英语课程计划-Mardi Gras（在线收听）

"Mardi Gras" is French for “Fat Tuesday”. It is the name of a celebration that takes place on the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the 40-day period of Lent. Mardi Gras is the final day of a three-day period, which starts on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday. In Catholic countries, people fast during lent. People eat well the day before Ash Wednesday and hold celebrations. These can be wonderful, colourful carnivals all over the world. The most famous are those in Rio de Janeiro, New Orleans and Venice. The tradition of Mardis Gras goes back hundreds of years in Catholic Europe. Explorers, settlers and missionaries exported the tradition worldwide.

Today, Mardi Gras is a riot of colour, street carnivals, marching bands, dancing and all-night partying in the streets. Many people dress up in spectacular costumes and wear beautiful masks. The biggest Mardis Gras carnivals are in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and New Orleans, Louisiana. Thousands of people from all over the world visit these cities to join in the fun. Venice is home to one of the oldest carnivals in the world, called Carnevale di Venezia. This dates back to 1268. Thousands of mask-wearing revelers fill the Venetian streets and attend special masked balls. In Sydney, Australia, Mardis Gras is celebrated by the city’s gay and lesbian community with street parades and costumes.