READING, LISTENING AND LEARNING
CIRCUS
Introduction
A circus is a form of entertainment that features many different spectacular acts. These acts may include funny clowns and skilled and daring performers.
Circus acts often perform in a circle, or ring, with the audience on all sides. Big circuses may have three rings with different acts inside each one. At one time, circuses put up a tent, known as the big top, to enclose the rings. Many circuses now use indoor arenas.
Circus Acts
Circuses were once known for having many animal acts. Trick riders performed acrobatics on horseback or rode two horses at once. Elephants rose up on their hind legs or stood on their head. Other wild animal acts included dancing bears and tigers that jumped through fiery hoops. By the late 1900s, however, animal-rights activists began to protest the treatment of circus animals.
They believed that it was cruel for wild animals to be trained to perform in circuses. As a result of the protests, animal acts were banned in some places. Some circuses continued to use such acts, but others focused on human performers.
Human performers amaze and entertain audiences in many ways. Some walk a tightrope, swing from a hanging bar called a trapeze, or get shot out of a cannon. Clowns make the audience laugh with dancing, juggling, and comedy. They paint their faces white and wear goofy costumes.