Penguin Readers Factsheets

Teacher’s Notes

New York

by Vicky Shipton

Summary

In New York Vicky Shipton offers a huge amount of information about one of the most exciting cities in the world. The reader is divided into 21 parts, many of them on single or double pages, so all the facts and stories are presented clearly. By concentrating on broad areas of interest Vicky Shipton highlights history, geography and entertainment in the city, while telling us lots of little-known facts or anecdotes. There are also charts, jokes, maps, and travel tips.

Pages 1–3 Here is an explanation of the name ‘Big Apple’ plus a brief guide to the five parts of New York, as well as New York State.

Pages 4–7 Read about a history of New York’s contribution to architecture, the skyscraper, for example, the Empire State building, and a study of how these very buildings were used to attack New York on September 11, 2001 when terrorists destroyed the twin towers of the World Trade Center.

Pages 8–13 The history of the city includes a Dutchman buying Manhattan for $24 in 1626, and New York’s role as gateway to the New World for millions of immigrants. There are lots of facts about the Statue of Liberty and an account of Ellis Island, the processing center for immigrants. It is now a great store of American social history.

Pages 14–17 A chart of New York’s ethnic mix opens the section and there are facts on how many different people there are in the city, eg Italian or Chinese, and the different parts of New York they have made their own. One of the reader’s many ‘fact boxes’ exposes how fame can actually have its disadvantages, some tenants in apartments turn stars away because they do not want publicity.

Pages 18–23 Here are direct accounts of the first bridge over the Hudson, the Brooklyn Bridge, how to travel around the city and a short history of Central Park, a piece of the countryside imported into the city, plus the other parks in the city which are not so well known.

Page 24–27 Two urban myths, plus the city’s love of a parade are explained There is an interesting section on crime, with a short article on the Guardian Angels, ‘Look for the Red Hat’, who help out on the subway and useful tips for traveling safely around the city.

Pages 28–33 These sections concentrate on the good life in New York, with information about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,

its 20,000 restaurants and museums and theater. The Guggenheim and the Metropolitan Museum are among the most famous in the world. Accounts of Jazz, Rap and MTV show how New York is a center of youth culture, too.

Pages 34–39 Much of what we know about New York comes from movies and TV. There are lists of great New York movies, biographies of Martin Scorsese and Woody Allen and a special look at the hit TV show, Friends. This is about six New Yorkers. There are brief facts on New York’s love of sport, plus and explanation the city’s love of jogging, whether in Central Park, or the huge Marathon in which 27,000 take part.

Pages 40–41 This section illustrates New York’s leading position in the world with facts about the United Nations and the financial power of Wall Street. The reader ends with a very useful map of Manhattan that students can use to identify some of the places they have just read about.

Background and themes

New York is a fascinating place, both for people who live or visit there, and for those who have never been. Millions of people all over the world recognize the famous sights of the city from hundreds of movies, TV shows and news reports. Washington is the capital of the USA, and Los Angeles is the capital of entertainment, but New York is an almost mythical symbol of American money, energy and power. Whether it is a story of Mafia crime, the famous Brooklyn accent, the Empire State Building, or just the name, ‘Manhattan’, it is likely that everyone knows something about the city. Today, more than ever, New York is in the news. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 on the World Trade Center have had a huge impact on world politics. The United Nations building, in the heart of the city, has seen the many countries of the world discussing, or arguing about, the future of all of us. The impression this reader gives us is one of a city with amazing range: the numbers of different ethnic groups, the extremes of wealth and poverty, grass next to concrete, the city’s efforts to tame the energy of its people which can find it outlet in terrible crime, or in the volunteer group ‘The Guardian Angels’ who risk their lives to fight it. They express one fact: this is a city of endless possibilities.

Penguin Readers Factsheets

Teacher’s Notes

Communicative activities

The following teacher-led activities cover the same sections of text as the exercises at the back of the Reader, and supplement those exercises. For supplementary exercises covering shorter sections of the book see the Student’s Activities pages of this Factsheet. These are for use with class Readers but, with the exception of discussion and pair/groupwork questions, can also be used by students working alone in a self-access center.
ACTIVITIES BEFORE READING THE BOOK

1 Put students into small groups. Ask them to think about New York and then to make a list of five things they connect with the city. Ask them to give reasons. In class the groups discuss their lists. Make a Top Five of the most popular things from the whole class. 2 Divide the class into two groups and tell them to think about this statement, ‘It is better to live in a big city than to live in the country.’ One group must argue for this and the other must argue against this. Give the groups ten minutes to make notes, and then another ten minutes to decide who will speak and what they will say. The class then has a debate. 3 Put the class into pairs. Ask them to think about their favorite movie or TV show about New York and say why they like it. In class the pairs can compare their choices.
ACTIVITIES AFTER READING A SECTION

