FilmshavenotreallybeenfairtoChicago.WehaveSOoftenseenexcitingstoriesaboutgunbattlesinChicago’Sstreets.Weforgethowfre—quentlysuchcrimesanddisordershappenincitiesthatareasbigandbus—YasChicago.Thiscity，intheStateofIllinois，isthesecondlargestintheUnitedStates.Itsplaceonthemap—713mileswestofNewYorkandl，858mileseastofSanFrancisco--makesitthecrossroadsofthenation.Thousandsofforeignersliveandworkthere；thousandsmorecometovisititsfamoustradefairs，andmillionsofotherscrossiteverydaybyroadorrailway.Itistheworld’Sbiggestroadandrailwaycentre，andthe“breadbasket”ofthenationbecauseitiSalsothecen~eforallthefarmsintheMiddleWest.Exceptforcoffeeandtea，theU.S.A.growsallherownfood，andalsosendsfoodtocountriesallovertheworld.Thewholemiddleofthecountryislikeonehugerichfarm.IfyoureachChicagobytrainandspendonlyanhourortwothereyouwillfeelthelightwindoffthelakewhichgivesitthename‘‘WindyCity”。YouwillnoticetheJohnHancockbuildingrisinghighabovethecity.IfyoucanstayforsometimeyouwillfindthatChicagostretchesfor29milesalongthesouth—westshoreofLakeMichigan.Itssplendidcen—trefacesthelakebehindapleasantpark.GofirsttotheCivicCenterinClarkandRandolphStreetswherethereisahuge50一foot—highsculpturebyPicasso.FindtheVisitors’
southoreast—west.Askaboutthemuseums，theAdlerPlanetarium，thefamouspaintingsintheArtInstituteandtheboattrips；youcantakeonLakeMichigan.IfyouenjoysportthereisLincolnParkonNorthAvenue，whereyoucanswimandsail，andthereisalsoaninterestingZOOifyouprefertolookatanimals.TheshopsinChicagoarereallywonderfulandyou’11findmostofthemwithintheareawhichiscalledtheLoop.Whenyougettired，takeastreetcaroran“elevatedtrain”，andlookatsomeofthelargestandgran—destshopsintheworld.IfyouwanttoseebeautifulclothesandoldsilverwalkdownNorthMichiganAvenue.whichislikeFifthAvenueinNewYork.YouwillenjoyPiper’SAlleyinOldTown.Itisfullofstrangeandunusualgoods.Nowyou’reprobablygettinghungry.Whynoteatatoneof5，000foreignrestaurants?Chooseonewhereyoucaneatontheroof—top，withawonderfulviewoftheChicagoskyline.YoumaybeabletoseetheWaterTower.ThisisoneofthefewbuildingsnotdestroyedintheGreatFireof1871，whichleftthecityinruins.Thebestwaytoseeacityisoftenfromaboat.Therearefrequenttwo——hourtripsalongtheChicagoRiverwhichflowsthroughtheheartofthecity.TakeoneofthesetripsatnightandadmirethesplendidlightsoftheChicagoHeraldTribuneBuildingandthetwosplendidtowersofMa—rinaCity.Thisisa60一floorapartmentblockwhichtheEnglishcall“APileofPennies”andtheAmericans--afriendtellsme一“EarsofCorn”。becauseofthewayitisbuilt.Eachapartmenthasthreesidesonly.Insidethere’Saswimmingpoolandshopswhereyoucanbuyalmostanything.Onthegroundflooraregaragesandspaceforkeepingatleast300boatsThebuildingis6pentovisiforseverydayand：it’Sparticularlyinterestingtosee.IfyouarestayingwithAmericanfriendstheywillnotallowyoutowalkata11.Noonedoes.MostpeoplespendalotoftimeonthepleasantbeachesofLakeMichigan，especiallyinmidsummer.YourhostissuretoinviteyoutOhaveamealonthebeach.Hemayhaveasmallstonesum—merhousethere，withtablesandchairs.Otherfriendswillbeinvitedtojoinin，andsomeoftheguestsmayswimorfishinthelake，orgooutonthewaterinaboat.Chicagoatnightisespeciallyexciting.There’Splentyofgoodmu—sicandwonderfulshows，andyoumayenjoythepleasuresofDixielandandjazzintheclubsoftheOldTown.Therearesomanyotherinterestingthingstosee——florexample.AbrahamLincoln’SlasthomeatSpringfield.whichisthecapitalofIlli—nois.Youwillbetoldaboutmanyothers.WhenyouarebackathomewatchingafilmaboutChicagoyouwillprobablysaytoyourfriends，“Butthere’SactuallymuchmoretoChicagotlhanthat.Ifyougettheop—portunity，gothere!”