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Printed by: Michelle Arett
Printed on: March 25, 2020
The Ice Cream Report
Before Reading Poll

According to a recently published study, eating ice cream every day may be good for you. What do you think?

If a study says so, it must be true.

Explain why you voted the way you did.
Article

April Fools Day and hoaxes have been around for awhileimage

Photo credit: Gerenme/iStock/Getty Images Plus

A new study says to pile on the scoops as high as you like. But can all this ice cream really be healthy?

LAKEWOOD, New Jersey (Achieve3000, February 25, 2019). Ice cream lovers, hang on to your cones. According to a new study from the Council on Nutritional Upkeep (CONU), eating two pints of ice cream every day, seven days a week, might be a wise choice. That's right. Eating ice cream every day may actually be good for you!

Here's the scoop: The nutritional scientists at CONU divided 24,000 kids, tweens, and teens into two groups. Group A ate two pints of ice cream daily. Group B ate half a pint of frozen yogurt or some other alternative every third day. CONU then monitored the two groups for 15 years.

And guess what? The members of Group A beat the pints off Group B. They were 81 percent healthier, 84 percent more successful, 89 percent more focused, and 93 percent happier than those in Group B. As if we needed a scientist to tell us that ice cream is pure joy. The ice cream lappers also tended to have greater upper-body strength, though that may be due to digging in before giving their pints a chance to soften.

Hand cramps or not, woo hoo! Break out the cookies 'n cream!

To celebrate the wonderful news, dear readers, we here at Achieve3000 are giving each of you a free six-month supply of your favorite ice cream! Just think of it as our way of saying, "Stay healthy!" To place your order, call 1-888-APRIL FOOLS.

Gotcha!

Sorry. Eating a ton of ice cream is not good for you. And that steady supply of ice cream? Not gonna happen. Try not to feel bad, though. You've just been snookered as part of a tradition that goes back centuries. April 1 is April Fools' Day.

No one is quite sure when April Fools' Day began or why hoaxes became part of it. Some historians connect the day to an ancient Roman celebration at the end of March. To mark the departure of winter and the arrival of spring, Romans dressed up in outrageous disguises and acted silly.

Some connect April Fools' Day to the unpredictable weather that time of year. You know—when a warm day fools people into thinking spring has arrived, and then a cold spell causes them to think again.

The likeliest idea traces April 1 tomfoolery to the 16th century. This is when much of the world switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. Along with the switch, New Year's Day moved from April 1 to January 1. When April 1 arrived, tricksters fooled people into thinking it was party time.

In the 18th century, April Fools' Day kicked into high gear in England. Tricking people was part of the fun. In Scotland, it became a two-day event. On the first day, the Scots sent each other out on ridiculous errands. On the second day, they attached objects to each other's rear ends. This was something like a pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey game. Europeans in other countries had similar traditions.

Typically, April Fools pranks are harmless. In 1974, for example, the citizens of Sitka, Alaska, saw smoke rising out of Mount Edgecumbe, an inactive volcano. They thought it was about to erupt. It wasn't. A prankster had set fire to a huge pile of old tires in the volcano's crater.

Many of the nuttier pranks of the 20th and 21st centuries have involved fibs, some of them whoppers. Many of the tales were spread by the media. There have been stories about spaghetti trees, tree octopuses, UFO sightings, toilet paper and hamburgers for left-handed people, and a decrease in gravity. In each case, many gullible people fell for the trick hook, line, and sinker.

So have yourselves a cunning April Fools' Day. When you're done, treat yourself to a bowl of ice cream. Just don't overdo it, OK?


Dictionary

gullible (adjective)    easily persuaded to believe something

hoax (noun)    something intended to deceive or trick

prankster (noun)    someone who loves playing jokes, or pranks, on others

snooker (verb)    to trick, fool, or trap
Activity

Part 1

Question 1

Start Activity.

Select the letter of the correct answer.

Based on the Article, which best replaces the question mark in the diagram above?

