Question

No one knows for sure when and where the idea of April Fool’s Day for silly jokes started. One thing is for sure：Humans have been celebrating this holiday for hundreds of years，in many cultures.

One popular theory has to do with the calendar. Many ancient cultures celebrated the new year in spring，around April 1. In Europe，Pope Gregory XIII introduced a new calendar in 1582. The calendar named January 1 as the new start of the year. Many people and countries did not accept the change for years. The story goes that people made fun of the people who still celebrated the new year on April 1.

In some countries，people exchanged gifts on New Year’s Day. So another theory is that people began to give joke gifts on April 1 after the calendar changed. But there are probably as many explanations for the tradition as there are cultures that participate.

One thing is for sure，almost everyone has fun！

Mexicans celebrate a kind of fools’ day on December 28. You’re in trouble on that date if you lend someone something，because you won’t get it back！In India，March 31 is the day for tricks. Portuguese，who celebrate on the Sunday or Monday before the Christian holiday of Lent，throw flour on their friends. People in England say playing tricks after noon on April 1 brings bad luck to the jokers. The U.S. holiday doesn’t have special traditions.

Humor expert Joel Goodman of the Humor Project teaches businesses and individuals how to enjoy the positive power of humor in daily life. When asked to define the difference between a good prank and a disgusting one，he explains，“It is the difference between laughing with someone and laughing at them. Humor should lift people up！”

So start thinking now. If it looks like rain，fill someone’s closed umbrella with pieces of paper and watch them pour down when it is open. Glue a coin to the sidewalk with superglue. When people get annoyed trying to pick it up，remember to yell，“APRIL FOOLS！”Of course，kids can reply with the “Disappearing Class”. When the teacher goes out of the room for a moment，all the kids hide. Just remember，the person you play a trick on should be laughing，too. So keep the tradition going in the right spirit.

1.What is certain about April Fool’s Day？

A. It dated back to 1582.

B. People enjoy this holiday.

C. Its origin is related to a calendar.

D. Pope Gregory XIII created this holiday.

2.Which of the following is a good joke on April Fool’s Day？

A. Skip a class when the teacher is out.

B. Fill someone’s closed umbrella with water.

C. Give someone soap that turns his hands dirty.

D. Frighten someone to death by dressing up as a ghost.

3.The underlined phrase “lift people up”（Paragraph 5）probably means＿＿＿＿.

A. be used in daily lives

B. make people feel happier

C. change people’s attitude

D. be appreciated by people

4.What does the author remind people when they play tricks？

A. Tricks played should be amusing and harmless.

B. The crazier the tricks are，the better.

C. It’s better to use some special tools.

D. Keep playing them for fun.

Answer 1