Quiz: "How much do you know about April Fool's Day?"

Original Thomas Nast illustration from the April 2, 1864 edition of Harper's Weekly

True or False?

The origin of the celebration on April 1st is not clear. For many it is related to the change of calendars and it was originally New Year's day.
It is called Fool's Day because some people didn't know that April 1st was no longer New Year's Day.
In the UK, April 1st is the day when people play jokes on each other until midnight.
The French version has an ox in its name.
BBC TV broadcast an interview with a professor who claimed to have invented a device that could transmit aromas, but nobody believed the hoax.

Are you a 100% sure? If you're not, then you might need to check it out! Do the exercise that follows and you will find some of the answers.

Listening

First, you can do this exercise where you will find some of the information you need and some help with the vocabulary.

Research

If you still haven't found all the answers for the quiz try clicking on these links:

Check your answers with the key. If you don't understand the meaning of a word, remember you can double click on it and a definition will come up.

What do you think?

Is Fool's Day celebrated in your country? Or is it celebrated on a different date?
Have you ever played a trick on someone? What was their reaction?
Have you ever been the victim of a practical joke? What was your reaction?
Do you like playing jokes on people? Do you remember any?
Do you remember any story published in a newspaper or broadcast on television that was actually a joke?

If you're working on your own, record yourself answering the questions above. Talk for about 2 minutes without interruption. Rehearse and when you're ready, record yourself using the application below. You can save the file onto your computer.