Cities With Unexpected Stories
Discover surprising stories behind famous cities, from island beginnings to buildings lifted off the ground.
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Questions with solutions-
1. Elige la respuesta correcta.
¿Qué reemplaza a las calles en gran parte del casco antiguo de Venecia?
In Venice, Italy, boats carry people and goods along canals between buildings. Many homes have entrances facing the water.
- Waterways
- Underground tunnels
- Railway tracks
Show solution
- Waterways
Muchos edificios de Venecia se apoyan sobre postes de madera clavados a gran profundidad en el terreno blando.
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2. Completa el espacio en blanco.
The Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor was a gift from ___.
- Italy
- France
- Spain
La Torre Eiffel se encuentra en la capital de este país.
Show solution
The Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor was a gift from France.
La capa exterior de la estatua es de cobre. Su color verde se desarrolló por el contacto con el aire y la humedad.
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3. Elige la respuesta correcta.
What was the Eiffel Tower originally built for?
The Eiffel Tower opened in Paris in 1889 for a world's fair. It was not originally meant to be permanent.
- A royal wedding
- An international exhibition
- A sporting competition
Show solution
- An international exhibition
The tower later became useful for radio communication, which helped save it from being taken down.
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4. Elige la respuesta correcta.
Which two continents does Istanbul connect?
The Bosporus divides Istanbul into two parts. Bridges and ferries connect the city's European and Asian areas.
- Europe and Africa
- Asia and Africa
- Europe and Asia
Show solution
- Europe and Asia
The Bosporus also links the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara, making it an important route for ships.
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5. Elige la respuesta correcta.
¿Qué pueden ver los visitantes en la playa de Boulders, cerca de Ciudad del Cabo?
A colony of African penguins lives at Boulders Beach in South Africa. The birds raise their young there and swim in the nearby sea.
- Penguins living in the wild
- Penguins kept in an indoor zoo
- Penguins brought from Antarctica for shows
Show solution
- Penguins living in the wild
No todos los pingüinos viven cerca del hielo. Los pingüinos africanos viven a lo largo de la costa del sur de África.
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6. Elige la respuesta correcta.
¿Qué hace que la Ciudad del Vaticano sea inusual?
Rome surrounds Vatican City, an independent country with its own government.
- It is another name for Rome.
- It is a country inside a city.
- It is a neighborhood governed by Rome.
Show solution
- It is a country inside a city.
La Ciudad del Vaticano es el país independiente más pequeño del mundo por superficie.
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7. Completa el espacio en blanco.
In 1868, the Japanese city of Edo was renamed ___. It became the country's new capital.
- Kyoto
- Osaka
- Tokyo
It is still Japan's capital today.
Show solution
In 1868, the Japanese city of Edo was renamed Tokyo. It became the country's new capital.
The emperor moved from Kyoto to Tokyo during this period of change.
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8. Elige la respuesta correcta.
What led to the founding of Nairobi?
Before becoming Kenya's capital, Nairobi began as a camp for railway workers in 1899.
- A railway project
- A farming project
- A road-building project
Show solution
- A railway project
The site became a place where trains could be repaired and serviced.
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9. Elige la respuesta correcta.
How did workers turn Mumbai's separate islands into a single land area?
Much of old Mumbai once stood on separate islands. Workers gradually filled spaces between them with earth and stone.
- By connecting them only with bridges
- By cutting more water channels between them
- By adding land between them
Show solution
- By adding land between them
Creating land where there was water is called land reclamation. It can greatly change a city's coastline.
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10. Completa el espacio en blanco.
Researchers at Singapore's Botanic Gardens helped farmers grow trees for the region's ___ industry. These trees produce a white liquid used to make tires.
- cotton
- rubber
- silk
This material can stretch and return to its shape.
Show solution
Researchers at Singapore's Botanic Gardens helped farmers grow trees for the region's rubber industry. These trees produce a white liquid used to make tires.
Natural rubber comes from latex, a liquid collected from certain trees. These gardens supported farming as well as plant research.
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11. Elige la respuesta correcta.
¿Qué es la "underground city" de Montreal?
In Montreal, many shops, offices, and subway stations are linked by passages below street level. This network is often called an "underground city."
- An old town buried beneath the modern city
- A separate city where everyone lives underground
- A network connecting places below the streets
Show solution
- A network connecting places below the streets
Los pasadizos permiten que las personas lleguen a muchos destinos sin exponerse al frío clima invernal de Montreal.
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12. Completa el espacio en blanco.
Mexico City stands on an old lakebed with soft soil. When water is pumped from below, layers of soil press closer together, causing parts of the city to ___.
- sink
- rise
- spread outward
El suelo ocupa menos espacio a medida que sus capas se acercan entre sí.
Show solution
Mexico City stands on an old lakebed with soft soil. When water is pumped from below, layers of soil press closer together, causing parts of the city to sink.
El hundimiento desigual puede dañar edificios y carreteras porque distintas partes del terreno se mueven a ritmos diferentes.
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13. Elige la respuesta correcta.
Why were some Chicago buildings lifted in the 1800s?
Chicago was built on low, flat land, so dirty water did not drain well. Workers raised many streets so sewer pipes could be laid beneath them, and some entire buildings were lifted to match the new street level.
- To add more rooms inside the buildings
- To improve the city's drainage system
- To protect the buildings from strong winds
Show solution
- To improve the city's drainage system
Some businesses stayed open while workers slowly lifted their buildings using powerful tools called jacks.
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14. Elige la respuesta correcta.
What helped Lisbon's new buildings resist earthquake damage?
After a major earthquake in 1755, Lisbon rebuilt much of its center with straighter streets and larger squares. Wooden frames inside new buildings could bend slightly when the ground shook.
- Straighter streets
- Larger public squares
- Flexible wooden frames inside
Think about which feature could move with a shaking building.
Show solution
- Flexible wooden frames inside
A flexible frame can absorb some of an earthquake's movement instead of breaking immediately.
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15. Elige la respuesta correcta.
Why was building Canberra a good solution?
Sydney and Melbourne both wanted to be Australia's capital. To settle the disagreement, a new capital, Canberra, was built inland between the two cities.
- It meant not having to choose between the two rival cities.
- It joined Sydney and Melbourne into one city.
- It placed the national capital on the coast.
Show solution
- It meant not having to choose between the two rival cities.
Canberra's streets and public spaces were carefully planned before much of the city was built.