click when you’re ready to begin... urban legends quiz based on the book urban legends: strange...

Click When You’re Ready to Begin...

Urban Legends Urban Legends QuizQuiz

based on the bookbased on the book

URBAN LEGENDS:URBAN LEGENDS:Strange Stories Behind Strange Stories Behind

Modern MythsModern Myths

by A.S. Mottby A.S. Mott

True or False?True or False?Read the following scenariosRead the following scenariosand decide whether they are and decide whether they are

urban legends or true stories...urban legends or true stories...

Number a piece of paper from 1-10. Write “True” or “False” after viewing each slide. We’ll check answers at the end!

1. “Mama” Cass Elliot died from 1. “Mama” Cass Elliot died from choking on a ham sandwich.choking on a ham sandwich.

Her group, The Mamas and the Papas, sang “California Dreamin’”

2.2. In 1987, two men living in California In 1987, two men living in California found a human finger in a can of found a human finger in a can of menudo (a food made from beef tripe).menudo (a food made from beef tripe).

3. When a brewing tank ruptured in Boston, a slow flood of molasses caused the deaths of more than 20 people.

4. A 12-foot alligator was found 4. A 12-foot alligator was found living in the sewers of living in the sewers of Manhattan.Manhattan.

5. 5. A nervous golfer chewing on a wooden A nervous golfer chewing on a wooden tee died from ingesting the toxic tee died from ingesting the toxic chemicals used by the golf club to chemicals used by the golf club to

maintain the course.maintain the course.

6. A fired employee, trying to commit suicide, 6. A fired employee, trying to commit suicide, jumped out of a window and landed on jumped out of a window and landed on (and killed) the boss who had just fired him.(and killed) the boss who had just fired him.

7. Opera singer Maria Callas intentionally 7. Opera singer Maria Callas intentionally swallowed a tape worm in an attempt to swallowed a tape worm in an attempt to

control her weight.control her weight.

8. Thomas Edison, who was against capital 8. Thomas Edison, who was against capital punishment, helped develop the electric punishment, helped develop the electric chair to compete with his rival, George chair to compete with his rival, George

Westinghouse.Westinghouse.

9. A girl babysitting on Thanksgiving 9. A girl babysitting on Thanksgiving killed the child she was caring for by killed the child she was caring for by accidentally putting the baby in the accidentally putting the baby in the

oven instead of the turkeyoven instead of the turkey. .

10. A high school student was killed on prom 10. A high school student was killed on prom night by a black widow spider hiding in night by a black widow spider hiding in

her elaborate hairdo.her elaborate hairdo.

How well can you spot How well can you spot an urban legend?an urban legend?

Let’s check your answers!Let’s check your answers!

1. “Mama” Cass Elliot died from 1. “Mama” Cass Elliot died from choking on a ham sandwich.choking on a ham sandwich.

There was a partially-eaten sandwich on Mama Cass's nightstand when she died, but she died of heart failure, not choking. Urban Urban legends often target legends often target celebrities. celebrities.

FALSE.FALSE.

2.2. In 1987, two men living in California In 1987, two men living in California found a human finger in a can of found a human finger in a can of menudo (a food made from beef tripe).menudo (a food made from beef tripe).

This widely-reported legend was only based on a true incident. The men found what they thought was a finger, but further analysis proved it was a piece of connective tissue commonly found in tripe.

Many urban legends are Many urban legends are highly exaggerated versions highly exaggerated versions of true stories.of true stories.

FALSE.FALSE.

3. When a brewing tank ruptured in 3. When a brewing tank ruptured in Boston, a slow flood of molasses caused Boston, a slow flood of molasses caused the deaths of more than 20 people. the deaths of more than 20 people.

On January 15, 1919, over 2 million gallons of molasses spilled from a ruptured tank, unleashing a 30-foot-tall tidal wave of sugary black goo into Boston's north end, killing 21 people and injuring another 150.Sometimes truth is stranger Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction!than fiction!

TRUE.TRUE.

4. A 12-foot alligator was found 4. A 12-foot alligator was found living in the sewers of living in the sewers of Manhattan. Manhattan.

No alligators large enough to seriously harm a human have ever been found in the sewers of New York. It is too cold for alligators to survive the winter down there. This is one of several urban legends discussed in the book where nature retaliates against the human race.

FALSE.FALSE.

5. 5. A nervous golfer chewing on a A nervous golfer chewing on a wooden golf tee died from ingesting wooden golf tee died from ingesting the toxic chemicals used by the golf the toxic chemicals used by the golf club to maintain the course.club to maintain the course.

At the Army-Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia in 1982, U.S. Navy Lieutenant George M. Prior died from an allergic reaction to the fungicide Daconil after chewing on a golf tee.

