California – the golden state

– has a beautiful Pacific coastline, marvelous beaches, mountains, deserts.
– natural wonders – redwood trees, Yosemite National Park, active volcanoes ( up 4300 m )
– lowest point in America – Death Valley
– the highest temperatures in the US, but also ski resort
– specializes in aerospace industry
– the largest agricultural industry in the US
– The Golden Gate Bridge was completed in 1937, the largest suspension bridge in the world until 1964 when the Verrazano Narrows Bridge was built in New York.
– Eureka ( = Greek for I have found it ) – the state motto, dates from the gold rush of 1849 => lots of people hoped to get rich in California, people still flock ( shlukovat ) to the most westerly state looking for a better job
– main export is hope and main import is people – many Americans regard a move in California
Hollywood
– young people move to L.A.,because they want to become actors or actresses
– more glamorous ( kouzelný ) in legend than in reality
– major studios have moved out, today is a major tourist attraction and home to movie stars
– today not important for movie industry
Earthquake
– fault line – two desks meet each other
– average 11000 per year ( 63 over 3.5 on the Richter scale)
– 1906 San Francisco was devastated by major quake, followed by fire
– 1989 the Bay bridge in San Francisco collapsed, about 60 people died
– Californians take a `life must go on` attitudeGovernment department – prepares for earthquake to try to minimize any possible damage