[originaltext] The first of April is commonly known as April Fools’ Day and

The first of April is commonly known as April Fools’ Day and it’s a custom on this day to play a trick on a friend. You do this by causing your friend to believe something that isn’t true. If your friend falls into the trap, then he or she is an April fool. This strange custom has been observed by both children and adults for centuries. Its origin is uncertain and may once have been cruel. But today the tricks and practical jokes are harmless and played mostly for fun. Usually April fool jokes are played on friends and colleagues but sometimes they are played on a wider scale. One serious national news paper reported a new machine that could transport passengers from London to Australia in ten minutes. Another published a four-page survey of an non-existent island in the Pacific. And even on BBC television news there was an item which showed a kind of Italian noodle being harvested from trees.