《导学案》高中英语（人教版必修3）教师用书：Unit 1 Period 1 Reading Comprehension 讲义 .docVIP

每年的4月1日,人们可以充分发挥自己的想象力,去调侃、哄骗、取笑、愚弄别人。在这一天,无论是风流倜傥的法国人、热情洋溢的意大利人,还是热情奔放的美国人,都可能玩弄一些小把戏,愚你娱我,热闹非常。 　　　April Fool??s Day In sixteenth-century France, the start of the new year was observed on April 1st. It was celebrated in much the same way as it is today with parties and dancing into the late hours of the night. Then in 1562, Pope Gregory introduced a new calendar for the Christian world, and the new year fell on January 1st. There were some people, however, who hadn??t heard or didn??t believe the change in the date, so they continued to celebrate New Year??s Day on April 1st. Others played tricks on them and called them “April fools”. They tried to make them believe that something false was true. In France today, April 1st is called “Poisson d??Avril”. French children fool their friends by taping a paper fish to their friends?? backs. When the “young fool” discovers this trick, the prankster (恶作剧人) calls “Poisson d??Avril!” (April Fish!) Today Americans play small tricks on friends and strangers alike on the first of April. One common trick on April Fool??s Day, or All Fool??s Day, is pointing down to a friend??s shoe and saying, “Your shoelace is untied.” Teachers in the nineteenth century used to say to pupils, “Look! A flock of geese!” and point up. School children might tell a classmate that school has been canceled (取消). Whatever the trick is, if the innocent victim (受害者) falls for the joke the prankster calls “April Fool!” Putting salt in the sugar bowl for the next person is not a nice trick to play on a stranger. College students set their clocks an hour behind, so their roommates show up to the wrong class—or not at all. Some practical jokes are kept up the whole day before the victim realizes what day it is. Most April Fool jokes are in good fun and not meant to harm anyone. The most clever April Fool joke is the one where everyone laughs, especially the person upon whom the joke is played. “The first of April is the day we remember what we are the