Below is probably the most classic April Fool’s Day hoax of all time. On April 1st, 1957 the BBC ran a short programme about a bumper spaghetti harvest in southern Switzerland, showing spaghetti growing on trees. Many people believed the programme and phoned in to ask how they could grow their own “spaghetti tree”.
Below are the actual words spoken in the video. At the end of the page is EnglishChecker to help you with vocabulary.
It isn’t only in Britain that spring, this year, has taken everyone by surprise. Here in the Ticino, on the borders of Switzerland and Italy, the slopes overlooking Lake Lugano have already burst into flower at least a fortnight earlier than usual.
But what, you may ask, has the early and welcome arrival of bees and blossom to do with food? Well, it’s simply that the past winter, one of the mildest in living memory, has had its effect in other ways as well. Most important of all, it’s resulted in an exceptionally heavy spaghetti crop.
The last two weeks of March are an anxious time for the spaghetti farmer. There is always the chance of a late frost which, while not entirely ruining the crop, generally impairs the flavour and makes it difficult for him to obtain top prices in world markets. But now these dangers are over and the spaghetti harvest goes forward.
Spaghetti cultivation here in Switzerland is not, of course, carried out on anything like the tremendous scale of the Italian industry. Many of you, I am sure, will have seen pictures of the vast spaghetti plantations in the Po valley. For the Swiss, however, it tends to be more of a family affair.
Another reason why this may be a bumper year lies in the virtual disappearance of the spaghetti weevil, the tiny creature whose depredations have caused much concern in the past.
After picking, the spaghetti is laid out to dry in the warm Alpine sun. Many people are often puzzled by the fact that spaghetti is produced at such uniform length. But this is the result of many years of patient endeavour by plant breeders who’ve succeeded in producing the perfect spaghetti.
And now, the harvest is marked by a traditional meal. Toasts to the new crop are drunk in these boccalinos, and then the waiters enter bearing the ceremonial dish. And it is, of course, spaghetti—picked earlier in the day, dried in the sun, and so brought fresh from garden to table at the very peak of condition. For those who love this dish, there is nothing like real home-grown spaghetti.
9th April 2008 at 3:00 am
It is interesting that people can make spagetti ,spagetti crop is beautiful as flower that grow in spring . I have been eating spagetti and I can make it .
9th April 2008 at 7:58 am
It is interesting that people can make spagetti.
19th April 2008 at 11:05 am
It is an intersting story. It shows how people were so transperence to belive such stories and reports. After all, I wish to have such harvest in my garden.
6th May 2008 at 2:39 am
Spagetti is a nice food for many people on the world. When we mention Spagetti everyone always to think about Italy, because it is the special food of this country. It is very interesting when I know about Spagetti harvest from this lesson. I hope that there will have many kind of cereals in the world to be written as this story. We can be widen our knowledge in the future. Thanks a lot.
8th May 2008 at 6:20 am
thank for working a beautiful site much more knowledge have this site
19th May 2008 at 5:54 am
swissspaghettis is very good story for swisslady
21st May 2008 at 8:40 am
actually when i’m watching the video above i don’t think that is just a hoax because it is so real. however, it’s very exciting if we can create a real spaghetti tree, with that we can make the most delicious spaghetti.
23rd May 2008 at 1:38 am
Of course it can’t be possible! Spaghetti can’t grow in a tree.
The video it’s really good and the the voice too, But of course it can’t be true.
29th May 2008 at 6:28 am
hiiiiiiiiiii
5th June 2008 at 2:06 am
I want learn english now
15th June 2008 at 12:56 am
spagettis can grow in everywhere, and it is delicious.
18th June 2008 at 12:29 am
I love this Video, I’ve shared to my family.It’s incredible!
22nd June 2008 at 5:47 am
NIce & funny story i like it.
17th October 2008 at 1:19 am
It’s very nice and very useful for me. I exactly like it.
27th October 2008 at 2:33 pm
What a fun way to introduce new vocabulary. Gosh how I love listening to the British Accent. Can’t wait for them to learn how to speak correctly (ha ha).
3rd November 2008 at 9:21 am
I like it~~
3rd November 2008 at 9:37 am
hi is nice article i knew many somme thing in this article
14th November 2008 at 7:34 pm
i think it’s avery intersting folk tale. i still convinced that the British accent is very pure and easy to be understood; Thank you very much
22nd November 2008 at 4:12 pm
it a very delicious food. Mostly people enjoyed to eat……
25th November 2008 at 2:40 am
Thanks for a piece of information… God bless you!
27th November 2008 at 8:01 am
I WANT MORE ABOUT LEARN ENGLISH
1st December 2008 at 2:03 pm
we need more. am egyptian
6th December 2008 at 8:56 am
I haven’t eaten those spagettis. But after viewing this video i am fond of it.
