NEW ORLEANS – THE CITY OF MUSIC AND CARNIVALS

1B NEW ORLEANS

THE CITY OF MUSIC AND CARNIVALS

READING

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1 B UNIT

Read the text and do the exercises which follow.

New Orleans is one of the top ten most visited cities in the United States. The city is located on the east and west banks of the Mississippi River. In 2005, it was struck by deadly Hurricane Katrina, which caused some of the worst damage in the country’s history. More than 1,500 people lost their lives and hundreds of people were left without homes, jobs and social security. New Orleans is named after the city Orleans in France and is well known for its French architecture, as well as its multilingual heritage. It is also famous for its annual celebrations and music festivals. Despite hurricanes, floods and wars in the past, the city has always celebrated Mardi Gras, the ‘greatest free party on Earth’, and the Jazz Festival. More than 4 million people from around the world come to New Orleans each year to take part in the Mardi Gras Carnival. It has traditionally been part of the winter social season, a season of parades and masquerade balls. The main celebration is Mardi Gras Day, which means Fat Tuesday in French, and Mardi Gras Parade clubs play an important role in the celebrations. Each of them has a unique history and theme. Some have been around for decades, while others have been in existence for just a few years. They choose a king or queen for the parade and organize balls, dancers, bands and floats. The parade processions consist of decorated floats which are usually pulled by trucks. People riding on the floats wear masks and costumes for the entire parade and they throw inexpensive colourful beads and toys into the crowds. The beads are one of the most attractive symbols of the carnival and represent good luck and the spirit of Mardi Gras. The Carnival cannot be imagined without jazz bands because New Orleans is also a significant centre of music. The Jazz Festival is one of the largest music festivals in the USA, with crowds of people coming to experience music, arts and crafts. Despite the name, it promotes not only jazz, but a large variety of music, including both native Louisiana music and international artists.

heritage – tradition, all features of life that have been passed on from one generation to another float – a lorry on which people in special costumes are carried in a festival procession bead – a small coloured glass, plastic, or wooden ball, with a hole in the middle, put together on a piece of string crafts – objects made by the skilful use of the hands

1 B UNIT

1

Answer the following questions.

1. Where is the city of New Orleans situated? 2. What damage did the people of New

Orleans suffer during the hurricane? 3. Did hurricanes prevent people from organizing festivals and celebrations? 4. Which two cultures mixed together while the city developed? 5. What role do the Mardi Gras Parade clubs play in organizing the celebrations? 6. How are float riders dressed? 7. What do they throw from the floats? 8. Why do people come to New Orleans at the time of the Jazz Festival? 2

Read these sentences from the text and underline the correct alternative.

1. After hurricane Katrina, Mardi Gras was/wasn’t celebrated again. 2. Mardi Gras takes place in summer/ winter. 3. The colourful beads they throw are expensive/inexpensive. 4. Jazz bands take part/don’t take part in the Carnival. 5. The Jazz Festival promotes only jazz/a great variety of music.

DID YOU KNOW?

• ?The carnival season starts on January 6 and lasts until Mardi Gras Day, which can fall on any Tuesday between February 3 and

March 9 (depending on the date of Easter). • Fat Tuesday is the day before the beginning of Lent, a 40-day season of fasting for many Christians which lasts until Easter.

According to old beliefs, people eat and drink excessively on that day.

VOCABULARY

Which highlighted word from the text means:

1. happening once a year or every year? _ _ _ _ _ _ 2. the whole of something, including all the details? _ _ _ _ _ _ 3. something likely to cause someone’s death, or something very unpleasant? _ _ _ _ _ _ 4. a period of ten years? _ _ _ _ _ _ 5. physical harm that is caused to something? _ _ _ _ _ _

WORD FORMATION Complete the sentences with the nouns made from the verbs in capitals.

