Superstitions

(Maddy and Tommy are crossing the road and see a black cat.)

Maddy: Oh, we can’t walk that way! We can’t walk that black cat path!

Tommy: Okay-okay, we’ll go the other way.

(They turn other way and see the cat crossing the road there too.)

Maddy: Oh, no! We’re stuck!

Tommy: Come on, Maddy! Do you really believe it?

Hey, there. I’m Tommy. And today we’re going to talk about superstitions.

The word “superstition” means the absurd belief or fear that something we do or say will affect our future.

There are two types of superstition:

Good fortune or good luck and bad fortune or bad luck.

A person who believes in superstitions can be described as superstitious.

Are you superstitious?

Despite the negative attitude to the superstition there are still many people who strongly believe in it.

Here are some examples of superstitions in the UK and around the world.

Good superstitions.

1. A black cat is believed to be a symbol of bad luck. Unlike America in the UK the black cats are considered to be lucky.

2. When you find an eyelash you should blow it away and make a wish.

3. Some people believe in order to catch good luck and keep nightmares away, you must hang a horseshoe in the bedroom or on a door like a cup.

4. Some people believe that a four leaf clover can bring you lots of good luck. If you see one of these in the field, keep it safe.

5. Some people are sure of getting a big sum of money if the left palm itches, while an itchy right palm is a sign of losing money. If both palms itch…you should go to a doctor for that.

6. My lucky charms. Everyone has a charm that brings them good luck, like a rabbit’s foot or a coin.

Bad superstitions

1. Walking under the ladder.

First, something can fall on you.

Secondly, the open ladder forms a triangle, and it used to symbolize life and trinity in Christianity. It’s a bad luck to break it by walking through.

If you walked under a ladder, maybe by mistake - cross your fingers and wait … until you see the dog.

There is another way to avoid bad luck

You must lick your finger and draw a cross on a toe of your shoe. Remember! You mustn’t look at that cross again until it has dried.

2. To spill salt is bad luck.

If you occasionally spill salt you’d better throw a pinch of it over your left shoulder. They say the devil sits behind you, on the left, so the salt would go into his face.

3. Many people say you must never open an umbrella inside the house, because you ask bad luck to rain down on you. Why? Umbrellas were once used to protect against the sun. So opening it indoors you make the sun gods angry.

4. Breaking a mirror results in seven years of bad luck. The mirrors were said to be the tools of the Gods. So if you break a mirror, you break something that belong to the God.

5. Some people avoid putting new shoes on the table as it brings bad luck.

6. A numbers game.

Different countries fear of different numbers. For example, 666 is the Devil’s number, Bad luck comes in threes, Friday 13^th is unlucky.

The fear of the number 13 is so real to many people, that many architects skip 13th floor on the elevators. But why? The idea is very unclear.

In the 19^th century the US captain William Fowler founded the Thirteen Club. A group of 13 men in New York tried to prove the superstition’s false. They met for the 1^st time on Friday the 13^th, 1881. Their club activities included things like walking under the ladders and breaking mirrors. A year later the club secretary reported that NOT A SINGLE MEMBER IS DEAD, or even has a serious illness.

Donald Doosey, a folklore historian, suggested that Fridays the 13th have roots in ancient history.

The number 13 was mentioned in Nordic mythology.

In numerology, the study of the symbolism of numbers, 12 means “completeness” and 13 is simply an uncomfortable number.

The name Friday was chosen in honor of Norse goddess Frigg or Freya.

She was the goddess of love, beauty, wisdom, war, death and magic. This day was considered to be very unlucky for weddings.

But all these ideas have no basis in any documented history. So to believe or not to believe, - that’s the question you have to answer yourselves.

There are many other superstitions that bring good or bad luck. Match the actions on the left with what they mean on the right. Now check yourselves.

1. Your ears are burning. b) Someone is talking about you.

2. A bee enters your home. a) A visitor is coming.

3. You catch a falling leaf on the first day of autumn. f) You’ll have good health in winter.

4. You say goodbye to a friend on a bridge. c) You never see him again.

5. You dream about a lizard. d) You have a secret enemy.

6. Your right foot itches. e) You are going on a journey.

What do you usually do to avoid bad luck?

You should touch something made of wood for luck.

Tommy: “We are having a picnic tomorrow. It should be nice weather.”

Maddy: “Touch wood!”

Tommy: Kristie, I’m not superstitious. See the weather forecast.

Maddy: (…in the morning. It’s raining.): I asked you to touch the wood!!

Do you know any more ways to avoid bad luck?

Think positive and good luck will come your way.

See you next lesson through the mystical power of videouroki.net.