Pages 1–9 1 Divide the students into pairs. Ask them to match the words (a)–(j) with the correct words (i)–(x) (a) Big Apple (b) Manhattan (c) The Bronx (d) Long Island (e) The Empire State Building (f) The World Trade Center (g) New Amsterdam (h) York (i) The capital of the USA (j) The largest city in the world

(i) most of the city’s famous buildings and sights (ii) only for one year (iii) The Dutch name for the city in 1626 (iv) “the Island” (v) place where everything happened (vi) King Kong (vii) a city in England (viii)in the last few years, there has been less crime in this area (ix) in 1898 (x) 50,000 people worked there 2 Put students into small groups. Give them ten minutes to read pages 8–9 and tell them there will be a test after. In class students have to answer these questions as quickly as they can. The group with the most correct answers wins.

What is important about these dates? (a) 1524
(b) 1664
(c) 1750
(d) 1812
(e) the 1850s

Pages 10–23 1 Put students into small groups. Tell them it is the year 1900 and they are immigrants arriving in New York from Europe. Tell them to think about what they will see and what will happen when they land. Where will they go afterwards? The groups write a short paragraph. After the groups read out their paragraph in class. 2 Put students into pairs. They are tourists in the city and they have to think of one place they would like to see and how they would like to get there. Ask them to give reasons. In class pairs can compare their answers.

Pages 24–41 1 Divide the class into two groups. One group are tourist guides and the other group are tourists from different countries. Give both groups about twenty minutes to read this section carefully. The tourist guides should make as many notes as they can about what they think is important for a tourist to know. The tourists need to think of ten questions they would like to ask about the city, for example, safety, places to eat, the best things to see. They then ask the guides their questions and the guides should give them as much information as possible. 2 Divide the class into pairs. They have to think of an idea for a new movie or TV program which is set in New York. Ask them to think of a title, who will be in it, and some ideas for what happens. Students write a short paragraph and then in class pairs can compare their ideas.
ACTIVITIES AFTER READING THE BOOK

1 Class discussion: ‘New York is a good place to visit, but I don’t want to live there.’ Who agrees and who does not agree? Why? 2 Put students into pairs and ask them to think about New York in the year 2100. How will it be different and how will it be the same? Will it still be The Capital of the World, or will it not be so important? After the pairs can give their opinions in class.

Glossary

It will be useful if your students know these new words. They are practiced in the ‘Before You Read’ sections at the back of the book. (Definitions are based on those in the Longman Active Study Dictionary.)

Pages 1–9 ferry (n) a boat used to carry people or things over some water, often a river financial (n) to do with money, or the business of money immigrant (n) someone who comes from one country to live in another country jazz (n) music developed in early 20th century in the US by African Americans mayor (n) the head of a city or local government sight (n) a place or thing that lots of tourists want to see skyscraper (n) a very tall building tower (n) a very high part of building which is found on top, or a very tall building. Pages 10–23 crown (n) often worn by a king or queen on the head, golden and expensive liberty (n) to be free museum (n) a building where you can see works of art or objects that are very old statue (n) a work of art showing a person, made of metal or stone

Pages 24–41 alligator (n) a very large dangerous animal found in water, a type of crocodile baseball (n) American sport with two teams of nine people, a ball is hit with a bat and this player must run around a large field before someone catches it. basketball (n) played inside, two teams of five people must throw a large ball through a basket which hangs high up department (store) (n) a large store which has many different things for sale jewelry (n) very expensive and baeutiful stones, gold and silver, worn on the body parade (n) a large number of people walking or riding through the streets for something special, eg a king’s birthday rap (n) African-American music in which people talk to music with a strong beat stadium (n) a large building where thousands of people can see sport or hear music.
© Pearson Education Limited 2003

Published and distributed by Pearson Education Factsheet written by Michael Nation

Penguin Readers Factsheets

Student’s activities

New York

by Vicky Shipton

Students can do these exercises alone or with one or more other students. Pair/group activities are marked.
ACTIVITIES BEFORE READING THE BOOK

1 Look at the picture on the front cover. Can you think of any other pictures that are good for a book about New York? Think of three different pictures.

2 Work with a partner and answer these questions. (a) Look at the Contents list. How many parts are about things that you know? Make a list of them and then say what they are.

(b) What do you think “The City in the Sky”, “Tall Stories from the Big City”, and “The Big, Bad City”, will be about? Make some notes. Now look at these pages and see if you are right.

