April 1st is the day on which, in some countries, peo- ple try to play tricks on others. If one succeeds in tricking somebody, one laughs and says, "April Fool!", and then the person who has been tricked usually laughs too.

One April 1st, a country bus was going along a winding road, when it slowed down and stopped.The driver anxiously turned switches, but nothing happened. Then he turned to the passengers with a worried look on his face and said, "This poor bus is getting old.It isn't going as well as it used to. There's only one thing to do if we want to get home today.I shall count three, and on the word 'three', I want you all to lean forward suddenly as hard as you can.That should get the bus started again, but if it doesn't, I am afraid there is nothing else I can do.Now, all of you lean back as far as you can in your seats and get ready."

The passengers all obediently pressed back against their seats and waited anxiously.

Then the driver turned to his front and asked, "Are you ready?"

The passengers answered, "Yes."

"One ! Two! Three!" counted the driver. The passengers all swung forward suddenly--and the bus started up at a great rate.

The passengers began to smile with relief.But their smiles turned to surprise and then delighted laughter when the driver merrily cried, "April Fool !"

在一些國(guó)家，四月一日就是戲弄人的節(jié)日。如果有人成功地捉弄了別人，他就會(huì)大笑著說：“愚人節(jié)快樂!”那個(gè)被捉弄的人往往也會(huì)大笑起來。

在一個(gè)四月一日，一輛鄉(xiāng)村公共汽車沿著一條蜿蜒的小路行駛。它突然減速，最后停了下來。司機(jī)焦急地轉(zhuǎn)著方向盤，但車仍無法起動(dòng)。他愁容滿面地對(duì)乘客們說：“這輛可憐的車上歲數(shù)了，它不像以前那樣能跑了。如果我們想今天回家，只有一個(gè)辦法。我數(shù)一二三，當(dāng)數(shù)到‘三時(shí)，希望你們都能把身體猛地向前傾，這樣就能讓汽車重新發(fā)動(dòng)起來了。如果還不起作用，那我也無能為力了。現(xiàn)在，你們都盡量往座位后背靠，做好準(zhǔn)備?！?/p>

乘客們都很聽話，緊緊靠著座位后背，焦急地等待著。司機(jī)轉(zhuǎn)向前方，問道：“你們都準(zhǔn)備好了嗎?”乘客們答道：“準(zhǔn)備好了?！?/p>

“一!二!三!”司機(jī)數(shù)道。每個(gè)乘客都猛地向前傾——汽車快速發(fā)動(dòng)起來了!

乘客們都松了口氣，面露微笑。司機(jī)開心地大喊：“愚人節(jié)快樂!”乘客們的微笑化為一臉的驚訝，隨之他們也開懷大笑起來。