VOA慢速英语2014 'Windy City' Offers Loop, Lakefront, Lots of Things to Enjoy

 

'Windy City' Offers Loop, Lakefront, Lots of Things to Enjoy 

From VOA Learning English, welcome to This Is America.  I’m Steve Ember.  Today, we visit Chicago, Illinois.  It is America’s third largest city.  It has The Loop…the Lakefront…and lots of exciting things to enjoy.  Come along with us, as we visit the “Windy City.”

Chicago has many nicknames besides “The Windy City.”  A number of them came from the lines of American poet Carl Sandburg, including “Hog Butcher for the World,” “Player with Railroads,” and “City of the Big Shoulders.”

But many simply – and proudly - call it:

My kind of Town, Chicago is

My kind of town, Chicago is

My kind of people, too

People who smile at you

We’re aboard/on a Chicago Transit¹ Authority elevated train, heading for Chicago’s downtown center known as “The Loop.”

[Train Announcement]

“This is Adams and Wabash. Transfer to Orange and Green Line trains at Adams and Wabash.  This is a Brown Line train to Kimble.”

The system, also known simply by the letter "L," carries trains from Chicago’s northern, western, and southern areas, and then makes a complete circle – or loop – of the downtown district, on a large overhead structure, with many station stops, running high above the city streets.

“This is Madison and Wabash.”

 

There are also two subway lines running under the Loop, which serve additional routes of the city’s extensive rapid transit rail network.

he “L’s” elevated railway loop is bordered by Wabash Avenue on the east, Lake Street and the Chicago River on the north, Wells Street on the west, and Adams Street on the south.

Each station along the “L” provides easy connections to shopping, hotels, restaurants and food stands, entertainment, music and cultural centers, and city and state government offices. The Loop is also the location of the city’s financial district, centered around La Salle Street. The financial district is home to the Chicago Board of Trade, the Chicago Stock Exchange and many banks.

In the Loop, you’ll also find the Willis Tower. It’s the tallest building in Chicago, with its Skydeck observation level providing visitors with exciting views of the city.

‘Chicago Picasso’ - A Nice Gift, But What Does It Represent?

The Chicago Picasso sculpture is a popular destination in the Loop’s Daley Plaza². It was a gift from the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso to the people of Chicago. It’s an eye-catcher and children love to climb on it, but no one seems to know what the sculpture represents.

Chicago newspaper columnist³ Mike Royko, covered the unveiling of the sculpture in 1967. He wrote: “Interesting design, I’m sure. But the fact is, it has a long stupid face and looks like some giant insect that is about to eat a smaller, weaker insect.”  

Well, as we say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder⁴.

The Loop district actually extends east to the wide boulevard of Michigan Avenue, with its large stretches of green parkland along the shore of Lake Michigan. It also extends southward, by several blocks, to Roosevelt Road, and westward⁵ to the Chicago River.               

Chicago Means High Spirits and Civic⁶ Pride

The people of Chicago are known for high spirits and a sense of fun and civic pride.

[Chicago’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade]

For example, the Chicago River is usually colored bright green to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day.  On that day, people say, “Everyone in the city is Irish.” 

[Mayor Daly wishing Happy St Patrick’s Day]

Another fun event – if not for everyone! - happens during Chicago’s often bitterly cold winters.  It’s the Polar Plunge⁷ “swim” in Lake Michigan.  This year, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and 3,000 other people jumped into the icy waters on a day when the air temperature was minus 12 degrees Celsius⁸.  The event helped pay for Special Olympics Chicago, a program for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Lakefront Offers Relaxation⁹

Of course, thousands of people enjoy Lake Michigan during warmer weather.  Chicago has that, too! The city stretches along the southwestern side of the lake.  The area is inviting¹⁰ to people who enjoy sailing, swimming and other water sports.  

People exercise along lakefront bicycle paths.  Or they may stretch out on blankets along the wide Oak Street Beach in the Gold Coast neighborhood on Chicago’s Near North Side. 

