Major Cities
Fagstoff
ENGELSK FOR VIDEREGÅENDE (VEGA), CHRISTINE VARADIAN
JOHNSEN
Pre-reading: The five
major cities in the
USA are New York,
Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and Philadelphia. Do you know anything about
these cities - like points of interest, culture, famous buildings etc.?
Listen
New York City
During the late 1800s and early 1900s, New
York was the port of entry (Ellis Island) for
immigrants. Today, it is the nation’s center for
culture and finance. New York is a multicultural
city. Names like Harlem and Chinatown speak for
themselves. The largest Jewish population of any
city in the world is found here. The city consists
of five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens,
the Bronx and Staten Island. Famous street
New York
Fotograf: Paraflyer, Flickr
names like Fifth Avenue and Wall Street are
located in New York. Several TV series (e.g. CSI NY, Sex in the City) and films are shot
here. It is a city of dramatic contrasts.
Los Angeles (California)
Los Angeles was founded in 1781. The city grew during the Gold Rush of 1849 and has
tripled in size since the early 1900s. It has a warm, sunny and relatively dry climate with
frequent, but seldom serious earthquakes. No longer the wealthiest agricultural county
of the USA, it now has industries such as electronics (Silicon Valley), tourism, banking
and insurance. It is the center for the film industry, best known as Hollywood. Due to
tremendous growth, urban problems like pollution, (most people drive private cars, as
the public transport system is not well developed), slums (in areas like south-central
Los Angeles and East Los Angeles), and overcrowded schools need to be dealt with.
Chicago (Illinois)
The city works as a connecting point for both air
and rail. The city is located on the Great Lakes
and spreads out across the former prairie. It is
situated on the shore of Lake Michigan, and the
lakeside has been made into nice parkland and
beaches. The summers are hot, the winters cold
and windy - thus the nickname the Windy City.
Although a number of industries have moved to
Chicago River
the “sun-belt”, Chicago still produces steel and
Fotograf: Giant_Ginkgo, Flickr
metal products, and is a center for printing and publishing, trade and commerce. It is
home to the world’s first skyscraper, built in 1885. Today Chicago can boast that it is
the home of President Barack Obama.
Houston (Texas)
The inland port city of Houston, Texas, linked to
the Gulf of Mexico by a long channel, lies in a flat
area only 12 meters above sea level. As early as
1891, the city was developed for rail, and the first
dock was built as far back as 1840. It had been a
cotton-shipping port, and had a reputation for
being infested with yellow fever. Today, many
people associate the city with the oil industry,
and it is one of the most important hubs for
networks of natural gas pipelines. It is also a
center for aerospace research and development
(NASA).
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
Fotograf: Tony the Misfit, Flickr
A Quaker called William Penn founded the City of Philadelphia in 1681. Since then, it
has played a major role both in the American Revolution and the Industrial Revolution.
Both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed here. Today,
the city is an intellectual, humanitarian and economic center, with a lively cultural life. It
is commonly referred to as the City of Brotherly Love. It has one of the largest
freshwater ports in the world, as it is situated on the Delaware River. Among its
industries we find clothing, printing and publishing, food production and production of
electrical machinery. Philadelphia has hot summers and mild winters.
Comprehension
1. What was the name of the port of entry in New York?
2. Name some negative aspects of Los Angeles.
3. What is Chicago's nickname?
4. Where and when was the first skyscraper built?
5. Which city is associated with the oil industry and NASA?
6. What two important documents were signed in the city of
Philadelphia?
Post-reading Activity
Choose one of these cities and make a PowerPoint/Impress
presentation. Begin by making a list of things you think are
important and interesting to include.
Read more here: Guide to Making a PowerPoint/Impress
Presentation