ACTIVITIES WHILE READING THE BOOK Pages 1–3 Choose the right word from the list below and put them in the
sentences.

airports boroughs crime 8 million hills lakes Roosevelt weather

(a) With over ________ people it is the biggest city in the United

States. (b) If you are planning to visit New York, remember to check the

________ . (c) It is only one of five areas known as ________ . (d) The bridge from Manhattan to Queens goes across

________ Island. (e) Many people did not want to visit the Bronx because they

were afraid of ________ . (f) Visitors to Staten Island are often surprised to find ________

and green ________ . (g) There are three big ________ close to the city.

Pages 4–7 1 Put the events (a)–(e) in the order (i)–(v) that they happened and then say their year or date.

(a) The movie King Kong was made. (b) The World Trade Center was built. (c) The Flatiron Building was built. (d) Some people flew planes into the World Trade Center. (e) The Chrysler Building was built. 2 Work in pairs. Can you name any famous skyscrapers in other cities in the world? Is there one in your city, or in your country? Try to think of as many as you can.

Pages 8–13 1 Find the questions for these answers (a) “The Island of the Hills” (b) Around $24 (c) They wanted to be free. (d) France (e) 17 million (f) 29 (g) A museum 2 Work in pairs. Read page 10 for five minutes then close your book. Now try to write as many facts as you can about the Statue of Liberty in two minutes.

Pages 14–17 1 Match the place (a)–(d) with the people (i)–(iv) (a) Lower East Side (b) Greenwich Village (c) Harlem (d) El Barrio

(i) African Americans (ii) Jewish immigrants (iii) Puerto Ricans (iv) artists and writers 2 Work with a partner. You are moving to New York. Which part of the city do you want to live in? Give as many reasons as you can and then write them down.

Pages 18–23 Are these sentences True or False? If one is False make it right (a) The Brooklyn Bridge took 4 years to finish. (b) People paid 1 cent to walk across the bridge on its first day. (c) The subway is good for tourists. (d) New York taxis are yellow. (e) 60 million people use the buses every year. (f) The Staten Island Ferry is free. (g) Central Park was planned in the 1850s. (h) Cars can go in Central Park all week. (i) Gramercy Park is open for everyone. (j) Coney Island is in Brooklyn.

Pages 24–27 1 Is New York really dangerous? Some stories are true and some aren’t. Find three things that are true and three things that are not true.

Penguin Readers Factsheets

Student’s activities

2 Put the words in the right order (a) on / important / Irish / Many / Day / 17 / the / is / New / and / St. Patrick’s / an / day / for / Yorkers / March / city / are

(b) through / is / center / There / a / parade / of / the / big / Manhattan

(c) 31 / Times / big / is / on / Square / crowd / December / there / is / always / a

(d) begins / shining / Then / glass / New / big / the / drops / Year / ball / as

(e) for / have / people / been / other / There / famous / parades / also

Pages 28–33 1 Work with a partner. Look at the picture of the woman on page 29. Describe her life in New York. Where does she live, where does she shop and eat? What does she do in the day? What does she like to do in the evening? Write a paragraph. 2 Find these numbers and say what they are. (a) $1,000
(b) 20,000
(c) 2 million (d) 32 million (e) 4,000 3 Work with a partner. Which music on pages 32-33 do you like? Say why and then say why it is American music. Find as much information as you can.

Pages 34–39 1 Answer these questions: Who (a) made a movie that looked at real problems in the city? (b) makes movies about the city’s street life? (c) made a movie like a love letter to the city? (d) loves movie-makers to come to the city? (e) owned a group of 19 buildings in the middle of

Manhattan? (f) are the two actors in Friends who lived in the city? (g) plays football in the same stadium in New Jersey? (h) plays basketball in Madison Square Gardens? 2 Work with a partner. You want to make a movie in New York. What do you think some of the problems will be? What will you do about it? Think of as many things as you can and write them down.

Pages 40–41 1 Answer these questions (a) When did the United Nations begin? (b) How many countries now belong to the United Nations? (c) Where is the United Nations building in the city? (d) Is it part of the United States? (e) Where is Wall Street? (f) What happens on Wall Street? (g) What are people on Wall Street like? (h) Who made a film about Wall Street?

2 Look at the map and say where these places are. Choose from the list.
Central Park 5th Avenue 57th Street 42nd Street

(a) Times Square is on ________. (b) The Guggenheim Museum is opposite ________. (c) The Rockefeller Center is on ________. (d) Carnegie Hall is on ________.
ACTIVITIES AFTER READING THE BOOK

1 Work with a partner. Look at the map of Manhattan on page 41. Each student has 10 minutes to write as much as they can about each place on the map. After students change papers and check the work in the book. The student with the most correct facts wins.

