April Fool's Day Lesson
Ex 1: Read, and complete the text with the missing words below.
What is April Fool's Day?
April Fool's Day, which is also known as All Fool's Day, is celebrated on the first day of April every year. It is
a day when people play 1.
jokes and hoaxes on each other.
While the origins of this holiday are not 2._
clear, it is believed to have started in Europe
during the Middle Ages. One theory is that it dates back to the 16th century, when the Julian calendar was
3.__.
by the Gregorian calendar. This new calendar moved the start of the year from April 1st
to January 1st. Those who continued to celebrate New Year's Day on April 1st were
mocked and made the subject of pranks and practical jokes. Another theory suggests
that April Fool's Day is rooted in 4. __
festivals such as Hilaria,
celebrated by the Romans, or Holi, celebrated in India. Both festivals involved playful
pranks and humour.
FOOL'S
DAY
Regardless of its origins, April Fool's Day is now celebrated around the world, with different
cultures having their own 5.
traditions. In the United States and Canada, for
example, it is common to play harmless pranks on friends, family, and co-workers, such as putting salt in the
letters/emails or telling tall tales.
sugar 6.
sending 7.
In France and Italy, the holiday is known as Poisson d'Avril and Pesce d'Aprile respectively, which means "April
Fish". This is because it is 8.
to play jokes involving fish, such as 9._
fish onto someone's back without them noticing.
a paper
In Scotland, April Fool's Day is celebrated for two days, with the second day known as "Taily Day". On this
day, people play pranks involving the backside, such as pinning fake tails onto people's clothes.
unique
practical
ancient
Ex 2:
sticking
replaced bowl entirely
customary fake
Vocabulary Focus
1. hoax n
Read the text again, and discuss the meaning of the words/phrases in bold print with a partner before
matching the vocabulary to the definitions below.
A. a childish trick/practical joke that is intended to be funny but not harmful.
2.
Middle Ages n
B. separately or individually, and in the order already mentioned.
3.
mock v
C. the part of the body that a person sits on.
4. prank n
5.
regardless adv
D. a story that is very difficult to believe.
E. without the power or intent to harm.
HA
6.
harmless adj
F.
the period between the 5th and 15th centuries.
HA
7.
respectively adv
G. despite / not being affected or influenced by something.
8.
a tall tale n
1.
9.
backside n
10. tail n
11. practical joke n
J. a trick in which lies are told, for example, that there is a bomb somewhere.
K. laugh at someone, often by copying them in a funny but unkind manner.
H. a joke that involves a physical action rather than words.
a part of an animal's body, protruding from the base of the back.