1
The beginning or source of something
origin
What is the main topic of the passage?
Different ideas about where April Fool's Day began
Acting in a silly or unwise way.
foolish
According to the passage, what do news outlets do on April 1st?
Try to convince people of silly or false stories
One leading theory about the origin of April Fool's Day involves....
A change in the first day of the year by Pope Gregory the 13th
news outlet
A company or organization that reports news, like a TV station, newspaper, or website.
celebrate
To do something special or fun to show that an event or person is important or happy.
The passage says we do not really have a solid answer about
Why April Fool's Day exists
memorable
Easy to remember because it is interesting or unusual.
Before Pope Gregory the 13th's change, which day was the first day of the year?
April 1st
People who kept celebrating the new year on the old date were called:
April Fools
calendar
A system that shows the days, weeks, and months of a year.
A custom or way of doing things that people pass down from one generation to the next.
tradition
The passage suggests that the tradition in Chaucer's story:
May have helped the holiday continue
A French origin story says the holiday makes fun of:
Foolish fish that swim in big groups
How does France celebrate Fish of April today
By taping paper fish to each other's backs
The passage gives several possible origins. Which word best describes these origins?
Possible
The leader of the Catholic Church in the 1500s who changed parts of the calendar
Pope Gregory XIII
prank
A playful trick or joke meant to surprise someone and make people laugh.
The passage suggests one fun thing you can do if someone asks where April Fool's Day comes from:
Make up an answer in the spirit of the holiday
Why might people have been called "April Fools" after the calendar change?
Because they celebrated the new year on the old date and were teased for it
The tone of the passage is mostly
Informative and playful
The last line of the passage suggests that if you don't know the real origin, you could:
Share one of the possible origins or make one up for fun
symbol
Something that stands for or represents an idea, like a paper fish representing April Fool’s Day in France.
To make someone believe that something is true or to agree with an idea.
convince