There is a large rectangle with a question mark in it. Above the rectangle, it says "Main Idea of the Article." Under the rectangle, there are two smaller boxes with arrows pointing up to the rectangle. Each small box includes a detail from the Article. The box on the left says "The tomfoolery likely began in the 16th century with the switch to the Gregorian calendar." The box on the right says "In the 18th century, people in Scotland spent two days playing tricks on each other."
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Question 2

This Article would be most useful as a source for a student research project on __________.

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Question 3

Which is the closest antonym for the word gullible, as it is used in the Article?

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Question 4

Which of these is a statement of fact?
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Question 5

The author probably wrote this Article in order to __________.
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Question 6

Which two words are the closest synonyms?

Only some of these words are used in the Article.
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Question 7

Which passage from the Article best supports the idea that April Fools' Day traditions have changed over time?
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Question 8

Based on the Article, the reader can predict that __________.
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  Please wait

Question
1
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0
RESULTS
Activity First Try Second Try
 1.

Based on the Article, which best replaces the question mark in the diagram above?

There is a large rectangle with a question mark in it. Above the rectangle, it says "Main Idea of the Article." Under the rectangle, there are two smaller boxes with arrows pointing up to the rectangle. Each small box includes a detail from the Article. The box on the left says "The tomfoolery likely began in the 16th century with the switch to the Gregorian calendar." The box on the right says "In the 18th century, people in Scotland spent two days playing tricks on each other."
 		correct answer no answer
 2. This Article would be most useful as a source for a student research project on __________.

 		correct answer no answer
 3. Which is the closest antonym for the word gullible, as it is used in the Article?

 		wrong answer correct answer
 4. Which of these is a statement of fact? correct answer no answer
 5. The author probably wrote this Article in order to __________. correct answer no answer
 6. Which two words are the closest synonyms?

 		correct answer no answer
 7. Which passage from the Article best supports the idea that April Fools' Day traditions have changed over time? correct answer no answer
 8. Based on the Article, the reader can predict that __________. correct answer no answer
Activity Score 88% 100%
 
After Reading Poll

Now that you have read the article, indicate whether you agree or disagree with this statement.
If a study says so, it must be true.



Thought Question

Retell this news story as if you were telling someone how April Fools' Day started. Be sure to include some examples of past April Fools' Day hoaxes. Use descriptive words and phrases from the Article in your answer.


Type your answer in the text box below.

Poll Results

OPINION STATEMENT: If a study says so, it must be true.
Before Reading After Reading
How you voted
Agree Agree
Disagree Disagree
Worldwide results
Agree
30% Agree
16%
Disagree
70% Disagree
84%
22% changed their opinion after reading the article.
Math

Part 1

Start Activity.

Select the letter of the correct answer.

Suppose one year, 12 of April's 30 days had a low temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Find the percentage of days that reached the low of 40 degrees.
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0
Stretch Article

April Fools Day and hoaxes have been around for awhileimage

Photo credit: Gerenme/iStock/Getty Images Plus

A recent study says to pile on the scoops as high as you like. But can all this ice cream really be healthy?

LAKEWOOD, New Jersey (Achieve3000, February 25, 2019). Ice cream lovers, hang on to your cones for this one. According to a groundbreaking new study from the Council on Nutritional Upkeep (CONU), consuming two pints of ice cream every day, seven days a week, might be one of the shrewdest dietary decisions you can make. That's right. Eating tons of ice cream every day may actually be good for you!

Here's the scoop: The nutritional scientists at CONU divided 24,000 kids, tweens, and teens into two groups. Group A ate two pints of whole-milk ice cream daily, while group B ate half a pint of frozen yogurt or some other alternative every third day. CONU then monitored the two groups by age category for 15 years.

And guess what? The members of Group A were 81 percent healthier, 84 percent more prosperous, 89 percent more focused, and 93 percent happier than their counterparts in Group B. (As if we needed a scientist to tell us that ice cream is nirvana.) The ice cream lappers also tended to have greater upper-body strength, though scientists said that may be due to their eagerness to dig in before giving their pints a chance to soften. (Carpal tunnel syndrome was also more common in this group.)

