 Speaker_02
In my personal opinion, the views and cool factor kind of go together. Here are three other notable Ferris wheels. So, if you've ever been to Las Vegas, you know the city loves lights. It's the city that never sleeps. Or is that New York?

00:29:15 Speaker_02
Las Vegas also doesn't sleep. So you can actually party at a bar in the Las Vegas High Roller, their Ferris wheel, while enjoying a view of the stunning city lights below. The next we had was the Singapore Flyer.

00:29:34 Speaker_02
From the largest observation deck in Asia, you can have a multi-course meal while looking at Marina Bay, Gardens by the Bay, and even parts of Indonesia and Malaysia on clear days. That sounds very chic. Very nice.

00:29:53 Speaker_02
So ride the Singapore Flyer if you want those special views and a very nice meal. Last but not least, there's the London Eye, located on the south bank of the River Thames.

00:30:08 Speaker_02
If you've ever been to London, you know it's right next to some iconic landmarks, like Big Ben. An AI tells me that you can also see Buckingham Palace and St. Paul's Cathedral from up there. Is that true? I never actually went on the London Eye.

00:30:28 Speaker_02
The line was too long. So you guys tell me. Which Ferris wheel did you like riding on most in your life? It's kind of funny. It is pretty memorable, I guess.

00:30:39 Speaker_02
The most interesting Ferris wheel I rode on was probably the one in front of the Louvre in Paris. I think there's a big one there now, but there used to be a really small one when I studied abroad there many years ago.

00:30:56 Speaker_02
In any case, I hope you enjoyed that lesson. Be sure to sign up to premium content if you're interested in the bonus material that goes along with this lesson, including the transcript, the premium transcript reader, a quiz, a video, and more.

00:31:14 Speaker_02
You can find the link to that at AmericanEnglishPodcast.com. Thank you for listening to this episode of the American English Podcast.

00:31:24 Speaker_02
Remember, it's my goal here to not only help you improve your listening comprehension, but to show you how to speak like someone from the States.

00:31:33 Speaker_02
If you want to receive the full transcript for this episode or you just want to support this podcast, make sure to sign up to premium content on AmericanEnglishPodcast.com. Thanks and hope to see you soon.