Can you complete the blanks withouth reading our blog entries again?
Can you complete the blanks withouth reading our blog entries again?
Fill in all the gaps, then press "Check" to check your answers. Use the "Hint" button to get a free letter if an answer is giving you trouble. Note that you will lose points if you ask for hints or clues!
The term biodiversity (contraction of "biological diversity") refers to the variety and variability of life on Earth. The biodiversity of New Zealandis one of the most unique in the world because of the isolation from other continental landmasses, since this nation is a large island. Pre-human fauna included dinosaurs, pterosaurs and marine reptiles such as mosasaurs, elasmosaurs and plesiosaurs. Ancient fauna is not as well known, but it is certain that at least one species of terrestrial mammal existed in the island around 19 million years ago. New Zealand has a Biodiversity Action Plan to protect threatened flora and fauna.
The Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is celebrated every year on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday in Trinidad and Tobago, a twin island country bordering the Caribbean. It is famous for its parade full of music and extravagance and the use of colourful costumes.
This carnival is the most important event for people living in these two islands and it is said that when they are not celebrating it, they are either preparing for it or remembering previous years' carnival.
Barbados is a sovereign country in Lesser Antilles, in
America, located between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It was a
British colony from 1627 until it gained its independence from Britain in 1966,
and many relics from those times remain there. Although it seems a small island
it has, however, a lot of amazing and historic places to visit.
Andromeda Botanic Gardens
The Andromeda Botanic Garden is located in the parish
of St. Joseph with a spectacular view to the Atlantic Ocean. This botanic
garden with over 600 species of plants, where most of them are tropical, was
once a private garden of Iris Bannochie (a Barbadian horticulturalist) in 1954.
Notting Hill Carnival is celebrated in the west zone of London, England since 1964. It born because of the Notting Hill race riots during 1958. Several incidents against the Jamaican and Indian population of the place occurred in that year. Between 20 August and 5 September every night there was any quarrel. Until this 5, in which the police arrest over 100 people (between them there were also black people). Despite the fact that during all this time there were no deaths, a carnival was created keeping in mind that this sort of incident won’t occur again. At least it did not occur in Notting Hill any more.
The carnival is celebrated the last weekend of August. It begins the Saturday with a competition between bands of percussion, the Sunday it is made a competition of costumes and the children’s carnival and finally, the Monday there is a great parade of floats. The party is divided into six categories: masks and customs, Steelband, Calypso and Soca (I'll talk about them later), Static Sound Systems and Samba. All of them performed by the best artist of each discipline.
During all the weekend, streets are full of the Calypso (which is a politic and social critic and satire with music) and Soca (which is combination between Soul and Calypso) rhythms of the Caribbean. Besides all of these colorful events, there is a great sample of the gastronomy of places as Trinidad (an old colony of Great Britain in which this carnival was typical for mocking the customs of the Europeans). Some of them as jerk chicken, rice and peas and rum punch are the most known and delicious meal served.
After the official last day, people make parties around the city. If you go to visit it, probably you would have to pay for a ticket to enter. But it is a good form to continue the party.
Today I’m going to talk about the Independence Day of the United States. The fourth of July is known worldwide because it is one of the most important celebrations in America. It was a very important day since it was the day that the Declaration of Independence, which separated the thirteen colonies from Britain, was adopted in 1776. Celebrating this day does not come after the death of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams who also died on July, 4th (1826). These events made the date even more important and it became a celebration.
Fireworks, concerts, picnics, barbecues and carnival followed by political speeches and ceremonies are made in this day full of red, blue and white magic. Here I leave you an excerpt from Kennedy’s speech in 1962:
Families expend their day outdoors making picnics and barbecues as I have already said. In the morning there are made parades. According to the official page of the parades (I’ll leave the link below): it “consists of invited bands, fife and drum corps, floats, military and specialty units, giant balloons, equestrian, drill teams, VIP's, national dignitaries, and celebrity participants.”
In Washington, for example, there are traditional parades of marching bands and floats.
After the parade, visitors have the option to call on the museums located along the National Mall which are free and many of them have prepared a special program for the Independence Day.
Polo Grounds, Green Port
But without a doubt the most magical moment is the fireworks time. It occurs normally in the evening and in places such as parks. The fireworks are accompanied by songs whose lyrics usually talks about the War of 1812.
The music of the Bahamas is especially related to Junkanoo, a kind of street carnival
that occurs in the early morning hours across many towns of the Bahamas on
Boxing Day (December 26) and New Year’s Day (January 1) too. However, it is in downtown Nassau where the largest celebration takes place.
The origin of
the name given to this celebration has been disputed, although, the idea of
this name has its origin in an African slave called John Canoe or that it comes
from the French phrase gens inconnus (unknown
or masked people) are the most popular ones. Junkanoo may be the closest link
to African heritage since it has not changed over the years. It is believed
that this festival started during 16th and 17th. Slaves
were given a special holiday during Christmas time so they could leave the
plantation and celebrate their freedom with their families.
