高等院校英语专业本科听力-第三册3.08

The first of April is commonly known as April Fool's day, and it is the custom on this day to pay a trick on a friend. You do this by causing your friend to believe something that it 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 on certain and may once put being cruel, but today the trickes and practical jokes are harmless¹, and played mostly for fun. Usually these jokes are played on friends and collegues, but sometimes they are played on a wild scale. One serious national newspaper reported on a new machine to tranport passengers from London to Australia in 10 minutes. Another published a full page survey of a none existent island on pacific. And even on BBC television news, there was an item which showed a kind of Italian noodle being harvested from trees.

1 harmless   

adj.无害的，无恶意的

参考例句：

• This experiment was harmless to the animals.这个试验不会对动物造成伤害。
• He was a harmless sort.他是一个不怀恶意的人。