Exercises

Sky Walking

Photos courtesy of AP

The Grand Canyon is one of the natural wonders of the world. Thousands of people visit the majestic site each year to take in the awesome scenery from the canyon�s edge. Now thrill-seekers have the chance to view it all from above. Read this story from the Bangkok Post to find out how they do it.

A gleaming glass-bottomed walk way jutting out over the edge of the Grand Canyon welcomed its first visitors last month.

The Skywalk is a horseshoe-shaped observation deck extending 21 metres over the edge of the Grand Canyon in the remote Hualapai Indian Reservation, about 193 kilometres east of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Visitors who brave the walk can peer through the 10 centimetre-thick reinforced glass they are walking on to look straight down to the canyon floor � a dizzying 1,220 metres below.

BUILT TO LAST

Architects say the structure is capable of supporting several hundred people simultaneously and will not be affected by the powerful winds that rip through the canyon.

Weighing roughly 500 tonnes, the walkway is constructed with layer upon layer of reinforced glass and is supported by massive steel bolts that have been driven 14 metres into the canyon�s surrounding bedrock.

Giant shock absorbers also will prevent the structure from shaking under the weight of visitors, architects say.

MIXED FEELINGS

The Skywalk was dreamed up by Shanghai-born businessman David Jin. The Las Vegas-based investor is reported to have spent $30 million (959 million baht) on the project.

The Hualapai leaders hope the Skywalk will help bring valuable tourist dollars to their poor corner of the Grand Canyon. Tickets for the Skywalk cost about $25 (800 baht).

But construction of the project has been criticised by some Hualapai members and environmentalists, with several tribal members saying they had mixed feelings about the project.

�I�d say most Hualapai are opposed to it,� said Don Havatone, 46, a tour guide. �It�s hard to accept. It�s sacred ground for us and we are disturbing it. But on the other hand, I think people will grow to accept it if they can see that our children will benefit from tourism.�

Exercises

Read the story. Then, answer the following reading comprehension questions.

1. Who are the Hualapai?

2. What was used in the construction to prevent the structure from shaking under the weight of visitors?

3. How high is the Skywalk from the canyon floor?

4. What is the shape of the Skywalk observation deck?

	awesome (adj): very impressive gleaming (adj): shiny and clean jut out (phrasal verb): to stick out further than the surrounding surface, objects, etc. dizzying (adj): making you feel dizzy opposed (adj): disagreeing strongly with something and trying to stop it sacred (adj): very important and treated with great respect disturb (v): to move something or change its position