Another nickname is “The Birthplace of Jazz,” because that kind of music started in New Orleans. It is also called “Mardi Gras City” for the wild celebrations and parades that take place there every year. And, there is a nickname that uses the short way to write New Orleans and Louisiana. It you do not want to use the complete name, you can call the city “NOLA.”

One of America’s most exciting cities is Las Vegas, Nevada. There you can play games of chance all night long. The city’s nightclubs are also open all night for eating, drinking and dancing. So it is not surprising that Las Vegas is called “The Gambling Capital of the World” and “The Entertainment Capital of the World.”

Another nickname for Las Vegas is “Sin City,” because you can find many kinds of adult entertainment there. Many people who come to Las Vegas in hopes of winning lots of money do not know when to stop gambling. They may lose a great deal of their hard-earned money. So the city is also called something that sounds like Las Vegas -- “Lost Wages.”

In 1964, Elvis Presley starred in a movie called “Viva Las Vegas.” Here he sings the title song from that movie...

This program was written by Shelley Gollust. I’m Barbara Klein.