Tulsa
 |  |
Tres | Todd |
Todd: So Tres, can you introduce yourself. Where are you from?
Tres: Hello everyone, my name is Tres Goodman. I’m from Tulsa Oklahoma. I was originally born in St. Louis Missouri, but I spent most of my life in Tulsa Oklahoma and in Japan.
Todd: Wow. What’s your city like back home Tulsa?
Tres: Tulsa’s an amazing city. We have about a half a million people, I think. Don’t hold me to it. There’s a lot of culture. Many people from various parts of the world, who either immigrated to Oklahoma, or their parents immigrated there. And therefore, they’re first generation. So we have lots of foods from all over the world. Oklahoma used to be a part of a Mexican state. So we have a very strong Mexican heritage that still exists. Going into food, of course we have food that’s similar to Northern Mexico, but we also have ribs which are probably the best you’ll ever find in the United States.
Todd: The ribs. Why are the ribs so good?
Tres: Because they’re so juicy and soft. You don’t need teeth.
Todd: That’s pretty good. So when you say ribs, that’s beef ribs.
Tres: Beef ribs, we also have pork spare ribs.
Todd: What’s the nightlife like in Tulsa?
Tres: Night life, I haven’t been back in many years, but when I grew up there, I remember there being many clubs in the area. Majority of adults are single, so everyone’s looking for a spouse. I grew up playing music, so I would visit nightclubs and bars to play in bands when I was under age. So I think people really found ways to enjoy themselves.
Todd: Ok, so you say you were in a band and you played an instrument. What instrument did you play?
Tres: I’m a drummer. I’ve played drums ever since I was in junior high. And I love music, so I’ve also played violin and I sang in a church choir ever since I was a little baby, growing up until university.
Todd: That’s a lot of talent.
Tres: It’s a lot of fun.
Todd: What would you say is the best thing about Tulsa?
Tres: The best thing about Tulsa, I would say, is the atmosphere. Once you go, people are so nice. They’ll invite you in to do anything that they’re doing. It’s just an easy town to fit in. It’s a large city, but it’s not too large. It still has a small town atmosphere like probably most middle-sized cities in the United States.
Todd: Is there anything that’s bad about Tulsa?
Tres: Well, we do have our share of violent crimes. We have a river that’s pretty much polluted. It would be nice if it were a clean river so that we could swim in it. I would say that’s about it as far as I can remember.
Todd: That’s ok. That sounds like two big enough problems right there.
Tres: Yeah, pollution and crime.
Todd: Thanks Tres.
Vocabulary Quiz
immigrate • pollute
immigrate
Many people from various parts of the world, who either immigrated to Oklahoma, or their parents immigrated there.
To 'immigrate' is to come to a new place with the plan of staying there for a long time. Notice the following:
- Many people immigrate to new countries every year.
- In the early 1900s, many people immigrated to the United States from Europe.
generation
And therefore, they’re first generation.
A 'generation' is a group of people born about the same time, who are around the same age. In this case, 'first generation' refers to the first children born in a new country. Notice the following:
- Although I am only a few years older I don't feel like I am part of my brother's generation.
- There were four generations at the family reunion.
heritage
So we have a very strong Mexican heritage that still exists.
A 'heritage' is a cultural history or identity. Notice the following:
- The tradition of a large wedding is part of our heritage.
- It is important to celebrate national heritage, it makes people proud of their countries.
under age
I would visit nightclubs and bars to play in bands when I was under age.
If you are 'under age' you are below the necessary age to have a legal right to do something, for example, drive a car or smoke cigarettes. Notice the following:
- He got a ticket for trying to buy a lottery ticket when he was under age.
- Although she was under age to get married, she had false documents.
pollute
We have a river that’s pretty much polluted.
To 'pollute' something is to contaminate it or make it impure. This is commonly used to refer to the environment, such air or water pollution. Notice the following:
- Although they changed the rules for the factories, the air was still being polluted.
- The lake was too polluted to drink from.
