Task 2
Questions 13-18
Read the article Giant-Man Stanley Cook.
For questions 13-18, choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).
Mark your answer on the answer sheet.
Giant-Man Stanley Cook
Stanley Cook was in the Guinness Book of Records from 1967 to 1993 as the tallest man in England, where he was reported to have measured 8ft 4in (2.44m) – a fact that, his great-nephew, Jim Cook, who lives in Ontario, Canada, and has researched Stanley’s life, says is an exaggeration.
Stanley Cook was born in 1891 in London, the second youngest of four sons. After his father died on Christmas Day, 1899, his mother struggled to make ends meet, and Cook, then aged eight, and his two-year-old brother George were placed in care. “He was remarkably tall for his age,” said Jim Cook. “He was a happy boy, who realized it paid to entertain the others and make them laugh.” The brothers were sent to homes in Canada to learn agricultural skills, but Cook was unfit for farm work and, in 1909, he returned to England to find factory work.
In the spring of 1911, Cook was the tallest man in a parade of giants as part of the celebrations for the coronation of King George V. He was said to stand 7ft 4in tall, and the attention he received from the press and public was his first indication that his unusual height might be a means to make a living away from a factory. He was approached by Don Banks, who offered to find him work in Ashton’s Circus.
“Of course Stanley was a freak,” said his great-nephew, “and that’s what people paid to see. He was free to travel since he didn’t have a home of his own or anything to keep him where he was. And he was a happy, well-adjusted chap. He liked to talk to the public and see them enjoy themselves.” In June 1911 Cook earned his first salary as a professional giant in Ashton’s Circus at Chigwell in Essex.
“His height could be seen as a blessing,” said Jim Cook, “because it gave him a life he could never otherwise have enjoyed,” including a tour of Europe in early 1914. His picture appeared in newspapers all over the world. “Suddenly newspapers were reporting that he stood 8ft 11in.”
Jim Cook believes his manager, Don Banks, was the source of this. “He made the most of Stanley’s size. Of course Don ‘stretched’ the truth. He just wanted to bring in the crowds.” Stanley claimed he was 8ft 4in and continued to do so for the rest of his life. His doctor’s case notes say he stood 7ft 9in tall, which is now known to have been the case.
Stanley stayed with the circus until his death in 1918, aged 27. “He died young, but he had a unique life,’’ said Jim. “He travelled widely, had a good working relationship with Don, who never took advantage of him, and the circus provided him with a family.”
For Jim Cook, his great-uncle’s fame has enabled long-lost family members to find each other. “I’ve been to places I’d never have been, doing this research, from Canada to Britain, the States and Australia. The expenses have been huge, and well worth it. I’d say that its role in helping me reconnect with family has been its greatest gift to me. It’s nice to think that Stanley is still remembered after all these years.”
What was his main reason for joining a circus?
He realized that he could make money out of his height
How did he feel about his height?
His manager
Jim Cook is particularly appreciative of the fact that
What was Stanley Cook's true height?