Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2023 i Faces People, Places, and World Culture for Kids and Children

Welcome to the “Marvelous City”—Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Vibrant Rio is home to Carnival, one of the biggest parties on the planet. Here are five fascinating facts to get your started. 1 Rio de Janeiro was named after a river that doesn’t exist. Portuguese sailors navigated into the mouth of the Guanabara Bay in 1502, on the east coast of South America on the Atlantic Ocean, thinking it was a river. They called the place Rio de Janeiro, or “River of January” (rio is the Portuguese word for “river” and janeiro is the word for “January”). 2 The official language of most south American countries is Sanish. Not so in Brazil where P ortuguese is the official language. In fact, Brazil has more native Portuguese speakers than any…

The official language of most South American countries is Spanish. Not so in Brazil where Portuguese is the official language. In fact, with more than 214 million people, Brazil has more native Portuguese speakers than any other country in the world. Because the people of Brazil have been influenced by many different cultures, the Portuguese spoken in Brazil is somewhat different than Portuguese spoken in other parts of the world. Portuguese speakers around the world can understand each other for the most part, though they may pronounce words differently or use words unique to their culture. DAYS OF THE WEEK NUMBERS BASIC WORDS AND PHRASES The Brazilian Portuguese alphabet has 23 letters. You won’t find K, W, and Y used in native words. A B C D E F G…

The largest library in Latin America, the Biblioteca Nacional do Brazil (National Library of Brazil), is in Rio de Janeiro. It is one of the biggest national libraries in the entire world. Interestingly, an earthquake thousands of miles away in Portugal and a war helped create a domino effect that led to the establishment of this wonderful library. In 1755, a powerful earthquake devastated the city of Lisbon, Portugal. Thousands of people perished and 90% of Lisbon’s buildings were destroyed. Historians say it was one of the worst earthquake disasters in history with estimates of its magnitude to have been between 8.5-9.0 on the Richter scale. One of the many buildings turned to rubble was the Royal Library, home to more than 70,000 books. King Joseph I of Portugal ordered…

January 2023 Bunnies, Bunnies, Bunnies! “If you don’t eat me, you get a pet bunny. So don’t eat me.”—Naomi S. “Do my ears look ok?”—Ruby S. “I thought 2023 was supposed to be my lucky year!“—Lake R. “Hey, do you know where my fur is?”—Marcus L. Answer Page ANSWER TO CARNIVAL CAPER ON BACK COVER: ANSWER TO MYSTERY PHOTO ON INSIDE FRONT COVER: Brazil nuts are an important part of Brazil’s economy. ANSWER TO WHERE IN THE WORLD ON PAGE 37: The Metropolitan Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro seats 20,000 people. ANSWERS TO RIO CROSSWORD ON PAGE 40: ACROSS: 3. samba; 5. Portuguese; 7. soapstone; 8. Carnival; 9. Ipanema; 11. street. DOWN: 1. Corcovado; 2. favela; 4. acai; 6. staircase; 10. agouti.…

CRITTER CORNER Agoutis have some major challenges to overcome. First, their scientific name, Dasyprocta, means “fuzzy butt.” And if being named for their hairy hineys isn’t bad enough, everyone wants to eat them. They are the main diet for many carnivores in South America. For a full rodent report, read on. Physical Characteristics The red-rumped agouti (ah-GOO-tee) is a rodent that lives in the rainforests of Central and South America. It is named for the reddish fur that covers its backside. It looks a bit like a guinea pig—if guinea pigs weighed six to 13 pounds, were two feet long, and had a dark jellybean tail stuck to its rump. The agouti has long legs and sharp hoof-like claws on its toes that help it to run quickly along the…

Carnival is celebrated throughout Brazil, but the biggest party is in Rio de Janeiro. Wondering why? Try to visualize thousands of people in elaborate costumes, dancing together on an avenue-turned-runway, followed by a spectacle of lights, musical instruments, and over-the-top parade floats, singing the samba aloud with the help of a crowd of almost 100,000 viewers sitting in the avenue stands. You are picturing the Samba parade in Rio de Janeiro, the heart of the carnival party. How amazing is it to find that it all starts up in the hills and on the city’s outskirts in poor shantytowns called favelas where the poorest Brazilians live? The parade is divided into 14 groups, the Escolas de Samba. They oversee activities such as the songs, costumes, accessories, and gigantic floats. This…

It stands on the summit of Mount Corcovado in the city of Rio de Janeiro and is visible from anywhere in the surrounding area. It is also one of Brazil’s best-known landmarks, rising 98 feet (30 meters) above the top of the mountain. Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer statue, or Cristo Redentor in Portuguese, is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and is a symbol of faith for Christians all over the globe. The Christ the Redeemer statue represents Jesus, standing with his arms outstretched and facing the rising sun. The statue is made from reinforced concrete and soapstone and weighs about 700 tons (635 metric tons). It stands on a 26-foot-tall pedestal. Its outstretched arms extend 92 feet from fingertip to fingertip. In comparison, it is about…