The View from ‘Big John’

There are famous Chicago landmarks¹¹ nearby, like the stately Drake Hotel. Towering above the beach is another one of Chicago’s modern tall buildings, the John Hancock Center, which also has an observation floor. While not as tall as the Willis Tower, “Big John,” as Chicagoans like to call the Hancock building, offers dramatic views of the shoreline of Lake Michigan, as well as the downtown panorama¹² of Chicago’s many tall buildings that make up its distinctive¹³ skyline. The view is especially breathtaking at night!

Lake Michigan is far more than a place to spend one’s free time…or look out over from Big John’s observation deck.  Chicago is a major industrial and commercial port.  It became a major port when the Saint Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959.  The seaway links the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, connecting many ports in both the U.S. and Canada.     

In addition to its natural beauty, Lake Michigan can bring not only heavy snows and sub-freezing temperatures in winter, but a brutal¹⁴ wind as well.

When the Wind Blows and the Snow Flies…

Over the years, Chicago has built the Pedway, an extensive network of underground pedestrian tunnels in the Loop that provide a more comfortable way to move about when the weather is unfriendly. A portion of the Pedway also connects the Loop with the Lakefront commuter¹⁵ rail stations to the east. The Pedway connects many of the downtown stores, office buildings, hotels, and apartment buildings, and even provides shops and services. So, in many cases, Chicagoans can reach their destinations without too much discomfort¹⁶ from the city’s difficult winters.                     

But back to Michigan Avenue, which is perhaps the best known street in Chicago.  Of course, musically some might argue with that statement…

On State Street, that great street

I just want to say,

They do things they don’t do on Broadway

More from that song later, but, as we were saying, Michigan Avenue…

It Survived the Great Fire of 1871 

The Chicago Water Tower on North Michigan Avenue is in the center of what Chicagoans call the Magnificent Mile.  Popular stores and large office buildings line the street.  The old water tower and nearby pumping station were among the few structures to survive the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. 

Heading downtown on Michigan Avenue, we’ll stop and look up at the Tribune Tower and the Wrigley Building, watch the boats on the Chicago River, cross over the river on the Michigan Avenue Bridge, and spend some time relaxing in Millennium¹⁷ Park. The huge park covers 10 hectares, between Michigan and Columbus Drive to the east, and between East Randolph Street on the north and East Monroe on the south.  The park took almost nine years to finish and cost hundreds of millions of dollars.  

Millennium Park has one of the largest outdoor sculptures in the world.  British artist Anish Kapoor created this 10-ton work of public art.  And the Catalan Spanish artist Jaume Plensa designed the Crown Fountain in the park.  It may be one of the world’s most unusual fountains.  The artist set a pool of water between two tall glass towers.  Video images appear on the towers.  The images are a series of pictures of objects in nature and people’s faces.  The water appears to fall from their mouths.  The faces represent the many different groups of people who live in Chicago.

About 45 percent of the population is white.  The city also has many African Americans and people of Hispanic ancestry¹⁸, and a small percentage of Asians.  Over the years many immigrants have settled in Chicago.  Many people have ethnic¹⁹ roots in Poland, Russia, and other Slavic countries, Germany, Ireland or Italy.  But more recent immigrants have come from all over the world.

Millennium Park was a dream of former Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley.  He was elected to the office six times and served just before current mayor Rahm Emanuel took office.  Mr. Daley and other city leaders believed a big park would bring more people, more homes and more businesses to the area.  Mr. Daley’s father, Richard J. Daley, also served as Chicago’s mayor for many years.

Chicago is often called "the city that works."  And the Daleys were known for getting things done.  At its best, the city’s political machine has made things work smoothly²⁰, without major problems.  But at its worst, the buildup of power in one group led to cases of corruption²¹ over the years. 

Chicago Offers Culture, Music, Art

The Chicago Cultural Center, stands on East Randolph Street at Michigan Avenue.  The building that now houses the center was completed in 1897.  

Many people probably could spend all day there, and not get tired of it.  People say the restored building looks like a home for kings and queens.  Some call it “the People’s Palace.”  There are white walls made of marble from Carrara, Italy.  And there are two domes²³.  The bigger dome²² is one of the largest Tiffany designs in the world.  It rises almost 12 meters above the floor. Artists and musicians present free talks and perform at the cultural center.

