相关专题： 愚人节专题The first of April is commonly known as April Fools' Day, and it is customarily on this day to play a trick on[1] a friend.

If your friend falls into the trap, then he or she is an April Fool。

　　It isn't only children that like such jokes.

Grownups like such pranks, too。

　　Even the media occasionally try to deceive the public with a clever April Fool story.

Some years ago, for example, a famous joke was played on the radio.

A scientific correspondent[2] reported that strange geological changes had resulted in[3] weaker gravity in different parts of Britain.

He asked listeners to jump up and down and see if they could jump higher than they normally could.

Many people did.

The hundreds of calls the BBC received proved how successful the hoax was.

Not until twelve o'clock did the BBC gently remind its listeners it was April Fools' Day that day。

　　Making jokes only lasts until the noon of the day, the rule is rigid and everywhere acknowledged.

Anyone who tries to make a fool after midday is a bigger fool than he who has been fooled.

The late trickster is instantly rebuffed[4], as a piece of poem goes:　　April Fool's gone and past　　You're the biggest fool at last。

　　When April Fool's Day comes again　　You'll be the biggest fool then。

　　4月1日是大家都知道的"愚人节"。

　　这一天可以拿朋友开心。

如果你的朋友上当了，他或她就是"四月的傻瓜"。

　　不但孩子们喜欢开这种玩笑，大人们也一样喜欢。

　　甚至新闻媒介有时也编造巧妙的故事欺骗公众。

例如，几年前电台跟听众开了个大玩笑。

一位报导科学新闻的记者说，由于奇怪的地质变化，英国各地区的重力减小了。

这位记者让听众上下跳跳，看是不是比平常跳得高一些。

许多人都照着做了。

当成百上千的电话打到英国广播公司时，证明这场骗局成功了。

直到中午12点时，英国广播公司才和蔼地提醒听众那一天是"愚人节"。

　　但愚人节这天开玩笑只能开到中午12点之前。

这是约定俗成的严格规矩。

过了中午还找乐儿的人是一个比被他取笑的人还大的大傻瓜。

过了钟点还开玩笑的人会立刻碰个钉子，自找没趣儿。

正如一首诗所述：　　愚人节已过十二点，　　你这个大傻瓜来得晚。

　　待到来年愚人节，　　你将是个最大个的大傻瓜。

　　注释：　　1.

play a trick on：捉弄某人、和开玩笑。

Trick还有戏法、花样的意思。

例如：a magic trick就是"一个小魔术"的意思。

　　2.

correspondent：通讯记者。

相当于reporter。

例如：a war correspondent 随军记者。

　　3.

result in：最终结果、导致。

例如：The plan resulted in failure.

那项计划最终失败了。

　　4.

rebuff：拒绝、受挫。

相当于deny、 refused。

例如：He rebuffed me when I tried to help him。

我想帮助他，他却拒绝了。

【愚人节注意事项：玩笑只宜开到中午12点查看网站：[db:时间]】