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Easy Text: Major Cities in the USA

The USA has many interesting and very different cities. Which one would you most like to visit and why?
Times Square, New York. Photo.
Image: Gavin Hellier / CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Major Cities in the USA

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Audio: London Language Experience / CC BY-SA 4.0

The five major cities in the USA are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia.

New York City

Street view of New York. Photo.
New York. Image: Corbis, NTB scanpix / CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

New York was the entry port for immigrants to the USA. In the 1800s and early 1900s, they came to Ellis Island in New York harbour. New York is a multicultural city and a center for culture and finance. Fifth Avenue and Wall Street are famous streets in New York.

Los Angeles (California)

Los Angeles on a clear day. Photo.
Los Angeles On a Very Clear Day. Image: Todd Jones / CC BY 4.0

Los Angeles was founded in 1781 and grew during the Gold Rush of 1849. It has a warm, sunny and relatively dry climate. Important industries include manufacturing and tourism. It is the center for the film industry, best known as Hollywood. It has urban problems like pollution, slums and overcrowded schools.

Chicago (Illinois)

The Chicago River. Photo.
Chicago. Image: Giant_Ginkgo, Flickr / CC BY-NC 4.0

Chicago is situated on the shore of Lake Michigan. The summers are hot, the winters cold and windy, which has given Chicago the nickname 'the Windy City'. Chicago produces steel and metal products, and is a center for printing and publishing. It is home to the world’s first skyscraper and is also the home of former President Barack Obama.

Houston (Texas)

People gathered outside on 4th of July in Houston, Texas. Photo.
4th July, Houston, Texas. Image: eschipul / CC BY-SA 4.0

Houston is a port city linked to the Gulf of Mexico by a long channel. Today, it is a center for the oil industry and for aerospace research and development (NASA).

Philadelphia (Pennsylvania)

Street view of Philadelphia. Photo.
Philadelphia. Image: Tony the Misfit, Flickr / CC BY 4.0

The City of Philadelphia was founded in 1681. Both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed here. It is situated on the Delaware River with one of the largest freshwater ports in the world. Some of the industries are clothing, printing and publishing, food production, and production of electrical machinery.

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?

Mini Presentation

Choose one of these cities and make a mini presentation. Begin by making a list of things you think are important and interesting to include.
Find out more about how to make a presentation here:

Link to How to Make a Mini Presentation