Read the following passage.
A. The Quebec Winter Carnival is an outdoor festival that celebrates winter in Quebec City between late January and mid-February. Its best-known sight is Bonhomme's Ice Palace, which is built entirely from blocks of ice and rises each year near Old Quebec. Ice and snow sculptures by local and international artists stand around the city, and two Night Parades are held. Many visitors dress in red and tie an arrow sash around the waist. In the nineteenth century, this woven belt was used to tighten coats so that the cold could not creep in, and it also gave support to the back.
B. The carnival's host is Bonhomme Carnaval, a snowman who wears a red tuque. He first appeared in public at the Porte Saint-Louis on January 9, 1955, and the mayor of the day gave him his first set of Keys to the City. Every mayor since has done the same at the start of each carnival. Bonhomme is different from the straw or wooden Bonhomme of some European carnivals, which is sacrificed at the end; he simply leaves and comes back the next winter. He makes almost 1,000 appearances a year, and schools across Canada use him and the carnival to teach French.
C. Some events test people's courage in the cold. In the Canoe Race, dozens of teams cross the icy waters of the Saint Lawrence River in four categories, and spectators can watch for free from the quays of the Port of Quebec. In 1976, ice canoeing as a sport was born out of the carnival. In the Snow Bath, first held in 1987, participants jump into an outdoor snowbank in nothing but swimsuits and snow boots. Hundreds of volunteers help run the carnival every year, and each must be free for at least one full shift of about six hours.
D. The first major winter carnival in Quebec City took place in 1894, but it was interrupted by the two world wars and the Great Depression. In 1954, a group of business people revived the festivities to promote the economic development of the old capital, and the first modern carnival was held in 1955. Because the region had no ice supplier, the palace was built of snow until 1992. In 1997 the carnival began to become more family-oriented, and its Queen and Duchesses disappeared, although the Duchesses returned in 2014. Since 2019, the celebrations have been condensed to 10 days built around major events.
E. Not given in any of the above paragraphs.
Decide which paragraph, A to D, has the information given in each statement below. Select E if the information is not given in any of the paragraphs.
AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.
Correct Answer: B
Why this is correct: The second paragraph says the mayor gave Bonhomme his first set of Keys to the City in 1955. Every mayor since has done the same at the start of each carnival. The keys are the special symbol, and the mayor is the leader of the city.
Passage Reference: Every mayor since has done the same at the start of each carnival.
Tips: Some sentences point back to the one before them. When a sentence says a thing is repeated, read the sentence before it to see what happens each year.
Why the other options are wrong:
- A: The first paragraph describes the ice palace, sculptures and parades, but no mayor and no gift.
- C: Paragraph C covers the canoe race, the Snow Bath and volunteers. The mayor does not appear.
- D: Notice that paragraph D traces how the carnival changed over the years, with nothing about a ceremony for Bonhomme.
- E: The mayor handing Bonhomme the Keys to the City at each carnival is described in Paragraph B.
Correct Answer: D
Passage Reference: The first major winter carnival in Quebec City took place in 1894, but it was interrupted by the two world wars and the Great Depression.
Why this is correct: Notice that paragraph D says the first major winter carnival in Quebec City took place in 1894. The year 1894 is in the 1890s, and a major carnival is a big festival.
Tips: Several years appear in the passage. Look for the earliest one.
Why the other options are wrong:
- A: The first paragraph describes the carnival as visitors see it now, not when it first began.
- B: Look at paragraph B: it gives 1955 as the year Bonhomme first appeared, which is much later than the 1890s.
- C: Ice canoeing and the Snow Bath both get dates in paragraph C, and both are in the twentieth century.
- E: The 1894 start of the first major winter carnival is given at the beginning of Paragraph D.
Correct Answer: A
Passage Reference: Its best-known sight is Bonhomme's Ice Palace, which is built entirely from blocks of ice and rises each year near Old Quebec.
Why this is correct: The first paragraph says Bonhomme's Ice Palace is built entirely from blocks of ice and rises each year near Old Quebec. 'Goes up' means rises, and 'close to' means near.
Tips: The palace comes up twice. Ask which mention tells you where it stands, not what it was once made of.
Why the other options are wrong:
- B: The second paragraph is about Bonhomme himself, his first appearance and his keys, not where the palace stands.
- C: The third paragraph describes events on the river and in the snow, not the palace.
- D: The palace does come up in paragraph D, but only to say it was once made of snow. It does not say where the palace is built.
- E: The yearly ice palace near Old Quebec is described in Paragraph A.
Correct Answer: D
Passage Reference: In 1954, a group of business people revived the festivities to promote the economic development of the old capital, and the first modern carnival was held in 1955.