9th December 2008 at 5:21 pm
I hope one day I could see the real spaghetti tree..hihihihihi
9th December 2008 at 11:23 pm
It’s very good to know that people have kept an special effort of helping others to learn this beautiful language. Every piece of information can make a huge difference in improving student’s level.
Thanks a lot for helping us so effectively.
Keep doing it.
18th December 2008 at 8:02 am
THNX I ENJOYED..LISTENING TO IT..KEEP IT UP..GODBLESS
24th December 2008 at 9:31 am
selamlar saygılar sevgiler
11th January 2009 at 2:22 pm
what a stupid type of thing
12th February 2009 at 4:32 am
imagine that story becomes true,what will happen???^^
16th February 2009 at 4:46 pm
interestingly!
25th February 2009 at 2:52 am
interesting
26th February 2009 at 8:42 am
very good and also want to learn English
26th February 2009 at 8:47 am
can u send me these spagettis.i am in GHANA NOW
4th March 2009 at 7:33 am
hi I’ll come have laot of english becus I wante stade i usa
4th March 2009 at 7:56 am
very good and also nice
6th March 2009 at 12:36 pm
I like to eat the spagetti with cheese. I can make it. But I didn`t eat a real spagetti. Is it impossible or possible?
I learn perfect english. I want to much more…..
I help me.
11th March 2009 at 6:05 pm
its an interesting way to learn english.
11th March 2009 at 6:58 pm
Wov!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wonderful……
Realy this is a valueble sweet,
we have to taste it.
18th March 2009 at 7:53 am
Wow, it’s an interesting film…. Thanks a lot
20th March 2009 at 2:42 pm
salaam its really good thng dear i want to say u looooooooooooots of thanks
20th March 2009 at 2:45 pm
wow its 2 much enjoyable dear god bless u thanks
22nd March 2009 at 3:26 pm
THANK YOU JOE, YOU ARTICLES ARE ALWAYS VERY INTERESTING, I HASENT’N HEAR ABOUT IT NEVER BEFORE, I KNEW ABOUT THE FOOL DAY ON APRIL 1 , ON MY COUNTRY WE CELEBRATE IT ON NOVENBER 28, THERE IS A LOT OF FUNNY HISTORIES ABOUT IT, THANK AGAIN I’M SO EXITED WITH YOURS LESSONS,
25th March 2009 at 7:13 am
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!
31st March 2009 at 2:53 pm
Guys, what happened to the video?! I need it urgently for tomorrow!
4th April 2009 at 4:59 am
Hi ! i enjoyed the video thanks now i want to learn Italy Culture.byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
8th April 2009 at 6:36 pm
i cant speak english very well
i speak a little and lisening is dificalt for me
i want speak english well
please help me
8th April 2009 at 6:39 pm
i have not website
when evry body speak fast i dont under stand cerfully
please help me
8th April 2009 at 6:45 pm
i want learn english
9th April 2009 at 9:42 pm
Can anybody show me the way to make grow spaghetti in a tree ?? Do anybody believe that ?? No way !!! I have done better jokes in this day. Thanks.
14th April 2009 at 7:08 am
hello lila where are you from
14th April 2009 at 7:10 am
hello samira where are you from
18th April 2009 at 8:11 am
what it’s mean ? i’m not understand
18th April 2009 at 8:20 am
hello everybody, my name dede from pacitan eastjava indonesia. i want to be able speaking english well.please help me.
thanks before.
20th April 2009 at 12:48 pm
Hi! I like how British people pronounce the words, since they speak it very clearly. I love to learn English more on how to pronounce and reading with comprehension. I like to see some of the exercises for pronunciation and reading with comprehension, and also writing. It would be a great help for English learners. Have a nice day!
22nd April 2009 at 3:07 am
When I was a child I’m very interest english language but I’m poor english usage.Now I’m learning english language especially British english .They pronounciation is very clear.Come along i will learn to english.
Good luck and have a nice day
29th April 2009 at 1:12 pm
Hi :)) I like this video and I like Spagetti
7th June 2009 at 6:46 pm
I really like it thank you so much
18th July 2009 at 2:39 am
the spring is very nice with flower. I don’t know the Spagetti, but I’ll enjoy in the future.
13th August 2009 at 8:48 am
thanks to the englishclub ,i have a very good resource to learn english,my english is poor,but i have confidence to learn it well!
I like the vedio very much , it riches my vocabulary and improves my listening level, i will persiste in the english study through englishclub!
26th September 2009 at 7:04 pm
wow… its very interesting film… i liked very much… i hadnot seen such things before.
19th October 2009 at 3:24 pm
[…] more closely. By the end of the weekend the family was being accused of organizing “a hoax“. The Heene family has starred in a previous reality series called “Wife Swap”. […]
29th October 2009 at 10:21 pm
interesting video,but help me to speak english well. thankyou.