April Fool's Day is traditionally a day to play practical jokes on others, send people on fool's errands（派某人白白奔走一场）, and fool the unsuspecting（无猜疑的）. No one knows how this holiday began but it was thought to have originated in France.

The closest point in time that can be identified as the beginning of this tradition was in 1582, in France. New Year's was celebrated on March 25 and celebrations lasted until April 1st. When New Year's Day as changed from March 25 to January 1st in the mid-1560's by King Charles IX, there were some people who still celebrated it on April 1st and those people were called April Fools.

Pranks performed on April Fool's Day range from the simple, (such as saying, "Your shoe's untied!), to the elaborate. Setting a roommate's alarm clock back an hour is a common gag. The news media even gets involved. For instance, a British short film once shown on April Fool's Day was a fairly detailed documentary about "spaghetti farmers" and how they harvest their crop from the spaghetti trees. Whatever the prank, the trickster usually ends it by yelling to his victim, "April Fool!"

April Fool's Day is a "for-fun-only" observance. Nobody is expected to buy gifts or to take their "significant other" out to eat in a fancy restaurant. Nobody gets off work or school. It's simply a fun little holiday, but a holiday on which one must remain forever vigilant , for he may be the next April Fool!

Each country celebrates April Fool's differently. In England, tricks can be played only in the morning. If a trick is played on you, you are a "noodle". In Scotland, April Fools Day is 48 hours long and you are called an "April Gowk", which is another name for a cuckoo bird. The second day in Scotland's April Fool's is called Taily Day and is dedicated to pranks involving the buttocks. Taily Day's gift to posterior posterity is the still-hilarious "Kick Me" sign.
1. April Fool's Day began ___ and ____.

A. in France ; in 1582 B. on March 25 ; in France

C. in France ; on April 1st D. on January 1st ; in France
2. Which of the following is not true according to this passage ?

A. On April Fool's Day , the news media even gets involved

B. On April Fool's Day , a British short film once shown how the farmers harvest their crop from the spaghetti trees

C. April Fool's Day is a "for-fun-only" observance

D. In Scotland, tricks can be played only in the morning
3.The word “vigilant” of the paragraph 4 means ____.

A. careful attention that that you give to what is happening

B. looking out for possible danger ,trouble ,etc.

C. giving careful attention to what is happening

D. B or C
4.According to the passage , the best title is _____.

A. April Fool's Day B. April 1st

C. April Gowk D. Taily Day

答案及解析：1.A 根据第一自然段结尾和第二自然段可知。 2.D 通读全文可知A、B 和C均符合原文事实，但从倒数第一自然段可知D 不符合原文事实。 In Scotland 应改为In England 。 3.D “vigilant”根据上下文可以推断出来“vigilant”是“警惕的、警戒的”B 或C 项均有这样的含义，A项虽有这样的含义但它是对名词的解释。4. A 通读全文可知 ，短文主要说明“愚人节”的有关情况