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Level 1 – Beginner
It's carnival time in Rio
The best time to go to Rio de Janeiro is during Carnival week. The Rio Carnival is the biggest and most famous in the world. It is a four-day celebration which takes place every year at Mardi Gras –
'Fat Tuesday'.
Carnival was originally a European tradition, and came to Latin America from Italy in the nineteenth century. But the Rio Carnival is now a typical Latin American event. It is traditional for men and women to dance the samba in the streets.
The Samba Parade is a very important part of the Carnival. In different parts of the city, groups of people get together at Samba Schools. There are 14 of these Samba Schools in Rio and there are over 4,000 people in each of them. They work the whole year round on preparing their Carnival costumes and floats. It is traditional for each Samba School to choose a different Brazilian cultural theme.
The Samba Parade lasts for two days and takes place at the Sambodrome, near the city centre. A jury chooses the best Samba School, and the champions win a lot of money. Seats in the Sambodrome are very expensive and you need to book them long before Carnival time.
There are also lots of other events during the four days of the Carnival. Everywhere in the city there are street carnivals, which are free and in which anyone can participate. People wear costumes and dance the samba in the streets. There are also all-night dances everywhere.
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Answer the questions below to check how well you understand the text.
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C2 Mastery
