You may know, government announced the annual Aug.8th as the "National Fitness Day". I like to share something funny happened on the same day several years ago. At that time, I was working on the 26th floor in a high rise building. In order to encourage all the colleagues to do some excise on National Fitness Day, my closest colleague and I made a little trick on that day. We put a sign saying "under maintenance" on our exclusive elevator in the very morning, so they had to walk up the stairs before going to the office. It was in the middle of summer, each of them was sweating from the exercise when arrived. We prepared a towel for everyone and told them the truth, fortunately, they didn't get angry at this, some of them even thanked us for they just realized they had not done any exercise for a long time. That's the story.
--Do you think it acceptable to play tricks on others?
I think it's OK to play tricks on others, but you should do it in a proper way --in the right time, the right place and to the right person. Do not cross the lines. For example, It's very impolite to play tricks on others in a public place, they may feel very embarrassed and annoyed. Besides, we should not make fun at other people's shortcomings/weakness/disadvantages. When making a trick, you need to put yourself into other people's shoes, treat others the way you like to be treated.
--Have you experienced the situation that you play tricks on someone and eventually things turn to be back fire?
In retrospect ['rɛtrəspɛkt], I once made a joke on a girl by saying "You must be a beauty in Tang Dynasty". Because she is a little fat, and Tang Dynasty is famous for its fat beauties. I thought it funny, but later I was told by another friend that the girl was very angry at this joke. In fact, the girl was pretty self-conscious about her weight, and she felt terribly offended. I never expected this, so I texted her a short message apologizing for what I did.
Words & Expressions
*maintenance ['mentənəns]重音在前
*self-ˈconscious, worried and embarrassed about what you look like or what other people think of you
self-conscious about
--Jerry’s pretty self-conscious about his weight.
*self-deprecating, trying to make your own abilities or achievements seem unimportant
self-deprecating humour自嘲式幽默
--This time his self-deprecating laugh does not cover the pain, and something else,hostility perhaps.
*in retrospect, thinking back to a time in the past, especially with the advantage of knowing more now that you did then.
--In retrospect, I wonder if we should have done more.
*introverted/extroverted, someone who is introverted is quite and shy and does not enjoy being with other people
Less introverted, more extroverted.in retrospect
与play tricks相关的词语：
play jokes on sb.
April Fools’ Day is a day to play jokes on people.
fool
This is the day when you try to make your friends believe something that isn't true and if they believe it you're supposed to say April fool.
prank恶作剧
I’ve had enough of your childish pranks.
That prank is old hat.
→prankster 顽皮的人，爱开玩笑的人
A prankster is someone who performs pranks on people.
gullible易受骗的，轻信的
He is gullible enough to believe anything you tell him.
hoax骗局
A hoax is an attempt to trick a person into believing that something false is real.