A Tribute to New York - Navarra

Pilar Santos Tambo A Tribute to New York
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Before starting this section, take a look back at the strategies and tips we saw in the
previous section(s).
A. Before reading, answer the following questions:
1. New York is often referred to as “the melting pot” or “the salad bowl”. What do
you think these epithets mean? What do you think their origin is? Why do you
think NY was an attractive destination for immigrants? Where do you think
most immigrants came from?
2. You probably know some of the immigrants around you. Why do people
emigrate? Put the following factors in order of importance, and add any other
you consider important. Discuss with your partner:
a) search for a better life for children
b) religious prosecution
c) political prosecution
d) lack of jobs
e) lack of freedom
f) war
g) perception of the first world as the
“promised land”
3. What are the main problems immigrants
encounter when they arrive in a new
country? Discuss in groups of 3 or 4.
Choose a spokesperson who will share
your ideas with the class.
B. See on the right some facts about the
immigrants who passed through Ellis
Island:
Surprised? Which continent did most
immigrants come from? What do you think
the main reason for that was?
Wherever they came from, all immigrants had
to arrive at the Main Building of Ellis Island.
This island lies near the better-known Liberty
Island, at the south of Manhattan, and it once
was the gateway not only to New York, but to
the rest of America too.
There, immigrants were inspected, registered, checked up, and if they did not satisfy
the expected standards, deported.
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