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New York, New York! (A2-B1)

8116 Vues 7 J'aime Posté sur: July 4th 2022

Photo de couverture © CC BY-SA 3.0

New York, New York!

Niveau A2-B1 (élémentaire avancé)

New York City (NYC) is one of the world’s cultural capitals. Everyone knows about the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street and Central Park, but there is much more to the city than you thought. There are many interesting things to learn about this magical city. Here are some fun facts about the city that never sleeps. 

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© CC BY-SA 3.0

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Originally, NYC had a different name. In 1624, Dutch settlers arrived in the area and called it New Amsterdam. But in 1664, the British took over the city and called it New York in honour of the Duke of York. 

The first pizzeria in the USA opened in NYC in 1905. It was called Lombardi’s Pizza. And do you know what? It stills exists! When you’re on holiday in NYC, go to 32 Spring Street and have a slice of pizza for old time’s sake.

NYC has a very diverse population. As a group, the city’s citizens speak more than 800 languages. That’s right! English, Spanish, Chinese and Italian are no surprise, but there’s also Bengali, Punjabi and Persian which are rarer. 

There’s a whispering gallery in Grand Central Terminal. What’s that? A whispering gallery is architectural magic – if you and your friend stand in opposite corners and you whisper to them, they can hear you. How? The arches in the building make it possible. Amazing!

The public library in the city has an impressive collection of books. But what’s special about that? Nothing, but the library is famous for something weird. It owns a collection of hair too! You can see locks from the poet Walt Whitman, writer Mary Shelley and composer Ludwig Van Beethoven at the library. 

Last, here’s a fact you probably won’t believe. It’s illegal to honk your horn in NYC! If you have visited the city, you know it’s a very noisy place. How can it be illegal to do that?  Unless it’s an emergency, New Yorkers cannot make excessive noise. The police can fine them $350 if they do.

What about the Statue of Liberty? If you want to learn more about this famous landmark in New York, read Go English 115. 

Dutch settlers = les colonisateurs hollandais

to take over = (ici) coloniser 

a slice = un part

for old time’s sake = comme au bon vieux temps

to whisper = chuchoter

amazing = incroyable

weird = étrange

to own = posséder

locks = des mèches (de cheveux)

to honk a horn = klaxonner

noisy = bruyant

Marque: Usa
Publié dans: Culture

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