题目内容
【题目】Complete the following passage with the words or phrases in the box. Each can only be used once（将下列单词或词组填入空格．每空格限填一词，每个单词或词组只能填一次）：
A．tradition B．similar C．communication D．spread E．hear of
The Origins of April Fools Day
What is April Fools Day and where does it come from？It is commonly believed that in medieval（中世纪） France，New Year was celebrated on 1April．Then in 1562，a new calendar was introduced，changing New Year to 1January．With no modern【1】，news travelled slowly and new ideas were often questioned．Many people did not【2】the change，while some just forgot．These people were called fools．People send invitations to‘New Year'parties that were not existed and other jokes were played．Then a【3】of playing jokes on April 1st started．The custom finally【4】to England and Scotland，and it was later transported across the Atlantic to the American and the French．April Fools Day has now developed into an international festival of fun，with different nationalities celebrating the day in special ways．
A．strangers B．balanced C．experienced D．catch E．knowing
April Fools Day around the World
In France and Italy，if someone plays a trick on you，you are the‘fish of April'．By the month of April fish have only just hatched（孵化） and are easy to【5】．Children stick paper fish to their friends'backs and chocolate fish are found in the shops．
In Scotland，April Fools Day lasts for two days!The second day is called‘Taily Day'．Often a sign saying‘kick me'is stuck onto someone's back without【6】．
Today，Americans and the British play small tricks on friends and【7】on April 1st．A common trick is to point to a friend's shoe and say"Your shoe is not tied．"When they look down，they are laughed at．Schoolchildren might tell a friend that school has been cancelled．A bag of flour might be【8】on the top of a door so that when the‘victim'opens the door，the flour empties over their head．
Most April Fool jokes are in good fun and not meant to harm anyone．The best trick is the one where everyone laughs，especially the person upon whom the joke has been played．
【答案】
【1】C
【2】E
【3】A
【4】D
【5】D
【6】E
【7】A
【8】B
【解析】
本文分两个部分，第一部分讲的是愚人节的起源，第二部分讲的是愚人节向全世界的传播。
【1】句意：没有现代的通讯方式，消息传播得很慢，新的思想经常受到质疑。
根据下文news travelled slowly and new ideas were often questioned可知，空格处部分意思应该是“没有现代的通讯方式”，所以消息传播得很慢，communication意为“通迅、通信”，符合句意，故应选C。
【2】句意：许多人没有听说这一变化，而有些人只是忘记了。
根据上文With no modern communication，news travelled slowly and new ideas were often questioned和下文These people were called fools可知，空格处意思是“许多人没有听说这一变化”，hear of意为“听说”，符合句意，故应选E。
【3】句意：然后一个在4月1日开玩笑的传统开始了。
根据下文The custom finally spread to England and Scotland可知，这个习俗后来传到了英格兰和苏格兰，本句意思应为“然后一个在4月1日开玩笑的传统开始了”，故空格处应填入意为“传统”的名词，tradition意为“传统”，符合句意，故应选A。
【4】句意：这个习俗最后传播到了英格兰和苏格兰，后来它跨过大西洋传到了美国和法国。
根据下文England and Scotland提示可知，空格处句意应为“这个习俗最后传播到了英格兰和苏格兰”，固定短语spread to意为“传播到、蔓延到”，符合句意，故应选D。
【5】句意：到四月为止，鱼刚刚孵出因此很容易抓住。
根据句子By the month of April fish have only just hatched可推断，鱼刚刚孵出，因此很容易抓到，catch意为“抓住、抓到”，符合句意，故应选D。
【6】句意：经常在别人不知道的情况下，一个写着“踢我”的纸条会被粘在某人的背上。
根据句意可推断，这个写着“踢我”的纸条粘在某人的背上是在此人不知情的情况下完成的一个恶作剧，故空格处应填入意为“知道”的单词，know意为“知道”，符合句意，且空格前为介词without，后接动词的现在分词，故应选E。
【7】句意：在4月1日这一天，美国人和英国人在朋友和陌生人身上耍小把戏。
根据句子结构，句中and表示两个并列成分，即空格处应填入名词与前面的friends并列，选项中strangers意为“陌生人”，符合句意，故应选A。
【8】句意：一袋面粉可能被平衡地放在门的顶部，以便当“受害者”开门时，面粉会倒在他们的头上。
根据下文so that when the ‘victim’ opens the door，the flour empties over their head可知，当“受害者”开门时，面粉会倒在他们的头上，结合所给选项可推断，一袋面粉可能被平衡地放在门的顶部，且空格前面是might be，这里用情态动词的被动语态，后面接过去分词，选项中balanced“被平衡”符合句意，故应选B。
