Lesson 76 April Fool's Day

To end our special news bulletin,' said the voice of the television announcer, 'we're going over to the macaroni fields of Calabria. Macaroni has been grown in this area for over six hundred years. Two of the leading growers, Giuseppe Moldova and Riccardo Brabante, tell me that they have been expecting a splendid crop this year and harvesting has begun earlier than usual. Here you can see two workers who, between them, have just finished cutting three cartloads of golden brown macaroni stalks. The whole village has been working day and night gathering and threshing this year's crop before the September rains. On the right, you can see Mrs. Brabante herself. She has been helping her husband for thirty years now. Mrs. Brabante is talking to the manager of the local factory where the crop is processed. This last scene shows you what will happen at the end of the harvest: the famous Calabrian macaroni-eating competition! Signor Fratelli, the present champion, has won it every year since 1991. And that ends our special bulletin for today, Thursday, April lst. We're now going back to the studio.

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【Pronunciation】

1. bulletin

图片发自App

2. process

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图片发自App

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3. present

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图片发自App

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4. adult

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5. famous

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6. champion

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【Words & Expression】

1. BBS: Bulletin Board System

2. lasagne: a type of Italian food made with flat pieces of pasta, meat, or vegetables, and cheese.

3. legitimate

- 依法的，合法的

- reasonable 合情合理的

4. make a joke 开玩笑

pull/play a prank/practical joke 做恶作剧

pull a fast one on (specific festival) 互相欺骗

5. champion

- n. 冠军，捍卫者

- vt. 捍卫

6. call the roll 点名

7. They are talking nonsense in a very serious way. 一本正经地胡说八道。

8. go overboard/cross the line/go too far/it's too much  过分了

9. make a confession of love 表白