EVOLVE Educational Vocational Objective Learning of Vernacular English

April Fool's Day

Task 1
Link the words on the left to their meanings on the right.

butt	something silly
culminated	located exactly
folly	at the same time
harassment	came to a point
observance	change the shape of something
obstinate	stubborn
pinpointed	the end of something
pranks	annoyance
prior	jokes
reform	commemoration
simultaneously	looking out
vigilant	before

 Task 2
Use one of the new words to fill the gaps

1. Stop being ……… and join us!
2. We must be ……… there are many pickpockets in this area.
3. Christmas is an ……… of the death of Christ.
4. He was driving and talking on his mobile phone ……… and that’s why he was fined.
5. ……… won’t make me change my mind so stop bothering me.
6. Some say that building Castle Coch was nothing more than a ……….
7. The prisoner was let out early because he promised to ……….
8. We all ate lunch ……… to the meeting so we can concentrate on what is being discussed.
9. Unfortunately the peaceful protest ……… in a riot.
10. Your brother is funny, he never stops playing ……….
11. Put the ……… of the rifle to your shoulder.
12. The GPS system ……… us, gave us a map and then got us lost.

 

Origins
Unlike most of the other non-foolish holidays, the history of April Fool's Day, sometimes called All Fool's Day, is not totally clear. There really wasn't a "first April Fool's Day" that can be pinpointed on the calendar. Some believe it sort of evolved simultaneously in several cultures at the same time, from celebrations involving the first day of spring.
The closest point in time that can be identified as the beginning of this tradition was in 1582, in France. Prior to that year, the new year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25. The celebration culminated on April 1. With the reform of the calendar under Charles IX, the Gregorian calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved to January 1.
However, communications being what they were in the days when news travelled by foot: many people did not receive the news for several years. Others, the more obstinate crowd, refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate the new year on April 1. These backward folk were labelled as "fools" by the general populace. They were subject to some ridicule, and were often sent on "fool’s errands" or were made the butt of other practical jokes.
This harassment evolved, over time, into a tradition of prank-playing on the first day of April. The tradition eventually spread to England and Scotland in the eighteenth century. It was later introduced to the American colonies of both the English and French. April Fool's Day thus developed into an international fun fest, so to speak, with different nationalities specializing in their own brand of humour at the expense of their friends and families.
In Scotland, for example, April Fool's Day is actually celebrated for two days. The second day is devoted to pranks involving the posterior region of the body. It is called Taily Day. The origin of the "kick me" sign can be traced to this observance.
Mexico's counterpart of April Fool's Day is actually observed on December 28. Originally, the day was a sad remembrance of the slaughter of the innocent children by King Herod. It eventually evolved into a lighter commemoration involving pranks and trickery.
Pranks performed on April Fool's Day range from the simple, (such as saying, "Your shoe's untied!), to the elaborate. Setting a roommate's alarm clock back an hour is a common gag. Whatever the prank, the trickster usually ends it by yelling to his victim, "April Fool!"
Practical jokes are a common practice on April Fool's Day. Sometimes, elaborate practical jokes are played on friends or relatives that last the entire day. The news media even gets involved. For instance, a British short film once shown on April Fool's Day was a fairly detailed documentary about "spaghetti farmers" and how they harvest their crop from the spaghetti trees.
April Fool's Day is a "for-fun-only" observance. Nobody is expected to buy gifts or to take their "significant other" out to eat in a fancy restaurant. Nobody gets off work or school. It's simply a fun little holiday, but a holiday on which one must remain forever vigilant, for he may be the next April Fool!

You Know What They Say About Fools...

• But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. -- 1 Cor 1:27
• However big the fool, there is always a bigger fool to admire him. -- Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux
• [Politicians] never open their mouths without subtracting from the sum of human knowledge. -- Thomas Reed
• He who lives without folly isn't so wise as he thinks. -- François, Duc de La Rochefoucauld
• The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly, is to fill the world with fools. -- Herbert Spencer
• Sometimes one likes foolish people for their folly, better than wise people for their wisdom. -- Elizabeth Gaskell
• Looking foolish does the spirit good. -- John Updike
• Let us be thankful for the fools. But for them the rest of us could not succeed. -- Mark Twain
• A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees. -- William Blake
• A fool must now and then be right by chance. -- Cowper
• It is better to be a fool than to be dead. -- Stevenson
• The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year. -- Mark Twain

Task 3
Mark these questions true or false

1 The history of April Fools day is clear. 

2 Before 1582 in France, new years celebrations ended on April 1st.         

3 Not everybody knew that New Years Day was changed to January 1st.   

4 England played jokes on Scotland in the 18th Century.                         

5 Taily Day was invented by David Taylor.                                              

6 In Mexico they celebrate ‘Day of the innocents’ in December.               

7 It is common to shout “April Fool!” at your victim.                                

8 The BBC made a documentary about spaghetti farmers.           

9 The spaghetti famers were upset by this documentary.                   

10 I like spaghetti.                                                                                

Task 4
Discuss these questions

• Do you agree with the things that they about fools above? Which ones?
• Do you celebrate April Fools Day in your country?
• Do you have any other silly celebrations in your country?
• Have you ever played an April fools joke?
• Has anyone ever played an April fools joke on you?
• What happens when the joke is not funny for the victim?

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://wilstar.com/holidays/aprilfool.htm

http://www.freeimages.co.uk/

http://www.clown-zappo.de/

 

 

Answers

Task 1
Link the words on the left to their meanings on the right.

 

Task 2

1. obstinate
2. vigilant
3. observance
4. simultaneously
5. Harassment
6. folly
7. reform
8. prior
9. culminated
10. pranks
11. butt
12. pinpointed

 

Task 3

1. True
2. True
3. False
4. True
5. False
6. True
7. True
8. False