From VOA Learning English, welcome to This Is America. I'm Steve Ember. Today, we visit Chicago, Illinois. It is America's third largest city. It has The Loop...the Lakefront...and lots of exciting things to enjoy. Come along with us, as we visit the "Windy City."

　　Chicago has many nicknames besides "The Windy City." A number of them came from the lines of American poet Carl Sandburg, including "Hog Butcher for the World," "Player with Railroads," and "City of the Big Shoulders."

　　But many simply – and proudly - call it:

　　My kind of Town, Chicago is

　　My kind of town, Chicago is

　　My kind of people, too

　　People who smile at you

　　We're aboard/on a Chicago Transit Authority elevated train, heading for Chicago's downtown center known as "The Loop."

　　[Train Announcement]

　　"This is Adams and Wabash. Transfer to Orange and Green Line trains at Adams and Wabash. This is a Brown Line train to Kimble."

　　The system, also known simply by the letter "L," carries trains from Chicago's northern, western, and southern areas, and then makes a complete circle – or loop – of the downtown district, on a large overhead structure, with many station stops, running high above the city streets.

　　"This is Madison and Wabash."

　　There are also two subway lines running under the Loop, which serve additional routes of the city's extensive rapid transit rail network.

　　The "L's" elevated railway loop is bordered by Wabash Avenue on the east, Lake Street and the Chicago River on the north, Wells Street on the west, and Adams Street on the south.

　　Each station along the "L" provides easy connections to shopping, hotels, restaurants and food stands, entertainment, music and cultural centers, and city and state government offices. The Loop is also the location of the city's financial district, centered around La Salle Street. The financial district is home to the Chicago Board of Trade, the Chicago Stock Exchange and many banks.

　　In the Loop, you'll also find the Willis Tower. It's the tallest building in Chicago, with its Skydeck observation level providing visitors with exciting views of the city.

　　‘Chicago Picasso' - A Nice Gift, But What Does It Represent?

　　The Picasso Sculpture in Chicago's Daley Plaza

　　The Chicago Picasso sculpture is a popular destination in the Loop's Daley Plaza. It was a gift from the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso to the people of Chicago. It's an eye-catcher and children love to climb on it, but no one seems to know what the sculpture represents.

　　Chicago newspaper columnist Mike Royko, covered the unveiling of the sculpture in 1967. He wrote: "Interesting design, I'm sure. But the fact is, it has a long stupid face and looks like some giant insect that is about to eat a smaller, weaker insect."

　　Well, as we say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

　　The Loop district actually extends east to the wide boulevard of Michigan Avenue, with its large stretches of green parkland along the shore of Lake Michigan. It also extends southward, by several blocks, to Roosevelt Road, and westward to the Chicago River.

　　Chicago Means High Spirits and Civic Pride

　　The people of Chicago are known for high spirits and a sense of fun and civic pride.

　　[Chicago's St. Patrick's Day Parade]

　　For example, the Chicago River is usually colored bright green to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day. On that day, people say, "Everyone in the city is Irish."

　　[Mayor Daly wishing Happy St Patrick's Day]

　　Another fun event – if not for everyone! - happens during Chicago's often bitterly cold winters. It's the Polar Plunge "swim" in Lake Michigan. This year, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and 3,000 other people jumped into the icy waters on a day when the air temperature was minus 12 degrees Celsius. The event helped pay for Special Olympics Chicago, a program for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

　　Lakefront Offers Relaxation

　　Of course, thousands of people enjoy Lake Michigan during warmer weather. Chicago has that, too! The city stretches along the southwestern side of the lake. The area is inviting to people who enjoy sailing, swimming and other water sports.

　　People exercise along lakefront bicycle paths. Or they may stretch out on blankets along the wide Oak Street Beach in the Gold Coast neighborhood on Chicago's Near North Side.

　　The View from ‘Big John'

　　There are famous Chicago landmarks nearby, like the stately Drake Hotel. Towering above the beach is another one of Chicago's modern tall buildings, the John Hancock Center, which also has an observation floor. While not as tall as the Willis Tower, "Big John," as Chicagoans like to call the Hancock building, offers dramatic views of the shoreline of Lake Michigan, as well as the downtown panorama of Chicago's many tall buildings that make up its distinctive skyline. The view is especially breathtaking at night!