Caitlin New Orleans, USA Jan.-Feb. 2 months 18th century King Cakes 2. Group work：Ask Ss to answer any questions they can in Activity 6 in groups. Then listen to the tape again, and check the answers.

3. Blank filling: Listen to the interview again and fill in the blanks.

Interview 1

INT Could you tell us about carnival in New Orleans, Caitlin?

CAI Well, we call it Mardi Gras which is a French expression. It means Fat Tuesday，when you could eat and drink what you wanted, before giving up meat before Easter.

INT So is it still a one-day festival?

CAI Oh, no, it lasts about two months. From the (1)_________ of January to the end of February, more or less.

INT What are the origins of Mardi Gras?

CAI It was (2)________ to the States by French, at the beginning of the 18th century, I think.

INT And what's the high spot of the festival?

CAI The parades, and the music, New Orleans is (3)________ for jazz, of course...

INT Do you eat any special food?

CAI Well, there's King Cake, which is a cake for the Carnival King.

INT Is it very special?

CAI Well, funnily enough, it isn't. It isn't a rather (4)__________ cake, made from flour and eggs with a bit of sugar on top. It's Ok, but I don't go wild about it. I'd rather had something with chocolate! But hidden inside the cake there's a plastic baby.

INT Which you can eat?

CAI No, no, no. The idea is, if you find the baby, then you have to (5)________ a party yourself and invite everyone to it.

INT So the celebrations continue...

CAI That's right.

Interview 3

INT People always say carnival in Rio is special. Maria, you're from Rio, can you tell us why?

MAR I think it's because carnival is in our (6)______! Brazilians love carnival. Everybody, I mean, everybody, takes (7)_____.

INT When is it?

MAR It's at the end of the summer, in February.