The Big Apple

C) Eating Out

B) Lost and Found

A) Shopping in New York

d) Some Glimpses of New York

When I went out into the terminal I expected to find Tom there, but I saw only strangers. What’s wrong? What should I do? Should I wait for him? Will he come if I wait? Should I take a taxi and go to his home? But then he won’t be able to find me here if he comes. I decided to take it easy and took a walk around the terminal looking at the signs there: “post office”, “travel insurance”, “car rentals”, “currency exchange”, “news stand”, “gift shop”, “lost and found”. I am lost. Who will find me? Just then I saw Tom running into the terminal and waving at me. He was sorry he was so late. He got caught in a traffic jam on the way to the airport. We took a taxi to downtown. It was rather late but the city was well lit. So I could see some sights of the city. I wasn’t feeling well. Tom said I would have jet lag for a few days.

In New York there are so many sights to see, so many places to visit! Its five boroughs are Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Richmond. During my stay I tried to see as much of New York as possible. I started with an organized tour before going sightseeing on my own. Next day I boarded a boat and sailed around Manhattan along the Hudson and East Rivers. I saw the Statue of Liberty and all the famous bridges and skyscrapers. By the way, the tallest skyscraper in New York is the Empire State Building. However, the World Trade Center attacked by the terrorists on September, 11, 2001 was a one hundred feet taller. I would take a subway to some new parts of the city. Then I would walk about exploring the neighborhood.

New York is known by many different names. One of them is the Big Apple. I tried to see something new every day, but I didn’t manage to see much more than Manhattan. The problem is the Big Apple is too big.

New York is the unofficial capital of the United States (though it isn’t even the capital of New York State). It has the largest population and the greatest number of immigrants, the most important banks, the tallest buildings, the best department stores, the most superb museums and art galleries, and the widest range of restaurants.

They say the United States is a “melting pot” of people from different countries. I found this was especially true of New York with its many ethnic neighborhoods: Chinatown, Little Italy, Harlem and Spanish Harlem, the Jewish Lower East Side and, of course, the Brighton Beach area in Brooklyn. With so many immigrants nobody minds your foreign accent.

I was struck by the friendliness of the people in the street. Complete strangers smiled at me and even said “Hello” or “How are you?”. They also say “please” and “thank you” much more often than we do at home.

On the other hand, I was surprised by the distance people tried to keep from each other in public. People waiting in lines stand about two feet apart from one another. They feel they have a right to privacy and personal space.

Another big surprise was how few people smoked or drank. And all this in spite of the attractive magazine ads for cigarettes and TV commercials for wine and beer. Yes, health is definitely fashionable in America now. I had always wanted to give up smoking. I finally managed to do it there. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

One last thing. I had heard many stories about crime in New York. I also read about muggings in local papers. But I never had any trouble myself. Maybe I followed Tom’s advice. He told me to avoid certain areas of the city after darkness, and to avoid others altogether.

During the first couple of days I didn’t buy anything except some groceries either from a grocery store or a supermarket. I didn’t have too much money to spend. So I had to plan carefully. I wanted to bring home some presents for my family and friends. I also wanted to buy a laptop and a guitar for myself.

Tom gave me some advice. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, you should watch newspaper ads for sales. Most American consumers read labels and price tags carefully and regularly shop at sales. If you get to the store early on a sale day, you will have a wider choice. There are different kinds of sales: semi-annual and annual sales, one-day sales, half-price sales, close-out sales, clearance sales, warehouse sales and many others. The key word is SAVE. I got a few good buys there and a couple of real bargains! I did a lot of window shopping too. On Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue the prices gave me quite a shock. I once saw a scarf costing $1,000. Tom explained to me that money was no object for customers who shopped there. This is where money really talks!

Plastic money has become an important part of American life-style. The slogan is BUY NOW, PAY LATER, that is, stores allow you a credit by accepting your credit cards. People like using credit cards because they don’t like waiting to get anything. The system is not only very simple but very convenient too. You don’t have to carry cash, even a checkbook. So when you want to pay for something, you’ll hear the question: “ Cash or charge?”

Eating out in New York is no problem at all. There are so many places to eat. Their names are also different – restaurant or café, cafeteria or coffee shop, pancake house or steak house, pizza place or sandwich shop, eatery or simply grill. Some of them have proper names like “The Pines”. Others are named after their owners like “Maria’s”, or former owners if the place has earned a good reputation. You can even eat at a deli. When you buy something they ask you: “Here or to go?”

The competition is so strong that you can always find a good meal you can afford. From time to time almost all restaurants make “special offers” of cheaper meals. On Sundays, when people like to sleep late, you can always look in the papers for a “ Sunday brunch special ”.

I tried to go to a different place each time I went out to eat. I first always asked Tom to come with me. He insisted on treating me to a meal. Then I would insist on treating him. After an argument we would, as a rule, go Dutch.

3.1 C hoose a), b), or c) to complete the sentences below.

1. When Alex went out into the terminal and didn’t find Tom there he decided …

a) to take a taxi to Tom’s home

b) to phone him

c) not to panic and wait

2. Alex didn’t manage to see much of New York because …

a) he had heard many stories about crime in New York

b) New York is too big

c) he couldn’t understand American English well

3. If you want to get good buys at sales, you should …

a) get to the store early on a sale day

b) choose the right sale

c) use your plastic card

4. Alex often went out to eat because …

a) eating out in New York is no problem

b) he had neither time nor desire to cook

c) he wanted to try something really American

Дата добавления: 2014-12-25