THE NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL. PAU 2016 ANDALUCÍA

The Notting Hill Carnival traces its origins back to the culture of the Caribbean. When African slaves were first brought to Trinidad, they were not permitted to dance or play their own music. However, as the slavery regime settled down, a strong local tradition of carnival emerged. Once a year, enslaved people symbolically escaped from the oppression of their daily routine by playing music, dancing, and dressing up in costumes which mimicked the European fashions of their masters. They even whitened their faces with flour or wore white masks.

The tradition came to London with the migration of workers and their families from the Caribbean to Britain after the Second World War. By the late 1950s, many Caribbeans were living in Notting Hill a poor area. There, they faced racism, bad housing conditions and, in 1958, violent attacks from white youths. The idea of a Caribbean carnival emerged as a way of reasserting community cohesion after the 1958 disturbance. 

Claudia Jones, the editor of the West Indian Gazette, was the moving spirit behind the idea. The first carnival celebration was held in the town hall building in St. Pancras in 1962. This was a great success and became an annual event. In 1965, local social worker Rhaune Laslett suggested holding some outdoor festivities in Notting Hill. The two celebrations were combined, and so the Notting Hill carnival began. The skills of costume-making, steel drumming and calypso music gradually came together to establish a festival of music, arts and culture.

The Notting Hill Carnival is the largest European street party and the second major street festival in the world after Rio's Carnival. It is truly a spectacle not to be missed.

CHOOSE AND WRITE THE CORRECT OPTION (A, B, C or D).

1. According to the text, the first Caribbean slaves...
(a) adopted European customs.
(b) were freed from slavery once a year.
(c) could perform African dances.
(d) weren't allowed to keep their traditions alive. 

2. The main aim of the first London festivals was...
(a) to make the Caribbean community feel united. 
(b) to celebrate the end of slave trade.
(c) to play Caribbean music in London.
(d) to create a carnival similar to Rio's.

ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH THE PRECISE WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THE TEXT, OR USE YOUR OWN WORDS.

3. Caribbean immigrants introduced the carnival tradition in London.
TRUE: The tradition came to London with the migration of workers and their families from the Caribbean to Britain after the Second World War.

4. Claudia Jones played a minor role in organising the first carnival in London.
FALSE: Claudia Jones, the editor of the West Indian Gazette, was the moving spirit behind the idea.

5. The earliest editions of the London carnival took place in the open air.
FALSE: The first carnival celebration was held in the town hall building in St. Pancras in 1962. 

6. The Notting Hill Carnival attracts more people than any other carnival around the world.
FALSE: The Notting Hill Carnival is the largest European street party and the second major street festival in the world after Rio's Carnival.

USE OF ENGLISH

7. FIND IN THE TEXT ONE OPPOSITE FOR "failure" (noun).
 success (L.11)

8. GIVE A NOUN WITH THE SAME ROOT AS "truly" (adverb).
truth, untruth, truthfulness

9. GIVE ONE SYNONYM FOR "major" (adjective) (line 15) AS IT IS USED IN THE TEXT.
leading, bigger, larger, greater, (...)

10. FILL IN THE GAP WITH THE CORRECT OPTION:  with / in / up / on
"Peter congratulated me on my new job."

11. FIND IN THE TEXT THE WORD WHICH HAS THE FOLLOWING DEFINITION:
"To have to deal with something." :  face (L.7)

12. FILL IN THE GAP WITH A CORRECT FORM OF THE VERB IN BRACKETS:
"I'm looking forward to taking (take) part in a carnival."

13. REWRITE THE SENTENCE WITHOUT CHANGING ITS MEANING. BEGIN AS INDICATED.
"Perhaps I will have time to cook something special tomorrow."
I may / might / could have time to cook something special tomorrow.

14. TURN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE INTO THE ACTIVE VOICE:
"Hamburgers must be kept in the fridge." YOU, ONE, THEY, PEOPLE y SOMEONE.
They / People / You / One / Someone must keep hamburgers in the fridge.

15. TURN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE INTO REPORTED SPEECH
"Where did you hide my glasses?" Lucy asked her little sister.
Lucy asked her little sister where she had hidden her glasses.

16. JOIN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES USING AN APPROPRIATE LINKER (DO NOT USE AND, BUT, OR BECAUSE). MAKE CHANGES IF NECESSARY.
"I've joined a drama club I want to become an actress."

Since I want to become an actress, I've joined a drama club.
I want to become an actress, that's why I've joined a drama club.
Given the fact that I want to become an actress, I've joined a drama club.
I've joined a drama club in order to become an actress. 

17 GIVE A QUESTION FOR THE UNDERLINED WORDS:
"Enslaved people escaped from the oppression of their daily routine."
Who escaped from the oppression of their daily routine?