愚人節

By Danilo/王麗婷（譯）

◆語篇導讀

愚人節全稱為“四月愚人節”（又稱“萬愚節”），是西方一些國家的傳統節日。在愚人節這一天，人們可以充分發揮自己的想象力，用任何方式互開玩笑，哄騙、愚弄他人，以換取樂趣。讓我們更多地了解這個節日吧！

In sixteenth-century France,the celebration of the new year started on March 25 and lasted until April 1.It was celebrated in much the same way as it is today with parties and dancing into the late hours of the night.Thenin1564，KingCharlesⅨchanged the New Year's Day from March 25 to January 1.There were some people,however,who hadn't heard or didn't believethe change in the date,so they continued to celebrate New Year's Day on April 1.Others playedtrickson them and called them“April fools”.

In France today,April 1 is called“Poissond'Avril” （“April Fish”）.French children fool their friends bytapinga paper fish to their friends'backs.When the young fool discovers this trick,theprankster yells， “Poisson d'Avril!”

Today Americans play small tricks on friends and strangers alike on the first of April.Onecommontrick on April Fool's Day,or called All Fools'Day,is pointing down to a friend's shoes and saying,“Yourshoelacesare untied.”School children might tell a classmate that school has been canceled.Whatever the trick is,if theinnocent victimfalls for the joke the prankster yells,“AprilFool!”

Most April Fool jokes are in good fun and not meant to harm anyone.The most clever April Fool joke is the one that makes everyone laugh,especially the person uponwhom the joke is played.American humorist,Mark Twain has said that the first of April is the day when we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year.

◆詞語積淀

trick/tr?k/n.詭計；花招

tape/te?p/v.用膠帶粘住

prankster/'pr?kst?（r）/n.惡作劇的人

yell/jel/v.叫喊；大喊

common/'k?m?n/adj.常見的

shoelace/'?u?le?s/n.鞋帶

innocent/'?n?snt/adj.無辜的

victim/'v?kt?m/n.受騙者

◆典句賞析

1.There were some people,however,who hadn't heard or didn't believe the change in the date,so they continued to celebrate New Year's Day on April 1.但是，有些人沒聽說或者聽說了但不相信新年改時間了，所以他們還是在4月1號這天進行慶祝。

so作并列連詞，意為“所以；因此”，用來連接兩個并列句，表示因果關系。who hadn't heard or didn't believe the change in the date是由關系代詞who引導的非限制性定語從句，修飾先行詞some people；the change in...是常見的詞組，意為“在……方面改變”，后接名詞或者代詞。

【即時嘗試】這里的空氣受到了污染，所以莊稼快死了。

2.Others played tricks on them and called them“April fools”.其他人就拿他們開玩笑，把他們叫作“愚人”。

這是一個簡單句。連詞and連接的是由主語others涉及的兩個并列謂語。play tricks on是固定短語，意為“騙……；捉弄……”，后面常接名詞或者代詞的賓格形式作賓語。

【即時嘗試】他總是喜歡捉弄他的朋友。

3.American humorist,Mark Twain has said that the first of April is the day when we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year.正如美國幽默作家馬克·吐溫所說，只有在四月的第一天，我們才會記起在過去一年的364天中我們是多么愚蠢。

這是一個多重復合句。that the first of April is the day when we remember what we are...year是由連詞that引導的賓語從句；when we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year是由關系副詞when引導的定語從句，修飾先行詞the day；what引導的從句，作動詞remember的賓語。

【即時嘗試】那是他永遠不會忘記的時刻。

譯文助讀

16世紀的時候，法國人是在4月1號慶祝新年。他們那時候過新年的方法和我們現在幾乎一樣，人們會聚餐、跳舞直到深夜。到了1564年，法國國王查理九世頒布使用新歷，將新年改到了1月1號這一天。但是，有些人沒聽說或者聽說了但不相信新年改時間了，所以他們還是在4月1號這天進行慶祝。其他人就拿他們開玩笑，把他們叫作“愚人”。

如今，法國人把愚人節叫作“上鉤的魚”。法國孩子會在朋友的背上貼一張紙魚，以此來戲弄別人。當那個年輕的小丑發現以后，開玩笑的人就會大叫：“上鉤的魚兒！”

當今的美國人，每逢愚人節，不管雙方是否相識，都會開些小玩笑。在愚人節，或叫萬愚節的這天，比較常見的把戲是指著朋友的鞋子說：“你鞋帶沒系。”學生可能會騙同學說學校放假了。不管是什么樣的招數，只要那個無辜的受害者中計了，搞惡作劇的人就會尖叫：“愚人!”

愚人節所開的玩笑基本都是逗人的，沒什么惡意。最高明的愚人節玩笑能讓在場的每個人都捧腹大笑，即使是那個被捉弄的人也會忍俊不禁。正如美國幽默作家馬克·吐溫所說，只有在四月的第一天，我們才會記起在過去一年的364天中我們是多么愚蠢。