His nickname was “Il Fenomeno,” which means “The Phenomenon.” And in his 18 years of playing professional soccer (known as football outside of the United States), Ronaldo Nazário built a reputation for memorable moments and game-winning moves that led his teams to victory in major soccer competitions such as the FIFA World Cup. He is one of the greatest soccer players of all time. Ronaldo Nazário de Lima (his full name) is especially important to Rio de Janeiro, where he was born on September 22, 1976. His family lived in the suburb of Bento Ribeiro, in the North Zone of the city. He grew up playing soccer in the streets with his friends, and his mother remembers, “I always found him on the street playing ball with friends when he…

Characters: » Narrator 1» Narrator 2» Narrator 3 » Turtle » O Pai: Father, pronounced “oo PIE,” » Jose: son » Maria: daughter NARRATOR 1: Many years ago, on the banks of the mighty Amazon River, Turtle played her flute in the warm sun. TURTLE: I play notes high. I play notes low. I play them fast. I play them slow. I tap my toe. Then away I go! NARRATOR 1: Turtle danced her happiest dance, twirling this way and that. She bobbed. She grooved. She busted out her moves. When she was done, Turtle pulled her head and legs into her shell and slept. Little did she know that a man was peeking at her from behind a wide, green leaf. She did not hear his stomach growl with…

Imagine a city tucked between rainforests and mountains and the golden beaches along the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. This city is known for its wild nightlife and its relaxed feel, as well as its exciting football (soccer) matches. It is also home to Christ the Redeemer, one of the tallest statues in the world. It is often called “Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City),” but you may know it by its real name: Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which is often simply called Rio, has a reputation for excitement, parties, and nightlife. Back in the 1940s, international movie stars would fly to Copacabana Beach for the weekend. Ipanema Beach is famous for the bossa nova musical style. Rio’s annual Carnival, which takes place during Lent, is a huge party…

Rio de Janeiro is known for its miles of sandy beaches. Tourists and locals flock to the many locations along the Atlantic coast to surf, swim, or just soak up the sun. Copacabana and Ipanema are two of the city’s most popular and well-known beaches. Copacabana There is no shortage of activities on the sands of Copacabana. From sunbathing to volleyball to kicking a soccer ball around, Copacabana is full of activity. The Copacabana Fortress, an important military site marks the beginning of the beach. The beach stretches 2.5 miles and is lined by hotels and restaurants. The Copacabana Palace hotel is a symbol of luxury and elegance and has attracted famous guests including Marilyn Monroe and Michael Jackson. On the beach, you will find kiosks selling food and beverages.…

Rio de Janeiro certainly lives up to its reputation as the "Marvelous City.” Located between the mountains and the sea, Rio is famous for its exquisite beaches, magnificent monuments, and delicious food. But as you wander through the vibrant streets, one thing will immediately catch your eye—the city’s spectacular street art. From the scruffiest shantytown or favela ( fa-VEL-ha) to the most luxurious neighborhoods, bold, expressive art is everywhere. Rio’s street art is unlike the graffiti found in most other cities. Here, street art has a long tradition of artists using colors to express feelings, thoughts, and dreams. Colorful portraits cover door shutters while artistic cartoon images are splashed across government buildings. Some artists also use street art to increase awareness about poverty, homelessness, racism, and other social issues. Not…

Sugarloaf Mountain At 1,300-feet tall, Sugarloaf Mountain is not the tallest mountain in Brazil, but it is one of the most identifiable. The peak sits in Rio de Janeiro on a peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean. The peak got its name because of its resemblance to concentrated loaf sugar, something common in the area during colonial sugar trading. It is one of more than 450 mountains across the world to share this name. Sugarloaf Mountain is known for its location, which gives visitors the opportunity to view the city of Rio to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Sugarloaf has had other names too, including the French translation Pot de Sucre. The indigenous name, Pau-nh-açuquã, comes from the Tamoios, and means “tall, isolated and…

Miles of sandy beaches draw thousands of people to Rio de Janeiro every year. Copacabana and Ipanema are the city’s most famous beaches, but there are others that are great for surfing, swimming, or playing in the sand. So, grab your pail and shovel and let’s make some sandcastles that you can keep forever. Materials: » 3 cups of sand (from beach, if legal in your state, or bought at a hardware store)» 1 ½ cups cornstarch» 1 ½ cups water» old cooking pot» old large spoon» newspaper» plastic sandcastle mold and nonstick cooking spray (optional)» seashells, stones, other decorative craft items (optional) STEP 1 Mix sand, water, and cornstarch in the pot. With an adult’s help, cook over low heat, stirring constantly. STEP 2 When mixture is thick, take…