2 What do you think is the best thing and the worst thing about New York? Give as many reasons as you can.
3 You are on holiday in New York and have been there for a week. Write a letter to a friend telling him/her about all the different things you have seen and done.
© Pearson Education Limited 2003
Published and distributed by Pearson Education

Penguin Readers Answer key New York

Answers to Book Activities
1 Open answers

2 a tower b sight c ferry d jazz e mayor f financial
3–4 Open answers

5a 3
b5
c4
d2
e1
f6
6 Open answers

7 a museum b crown c statue d liberty 8 a The Statue of Liberty b Central Park c Ellis Island d Brooklyn Bridge e Harlem
9–11 Open answers

12 a baseball b alligator c parade
13 Possible answers: jazz, rap

14 a True b False. The “Guardian Angels” protect

people from criminals. c True d Untrue. The museum in Cairo has more

Egyptian art than the Met. e Untrue. The Cotton Club was in Harlem. f Untrue. Most American television

programs are made in Los Angeles. g True.
15–19 Open answers

Answers to Factsheet Activities Communicative activities Activities before reading the book 1–3 Open answers Activities after reading a section Pages 1–9
1 (a)–(v), (b)–(i), (c)–(viii), (d)–(iv), (e)–(vi), (f)–(x), (g)–(iii), (h)–(vii), (i)–(ii), (j)–(ix)

2 (a) The first European, Giovanni di Verrazano, landed on the islands.

(b) The British took the city and called it New York. (c) 16,000 people were living in the city. (d) Britain , at war with the US, stopped

ships coming into New York. (e) Irish immigrants started to arrive.

Pages 10–23
1–2 Open answers Pages 24–41
1–2 Open answers Activities after reading the book
1–2 Open answers

Pages 28–33
1 Open answer

2 (a) The price of a dress in an expensive store.

(b) There are more than 20,000 restaurants in the city.

(c) Works of art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art

(d) Things to see in the American Museum of Natural History

(e) The musical 42nd Street had 4,000 shows.

3 Open answer

Pages 34–39

1 (a) Spike Lee (b) Martin Scorsese (c) Woody Allen (d) the mayor (e) John D. Rockefeller, Jr. (f) Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer (g) the Jets and the Giants (h) the New York Knicks and the Harlem Globetrotters

2 Open answer

Pages 40–41
1 (a) 1945

(b) 189 (c) the east side on Manhattan, on the East

River (d) No, it is international (e) south of the Island in lower Manhattan (f) It is one of the business centers of the

world (g) They make a lot of money, some ot

them think they own the world (h) Oliver Stone 2 (a) 42nd Street (b) Central Park (c) 5th Avenue (d) 57th Street
Activities after reading the book
1–3 Open answers

Student’s Activities Activities before reading the book 1–2 Open answers Activities while reading the book Pages 1–3 (a) 8 million (b) weather (c) boroughs (d) Roosevelt (e) crime (f) lakes/hills (g) airports

Pages 4–7 1 (i)–(c), 1902 (ii)–(e), 1928–30 (iii)–(a), 1933 (iv)–(b), 1973 (v)–(d), September 11, 2001

2 Open answer

Pages 8–13

1 (a) What does “Manna Hatta” mean? (b) What did Peter Minuit pay for

Manhattan Island? (c) Why did the Americans fight the British

in 1776? (d) Where was the Statue of Liberty made? (e) How many immigrants came through

Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954? (f) How many questions did immigrants

answer on Ellis Island? (g) What are the immigration buildings on Ellis Island now?

2 Open answer

Pages 14–17
1 (a)–(ii), (b)–(iv, (c)–(i, (d)–(iii)
2 Open answer Pages 18–23

(a) False – 14 years (b) True (c) False – they cannot see the city (d) True (e) False – 600 million (f) True (g) True (h) False – they cannot go in on the weekend (i) False – only the people who live in the

apartment around the park (j) True

Pages 24–27 1 Suggested answers. True – serious crime is going up, subway stations and busy streets, traveling at night. Not true – alligators under the streets, the Empire State Building is going into the ground, if you drop a penny from the top of the Empire State it will kill someone on the street. 2 (a) Many New Yorkers are Irish and St. Patrick’s Day on March 17 is an important day for the city.

(b) There is a big parade through the center of Manhattan.

(c) On December 31 there is always a big crowd in Times Square.

(d) Then a big shining glass ball drops as the New Year begins.

(e) There have also been parades for other famous people.
© Pearson Education Limited 2003
Published and distributed by Pearson Education