42. Orlando Rollercoaster stuck

Passengers¹ on this roller coaster² got the ride of their lives³ when it got stuck⁴ for nearly⁵ three hours. Three children were among⁶ those left stranded⁷ when the Hollywood "Rip Ride Rocket" malfunctioned⁸ at the Universal Theme Park⁹ in Orlando.

They were stuck in a vertical position looking up¹⁰ to the sky. As¹¹ they may have wondered¹² how long they would be there¹³, theme park staff¹⁴ said they were doing “everything¹⁵ they could¹⁶ to make the guests¹⁷ comfortable.” How comfortable you can be stuck on a ride¹⁸ that reaches¹⁹ 17 storeys high²⁰ and speeds of a 105 kilometres per hour, we can only wonder!

Firefighters²¹ managed to rescue²² them all, though²³, and one person was taken²⁴ to hospital for neck pain²⁵.

This ride has suffered²⁶ problems in the past.

A passenger suffered minor injuries²⁷ when the car she was in suddenly²⁸ stopped.

Reports say a computer glitch²⁹ caused the ride to suddenly stop this time when it went into safety mode³⁰. The attraction has been closed until³¹ safety inspections have been completed.

Vocabulary

1. Passengers = passageiros

2. roller coaster = montanha russa

3. got the ride of their lives = tiveram o passeio de suas vidas

4. got stuck = ficou preso, emperrado

5. nearly = quase

6. among = entre

7. left stranded  = abandonados

8. malfunctioned = teve mal funcionamento

9. Theme Park = parque temático

10. looking up = olhando para cima

11. As = enquanto

12. may have wondered  = pode ter se perguntado

13. how long they would be there = quanto tempo eles ficariam ali

14. staff = equipe

15. everything = tudo

16. could = podiam

17. guests = convidados

18. ride = brinquedo de parque de diversões

19. reaches = atinge, alcança

20. 17 storeys high  = 17 andares de altura

21. Firefighters = bombeiros

22. managed to rescue = conseguiram resgatar

23. though = no entanto

24. taken  = levado(a)

25. neck pain = dor no pescoço

26. suffered = sofreu

27. minor injuries = ferimentos de menor gravidade

28. suddenly = repentinamente

29. glitch = falha

30. went into safety mode = foi para o modo de segurança

31. until = até