Chicago is famous for its music, from rock, blues²⁴ and jazz, to classical.  The Chicago Symphony is considered one of the world’s finest. Lurlean Hunter bridge

And if you like jazz and blues, be sure to visit Rush Street. 

Lurlean Hunter sings:

If you could see me now, you’d know how blue I’ve been

Many great musicians of the past played in clubs there, and the tradition continues today.

Perhaps then you’d realize, I’m still in love with you

There is even a famous musical named “Chicago.”  The actor, dancer and film director Bob Fosse was born in Chicago.  He created dance routines for the musical, written by John Kander and Fred Ebb²⁵. The show opened on New York’s Broadway in 1975.

It had to do with Chicago’s colorful lawless era of the 1920s.

It starred Broadway greats Gwen Verdon, Jerry Ohrbach…and Chita Rivera.

Come on Babe, why don’t we paint the town

And all that jazz

I’m gonna rouge²⁶ my knees and pull my stockings down

And all that jazz

Start the car, I know a whoopee spot

Where the gin is cold but the piano’s hot

It’s just a noisy hall where there’s a nightly brawl²⁷

And all that jazz

Well, now, as you can probably imagine, a city with so much to offer as Chicago, cannot really be sampled in just one program. So we will definitely come back another time…and show you more!

The L as Movie Star 

We started our visit today by riding the L into Chicago’s Loop. The L is so much a part of Chicago that it’s not surprising to see it in many movies set in the “Windy City.”  Film director Andrew Davis grew up in Chicago. He used the L in films including “The Package,” “Code of Silence,” “Above the Law,” and, of course, “The Fugitive²⁸.”

[Andrew Davis talks about filming “The Fugitive”]

“This is done on a moving train at night, back and forth²⁹, in a loop around The Loop. I’ve had a lot of experience shooting on the L’s in Chicago. Almost all of my films I’ve done there have the L as part of the fabric³⁰, and they were very cooperative with us.”

[From “The Fugitive” (Movie, 1993)]

L Motorman: Next stop, Balbo Station, Balbo

Andreas Katsoulas (the one-armed man): “This is my stop.”

Harrison Ford³¹ (Richard Kimble): “This is my stop, too.”

Transit Policeman: “Kimble!” [Gunshots]

[L Train goes into emergency stop as Kimble pulls emergency handle]

Harrison Ford (Kimble): “You missed your stop!”

Andrew Davis: “I love you, Chicago!”

So do we!  This program was written by Jerilyn Watson, who grew up in Chicago, and by yours truly Steve Ember, who likes to visit, ride the L, look at the exciting mix of architecture, and take pictures in the “Windy City” whenever he can.  Join us again next week for another This is America from VOA Learning English. 

Frank Sinatra sings “Chicago”

Chicago, Chicago, that toddlin’ town

Chicago, Chicago, I’ll show you around

I love it

Bet your bottom dollar, you’ll lose the blues in Chicago, Chicago

The town that [evangelist] Billy Sunday couldn’t shut down

On State Street, that great street, I just want to say,

They do things they don’t do on Broadway

They have the time, the time of their life

I saw a man, he danced with his wife

In Chicago, Chicago, my home town.

1 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

2 plaza   

n.广场，市场

参考例句：

• They designated the new shopping centre York Plaza.他们给这个新购物中心定名为约克购物中心。
• The plaza is teeming with undercover policemen.这个广场上布满了便衣警察。

3 columnist   

n.专栏作家

参考例句：

• The host was interviewing a local columnist.节目主持人正在同一位当地的专栏作家交谈。
• She's a columnist for USA Today.她是《今日美国报》的专栏作家。

4 beholder   

n.观看者，旁观者

参考例句：

• Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 看起来觉得美就是美。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It has been said that art is a tryst, for in the joy of it maker and beholder meet. 有人说艺术是一种幽会，因为艺术家和欣赏者可在幽会的乐趣中相遇在一起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 westward   

n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西

参考例句：

• We live on the westward slope of the hill.我们住在这座山的西山坡。
• Explore westward or wherever.向西或到什么别的地方去勘探。

