Tour of LA

 

Vocabulary

coast	distinct	roll out
pour	wander	magnet (2)
civic	déjà vu	stainless steel
span	preserve	charge (2)
tar	aroma	excavate
local	mammal	exclusive
haven	content	window shop
fame	block (3)	epicenter
viper	pioneer	tranquility
perch	heritage	reflection (2)
slope	donate	promenade
boogie	wonder	theme park
urban	superb	child-friendly
queue	delight	backdrop
port	container	blockbuster
sway	sage (2)	aquarium
frigid	iconic	breakwater
tame	smuggle	hop on board
otter	drench	prospector
funky	bizarre	epitomize
wild	magnate	counterculture
swirl	metaphor	prominent
resort	optimism

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Video

 

Transcript

Los Angeles is situated in southern California, on the West Coast of the USA.

Home to 18 million people, Los Angeles is a collection of distinct cities that rolls out from the dry Santa Monica Mountains to the Pacific Ocean.

LA’s sunshine, her entertainment industry and her openness to newcomers and new ideas, has made this city a magnet to dreamers, many of those whose dreams have become reality, like Walt Disney and John Paul Getty, poured their wealth back into the city, helping make LA one of the great cultural capitals of the world.

Downtown Los Angeles is a center of global business and hope to some of the finest examples of American civic architecture.

It’s also the birthplace of the city.

Wander down Olvera Street, one of the oldest surviving areas of LA, to experience the colors and taste of old Mexico.

Just across the road from Olivera Street is Union Station, one of the world’s great railway stations.

You’ll be forgiven if you experience a sense of déjà vu here. Union Station has been featured almost 30 big budget movies, including “Pearl Harbor” and “Blade Runner”.

Stroll South to Little Tokyo, or J-Town as the locals know it, which is home to Buddhist temples, galleries and museums.

While you’re there, why not try some super fresh sushi. After all, the California roll was invented right here.

Half a mile to the west is the Walt Disney Music Hall. Looking like pieces of sheet music thrown to the web, this stainless steel wonder is home to LA’s Philharmonic Orchestra.

Hail a taxi for a short ride west to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The one-hundred piece collection of LACMA, houses works that span the ages, from the classical periods to the edgiest street art.

Right next door is a very different kind of gallery. At the La Brea Tar Pits at George C. Page Museum, remains of incredibly preserved mammals, insects and plants are continually excavated and brought once more into the Californian sunshine.

Heading further west, along Wilshire Boulevard, the aroma changes from the smell of tar pits to — money.

Welcome to Rodeo Drive, in the heart of Beverly Hills. This is the world’s most expensive and exclusive three blocks of shopping.

But you don’t have to be a star to enjoy Rodeo Drive: most folks are content to window shop.

But there’s more to Beverly Hills than just lane.

Only a street or two away is a world of leafy boulevards and incredible homes and gardens.

Head north to Hollywood: the epicenter of the world’s entertainment industry.

Track down your favorite star on the historic Hollywood Walk of Fame. And catch a movie at Grauman’s Chinese Theater, the most famous first run theater in the world.

Take a walk on the wilder side of LA to West Hollywood. Wiho is a haven for artists and designers.

As evening falls, boogie on down to sunset strip, home to iconic clubs such as the Viper Room and the Whisky A-Go-Go.

Griffith Park is the largest and wildest park urban in America. Here perched high on the slopes of Mount Hollywood and offering superb views of LA, you’ll find the Griffith Observatory, built on land donated by mining magnate Griffith J. Griffith, admission to the main building and grounds is still free of charge, according to his wishes.

Universal Studios is the oldest, continually running movie studio in America. It features a theme park based on its blockbuster movies and popular TV shows.

However the star attraction is the Studio Tour, which winds its way through acres of sound stages and backdrops.

And if you have that sense of déjà vu again, it’s no wonder: some of the sets have been featured in dozens of movies and still in use today.

Twenty miles southeast of downtown is Knotts berry Farm. Originally a berry farm in the 1930s, this theme park has grown into a family favorite, with child-friendly rides, short queues and offers a real taste of America’s pioneering heritage.

Just down the road, in Anaheim, is Disneyland Park. Since it’s opening in 1955, over 600 million guests have delighted in seeing Disney’s much loved characters brought to life.

The Port of Los Angeles, the biggest container port in the USA, sits on San Pedro Bay.

Climb on board the USS Iowa, a World War Two battleship, which saw service in some of the most dramatic episodes in world history.

Nearby, at the Aquarium of the Pacific, 500 marine species sway, swirl and dive in the various marine systems of the vast Pacific, from the sun-drenched coast of Baja to the frigid waters of the Arctic.

Long Beach was once the birthplace of California’s surfing scene. But a breakwater has now tamed the wild waves, making the beach and ideal destination for families.

From Long Beach, hop on board a ferry, and take a one hour trip to Catalina Island.

Once the home of otter hunters, smugglers and gold prospectors, these days, day-trippers and weekenders are far more interested in working on their golden tans and escaping the frantic pace of the mainland.

Heading west from LA, Santa Monica is one of the most popular resort towns in the US.

Santa Monica epitomizes the California lifestyle of sun, sand and the body beautiful.

And right in her heart is her iconic pier.

Things get a little funkier down the coast, at Venice Beach. Long the center of LA’s counterculture, Venice more than just a beach, however.

The main attraction here is the promenade. So pull on your inline skates and join the colorful — and sometimes bizarre — human parade.

After the craziness of Venice Beach, head five miles north to the tranquility of the Santa Monica Mountains.

The Getty Center houses the extraordinary art collection of billionaire John Paul Getty. Water features prominently throughout the complex, encouraging quiet reflection.

Hire a convertible and follow the scenic Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu, 21 miles of prime Californian coastline, settled with salt and coastal sage.

Many of LA’s stars live in homes that cling to these dramatic hillsides by the Pacific, which is the perfect metaphor for — LA, a city built on an unshakeable optimism, a motion to creation, both human and natural.

Welcome to the City of Angels.

Questions

1. Is Los Angeles a single big city or an aggregate of many cities?

2. LA is a conservative place in terms of ideas and people. True or false?

3. Has LA always been an American city?

4. Is LA only a city with urban sights and attractions?

5. The people who come to Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills are all big spenders who buy lots of luxury items. Yes or no?

6. What can tourists see and do in Hollywood?

7. “You may have a sense of déjà vu”. What does this mean? What does it refer to?

8. Are there theme parks? What can people see and do there?

9. What are some attractions connected with the ocean?

10. All attractions have been created by the state or entertainment companies. Is this correct or wrong?

 

A. Do or Did you live in California? Have you visited California? Do you know anyone from California or who has visited the state? What was it like?

B. What comes to mind when someone says California or Los Angeles? What do you associate with LA?

C. I would like to live in LA. Yes or no? Would you like to visit the city?

D. I lot of my friends would like to immigrate to California. True or false?

E. Do you prefer LA, New York, London, Paris, Berlin or Rome?