April Fools' Day

April Fools' Day is a day to play jokes on others, No one knows how this holiday began but people think it first started in France.

In the 16th century, people celebrated New Year's Day from March 25 to April 1. In the mid-1560s King Charles IX changed it from March 25 to January 1. But some people still celebrated in on April 1, so others called them April Fools.

Each country celebrates April Fools' Day differently. In France, people call the April Fools 'April Fish'. They tape a paper fish to their friends' backs to fool them. When he or she finds this, they shout 'April Fish!'

In England, people play jokes only in the morning. You are a 'noodle” if someone fools you.

In Scotland, April Fools' Day is 48 hours long. They call an April Fool 'April Gowk'. Gowk is another name for a cuckoo bird.

In the America, people play small jokes on their friends and any other people on the first of Aprol. They may point down to your shoe and say, 'Your shoelace is untied.' If you believe them and look down to see, you are an April Fool then.

愚人节的由来

愚人节又称万愚节，已经有几百年的历史了。关于他的起源，众说纷云。其中最为流

行的说法认为愚人节起源于法国。

十六世纪的法国，人们在4月1日这天过新年，互赠礼物，举办晚会，庆祝新年。当

时的庆祝方法与现在相差无几。1582年年，法国国王查理九世决定采用一种新的历法--格高

利历法，新年改在1月1日。在新历法的推行过程中，各地仍有一些人或是不原意接受新历

法，或是不知道这一日期的更改，仍然在4月1日这天过新年。其他的人便捉弄他们，赠送

他们假礼物，邀请他们参加假庆祝晚会，骗他们去跑腿，或使他们对某种根本不存在的事情

信以为真。这些受骗的人被称为“四月愚人”。

从此，人们在4月1日这一天便互相愚弄，日久天长，便成为法国流行的风俗。十八

世纪初，“愚人节”的习俗传到英国。后来，随着英国移民又传到了美国。随着时间的流逝，