6 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

7 plunge   

v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲

参考例句：

• Test pool's water temperature before you plunge in.在你跳入之前你应该测试水温。
• That would plunge them in the broil of the two countries.那将会使他们陷入这两国的争斗之中。

8 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

9 relaxation   

n.松弛，放松；休息；消遣；娱乐

参考例句：

• The minister has consistently opposed any relaxation in the law.部长一向反对法律上的任何放宽。
• She listens to classical music for relaxation.她听古典音乐放松。

10 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

11 landmarks   

n.陆标( landmark的名词复数 )；目标；（标志重要阶段的）里程碑 ~ (in sth)；有历史意义的建筑物（或遗址）

参考例句：

• The book stands out as one of the notable landmarks in the progress of modern science. 这部著作是现代科学发展史上著名的里程碑之一。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The baby was one of the big landmarks in our relationship. 孩子的出世是我们俩关系中的一个重要转折点。 来自辞典例句

12 panorama   

n.全景，全景画，全景摄影，全景照片[装置]

参考例句：

• A vast panorama of the valley lay before us.山谷的广阔全景展现在我们面前。
• A flourishing and prosperous panorama spread out before our eyes.一派欣欣向荣的景象展现在我们的眼前。

13 distinctive   

adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的

参考例句：

• She has a very distinctive way of walking.她走路的样子与别人很不相同。
• This bird has several distinctive features.这个鸟具有几种突出的特征。

14 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

15 commuter   

n.(尤指市郊之间)乘公交车辆上下班者

参考例句：

• Police cordoned off the road and diverted commuter traffic. 警察封锁了道路并分流交通。
• She accidentally stepped on his foot on a crowded commuter train. 她在拥挤的通勤列车上不小心踩到了他的脚。

16 discomfort   

n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便

参考例句：

• One has to bear a little discomfort while travelling.旅行中总要忍受一点不便。
• She turned red with discomfort when the teacher spoke.老师讲话时她不好意思地红着脸。

17 millennium   

n.一千年，千禧年；太平盛世

参考例句：

• The whole world was counting down to the new millennium.全世界都在倒计时迎接新千年的到来。
• We waited as the clock ticked away the last few seconds of the old millennium.我们静候着时钟滴答走过千年的最后几秒钟。

18 ancestry   

n.祖先，家世

参考例句：

• Their ancestry settled the land in 1856.他们的祖辈1856年在这块土地上定居下来。
• He is an American of French ancestry.他是法国血统的美国人。

19 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

20 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

21 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

22 dome   

n.圆屋顶，拱顶

参考例句：

• The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。
• They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。

23 domes   

n.圆屋顶( dome的名词复数 )；像圆屋顶一样的东西；圆顶体育场

参考例句：

• The domes are circular or ovoid in cross-section. 穹丘的横断面为圆形或卵圆形。 来自辞典例句
• Parks. The facilities highlighted in text include sport complexes and fabric domes. 本书重点讲的设施包括运动场所和顶棚式结构。 来自互联网

24 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

25 ebb   

vi.衰退，减退；n.处于低潮，处于衰退状态

参考例句：

• The flood and ebb tides alternates with each other.涨潮和落潮交替更迭。
• They swam till the tide began to ebb.他们一直游到开始退潮。

26 rouge   

n.胭脂，口红唇膏；v.(在…上)擦口红

参考例句：

• Women put rouge on their cheeks to make their faces pretty.女人往面颊上涂胭脂，使脸更漂亮。
• She didn't need any powder or lip rouge to make her pretty.她天生漂亮，不需要任何脂粉唇膏打扮自己。

27 brawl   

n.大声争吵，喧嚷；v.吵架，对骂

参考例句：

• They had nothing better to do than brawl in the street.他们除了在街上斗殴做不出什么好事。
• I don't want to see our two neighbours engaged in a brawl.我不希望我们两家吵架吵得不可开交。

28 fugitive   

adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者

参考例句：

• The police were able to deduce where the fugitive was hiding.警方成功地推断出那逃亡者躲藏的地方。
• The fugitive is believed to be headed for the border.逃犯被认为在向国境线逃窜。

29 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

30 fabric   

n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织

参考例句：

• The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。
• I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。

31 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。