A visit to a fun fair

There was an air of festivity at the fairground. The crowds of adults and children were milling around, especially at the games stalls, rides and food stalls that had been set up to cater to visitors.

The community club in our neighborhood had organized the event. As it was rare to see a funfair in our district, my friends and I decided to visit it. We went there early and bought eight books of coupons, hoping to enjoy ourselves.

The funfair was just what we had expected -- full of fun. A series of inflatable rides was the main attraction. There was, for example, the Moonwalk, on which riders were bounced as if they were in space. Just as thrilling was the Giant Slide, a 7-meter high inflatable slide meant for people of all ages. About twenty children could slide down the 10-meter long slide at any one time.

My friends and I tried our hand at a number of games such as darts. You would never know if you were good at something until you tried it out. That was my experience with darts. All my doubts vanished once I threw my first dart. I hit the target. Most of my subsequent throws were also successful. The prize I won was something I had long wanted to own -- a mobile phone.

Another game at the funfair involved lighting all the candles in a circle with one matchstick. We tested our skill in turn, but none of us accomplished the task.

Among the food stalls, the most popular was the "Aloha" stall. Occupying a large space, the stall was prettily decorated with garlands of paper flowers. Several varieties of food and drinks were served there. I found the hot dogs and Malay rojak the most palatable.

A funfair is indeed a great way to bring the community together and a marvellous opportunity for a family outing. The funfair that we visited was indeed meaningful in that sense.

festivity: happiness and enjoyment (with which people celebrate an event)

milling around: moving about in an area, with no clear purpose in mind

inflatable: capable of being filled with air or gas

tried our hand: did or played something for the first time

vanished: disappeared or went away suddenly

palatable: pleasant to taste

marvellous: wonderful or extremely good

Q & A

1. What promoted the writer and his friends to visit the funfair?

A: They decided to visit the funfair as it was rare for one to be held in their neighborhood.

2. What is the writer's intention in telling the reader about the inflatable rides?

A: He/She gives the example of inflatable rides to show that the funfair had interesting attractions and it was full of fun.

3. How did the writer benefit from taking part in the game of darts?

A: She/He says we would not know if we were good at something until we tried it out. This was the lesson he learned when he played the game of darts. He even won a prize although this was his first try at the game.

4. Which food stall attracted the largest number of visitors at the funfair?

A: The "Aloha", which served several varieties of food and drinks, attracted the largest number of visitors. The writer says that it was "the most popular".