单选题
Dancing in the Streets

If there is one thing certain to get Brazilians on their feet, it is the Rio Carnival (狂欢节). Held in Rio de Janeiro, the country's biggest city, the carnival began on February 20 when the mayor gave key of the city to Rei Momo-the Lord of Misrule (无序之皇)
On his orders, each year people turn the city into a paradise of dance and music. The following six days are so fun of parades, street dancing, fantastic clothes and partying (聚会) that many people forget about eating and sleeping.
"It was the passion of the carnival that attracted me to Brazil and made me settle down in Rio. " said Bob Nadkarni, a British man who has lived in the city for several years. For many Brazilians, the centerpiece of the carnival is samba (桑巴舞) , a typical Brazilian dance. Every year, tens of thousands of visitors and locals show off their passion and energy in the streets, following the beat (节拍) of the Latin music.
The climax to this street party is the float(彩车) parade, in which floats decorated with tons of fresh flowers by various samba schools and local communities move through the city. On the top of each float stands the candidate for the Drum Queen, who is chosen at the end of the party.
While most people are free to enjoy the celebrations. Rio's police officers have to keep a clear head. Following the murder of three officers in a gunfight early last week, the Brazilian Government has tightened security in Rio. The street fighting, robbery and sex crimes that accompany the carnival are very difficult to police.
Carnivals began in ancient Rome as a celebration at which people fed wild wolves, in honor of the city's founder who was said to have been raised by a she-wolf. Brazil gave new life to this tradition and so despite the troubles, the carnival will remain a symbol of the country's culture.

单选题 According to the passage, during the Carnival people in Rio did all of the following EXCEPT
A.dancing in the streets.
B.putting on colorful clothes.
C.eating a lot of food.
D.holding exciting parades.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】[解析] 问题是,在狂欢节,在下列的事情中,里约热内卢人不做哪一种?第二段的最后提到“many people forget about eating and sleeping”。因此,里约热内卢人在这个日子里,不可能去大吃大喝。
单选题 How long does the carnival last?
A.Six days. B.A whole week.
C.Eight days. D.The whole of February.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] 问题是:狂欢节持续多长时间?第一段说到狂欢节从2月20日开始。第二段说到此后6天有各种各样的活动。可见,总共是7天,即整整一个星期。
单选题 The word "centerpiece" in the 3rd paragraph means ______.
A.the most important part
B.the middle part
C.the central part of the city
D.the most attractive decoration
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】[解析] 词汇题。“centerpiece”是“核心部分”的意思。因此A最合适。decoration:装饰。
单选题 According to the passage, Bob Nadkami is ______.
A.a Brazilian who has come back from Britain
B.a British man who visits Rio for the carnival
C.a British man who has come to live in Brazil
D.a Brazilian who is attracted by the carnival
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】[解析] 问题是:根据文章,鲍勃·纳德卡尔尼是哪国人?第三段的第一句提到了Bob Nadkami是英国人,这就排除了A和D。该句还说到此人是因为喜欢狂欢节来到巴西并在里约热内卢定居,并不是来玩一玩的,这就排初了B。
单选题 Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?
A.The earliest carnivals were held in ancient Rome.
B.Carnivals were originally a tradition of the Brazilians.
C.Carnivals were originally a tradition of the Romans.
D.The Brazilians have integrated the Roman carnival into their culture.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] 问题是:下面的哪一种说法是错误的?B说的是:狂欢节本来是巴西人的传统。最后一段说到“狂欢节”起源于古罗马。因此B的说法是错误的。