Mardi Gras Quiz

2. The religious name for Mardi Gras is:

• Whitsunday
  Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, is the religious name for Mardi Gras. Whitsunday is an English name for Pentecost, an important Jewish and Christian feast that falls later in the spring.
• Shrove Tuesday
  Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, is the religious name for Mardi Gras. Whitsunday is an English name for Pentecost, an important Jewish and Christian feast that falls later in the spring.
• Pre-Lent
  Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, is the religious name for Mardi Gras. Whitsunday is an English name for Pentecost, an important Jewish and Christian feast that falls later in the spring.

3. In New Orleans, La., Mardi Gras celebrations are centered around this famous neighborhood:

• Latin Quarter
  New Orleans's fabled French Quarter, a neighborhood along Bourbon Street, is the center of Mardi Gras activities. The Latin Quarter is a famous section of Paris, while "Sin City" is a name applied to any wild town, especially Las Vegas.
• French Quarter
  New Orleans's fabled French Quarter, a neighborhood along Bourbon Street, is the center of Mardi Gras activities. The Latin Quarter is a famous section of Paris, while "Sin City" is a name applied to any wild town, especially Las Vegas.
• Sin City
  New Orleans's fabled French Quarter, a neighborhood along Bourbon Street, is the center of Mardi Gras activities. The Latin Quarter is a famous section of Paris, while "Sin City" is a name applied to any wild town, especially Las Vegas.

4. New Orleans and Mardi Gras are often associated with this type of music:

• jazz
  Around 1900 in New Orleans there was increasing interaction between poor black musicians, whose drum playing was influenced by African musical styles, and mixed-race Creoles, who were trained in European classical music. The fusion of the various traditions created jazz, which soon spread up the Mississippi River to Memphis and Chicago, and across the country to Harlem, New York. Today many marching bands play New Orleans jazz, or Dixieland, when they march through the city during Mardi Gras.
• French folk songs
  Around 1900 in New Orleans there was increasing interaction between poor black musicians, whose drum playing was influenced by African musical styles, and mixed-race Creoles, who were trained in European classical music. The fusion of the various traditions created jazz, which soon spread up the Mississippi River to Memphis and Chicago, and across the country to Harlem, New York. Today many marching bands play New Orleans jazz, or Dixieland, when they march through the city during Mardi Gras.
• opera
  Around 1900 in New Orleans there was increasing interaction between poor black musicians, whose drum playing was influenced by African musical styles, and mixed-race Creoles, who were trained in European classical music. The fusion of the various traditions created jazz, which soon spread up the Mississippi River to Memphis and Chicago, and across the country to Harlem, New York. Today many marching bands play New Orleans jazz, or Dixieland, when they march through the city during Mardi Gras.

5. Many Mardi Gras events are organized by private clubs known as:

• brotherhoods
  "Krewe" is a fanciful spelling of "crew." In 1857 a group of men founded the Krewe of Comus, because they feared the wild antics at Mardi Gras would prompt the authorities to stop the celebrations. They felt a secret organization might have a better chance of surviving. Since then, a number of other krewes have been established.
• fraternities
  "Krewe" is a fanciful spelling of "crew." In 1857 a group of men founded the Krewe of Comus, because they feared the wild antics at Mardi Gras would prompt the authorities to stop the celebrations. They felt a secret organization might have a better chance of surviving. Since then, a number of other krewes have been established.
• krewes
  "Krewe" is a fanciful spelling of "crew." In 1857 a group of men founded the Krewe of Comus, because they feared the wild antics at Mardi Gras would prompt the authorities to stop the celebrations. They felt a secret organization might have a better chance of surviving. Since then, a number of other krewes have been established.

6. King Cakes are a popular Mardi Gras tradition. Inside the cake is hidden a:

• silver dollar
  King Cakes are large, round cinnamon rolls covered with white icing and sprinkled with the Mardi Gras colors. A plastic baby the size of an almond is hidden inside. Whoever finds the baby is the next king or queen and must host the next King Cake party.
• treasure-hunt map
  King Cakes are large, round cinnamon rolls covered with white icing and sprinkled with the Mardi Gras colors. A plastic baby the size of an almond is hidden inside. Whoever finds the baby is the next king or queen and must host the next King Cake party.
• plastic baby
  King Cakes are large, round cinnamon rolls covered with white icing and sprinkled with the Mardi Gras colors. A plastic baby the size of an almond is hidden inside. Whoever finds the baby is the next king or queen and must host the next King Cake party.

