专题 17 英美文化阅读理解专项：愚人节+母亲节- 2024年高考英语常考英美文化阅读专练+素材积累.docxVIP

43.AprilFoolsDay愚人节

1stAprilisadaytobecareful,oryoucouldeasilygettrickedbysomeone.It’sAprilFool’sDay,adaywhenpeopletraditionallyliketotrytomakeafoolofsomeoneelseandlaughatthem.

Therearelotsoftheoriessurroundingtheoriginsoftheday,butoneexplanationisconnectedwiththechangeinthecalendarinthe16thcentury,whichmeantthat1stAprilwasnolongerthebeginningoftheyear.ThosewhostillcelebratedtheNewYearon1stAprilwerecalledfools.

SowhatkindofpranksdopeopleplayonAprilFool’sDay?Well,therearelotsofsimpletricksthatyoucanplayonyourfriends.Forexample,youcouldwearablacksweaterandpullapieceofwhitethreadthroughit,sothatpeopletrytopullitoff.Youcouldchangethetimeonsomeone’salarmclocksothatthey’relateforwork.Orglueacointothefloorandseehowmanypeopletrytopickitup.

Allthesearesmall-scalepracticaljokeswhichyoumightplayononeotherpersonorafewpeople.Butthere’salsoatraditionoflargecompaniesattemptingtofoolalotofpeople.Forexampleaburgerrestaurantonceclaimedthattheywereintroducingaleft-handedburger（碎肉夹饼,各种夹饼）!

Inparticular,themediaoftentrytomakepeoplebelievesomethingwhichisnottrue.Newspaperspublishsomeludicrousstorieseveryyear,althoughsomeofthemareactuallytrue.It’sentertainingtotrytoguesswhichstoriesaretrueandwhicharefake.IntheAprilFool’sstories,theyoftenincludeacluetothefactthatit’sajoke.Forexamplethenameofan‘expert’quotedinthearticlemightbeananagramof‘AprilFool’.

Radioandtelevisionprogrammeshavealsofooledmanypeoplebybroadcastingreportswhichareuntrue.Oneprogrammeannouncedtheinventionofanamazingnewweight-lossproduct-waterwhichcontainedminuscalories!

AndoneofthemostfamoushoaxeseverwasbroadcastbytheBBCitselfin1957!AveryseriousnewsprogrammecalledPanoramareporte