CHICAGO

       There is a huge city in the northeastern part of the USA near Lake Michigan.

       In America, there are many large cities, but I would like to tell about Chicago.

       Chicago is the third-largest city in the United States and one of the country’s leading industrial, commercial, financial and transport centres. It extends some 47 km along the south- western shore of Lake Michigan, occupying flatland traversed by two short rivers: the Chicago River and the Calumet River.

        The city’s rapid growth was due to its location, with ready access to markets and raw materials; it has one of the world’s busiest airports — O’Hare International Airport.

        Chicago is America’s most important haulage centre and is a significant port for both domestic and international trade. Great Lakes freighters and river barges deliver such commod­ities as iron ore, coal, chemicals, oil and grain.

         The Chicago metropolitan area has the highest number of manufacturing employees in the United States. City’s largest employers are the electrical goods industry, followed by the steel, machinery, fabricated metals, foods, printing and pub­lishing, chemicals and transport equipment industries.

       Chicago has one of the world’s most beautiful lakefronts.

       The world’s first skyscraper was constructed in Chicago, in 1885. The central part of the city has several of the world’s tallest buildings, including the Sears Tower, which at 110 sto­rey high is the tallest in the United States. Construction of tall office buildings continues.

       Chicago is a major centre of higher education, with numer­ous colleges and universities. The prestigious University of Chicago founded in 1890 was the site of the world’s first con­trolled nuclear chain reaction. It happened in 1942.

QUESTIONS:

1. Where is Chicago situated?
2. Why did the city have so rapid growth?
3. What kind of commodities do Great Lakes freighters and river barges deliver?
4. What are the city’s largest employers?
5. When was the world’s first skyscraper constructed in Chicago?
6. What kind of research was carried out in the prestigious University of Chicago in 1942?

VOCABULARY:

huge — огромный

to extend — простираться

to traverse — пересекать

rapid — быстрый

growth— рост

due to— благодаря чему-либо

location — расположение

access — доступ

raw materials — сырье

haulage — перевозка

freighter — грузовое судно

iron ore — железная руда

grain — зерно

skyscraper — небоскреб

site — место

nuclear chain reaction — ядерная цепная реакция