7. The Mardi Gras colors are:

• red, white, and blue, representing the American flag
  In 1872 Russian grand duke Alexis Romanoff visited New Orleans during Mardi Gras. A group of businessmen organized the Krewe of Rex to hold a parade and named a king and queen for the day, a tradition that has endured. They also used the colors of the House of Romanoff: purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power. These have remained the official colors of Mardi Gras.
• white and gold, the colors of the French imperial navy
  In 1872 Russian grand duke Alexis Romanoff visited New Orleans during Mardi Gras. A group of businessmen organized the Krewe of Rex to hold a parade and named a king and queen for the day, a tradition that has endured. They also used the colors of the House of Romanoff: purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power. These have remained the official colors of Mardi Gras.
• purple, green, and gold, in honor of the Russian royal family
  In 1872 Russian grand duke Alexis Romanoff visited New Orleans during Mardi Gras. A group of businessmen organized the Krewe of Rex to hold a parade and named a king and queen for the day, a tradition that has endured. They also used the colors of the House of Romanoff: purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power. These have remained the official colors of Mardi Gras.

8. The young of all ages line the Mardi Gras parade route hoping to catch special coins tossed from the floats. The coins are known as:

• doubloons
  Doubloons, the name of old Spanish gold coins, are decorated with the logos of the different krewes and tossed to parade spectators. They are highly sought after. Centimes are former French coins of small denomination.
• Mardi Gras pennies
  Doubloons, the name of old Spanish gold coins, are decorated with the logos of the different krewes and tossed to parade spectators. They are highly sought after. Centimes are former French coins of small denomination.
• centimes
  Doubloons, the name of old Spanish gold coins, are decorated with the logos of the different krewes and tossed to parade spectators. They are highly sought after. Centimes are former French coins of small denomination.

9. In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the Mardi Gras celebration is known as:

• Mardi Gras
  The Brazilian celebration is called Carnival. Portuguese immigrants first celebrated Carnival in Rio in the early 1800s with a game called entrudo, during which poor people sprayed each other with mud and sewage, while the elite used perfume sprays. The first masked ball was held in 1840, while the first street parades took place a few years later. They have evolved into a vast spectacle involving thousands of participants and hundreds of thousands of spectators. Samba schools, usually representing poor neighborhoods, compete in an official parade, preparing lavish floats featuring dozens of costumed dancers.
• Brazil Day
  The Brazilian celebration is called Carnival. Portuguese immigrants first celebrated Carnival in Rio in the early 1800s with a game called entrudo, during which poor people sprayed each other with mud and sewage, while the elite used perfume sprays. The first masked ball was held in 1840, while the first street parades took place a few years later. They have evolved into a vast spectacle involving thousands of participants and hundreds of thousands of spectators. Samba schools, usually representing poor neighborhoods, compete in an official parade, preparing lavish floats featuring dozens of costumed dancers.
• Carnival
  The Brazilian celebration is called Carnival. Portuguese immigrants first celebrated Carnival in Rio in the early 1800s with a game called entrudo, during which poor people sprayed each other with mud and sewage, while the elite used perfume sprays. The first masked ball was held in 1840, while the first street parades took place a few years later. They have evolved into a vast spectacle involving thousands of participants and hundreds of thousands of spectators. Samba schools, usually representing poor neighborhoods, compete in an official parade, preparing lavish floats featuring dozens of costumed dancers.

10. This relatively small country features one of the largest Carnival celebrations in the world:

• Grenada
  The Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago boasts one of the world's largest Carnival celebrations, dating back to the arrival of French planters in the late 1700s. Today, the Carnival season begins soon after Christmas and reaches a crescendo on Carnival Tuesday. The festivities feature plenty of calypso music, often played by Trinidad's distinctive steel-drum bands.
• Jamaica
  The Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago boasts one of the world's largest Carnival celebrations, dating back to the arrival of French planters in the late 1700s. Today, the Carnival season begins soon after Christmas and reaches a crescendo on Carnival Tuesday. The festivities feature plenty of calypso music, often played by Trinidad's distinctive steel-drum bands.
• Trinidad and Tobago
  The Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago boasts one of the world's largest Carnival celebrations, dating back to the arrival of French planters in the late 1700s. Today, the Carnival season begins soon after Christmas and reaches a crescendo on Carnival Tuesday. The festivities feature plenty of calypso music, often played by Trinidad's distinctive steel-drum bands.