He 20th Century technology time line

They make dinner reservations.
Sentences with if, however, contain two clauses, the main clause and the if 
clause. 
Make dinner reservations if you can.
B.
Tense
Both the if clause and the main clause can be in the present tense when you are 
describing something that is generally true.
If people want to go to a popular restaurant, they make dinner reservations.
But much of the time, sentences with if are talking about the future. In these 
sentences, a simple present verb is used in the if clause. 
Note: You cannot use will in an if clause, even if you have a future meaning.
If you get a ticket, you will regret it.
C.
Punctuation
The main clause and the if clause can change orders without changing the 
meaning of the sentence. However, keep in mind that if the main clause is irst, 
there is no comma. If the if clause is irst, a comma is necessary.
You should plan ahead if you need a cab.
If you need a cab, you should plan ahead.
D.
Use the grammar: punctuation
Add a comma to these sentences if necessary.
1. If you go to San Francisco be sure to visit Golden Gate Park.
2. You don’t need to rent a car if you’re going to stay in the city.
3. If you want to visit nearby cities you can take a ferry or BART.

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50 | Better Reading English
4. If you have children you should visit the Exploratorium.
5. You will have a beautiful view of the bay if you walk across the Golden 
Gate Bridge.
E.
Use the grammar: verb tense
Complete the sentences with the verb in parentheses. Use the present tense, or 
the future with will, when necessary.
1. If you ________________ (visit) San Francisco, you will enjoy yourself.
2. You ________________ (see) people from all over the world if you travel 
around the city.
3. You won’t want to go to the park if it ________________ (rain).
4. If you want to use public transportation, you ________________ (need) to 
buy two different kinds of tickets.
5. The locals will like it if you ________________ (ask) them about city politics.
VI. READ IT AGAIN
Read the tips again. Answer the questions.
1. According to the article, what are three things you should not do while 
visiting San Francisco?
2. What are two reasons for not renting a car when you visit San Francisco?
A GUIDE TO CITY NEIGHBORHOODS
I. PRE-READING
A.
Background information
The article in this section is also written for visitors to San Francisco. Like most 
cities, San Francisco has different neighborhoods, each one with its own character. 
This is a description of three neighborhoods that tourists may want to visit.
B.
Words to know before you read
____ 1. hustle and bustle 
a. a painting on a wall
____ 2. temple 
b. an old-fashioned city train car hanging 
from a cable
____ 3. boundary 
c. one of the irst people to explore or 
settle in a place

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San Francisco | 51
____ 4. railroad baron 
d. a lot of activity and noise
____ 5. cable car 
e. building
____ 6. mural 
f. a rich and powerful person in the train 
industry
____ 7. pioneer 
g. a place to worship
____ 8. structure 
h. the edge or border
C.
Reading strategy
Scan the article for these place-names. Write what each place is famous for on 
the blanks.
Grant Street _____________________________________________
Lombard Street __________________________________________
Mission Dolores __________________________________________
II. READ
Read the text. Mark the words you don’t know, but don’t stop reading to look 
them up.
San Francisco Neighborhoods
Chinatown
The entrance to Chinatown at Grant Avenue and Bush Street is called the 
“Dragon’s Gate.” Inside are 24 blocks of hustle and bustle, most of it taking 
place along Grant, the oldest street in San Francisco. This city within a city is 
best explored on foot; exotic shops, food markets, temples and small museums 
comprise its boundaries. Visitors can buy herbal remedies, enjoy samples at a 
tea bar or order a “dim sum” lunch.
Nob Hill
Once the home of the silver kings and railroad barons, the “nabobs,” Nob Hill’s 
noble tenants, include Grace Cathedral, a replica of Notre Dame in Paris; the 
Cable Car Barn, where the cable cars are stored when not in service; and grand 
hotels. Russian Hill, named for burial sites of Russian hunters who were active in 
California waters in the early 1800s, is most famous for the sinuous curves of 
Lombard Street, “the crookedest street in the world,” between Hyde and 
Leavenworth Streets.
Mission District
Boasting some of the best weather in the city, the Mission District, Bernal 
Heights and Potrero Hill take advantage of an abundance of fog-free days. New 
restaurants and nightspots are a draw while Mission Dolores, 16th and Dolores 
Streets, is the oldest structure in San Francisco. Many of the city’s pioneers are 
buried in an adjacent cemetery. The largest concentration of murals in the city 
adorns buildings, fences and walls throughout the district.
Source: http://www.sanfrancisco.travel/neighborhood/

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52 | Better Reading English
III. COMPREHENSION CHECK
Write answers to the questions.
1. Where is the Dragon’s Gate?
2. What can you ind around the edges of Chinatown?
3. What does Grace Cathedral look like?
4. Who was buried on Russian Hill?
5. How is the weather in the Mission District?
6. What draws people to the Mission District?
IV. VOCABULARY BUILDING
A.
Classify words
Read the sentences and decide if the boldface words are verbs, nouns, or 
adjectives. Write each in the correct place in the following chart.
1. He was lucky they found a remedy for his illness.
2. The United States comprises ifty states.
3. The accident took place at 4:00.
4. They don’t want to visit the usual places; they want an exotic vacation.
5. The little boy boasted that he had won the game.
6. She took advantage of her free time to relax and read.
7. They never went hungry because there was an abundance of food.
8. The hunter killed a deer.
9. The courthouse was a beautiful, old, noble building.
10. That replica of the building looks exactly like the original.
11. The river has so many curves—it’s as sinuous as a snake.
12. He can’t sleep because there is loud machinery in the adjacent building.

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San Francisco | 53