Why this is correct: The fourth paragraph says that in 1954 a group of business people revived the festivities. They wanted to promote the economic development of the old capital. Reviving an event means bringing it back.
Tips: Paragraph B also has a date in the 1950s. Look for the paragraph that gives a reason about money.
Why the other options are wrong:
- A: The first paragraph describes what visitors see and wear, not who restarted the carnival.
- B: Notice that paragraph B dates Bonhomme's first appearance to 1955, but it does not say who revived the event or why.
- C: The third paragraph talks about volunteers who help run the carnival, not business people or the economy.
- E: The business people who revived the carnival in 1954 to help the economy appear in Paragraph D.
Correct Answer: C
Passage Reference: In the Canoe Race, dozens of teams cross the icy waters of the Saint Lawrence River in four categories, and spectators can watch for free from the quays of the Port of Quebec.
Why this is correct: The third paragraph says that during the Canoe Race spectators can watch for free from the quays of the Port of Quebec. For free means without paying.
Tips: Scan for a 'race' on the water. Then check that people at the 'port' can watch it without paying.
Why the other options are wrong:
- A: Notice that paragraph A says crowds gather for the Night Parades, but it says nothing about a boat race or prices.
- B: Look at paragraph B: it describes Bonhomme and his visits, not any race.
- D: The fourth paragraph is about changes over the years. It gives no details about watching events.
- E: Watching the Canoe Race for free from the port is mentioned in Paragraph C.
Correct Answer: E
Passage Reference: In 1997 the carnival began to become more family-oriented, and its Queen and Duchesses disappeared, although the Duchesses returned in 2014.
Why this is correct: Paragraph D gives both years: the Queen and Duchesses disappeared in 1997, and the Duchesses returned in 2014. It gives the year of their return but no reason for it. Visitors' requests are never mentioned.
Tips: Check whether the paragraph explains why the Duchesses returned, or only when.
Why the other options are wrong:
- A: Paragraph A describes the festival as visitors see it today. The Duchesses are not named.
- B: Notice that paragraph B is about Bonhomme, the only carnival figure it describes.
- C: The third paragraph covers races, the Snow Bath and volunteers, with nothing about Duchesses.
- D: The 2014 return of the Duchesses is in Paragraph D, but no cause for it is given.
Correct Answer: A
Passage Reference: In the nineteenth century, this woven belt was used to tighten coats so that the cold could not creep in, and it also gave support to the back.
Why this is correct: Look at paragraph A: in the nineteenth century the arrow sash, a woven belt, was used to tighten coats. This way the cold could not creep in. The nineteenth century is long ago.
Tips: Scan for the 'sash'. Then read on to see how it helped against the 'cold' in the past.
Why the other options are wrong:
- B: Paragraph B mentions Bonhomme's red tuque, but it does not talk about a belt or keeping warm.
- C: Look at paragraph C: it mentions swimsuits and snow boots in the Snow Bath, not a belt worn with coats.
- D: Notice that paragraph D lists changes to the carnival, not the old use of any clothing.
- E: The old use of the arrow sash to keep coats closed against the cold is explained in Paragraph A.
Correct Answer: D
Passage Reference: Because the region had no ice supplier, the palace was built of snow until 1992.
Why this is correct: Paragraph D says that because the region had no ice supplier, the palace was built of snow until 1992. No supplier in the region means ice could not be supplied locally.
Tips: Notice that paragraph A also describes the palace. Decide which paragraph talks about the past.
Why the other options are wrong:
- A: The first paragraph says the palace today is built entirely from ice, which is the opposite of a snow palace.
- B: Paragraph B is about the snowman Bonhomme. It does not say what the palace is built from.
- C: Paragraph C mentions a snowbank for the Snow Bath, not a palace made of snow.
- E: The snow palace built until 1992 for lack of an ice supplier is described in Paragraph D.
Correct Answer: C
Passage Reference: Hundreds of volunteers help run the carnival every year, and each must be free for at least one full shift of about six hours.
Why this is correct: The third paragraph says hundreds of volunteers help run the carnival. Each must be free for at least one full shift of about six hours. A shift of six hours is a long work period.
Tips: Find the people who give their time at the event. Then check how much time each one has to be free, and whether it is a long stretch.
Why the other options are wrong:
- A: The first paragraph describes sights and clothing for visitors, not the people who work at the carnival.
- B: The second paragraph describes Bonhomme's many appearances, not the rules for helpers.
- D: Look at paragraph D: it says business people revived the carnival, but it has no rules for volunteers.
- E: The rule that each volunteer must work at least one full shift is stated in Paragraph C.
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