TRUE.TRUE.

6. A fired employee, trying to commit suicide, 6. A fired employee, trying to commit suicide, jumped out of a window and landed on (and jumped out of a window and landed on (and

killed) the boss who had just fired him.killed) the boss who had just fired him.

Many urban legends are morality tales, where people who have been cruel or abusive get their deserved rewards. Our belief in “karma” keeps these myths alive. Just because they aren't true doesn't mean we can't enjoy the many examples of justice served up in this book.

FALSE.FALSE.

7. Opera singer Maria Callas intentionally 7. Opera singer Maria Callas intentionally swallowed a tapeworm in an attempt to swallowed a tapeworm in an attempt to

control her weight.control her weight.

Maria Callas did, at one time, have a tapeworm removed -- but she never swallowed it intentionally. Many urban myths reveal our prejudices against other races, genders, or lifestyle choices -- in this case, large-sized celebrities.

FALSE.FALSE.

8. Thomas Edison, who was against 8. Thomas Edison, who was against capital punishment, helped develop capital punishment, helped develop the electric chair to compete with his the electric chair to compete with his rival, George Westinghouse.rival, George Westinghouse.

Edison demonstrated the power of Westinghouse’s “alternating current” (which is strong enough to kill a person on contact), hoping that the State of New York would choose his own, safer “direct current” for powering homes and businesses. Instead, New York was so impressed that it built the country's first electric chair.

TRUE, kind of.TRUE, kind of.

9. A girl babysitting on Thanksgiving 9. A girl babysitting on Thanksgiving killed the child she was caring for killed the child she was caring for by accidentally putting the baby in by accidentally putting the baby in the oven instead of the turkey.the oven instead of the turkey.

Many holidays come with legends firmly attached, and babysitters are a favorite target of both urban legends and horror movies. Caretaker calamities are a favorite at summer camps everywhere, but they are rarely true.

FALSE.FALSE.

10. A high school student was killed on 10. A high school student was killed on prom night by a black widow spider prom night by a black widow spider hiding in her elaborate hairdo.hiding in her elaborate hairdo.

This legend dates back to the 1950s when “big hair” was popular, and parents found something sinister in high hair. Like many urban legends, it was given new life on the silver screen, when director John Waters included a variation featuring cockroaches in his movie, Hairspray.

FALSE.FALSE.

Let’s take a visual image quiz!Let’s take a visual image quiz!

Can you spot the Can you spot the fake images in the fake images in the following slides?following slides?

Giant skeleton found in the Middle EastGiant skeleton found in the Middle East

From: From: http://urbanlegends.about.comhttp://urbanlegends.about.com

FAKE.FAKE.

FAKE OR REAL?FAKE OR REAL?

President Bush and his father fishing in President Bush and his father fishing in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrinathe aftermath of Hurricane Katrina


FAKE.FAKE.


A large bunnyA large bunny


REAL.REAL.


Creatures in IraqCreatures in Iraq


REAL.REAL.


A large catA large cat


FAKE.FAKE.


Another large catAnother large cat


REAL.REAL.


A tourist on top of the World Trade Center A tourist on top of the World Trade Center moments before the first plane hit on 9/11/01moments before the first plane hit on 9/11/01


FAKE.FAKE.


A tourist on top of the World Trade Center A tourist on top of the World Trade Center moments before the Macy’s Parademoments before the Macy’s Parade


FAKE.FAKE.


A tourist on a lifeboatA tourist on a lifeboatat the sinking of the Titanicat the sinking of the Titanic


DUH!DUH!


A tourist near the explosion of the A tourist near the explosion of the Concorde Supersonic Jet in 2000Concorde Supersonic Jet in 2000


FAKE.FAKE.


A tourist near the bombing of the A tourist near the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000USS Cole in 2000


FAKE.FAKE.


A tourist with JFK in Dallas, 1963A tourist with JFK in Dallas, 1963


R U kidding me?R U kidding me?


A tourist witnessing the explosion A tourist witnessing the explosion of the Hindenburg, 1937of the Hindenburg, 1937


NO WAY.NO WAY.


A tourist at Lincoln’s assassinationA tourist at Lincoln’s assassination


FAKE.FAKE.


A tourist with GodzillaA tourist with Godzilla


REAL.REAL.


(Just kidding.)(Just kidding.)

2007 Sharon Elin

This presentation was prepared under the Fair Use exemption of the U.S. Copyright Law and is restricted from further use.

click when you’re ready to begin... urban legends quiz based on the book urban legends: strange...

Documents

mott slide

california dreamin slide

book urban legends

urban legends quiz

u uu urban legends

human finger

true incident

ruptured tank