April Fool's Day History and Traditions Video

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EM
April Fool's Day History
and Traditions Video

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April Fool's Day History and Traditions
EM
Transcript
How did April Fool’s Day begin?
Until the middle of the 16th century, France celebrated the New Year on the
1st of April. Then, in 1564 King Charles IX decided to change this. And the New
Year began on the 1st of January. The message about this change travelled
through the country very slowly and some people did not know about the
change or did not like it. When these people tried to give New Year presents on
the 1st of April, other people laughed at them and called them fools or stupid
people. After this, the 1st of April was called ‘’All Fools’ Day’’ and later ‘’April
Fools’ Day’’.
In many countries it became a day to play jokes on people and laugh at them.
Some people play little jokes on their friends and family. Perhaps they change
the time on the clocks or put salt in the sugar bowl, so someone’s tea tastes
terrible. Some play jokes on thousands of people on this day.
In 1957, the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) showed a television
programme about Swiss spaghetti trees. At that time not many people ate
spaghetti in Britain, it was a new food. So, they didn’t know much about it. On
the programme women took spaghetti from trees and put it in the sun to dry.
When the programme finished, a lot of people telephoned the BBC. They all
wanted to buy spaghetti trees for their gardens.
In 1998, there was Burger King’s new hamburger. Millions of people in the
USA usually used their left hand to write with and the left-handed hamburger
was for them. Thousands of people went to Burger King to get a left-handed
hamburger and thousands of others asked for a right-handed hamburger
please, not a left-handed one.

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1. Fill in the missing words
April Fool's Day History and
Traditions
EM
a) went b) laughed c) April d) 1564 e) 1957 f) 1998 g) began h) January i) slowly
j) took k) give l) fools m) ate n) time o) change p) newspapers q) left r) became s)
salt t) jokes u) family v) France w) buy x) asked y) spaghetti z) put
How did April Fool’s Day begin?
Until the middle of the 16th century, 1) v) France
celebrated the New Year on the
1st of 2) c) April
. Then, in 3) d) 1564
King Charles IX decided to 4) o) change
this. And the New Year 5) g) began
on the 1st of 6) h) January
. The message about
this change travelled through the country very 7) i) slowly
and some people did not
know about the change or did not like it. When these people tried to 8) k) give
New Year presents on the 1st of April, other people 9) b) laughed at them and called
l) fools
them 10)
or stupid people. After this, the 1st of April was called ‘’All Fools’ day’’
and later ‘’April Fools’ day’’.
In many countries it 11) r) became
a day to play jokes on people and laugh at them.
Some people play little 12) t) jokes
on their friends and 13) u) family
. Perhaps
they change the 14) n) time
on the clocks or put 15) s) salt
in the sugar bowl,
so someone’s tea tastes terrible. Some play jokes on thousands of people on this day.
In 16) e)
, the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) showed a television
1957
programme
about Swiss 17) y) spaghetti trees. At that time not many people
m) ate
18)
spaghetti in Britain, it was a new food. So, they didn’t know much
j) took
about it. On the programme women 19)
spaghetti from trees and
20)
it in the sun to dry. When the programme finished a lot of people
z) put
telephoned the BBC. They all wanted to 21)
spaghetti trees for their gardens.
w) buy
In 22) f) 1998
, there was Burger King’s new hamburger. Millions of people in
q) left
the USA usually used their 23)
hand to write with and the left-handed
a) went
hamburger was for them. Thousands of people 24)
to Burger King to get a
x) asked
left-handed hamburger and thousands of others 25)
for a right-handed
hamburger please, not a left-handed one.
Every year there are new jokes on TV, in the 26) p) newspapers and on the radio.

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2. Answer the questions
April Fool's Day History and
Traditions
B 1. Until what century did France celebrate
New Year on the 1st of April?
F 2. What year did King Charles IX decide to
change the date of the New Year's Day?
A 3. Did all people know and like the change
of the date of the New Year's Day?
C 4. How did people call those who continued
to give New Year presents on the 1st of April?
B. The middle of the 16th century
C. Fools
D. They play jokes on people
E. April Fools' Day
F. In 1564
ANSWERS
E 5. How was the 1st of April called?
D 6. What do people do on the the 1st of April?
G 7. What programme did the BBC show in 1957?
H 8. What did women do in the BBC programme?
G. About Swiss spaghetti trees
J 9. What did all people want to do after
I. People went there
the BBC programme?
I 10. What did people want to get in Burger King
on the 1st of April in 1998?
EM
A. No, they didn't
H. They took spaghetti from trees
and put it in the sun to dry
to get a left-handed hamburger
J. They wanted to buy spaghetti trees

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3. Find the irregular verbs
EM

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4. Match the verbs with their past forms
EM