San Francisco
Todd
San Francisco is one of the most well-known cities in America, mainly because the city has great weather, wonderful views, and many famous landmarks. The city is on a peninsula so it is surrounded by water, with the Pacific Ocean on one side and San Francisco Bay on the other.
The most famous landmark in San Francisco is probably the Golden Gate Bridge which is one of the longest suspension bridges in the world. The bridge was completed in 1937 and is still widely used today. The bridge has an Art Deco design and unique orange color, making it not only practical, but beautiful as well.
Another famous landmark with an Art Deco design is Coit Tower, which is 210 feet tall and sits atop Telegraph Hill. The tower was designed to look like a fire hose nozzle in memory to the many brave firemen who battled the Great San Francisco Fire from the 1906 earthquake.
In San Francisco, even the prisons are unique. Alcatraz is now probably one of America's most famous prisons. It sits on an island in San Francisco Bay so it offers some of the best views of the city. Alcatraz is no longer in use but open for tourists year round.
Unlike the other landmarks that can be seen from afar, Lombard Street is a famous spot that is hard to find. The street sits in a very hilly residential area. Originally, the street was designed with many curves to make it safe to travel down. The street is lined on both sides with various bushes, trees, and flowers making it a drive-thru garden.
Like other large American cities, San Francisco has many tall buildings, or skyscrapers as they are commonly called. The most famous of these is the Transamerica Building which is shaped like a pyramid. The building is not the tallest in the city, but it is definitely its most memorable.
peninsula
The city is on a peninsula so it is surrounded by water.
A 'peninsula' is a long, thin piece of land that is surrounded by water on all sides except the small area where it's connected to the mainland. Notice the following:
- The people on the peninsula are very different from
people on the mainland.
- There is a beautiful view from the tip of the peninsula.
suspension bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the longest suspension
bridges in the world.
On a 'suspension bridge' the part of the bridge where you drive is hanging by cables from the main bridge posts. Notice the following:
- The government is building a suspension bridge so people
can walk across the river.
- Suspension bridges work well in places that have
earthquakes.
sits atop, sits on
The Colt Tower sits atop Telegraph Hill, and Alcatraz sits
on an island in San Francisco Bay.
We can use 'sits atop' in the same way we use 'sits on top of.' It is used to talk about a location that has an elevation or something that is located at a high place. If we just say 'sits on' it means that the location is on top of something, but not necessarily at a higher elevation. Notice the following:
- The whole modern city of Mexico City sits atop the
ancient Aztec city.
- A big statue sits atop a hill to the west of the city.
nozzle
The tower was designed to look like a fire hose nozzle in
memory to the firemen who battled the Great San Francisco
fire.
A 'nozzle' is something that is used to spray water. It is
usually found at the end of a hose or plastic spray bottle
for cleaning supplies. Notice the following:
- The nozzle on that bottle is broken.
- This nozzle has many different settings, so it's great
for watering the garden.
year round
Alcatraz is no longer in use but is open for tourists year
round.
Something that is open 'year round' doesn't close during a particular season. It is open all the time. Notice the following:
- Our gym has a beautiful pool for people that like to
swim year round.
- Most of these players play soccer year round.
skyscrapers
San Francisco has many skyscrapers, the most famous of
which is the Transamerica Building.
'Skyscrapers' are very tall buildings that are found in the city. They have many floors and are usually used for offices or apartments. Notice the following:
- The city looks beautiful at night when all the
skyscrapers are lit up.
- Saigon has millions of people living there, but there
are almost no skyscrapers.
Vocabulary Quiz
nozzle • round • skyscraper
