Magic man

Magic man

Understanding main ideas

Read the passage. Choose the correct answers.

MAGIC MAN. Part 01

He's been enclosed in a massive block of ice for three days and three nights, been buried alive for a week, lived in a glass box for 44 days with nothing but water, and spent one week inside a water-filled sphere—all in the name of entertainment. In less than three decades, David Blaine has transformed the world of magic. His unique and fascinating career as a magician, illusionist, and endurance artist has led critics to compare him with the greatest magician of them all, and Blaine's personal hero—Harry Houdini.

EARLY LIFE

At the age of four, Blaine saw a street magician performing in the New York subway and instantly became fascinated. He started practicing magic with a deck of cards given to him by his grandmother. From an early age, he was also interested in endurance challenges, like holding his breath. In 1987, when Blaine was 14, he heard a news story that really grabbed his attention. It was about a teenager who had fallen through ice and become trapped under a river for 45 minutes. Amazingly, he survived without brain damage. At the time, Blaine thought to himself that if the boy could survive without breathing for that long, it must be possible for other people to do it too. And he was determined to find out how.

Part 02

THE START OF A CAREER

Twenty years after seeing the street magician in the subway, Blaine became a professional magician himself. He started out as a street performer and gained instant popularity due to his exciting tricks and unique magic style. His success prompted him to make a tape of his performance, which he sent to a TV network. Soon after, the television network aired his self-produced special, David Blaine: Street Magic, and its sequel, David Blaine: Magic Man. In these programs, Blaine was shown traveling across the country and entertaining unsuspecting pedestrians. Unlike other magic shows where the focus was mainly on the magician, Blaine's shows focused on the audience's reactions. This forever changed the way magic was portrayed on television. Blaine had created a new style of magic, and audiences loved it. The New York Times said that Blaine had "taken a craft that's been around for hundreds of years and done something unique and fresh with it." The New Yorker claimed that he had "saved magic." Since then, Blaine has produced eight additional primetime specials, including Real or Magic, in which he shocks celebrities in their own homes.

Part 03

ENDURANCE

In 1999, Blaine was ready to face new challenges. It was time for him to explore his lifelong interest in endurance. In April, he performed the first of a series of stunts that would finally lead to him challenging a world record. Blaine says, "As a magician, I try to create images that make people stop and think. I also try to challenge myself to do things that doctors say are not possible."

WHAT'S NEXT?

Although he teases future plans, Blaine hasn't revealed his next big project. However, one thing is certain—Blaine will continue to set high goals for himself and to push himself to do incredible, impossible things for the astonishment of audiences around the world.

Multiple Select

Choose the sentences that are supported by the passage.

• Blaine's favorite magician is Harry Houdini.

• Blaine first became interested in magic when he was a teenager.

• Blaine has risked his life for his magic.

• Blaine usually competes against other magicians in his endurance challenges.

Understanding details

Choose the correct options. 

Multiple Choice

Blaine ________ survived underwater for 45 minutes.

• once

• had a friend who

• heard about a boy who

Multiple Choice

Blaine's first TV show was called ________.

• Street Magic

• Magic Man

• Real or Magic

Multiple Choice

Blaine’s new style of performing magic for the camera showed ________.

• only his hands

• Blaine with children

• the faces of the audience

Multiple Choice

In his TV special Vertigo, Blaine spent 35 hours ________ a pillar.

• tied to

• standing on top of

• holding up

Building vocabulary

Complete the sentences with the words from the box. Drag the correct word to complete each sentence.

Multiple Choice

People who run long distances need a lot of _______.

• reaction

• stunt

• endurance

• transformed

• astonishment

Multiple Choice

David Blaine's TV specials have completely _______ people’s understanding of what magic can do.

• reaction

• stunt

• endurance

• transformed

• astonishment

Multiple Choice

The crowd gasped in _______ at the magician's skill.

• reaction

• stunt

• endurance

• transformed

• astonishment

Multiple Choice

Jumping a motorcycle over a moving bus is a very difficult _______ .

• reaction

• stunt

• endurance

• transformed

• astonishment

Multiple Choice

After the performance, the illusionist received a positive _______ and a standing ovation from the audience.

• reaction

• stunt

• endurance

• transformed

• astonishment