TheCarnivalofBrazilisanannualfestivalheld46daysbeforeEaster,especiallyfamousfortheCarnivalinRiodeJaneiro.CarnivalcelebrationsarebelievedtohaverootsinthefestivalofSaturnalia,which,adaptedtoChristianity,becameafarewelltobadthingsinaseasonofreligiousdisciplinetoregretandprepareforChrist’sdeathandcomingbacktolife.
ModernBrazilianCarnivaldatesbacktoRiodeJaneiroin1641.ItoriginallycopiedtheEuropeanformofthefestival,latertakinginelementsofNativeAmericanandAfricancultures.
Inthelate19thcentury,thestrings(弦乐器)wereintroducedinRiodeJaneiro.Thesewerepageant(游行)groupsthatparadedthroughcityavenuesperformingoninstrumentsanddancing.Todaytheyareknownasblocks,consistingofagroupofpeoplewhodressincostumesorspecialT-shirtswiththemesorlogos.Blocksaregenerallyconnectedwithparticularneighborhoods;theyincludebothamusicgroupandalotofrevelers.
BlockparadeshavebecomeanexpressivefeatureofRio’sCarnival.Today,theynumbermorethan100andthegroupsincreaseeachyear.Blockscanbeformedbysmallorlargegroupsofrevelerswithacleartitle.Beforetheshow,theygatherinasquare,thenparadeinsectionsofthecity,oftennearthebeach.
CarnivaltimeinRioisveryinteresting,butisalsothemostexpensivetimetovisitRio.Hotelroomsandotherlodgings(住宿)canbeuptofourtimesmoreexpensivethantheregularrates.Therearebigcrowdsatsomelocationsandlifeisfarfromordinaryinmanypartsoftown.
小题1:Whatcanweinferfromthefirstparagraph?