英语听力：自然百科 新奥尔良狂欢节（在线收听）

It’s a party that’s over 200 years old. On February 28th, feats will fill the air, parades will fill the streets and the spirit of Mardi Gras once again transform New Orleans. With its first Mardi Gars since Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is struggling to recapture its big easy spirit. Just six months ago, the hurricane flooded the city, and claimed the lives of over 1,300 people. But despite the tragedy, some residents vowed the traditional Mardi Gras would go on.

The holiday was first brought to New Orleans by the city’s French Catholic settlers. In the Catholic Church, believers fast, pray and repent for 40 days, to ready their souls for Easter Sunday. This special season called Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. 

During Medieval Times, the day before that became known as Fat Tuesday, because cooks used up all the butter and fat in the kitchen before the deprivation of Lent began. And in French, Fat Tuesday translates as Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras’s also the final day of the worldwide carnival season which kicks off around the globe as early as January 6th. Carnival circles the planet with a worldwide party, and the most famous carnival of all takes place in the streets of Rio de Janeiro. Set to the beat of Samba music, carnival means elaborate costumes, floats and dancing in the streets.

On American soil, New Orleans first celebrated Mardi Gras with elaborate balls. Then in 1857, the secret society of Comus staged the first parade with floats and the modern Mardi Gras was born. New Orleans is still rebounding from Katrina’s devastation, but celebrating its most famous holiday maybe one step toward recovery.