Раздаточный материал для 9 класса Superstitions/Good luck and bad luck

Superstitions/Bad & Good luck                 Lesson 3

Task 1. Good or bad?  Put (вставьте) these superstitions into the correct column (write the numbers):

1.     spill salt

2.     open an umbrella in the house

3.     a black cat crossing your path

4.     the number 13

5.     to meet or pass someone on the stairs

6.     a horseshoe over the door of a new house

7.     to take a last piece of bread on the plate

8.     a clover with 4 leaves

9.     to put new shoes on the table

10.  to break a mirror

11.  Friday the 13th

12.  white wedding

Task 2. Read the article. Choose the best headline.

A.    Religious traditions and folklore

B.    Historical and cultural roots of superstitions

C.    The fear of the number 13

Are you afraid of black cats? / Would you open an umbrella indoors?

How do you feel about the number 13? 

Whether or not you believe in them, you’re probably familiar with a few of these superstitions. So how did it happen that people all over the world knock on wood or avoid stepping on sidewalk cracks?

Although they have no basis in science many of these weirdly specific beliefs and practices do have equally weird and specific origins because they involve supernatural causes.

It’s no surprise that many superstitions are based in religion. For example, the number 13 was associated with the biblical Last Supper where Jesus Christ dined with his disciples (ученик) just before being arrested and crucified (казнен) . The resulting idea that having 13 people at a table was bad luck, expanded into 13 being an unlucky number in general.  Now this fear of the number 13 called «Triskaidekaphobia»  is so common that many buildings around the world skip the 13th floor with the numbers going straight from 12 to 14. Of course many people consider the story of the Last Supper to be true but other superstitions come from religious traditions that few people believe in or even remember.

Knocking on wood is thought to come from the folklore of the ancient Indo-Europeans, or possibly people who predated them, who believed that trees were home to various spirits. Touching a tree would protect or bless of the spirit within. Somehow this tradition survived long after belief the spirits had faded away. Many superstitions common today in countries from Russia to Ireland were taken from the pagan religions but not all superstitions are religious.

Some are just based on misfortune, coincidences and associations.

Task 3. Read the statements. Read the text again. Write T (True)/. F(False). Correct False statements.

1. Many superstitions have their roots in scientific explanations.

2. The number 13 is considered unlucky because of its association with the Last Supper.

3. Knocking on wood is believed to protect or bless the spirit within the tree.

4. All superstitions are based on religious beliefs.

5. The fear of the number 13 is called Triskaidekaphobia.

6. Some superstitions are based on coincidences and associations.

7. The tradition of knocking on wood originated from modern European folklore.

Task 4. Read the text. Answer the questions (make notes)

1. What is the origin of the superstition surrounding the number 13?

2. Why do many buildings skip the 13th floor?

3. How did the superstition of knocking on wood originate?

4. What belief is associated with trees in ancient Indo-European folklore?

5. Are all superstitions based on religious beliefs?

6. Can you give an example of a superstition that is not based on religion?

7. Why do some people avoid stepping on sidewalk cracks according to the text?

Task 5. Read these opinions. Choose the opinion you agree with.

Jake

I think superstitions are just a bunch of nonsense. I remember when I was playing basketball in high school, and my teammate wouldn't step on the lines on the court because he thought it would bring him bad luck. He ended up missing a lot of shots that day, and honestly, I think his focus on those silly beliefs messed with his game.

Sarah

Honestly, I totally believe in good luck charms! I've always kept a lucky penny in my pocket, and whenever I rub it, I feel like things just go my way. Last month, I had a job interview, and I forgot my penny at home. I was so nervous, and I bombed the interview. I swear that penny makes all the difference!

Mike

I'm not really sure what to think about superstitions. On one hand, I see why some people find comfort in them, but on the other, it seems so silly. Like, I once avoided a black cat crossing my path, but nothing terrible happened after that. So now I'm kind of confused about what to believe.

Emily

Oh wow, superstitions hit me deep. My grandma used to tell me that breaking a mirror meant seven years of bad luck, and it scared me so much when it happened! To this day, I feel this terrible weight whenever I accidentally break something, because I can't shake off the fear that it'll bring me something awful.

Task 6. Write what you think about superstitions. Use T.5. Write 50-70 words.

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