New York- the Statue of Liberty, the
skyscrapers, the beautiful shops on Fifth Avenue and the many theaters on
Broadway. This is America's cultural capital. It is also her biggest city, with
a population of nearly 8 million. In the summer it is hot, hot, hot and in the
winter it can be very cold. Still there are hundreds of things to do and see all
the year round. {{U}} {{U}} 1 {{/U}} {{/U}}When
people say "New York City", they usually mean Manhattan. Most of the interesting
shops, buildings and museums are here. In addition, Manhattan is the scene
of New York's busy night life. In 1605, the first Europeans came to Manhattan
from Holland. They bought the island from the Native Americans for a few glass
necklaces worth about $26 today. {{U}} {{U}} 2
{{/U}} {{/U}}It is also the most important banking center in the woad. It is a
street of "skyscrapers". These are those incredible, high buildings, which
Americans invented, and built faster and higher than anyone else. Perhaps the
two most spectacular skyscrapers in New York are the two towers of the New York
World Trade Center. When the sun sets," their 110 floors shine like pure
gold. {{U}} {{U}} 3 {{/U}} {{/U}}Traffic jams
can be terrible. It's usually quickest to go by subway. The New York subway is
easy to use and quite cheap. The subway goes to almost every corner of
Manhattan. But it is not safe to take the subway late at night because in some
places you could get robbed. New York buses are also easy to use. You see more
if you go by bus. There are more than 30, 000 taxis in New York. Taxis do not go
outside the city. However, they will go to the airports. In addition to the taxi
fare, people give the taxi driver a tip of 15 percent of the fare's
value. {{U}} {{U}} 4 {{/U}} {{/U}}It is
surprisingly big, with lakes and woods, as well as organized recreation areas.
New Yorkers love Central Park, and they use it all the time: In the winter, they
go ice-skating, and in the summer roller-skating. They play ball, ride horses
and have picnics. They go bicycling and boating. There is even a children's zoo,
with wild birds and animals. Along the east side of Central
Park runs Fifth Avenue, once called "Millionaire's Row." In the 19th century,
the richest men in America built their magnificent homes here. It is still the
most fashionable street in the city, with famous department stores.
{{U}} {{U}} 5 {{/U}} {{/U}}But away from the bright
lights and elegant clothes of Broadway are many smaller theaters. Their plays
are called "off-Broad-way" and are often more unusual than the Broadway shows.
As well as many theaters, New York has a famous opera house. This is the
Metropolitan, where international stars sing from September until April.
Carnegie Hall is the city's more popular concert hall. But night life in New
York offers more than classical music and theater. There are hundreds of
nightclubs where people go to eat and dance. A. Broadway is the
street where you will find New York's best-known theaters. B.
Manhattan is a rich city. C. Like every big city, New York has
its own traffic system. D. Central Park is a beautiful green
oasis in the middle of New York's concrete desert. E. Two
towers of the New York World Trade Center are spectacular. F.
Manhattan is the real center of the city. G. Wall Street in
Manhattan is the financial heart of the USA.