Today, we’re talking about Boston, in the latest chapter in our series on travel destinations in the English-speaking world
Lesson summary
Hi friends, this is Jeff and you are listening to Plain English, where we help you upgrade your English with current events and trending topics. Today’s lesson is number 432, so you can find the full lesson at PlainEnglish.com/432.
Coming up today: It’s been while, so I thought we’d do another travel destination lesson. We’ve talked about the Virgin Islands, Toronto, Brooklyn, and South Africa, so today we’re back in the U.S. to talk about one of the oldest cities in our country, Boston, Massachusetts. It’s chock-full of history, culture, education, and great fresh seafood. I’ll give you all the details you need to have a successful trip to the capital of the New England region.
Toward the end of the lesson, I’ll show you how to use the English phrase “founded in,” and we have a quote of the week too. Let’s get going.
All about Boston
You can’t talk about visiting Boston without talking history. The Boston Harbor is the site of perhaps the most famous event in our Revolutionary War history: the Boston Tea Party. In the middle of the night on December 16, 1773, protesters dumped 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor as a protest against taxes imposed by the British parliament. The protest was a precursor to the American Revolutionary War. The first battles of that war, by the way, were at Lexington, Massachusetts and Concord, Massachusetts, just a few miles from Boston.
History buffs can enjoy the two-and-half-mile Freedom Trail, a walking tour of 16 historical sites that played a role in the American Revolution. The stops include museums, churches, meeting houses, parks, and cemeteries. One of the stops is the historic Faneuil Hall, built in 1741. Some of the first organized protests against the British took place at Faneuil Hall, also known as “the home of free speech.” Today, it’s a marketplace.
Another stop on the tour is the beautiful Boston Common, America’s oldest public park, founded in 1634. Large public and political events from the Revolutionary War era through the modern day have taken place in Boston Common. But if you visit, chances are you’ll see Bostonians taking a lunch or coffee break from their offices or apartments nearby.
Next to Boston Common is the public garden; a large lagoon sits at the center. You can take a ride on the swan boats—a tradition that started in 1877. These are flat paddle boats; the paddle area and driver are in the back, discreetly behind a large swan. You can hop on, sit on a chair, and enjoy the ride on a leisurely summer day. You can also rent a paddle boat if you want to get some light exercise.
The Boston area has some of the country’s best universities. Harvard University, founded in 1636, is the oldest higher education institution in the United States. Today, it frequently ranks near the top of universities around the world and is best known for its strong undergraduate program, business school, and medical school. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT for short, is best known for engineering and physical sciences. Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern University and a slew of small colleges all combine to make the Boston area a hub for education.
Wherever you have great education, you also have immigration and great health care. Boston is a pioneer in health care and life sciences, with some of the best research hospitals in the country. And since the area attracts students from all over the world, many tend to settle in the Boston area after graduation, lending a rich cultural and culinary diversity to the entire region.
Boston has a rich sports history. The Red Sox baseball team was founded in 1901, so they’ve been in the city for 120 years. They play in the oldest baseball stadium in the country, Fenway Park, which opened in 1912. The stadium retains its vintage character today and the famous “Green Monster” wall in left field is one of the most distinctive architectural elements in any baseball stadium.
The Bruins in ice hockey, the Celtics in basketball, the Patriots in American football, and the Revolution in soccer, were all original members of their respective professional leagues. And if that’s not enough, the game of basketball was invented in the nearby city of Springfield, Massachusetts; you can visit the basketball Hall of Fame there today.
The Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathon. Every April, about 20,000 runners come from all over the world to compete. It’s such a big deal in Boston that they have a holiday on marathon day; it’s called Patriots’ Day. To run the marathon, you have to qualify with a previous marathon time of about three or three-and-a-half hours, or a pace of under 8 minutes per mile for all 26.2 miles—no easy feat.
Boston is a city of great neighborhoods, but as a smaller city, it’s easy to walk and cover a lot of ground. Beacon Hill has picturesque old town houses; Newbury Street has the best shopping; Back Bay is booming with new development, including a vibrant waterfront. You can get delicious cannoli at the Italian restaurants and delis in the North End.
There are art, science, history, and children’s museums; the New England Aquarium is a favorite of kids and adults. Whale watching is popular in the Boston area, too. You can’t see whales from the shore, but you can take a boat out into the ocean and you have a good chance of seeing some whales from the boat—bring your binoculars, and some pills for sea sickness, if you go.
Speaking of the ocean, Boston has great seafood. Lobster, scallops, and swordfish are local favorites. If you like to eat out, the popular local restaurant chain called Legal Seafoods is a must-visit. If you want to get lobster—either a full lobster or a lobster roll sandwich—try ordering it with a Boston accent, just say “lobstah.”
If you can, take some time to explore the region outside the city, too. Boston is the biggest city in a region called New England, made up of the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. This is a region of small towns, rich history, and beautiful landscapes. Skiing and hiking are popular in Vermont and New Hampshire; picturesque towns like Bar Harbor line the coast of Maine; and white church steeples dot the hilly landscapes of Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Penguins at the aquarium
I grew up in Connecticut, about halfway between Boston and New York. And as a kid I’d visit the Boston area to see my grandparents, who lived nearby. My favorite memories of Boston are the paddleboats in the public garden and the aquarium.
As soon as you walk into the aquarium, you see a large exhibit of penguins. They have over 60 penguins swimming, relaxing, sleeping, playing, jumping, and delighting visitors…especially a very young version of me. To this day, penguins are my favorite animal.
Boston is a fantastic city to visit if you want a great American city experience. It has efficient public transportation and it’s more affordable than New York. It’s a very easy city to visit. The airport has good international flights, but if you’re visiting New York, you can take the train or bus up to Boston; it’s just a few hours away. I highly recommend it…and I dare you to eat just one of those North End cannoli!
Great stories make learning English fun
