Unlike most of the other nonfoolish holidays, the history of April Fool's Day, sometimes called All Fool's Day, is not totally clear. There really wasn't a "first April Fool's Day" that can be pinpointed on the calendar. Some believe it sort of evolved simultaneously in several cultures at the same time, from celebrations involving the first day of spring.
April fool：愚人節時受愚弄的人，中文多譯作「四月傻瓜」。沒有人能夠在日曆上準確地標出第一個愚人節的位置，即「沒有人知道第一個愚人節是什麼時候開始的。」pinpoint：精確地確定......的位置(性質、原因等)，確認。有些人認為它可能是同時從幾種文化演變而來的，源自與春季第一天有關的慶祝活動。sort of:(口)近似，有那麼點兒。
The closest point in time that can be identified as the beginning of this tradition was in 1582, in France. Prior to (4)that year, the new year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25. The celebration culminated on April 1. With the reform of the calendar under Charles IX, the Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved to January 1(5).
查理九世在位期間進行了曆法改革，引進了陽曆，並且把新年第一天移至1月1日。Charlex IX：查理九世，法蘭西國王[1560-1574]；Gregorian Calendar：格列高利歷，即目前全世界通用的陽曆。
However, communications being what they were in the days when news traveled by foot, many people did not receive the news for several years(6). Others, the more obstinate crowd, refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate the new year on April 1(7). These backward folk were labeled as "fools" by the general populace. They were subject to some ridicule, and were often sent on "fools errands" or were made the butt of other practical jokes(8).
然而，在那個消息還有靠徒步旅行傳播的年代裡，有許多人過了好幾年後才得到這個消息。一幫冥頑不化的傢伙卻拒絕接受新曆法，依舊在4月1日那天慶祝新年。他們受到嘲笑，並且經常被派去做只有笨蛋才做的差事，或者成為惡作劇的對象。butt：(嘲弄等的)對象，笑柄；practical joke：惡作劇。
This harassment evolved, over time, into a tradition of prank-playing on the first day of April(9). The tradition eventually spread to England and Scotland in the eighteenth century. It was later introduced to the American colonies of both the English and French. April Fool's Day thus developed into an international fun feast(10), so to speak, with different nationalities specializing in their own brand of humor at the expense of their friends and families.
這種折磨人的行為隨著時間慢慢演變成在4月的第一天搞惡作劇的傳統。
In Scotland, for example, April Fool's Day is actually celebrated for two days. The second day is devoted to pranks involving the posterior region of the body. It is called Taily Day(11). The origin of the "kick me" sign can be traced to this observance(12).
例如在蘇格蘭，愚人節實際上要過兩天。第二天專門對人身後部位(謔指屁股)胡鬧。這一天被稱作Taily節，這一天專門玩跟臀部有關的惡作劇，通常做法是悄悄地在別人的臀部貼上寫著「踢我」的標籤，顯得十分滑稽。
Mexico's counterpart of April Fool's Day is actually observed on December 28. Originally, the day was a sad remembrance of the slaughter of the innocent children by King Herod. It eventually evolved into a lighter commemoration involving pranks and trickery(13).
最初這一天是用來紀念被希律王屠殺的那些無辜的孩童，結果卻演變成了一個充滿惡作劇和詭計的較為輕鬆的紀念日。King Herod：希律王(希律大帝)，羅馬統治時期的猶太國王，統治後期兇惡殘暴，曾下令屠戮伯利恆城男嬰；commemoration：慶祝會，紀念儀式；trickery：詭計，耍花招。
Pranks performed on April Fool's Day range from the simple, (such as saying, "Your shoe's untied!), to the elaborate(14). Setting a roommate's alarm clock back an hour is a common gag(15). Whatever the prank, the trickster usually ends it by yelling to his victim, "April Fool!" (16)
無論哪種惡作劇，都會以其始作俑者朝受害者大喊：「四月傻瓜！」而宣告結束。
Practical jokes are a common practice on April Fool's Day. Sometimes, elaborate practical jokes are played on friends or relatives that last the entire day. 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. (17)
例如，曾在愚人節放映過一部英國短片，那是一部相當詳盡的紀錄片，講述了「種麵條的人」以及他們是如何從麵條樹上收割麵條的。spaghetti：義大利式細麵條。
April Fool's Day is a "for-fun-only" observance. Nobody is expected to buy gifts or to take their "significant other(18)" 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(19), for he may be the next April Fool!
單詞與短語
prior to：在......之前
feast：節日，盛宴。
observance：風俗習慣，慣例
elaborate：精心策劃的
gag：惡作劇，戲弄。
significant other：伴侶
vigilant：警覺的，警惕的。
prank：胡鬧，惡作劇。
trickster：(原始民間故事、神話傳說中以各種偽裝出現的)惡作劇精靈。
（編輯：趙穎茹）