Listen&Learn: April Fools’ Day

Learn facts and theories about the annual celebration of pranks.

Pre-listening vocabulary

• prank: a trick that is meant to entertain or embarrass someone
• hoax: a false story that is reported as fact
• gullible: willing to believe many things, even if they are strange or obviously untrue
• fictitious: not real, nonexistent
• dispute: to disagree about something
• evolve: to grow and change
• target: someone who is the victim of a cruel or deceptive act

Listening activity

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Gapfill exercise

Many countries around the world a day of pranks and jokes on April 1st. Most April Fools’ pranks take place between friends, but the day is also an opportunity to trick the general . Media companies often hoaxes on April 1st to fool gullible audience members. This tradition dates back to 1698, when a London newspaper reported on a fictitious lion-washing ceremony. The origins of the holiday are disputed. One theory is that it evolved out of Hilaria, a Roman spring equinox . Another is that it began with the switch to the Gregorian in 16th-century France. People who continued to celebrate the new year in April became the targets of pranks. There have even been April Fools’ hoaxes about the history of April Fools’, one of which was accidentally reported by the Associated Press in 1983.

Comprehension questions

See answers below

1. In 1698, a London newspaper published a hoax about
   a. a disastrous festival
   b. a lion-washing ceremony
   c. England switching to a lunar calendar
   
2. The Roman festival Hilaria was a celebration of
   a. the stars
   b. the equinox
   c. the theatre
   
3. A hoax about the history of April Fools’ was accidentally reported by
   a. the BBC
   b. the Associated Press
   c. the Washington Post

Discussion/essay questions

1. Have you ever been pranked or pranked someone else? Why do you think pranks bring us joy?
2. Hoaxes have become more common in the age of the internet. Have you ever believed a hoax? What are some good practices for determining if information is true?

Transcript

Many countries around the world celebrate a day of pranks and jokes on April 1st. Most April Fools’ pranks take place between friends, but the day is also an opportunity to trick the general public. Media companies often report hoaxes on April 1st to fool gullible audience members. This tradition dates back to 1698, when a London newspaper reported on a fictitious lion-washing ceremony. The origins of the holiday are disputed. One theory is that it evolved out of Hilaria, a Roman spring equinox festival. Another is that it began with the switch to the Gregorian calendar in 16th-century France. People who continued to celebrate the new year in April became the targets of pranks. There have even been April Fools’ hoaxes about the history of April Fools’, one of which was accidentally reported by the Associated Press in 1983.

Answers to comprehension questions

1b 2b 3b