1. A long ____________ of colourful floats appeared to the excitement of the children. /

PROCESS 2. Old customs have been in _____________ for hundreds of years. /EXIST 3. They have cancelled their annual company __________________. /

CELEBRATE 4. How many _______________ were there on the floats? /RIDE 5. She apologized for her late _________________. /ARRIVE 6. They needed some more _________________on the subject. /INFORM 7. Liam made a good _____________ when he decided to study medicine. /

DECIDE

READING and VOCABULARY

Complete the sentences by using the words in the box. The origin of jazz

1 1 B UNITUNIT

New Orleans is considered to be the ______________ of jazz music. Jazz was created by black Americans who sang and played the music of their _____________land. This music is a combination of a strong ____________and a dance rhythm. The characteristics of jazz music are blue notes and improvisation. Much of the music of New Orleans today____________ its popularity to the early brass marching bands. Many of the best-known musicians had their start in brass marching bands performing at parades and funeral _____________. One of them, Louis Armstrong, became a _____________. He was recognized as the best trumpet _____________ of all time and an outstanding vocalist. Though rock ‘n’ roll was more popular than jazz in the sixties, he hit the _____________ of the chart in 1968 with the song What a Wonderful World, which many _____________have sung ever since.

native processions birthplace generations owes player legend top beat

GRAMMAR - TENSE REVIEW

THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

1

Match the use of the present perfect with the example sentence.

The present perfect is used… 1. to talk about unfinished actions that a. The army has attacked that city started in the past and continue to the five times. present. b. They’ve missed the bus (so they 2. to say that an action happened at an will be late). unspecified time before now. c. I think I have met him once 3. to describe experiences. before. 4. to talk about changes that have happened d. You have grown since the last over a period of time. time I saw you. 5. to list the accomplishments of individuals. e. She’s lived in London for three 6. when we mention how many times years. something has happened. f. He has never travelled by train. 7. for a finished action with a result in the g. Doctors have cured many deadly present (focus on the result). diseases.

1 B UNIT

2

Make questions asking for the information in bold.

1. His brother has lost his glasses again. ___________________________________________ 2. He has ordered three desserts. _________________________________________________ 3. My sister has cooked dinner. __________________________________________________ 4. He has had that violin for five years. ____________________________________________

3

Time adverbials and tenses Put these time adverbials in the correct place in the table. Some of them can go in more than one box.

the present simple _________________________________

always, so far, ever, never, at the moment, already, tomorrow, usually, for ages, since, for, now, every summer, at present, not yet, just, today, this morning, up to now, recently, currently, occasionally, lately, frequently the present continuous ______________________________

the present perfect _________________________________

Note:

Always used with the present simple tense means every time. Always used with the present continuous tense means very often and usually describes an annoying habit. Always used with the present perfect tense describes conditions that were true in the past and are still true.

4

Write sentences in the present perfect tense. Use the adverbs of time: never, yet, already and before.

Example: Tina / run / before / marathon – Tina has never run a marathon before. 1. we / reach / our goal – _______________________________________________________ 2. our team / lose / the match – __________________________________________________ 3. they / not / discover / the treasure – ____________________________________________ 4. Ron / not / talk / about the problem – ___________________________________________ 5. the teacher / mark / the tests – ________________________________________________?

FOCUS ON

TENSES IN TIME CLAUSES We do not use the future tense (will) in a time clause to describe future activities. The present simple or present perfect tense is used instead. A time clause is introduced by conjunctions such as after, as soon as, before, till, until, when, whenever, and while. He’ll wait for you until you are back. You can go out after you have tidied up your room.

LISTENING and SPEAKING Cycling in New Orleans

Pre-listening activity

1. Is cycling popular in your town? 2. Are there bicycle lanes in your town or nearby towns? 3. Do you think that bicycle lanes are useful?

Why?/Why not?

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1 1 B UNITUNIT

Listen to the text Cycling in New Orleans and answer the following questions.

1. What is the best way of touring Louisiana? 2. Where does the Mississippi River Trail start? 3. Can the citizens of New Orleans use their bikes all year round? 4. Which conditions have helped New Orleans to become a highly-rated city for bicycle transportation? 5. What has the city done for its cyclists? 6. Why are New Orleans’ bicycles considered unique?

What do the following words from the text mean? Choose the best explanations.

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first, using the word in bold. Do not change the form of the word in bold.

