READING TASK

Pre-reading

Before you read, discuss what people usually do on April Fool’s day Before you read, discuss what people usually do on April Fool’s day. Do you know any of the funny tricks people play on each other?

April Fool’s day is a day when people play jokes on each other April Fool’s day is a day when people play jokes on each other. On this day you will often see strange and interesting finds, scientific results or astronomical findings that are put there to mislead the public.

The newspaper feels happy if a large number of people believe what is written. Sometimes particularly good stories get into the evening news on BBC.

愚人节的来历 每年4月1日,是西方也是美国的民间传统节日——愚人节。 愚人节起源于法国。1564年，法国首先采用新改革的纪年法——格里历(即目前通用的阳历), 以1月1日为一年之始。但一些因循守旧的人反对这种改革,依然按照旧历固执地在4月1日这一天送

礼品, 庆祝新年。主张改革的人对这些守旧者的做法大加嘲弄。聪明滑稽的人在4月1日就给他们送假礼品，邀请他们参加假招待会。并把上当受骗的保守分子称为“四月傻瓜”或“上钩的鱼”。从此人们在4月1日便互相愚弄，成为法国流行的风俗。18世纪初, 愚人节习俗传到英国,接着又被英国的早期移民带到了美国。

愚人节最典型的活动还是大家互相开玩笑, 用假话捉弄对方。有的人把细线拴着的钱包丢在大街上, 自己在暗处拉着线的另一端。一旦有人捡起钱包, 他们就出其不意地猛然把钱包拽走。还有人把砖头放在破帽子下面搁在马路当中, 然后等着看谁来了会踢它。小孩们会告诉父母说自己的书包破了个洞, 或者脸上有个

黑点。等大人俯身来看时, 他们就一边喊着“四月傻瓜”。一边笑着跑开去。总之,每逢愚人节这一天, 动物园和水族馆还会接到不少打给菲什(鱼)先生成莱昂(狮子)先生的电话, 常常惹得工作人员掐断电话线, 以便减少麻烦。 如今的愚人节在美国已主要是淘气的男孩子们的节日了!

Now read the passage on page 59 about the “Noodle harvest” which is remembered as one of the Best April Fool’s jokes ever!

AN APRIL FOOL'S JOKE: THE NOODLE HARVEST

Read the passage and fill in the chart below. Name of the programme Its usual content The particular content on April 1st, 1957 People’s reactions

Name of the programme Panorama Its usual content Examination of serious problems and progress all over the world

The particular content on April 1st, 1957 Story about the excellent noodle harvest in Switzerland People’s reactions Thay believed it and even ring the BBC to find out how to grow a noodle tree!

Answer the following questions. 1. What do children usually do on April Fool’s Day? Children enjoy playing jokes on each other. When they “fool” someone they say “April Fool” to them. The most common kind of joke is to say something like “Your dress is hanging down at the back”. When you turn round they say “April Fool”.

2. Why did people believe the programme Panorama? People believed the programme Panorama because it was always serious and known for its factual correctness.

3. Do you think the advice that the BBC gave people who asked how to grow noodle trees was serous? Give a reason. The advice the BBC gave to people wanting to grow their own noodle tree could not be serious as no tree could be grown in this way.

4. What would you do to find out whether a story like this was true? If I was not sure if a story was true or not, I would go to the library to check the facts in an encyclopedia or go on the Internet.

Homework Finish the project on page 61.