Hand cramps or not, woo hoo! Break out the cookies 'n cream!

To celebrate the wonderful news, dear readers, we here at Achieve3000 are giving each of you a free six-month supply of your favorite ice cream! Just think of it as our little way of saying, "Stay healthy!" To place your order, all you have to do is call 1-888-APRIL FOOLS.

Gotcha!

Sorry, but eating a ton of ice cream is not actually good for you. And that steady supply of ice cream? Not gonna happen. Try not to feel bad, though. You've just been snookered as part of a tradition that goes back centuries. In some parts of the world, peak pranking time is April Fools' Day—April 1.

No one is quite sure exactly when April Fools' Day began or why hoaxes became such a big part of the occasion. Some historians connect the day to Hilaria, an ancient Roman celebration at the end of March. To mark the departure of winter and the arrival of spring, Romans dressed up in outrageous disguises and acted silly.

Some connect April Fools' Day to the unpredictable weather that time of year. You know—when a warm day fools people into thinking spring has arrived, and then a cold spell causes them to think again.

The likeliest theory traces April 1 tomfoolery to the 16th century, which is when much of the world switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. Along with the switch, New Year's Day moved from April 1 to January 1. When April 1 arrived, tricksters fooled confused people into thinking it was party time.

In the 18th century, April Fools' Day kicked into high gear in England, and pranking people was decidedly a part of the fun. In Scotland, it became a two-day event. On the first day, the Scots sent each other out on ridiculous errands, and on the second day, they attached objects to each other's rear ends in pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey fashion. Europeans in other countries had similar traditions.

Typically, April Fools pranks are harmless. In 1974, for example, the citizens of Sitka, Alaska, saw smoke rising out of Mount Edgecumbe, an inactive volcano, and thought it was about to erupt. It wasn't. A prankster had set fire to a huge pile of old tires in the volcano's crater.

Many of the nuttier pranks of the 20th and 21st centuries have involved fibs, some of them whoppers, that were spread by the media. There have been stories about spaghetti trees, tree octopuses, UFO sightings, toilet paper and hamburgers for left-handed people, and a decrease in gravity because of the way the planets were lining up. In each case, many gullible people fell for the trick hook, line, and sinker.

So have yourselves a cunning April Fools' Day, and may you pull the wool over everyone's eyes. When you're done, feel free to pamper yourself with a bowl of ice cream. Just don't overdo it, OK?


Dictionary

carpal tunnel syndrome (noun)    a health problem that causes pain and weakness in the wrist, hand, and fingers

gullible (adjective)    easily persuaded to believe something

hoax (noun)    something intended to deceive or trick

nirvana (noun)    a state of perfect happiness

snooker (verb)    to trick, fool, or trap
Stretch Activity

Part 1

Question 1

Start Activity.

Select the letter of the correct answer.

What is this Article mainly about?
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Question 2

This Article would be most useful as a source for a student research project on __________.

    Press enter to interact with the item, and press tab button or down arrow until reaching the Submit button once the item is selected

Question 3

Which is the closest synonym for the word hoax, as it is used in the Article?

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Question 4

Which of these is a statement of fact?
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Question 5

The author probably wrote this Article in order to __________.
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Question 6

The Article states:

Ice cream lovers, hang on to your cones for this one. According to a groundbreaking new study from the Council on Nutritional Upkeep (CONU), consuming two pints of ice cream every day, seven days a week, might be one of the shrewdest dietary decisions you can make.


Which would be the closest synonym for the word consuming, as it is used above?

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Question 7

Which passage from the Article best supports the idea that April Fools' Day traditions have changed over time?
    Press enter to interact with the item, and press tab button or down arrow until reaching the Submit button once the item is selected

Question 8

Based on the Article, the reader can predict that __________.
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  Please wait

Question
1
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0