April Fools’ Day spread throughout Britain during the 18th century. In Scotland, for instance, the tradition became a two-day event, starting with “hunting the gowk ,” in which people were sent on phony errands, followed by Tailie Day, which involved playing pranks on people’s derrieres, such as the pinning of fake tails or kick me signs. In modern times, people have gone to great lengths to create elaborate April Fools’ Day hoaxes, such as a 1957 BBC report that Swiss farmers were experiencing a record-setting spaghetti harvest, replete with photographs of people harvesting noodles from trees. In 1985, Sports Illustrated writer George Plimpton tricked many readers when he rain a made-up article about a rookie pitcher named Sidd Finch, who could throw a fastball over 168 miles per hour, while a 1996 announcement by Taco Bell duped people when it announced it had purchased Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell, with the intention of renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell. Burger King followed up on Taco Bell’s prank in 1998, advertising their new left-handed Whopper, prompting scores of clueless customers to order the nonexistent sandwich.
Complex Vocabulary :
• gowk (noun) - A fool or simpleton.
• derriere (noun) - The buttocks or rear end.
• hoaxes (noun) - Deceptive or humorous acts or schemes intended to deceive or trick others.
• record-setting (adjective) - Establishing a new highest or best level in some activity or category.
• made-up (adjective) - Invented or fabricated.
• duped (verb) - Deceived or tricked.