D. Festivals such as Carnival and Mardi Gras finish up on Fat Tuesday. With the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday, Christians traditionally are supposed to abstain from all bodily pleasures until Easter. This year, Carnival events will run from Feb. 13 to 16

Q: The father of the seven-year-old girl dismissed concerns about her role in the parade and said she is a natural at the samba. Which immigrants to Brazil created samba music and dance?

A. Africans

B. French

C. Portuguese

D. Spanish

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A. The word samba comes from the Angolan world semba referring to a type of ritual music. It came to South America with African slaves brought to Brazil during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Slavery was not abolished in Brazil until 1888.

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Q: Parade organizers say the girl's costume will be appropriate for a child and that she will be able to cope with the weather and demands of dancing for 80 minutes. In Brazil, February is . . .

A. The hottest month of the year

B. The coldest month of the year

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A. It is the middle of summer in Brazil. The average high temperature in Rio de Janeiro during February is 91 degrees.

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Q: Carnival is celebrated in cities around the world, but Rio de Janeiro is considered the capital of Carnival. What is the capital of Brazil?

A. Rio de Janeiro

B. Brasilia

C. Buenos Aires

D. Sao Paulo

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B. Brasilia was planned and developed from scratch in 1956. In 1960, it formally became Brazil's national capital. When seen from above, the main planned part of the city's shape resembles an airplane or a butterfly.

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