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Kittipak Tantichot (Land) is a Thai student in his junior year at Groton School in Massachusetts, US. He recently had the chance to visit New York City and wrote about his experience for S Weekly.
Read the following story by Land. Then, answer the questions that follow.
DREAM COME TRUE
Throughout my childhood my only encounters with New York City were through movies such as Home Alone and Spiderman. I would sit on the floor watching TV, taking in all the glimpses that they would offer me of the city. To me, it was a place full of possibilities.
I’d wanted to visit New York my entire life but I’d never been fortunate enough. However, in my junior year of high school, I finally got the opportunity to go there and stay with my friend Jack during school break.
GOOD TIMES AT TIMES SQUARE
The bus ride to New York took four hours and I slept the whole way. I woke up just as we were passing through Times Square.
The streets were crowded with people and Times Square was surrounded by rows of skyscrapers, the tops of which disappeared into the fog. TV screens decorated the skyscrapers like a checkerboard, lighting up the streets. New York was exactly as I remember seeing it on TV. But it felt so much bigger in person.
ART AND BURGERS
When we got off the bus, we headed towards the Whitney Museum of American Art. After walking around the exhibits, we went to the roof where we could look out over the city. I understood for the first time why it’s called “The City That Never Sleeps.” It was full of sounds, bright lights, cars and people, even though it was nearly 10 pm.
New York is one of the food capitals of the world. My first meal there was also my favourite. After all the walking we were quite hungry, so we went to a nearby Shake Shack, a famous New York burger place. I ordered the Shake Shack burger and it was probably the best burger I’ve had in my whole life.
MORE ART
One of the highlights of our trip was the Metropolitan Museum of Art, known as the Met. Jack and I wandered around the exhibits, admiring Samurai armour, sculptures by Michelangelo and Han Dynasty art.
I was particularly impressed by their Egyptian wing. The Met not only had dozens of coffins, but also an entire Egyptian tomb. We spent four hours at the museum but only visited a quarter of the entire space.
UNTIL NEXT TIME
I loved my time in New York. While I did miss some major attractions like the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building, I wasn’t disappointed.
Apart from its attractions, I also felt very comfortable in the big city. Occasionally, strangers would greet each other, waiters would ask about your day and people would help others with luggage on the subway.
Such a comfortable and homely feeling is hard to find in big cities. I can’t wait to return next autumn and do everything all over again.
Section 1
Read through the story and answer the following multiple-choice questions.
1. What is the article about?
a. A Groton School graduate.
b. A travel experience.
c. New York skyscrapers.
2. Kittipak describes the view from the top of which of the following?
a. Whitney Museum of American Art.
b. Times Square.
c. Metropolitan Museum of Art.
3. According to the story, which of the following places did Kittipak NOT visit?
a. The Empire State Building.
b. The Statue of Liberty.
c. Both and b.
4. Who did Kittipak stay with in New York?
a. His family.
b. His teacher.
c. His friend.
5. What is Shake Shack?
a. An eatery.
b. A museum.
c. A subway stop.
6. What does Kittipak think about New York City?
a. He thinks it’s crazy.
b. He thinks it’s expensive.
c. He thinks it’s friendly.
7. Which of the following statements is TRUE, according to the article?
a. Kittipak studies in New York.
b. Times Square is surrounded by tall buildings.
c. Whitney Museum of American Art is also called the Met.
Section 2
Match each of the following words used in the story with the correct definitions from the choices given.
| 8. glimpse | a. an object or a work of art put in a public place |
| 9. wander | b. making you feel comfortable |
| 10. exhibit | c. to walk slowly around or to a place, often without any particular sense of purpose or direction |
| 11.checkerboard | d. a pattern resembling a board for playing games, with a regular pattern of squares |
| 12. homely |
e. a short experience of something that helps you to understand it |
Section 3
Read the following passage. Then, fill in the blanks with the correct words from the choices given.
Jack and I walked …..13….. 30 minutes through Central Park in the rain to reach the Met. The museum looks like an …..14….. palace, …..15….. with small details and sculptures. Walking closer, we could see a long line of people around the block, …..16….. to get in. Jack suggested that we …..17….. back home …..18….. our shoes were getting soaked. Fortunately, the line moved quickly and within minutes we …..19….. inside.
13.
a. from
b. for
c. with
14.
a. immensely
b. immense
c. immensity
15.
a. decoration
b. decorating
c. decorated
16.
a. waiting
b. waited
c. wait
17.
a. walked
b. walk
c. have walked
18.
a. as
b. as long as
c. as for
19.
a. are
b. was
c. were
Section 4
Write down the adjective forms of the following words used in the story.
20. person
……………………
21. decorate
……………………
22. attraction
……………………
23. particularly
……………………
24. impressed
……………………
Answers
Section 1
1. b.
2. a.
3. c.
4. c.
5. a.
6. c.
7. b.
Section 2
8. e.
9. c.
10. a.
11. d.
12. b.
Section 3
13. b.
14. b.
15. c.
16. a.
17. b.
18. a.
19. c.
Section 4
20. Personal/personable.
21. Decorative.
22. Attractive.
23. Particular.
24. Impressive/impressionable.
SCORE
21-24: Excellent!
17-20: Good.
13-16: Fair.
12 or fewer: You'll do better next time!