1. the trail a. path b. train c. flow 4. adventurous a. dangerous b. serious c. courageous 2. to promote a. build b. support c. protest 5. to post (a sign) a. make up b. put up c. get up 6. mild (climate) a. cold b. hot c. not extreme

3. to allow a. permit b. forbid c. prevent

KEY WORD TRANSFORMATIONS

1. I have never been to this summer resort before. /first

It ___________________________________ to this summer resort. 2. I don’t think she will ever recover from the shock of her friend’s death. /get

She will ____________________ the shock of her friend’s death. 3. Unless we get the tickets soon, they’ll all be sold out. /if

The tickets will all be sold out ________________________ them soon. 4. Why are you interested in taking up a new hobby? /want

Why __________________________ up a new hobby? 5. She bought this car three years ago. /for

She _____________________________________ years. 6. I haven’t seen Richard’s brother since Thursday. /last The ___________________________________ on Thursday. 7. What is the pronunciation of this word? /you How ____________________________ this word?

1 B UNIT

COMMUNICATION

ASKING FOR OR GIVING DIRECTIONS The following are some of the phrases used for asking for and giving directions.

ASKING FOR DIRECTIONS

• How can I get to . . . from here? • Can you show me the way to...? • Can you tell me how to get to . . . ? • What’s the best way to get to . . . ? • Where is . . . ?

GIVING DIRECTIONS

• Go straight on! • Turn left/right! • Take the first turning on the left/right! • The ... is beside/in front of/next to the... • Go past the theatre/school!

Work in pairs. Take turns to ask for directions and give directions from the place where your school is located to…

a. a well-known place where young people like to hang out. b. two landmarks in your town.

1

2 USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

Complete the sentences with the expressions from the box.

1. A: ‘Did you call Roger and Ann to wish them a happy anniversary?’

B: ‘Oh no! ____________________. ’ 2. Don’t let anyone spoil this chance of success for you. _____________! 3. We’re going camping this weekend, _________________. 4. If you think you failed the test because it was hard, you are __________________. 5. My neighbours were living happily here when ______________ they decided to move to the city. 6. Diana’s salary is so low that she finds it hard to ______________.

go for it ▪ it totally slipped my mind ▪ out of the blue ▪ rain or shine ▪ barking up the wrong tree ▪ make ends meet

Which of the expressions means the following:

1. take action on it? 2. whatever the weather? 3. happening unexpectedly? 4. forget about something? 5. to have money only for basic needs? 6. wrong? 3

Use the phrases from the box to make new sentences.

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2

3

4

Complete the sentences by using the words/phrasal verbs from

the Key word list in the correct form. (6 points) 1. ‘Agh! I have my __________ visit to the dentist’s today.’ –‘Well, it’s only once a year.’ 2. She dropped the bag and the cookies _____________ all over the floor. 3. They _____________ along the beach as they had nothing to do. 4. Local people want to protect their natural and cultural ___________ and encourage tourism. 5. It will take her weeks to _____________ the disappointment. 6. The workers want to work, but can’t find ________________ jobs.

Replace the underlined word in the sentences with the word/ phrasal verb from the Key word list which has the opposite

meaning. (4 pts.) 1. Natural disasters and nuclear power plants are a harmless mix. 2. The river was deep, so we were able to get across easily. 3. My suggestion is to keep these old books. 4. The man’s appearance was unimpressive.

Complete these sentences using the correct tense of the verbs in

brackets. (6 pts.) 1. This is the first time I (fly)_____________ on a jumbo jet. 2. He sometimes ___________________ (speak) so quickly that nobody ___________________ (understand) him. 3. I (not have) _____________ a proper dinner for weeks. 4. _________________ (he/visit) his parents next weekend? 5. The film _____________ (start) at 8 p.m. Hurry up!

Rewrite the following sentences using the word in bold. (4 pts.) 1. The last time they went to the theatre was last September. /not

They ________________________________ last September. 2. If he doesn’t take this medicine, he won’t get better. /unless

He won’t get better________________________ this medicine. 3. ‘You’ve broken my glasses,’ said the boy to Tom. /accused

The boy ________________________________ his glasses. 4. Because of the accident Bob couldn’t take part in the race. /

prevented

Bob’s accident _______________________________ part in the race.

TEST 1

KEY WORD LIST

Verbs float scatter stroll

Nouns

damage heritage craft procession spire sigh gown

Adjectives

appropriate annual bustling deadly cosmopolitan striking entire medieval prestigious shallow picturesque

Phrases

get along/on get on get off get away with get down to get over get through get rid of

KEY – page 141

20 points