Mad World

Fun English language learning materials for students & teachers: CEF language level: B2
April Fools Day
April 1st is called April Fool's Day in the English-speaking world. It is a day people when people traditionally play jokes.

There are often false stories in the media.

In most countries April fool's jokes usually happen before midday. In France, for example, you have 'April Fish'. Children try to secretly pin paper fish on to each other.

Nobody knows how April fool's Day started. Perhaps it was to celebrate the start of spring.
Quick Check
1. When is April Fool's Day?

2. What happens on April Fool's Day?

The Editor

I write graded reading and listening materials for English language learners. These include original stories like Love by Design and simplified versions of classics including Washington Square by Henry James & Oscar Wilde's The Picture Of Dorian Gray.

My books have been published most of the major publishers in the field including Oxford University Press (OUP), OUP (Hong Kong), Longman, Macmillan and Penguin. You can see a partial list
here.

Three of my titles were singled out for their ‘particular excellence’ in Bamford & Day’s
Extensive Reading in the Second Language Classroom (CUP) where I was described as being ‘amongst the best writers of language learner materials in English’.

About graded reading

Graded readers are books specially prepared for language learners. They are shortened and simplified. They have fewer pages, shorter paragraphs and sentences, and fewer unfamiliar words.

Most readers are accompanied by illustrations and the text is presented in a more accessible way. The content ranges from original stories to adaptations of classics, with a smaller number of non-fiction titles. Readers are graded by language level and age where appropriate.

The materials on this site focus on short stories and extracts rather than longer texts.

Language Levels

Texts graded by vocabulary, grammar and readability.
Audio by  vocabulary, grammar, speed & clarity of delivery, contextual noise etc.
Common European Framework * Cambridge Online AssessmentGraded Reading Scale
  • Beginners (IELTS score:1-2)  (CEF) A1
  • Elementary  (IELTS score:3/TOEFL IBT Score: 32-42)    (CEF) A1/2
  • Pre-Intermediate (IELTS score:3.5/TOEFL IBT Score: 43-51) (CEF) A2/B1
  • Intermediate  (IELTS score:4.5/TOEFL IBT Score: 51-61) (CEF) B1/2
  • Upper Intermediate  (IELTS score:5-6.5/TOEFL IBT Score: 62-91) (CEF) B2
  • Advanced (IELTS score:6.5-8.5/TOEFL IBT Score: 92-115) (CEF) C1/C2


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Wonderful materials for English language learners! Ms Fann, ESL teacher, Nashville, USA


First published in the English language learner section of Ming Pao Daily. Illustrations by MPD illustrator Iris Tsoi.