The Magician from Canada

Vocabulary

Video

Transcript

Alesha: What’s your name?
Darcy Oake: Darcy Oake.
Alesha: Darcy, where are you from?
Darcy Oake: I’m from Canada.
Alesha: Are you living in the UK?
Darcy Oake: I’m not. No — I came here just for this.
Amanda: How old are you, Darcy?
Darcy Oake: I’m twenty-six.
Alesha: And what got you into the act that you are doing today?
Darcy Oake: When I was a kid, I had hopes and dreams of becoming a doctor — but my parents insisted that I become a magician.

So here I am.

My name is Darcy Oake. I’m 26 and specialize in slight-of-hand and illusions.

I’ve loved magic — forever.

When I was a kid, my dad was messing around with cards. I picked one. He pulled it out . . . and it was my card.

I experienced that feeling of “how did you do that?” And I wanted to do that to other people.

Darcy Oake: Say the magic word.
Father: Abracadabra.

I’m auditioning for Britain’s Got Talent because it’s the biggest talent show in the world. And I want to be performing on a global scale.

And I feel that, if it goes well, it can change my life.

I’m going to go out on that stage, and I’m going to do what I have practiced my whole life.

And hopefully, they’ll like it.

Questions

1. Darcy Oake is British. True or false? Did he move to the UK? Does he live in Britain?

2. Why is he performing on Britain’s Got Talent, and not Canada’s Got Talent or America’s Got Talent?

3. How did he become a magician? Do you think he was serious or was he joking?

4. Darcy became interested in magic while in high school. Is this right or wrong?

5. Does he want to perform internationally?

6. Darcy likes birds. Is this correct or incorrect? What happened during most of the performance?

7. What happened in the end?

A. What do you want to be when you grow up? Or what did you want to become as a young child?

B. Do or did your parents encourage you to become a doctor (or lawyer or business person)?

C. Do you see pigeons in your city’s plaza or center?

D. Magic performances are popular in my city or country. Yes or no? Have you seen a magic performance?

E. Are talent shows and competitions very popular?

F. If you could do magic, if you had magical powers, what would you do?
If I had magical powers, I would . . . .