Superstitions around the world

Different countries have different superstitions .For example, in England, it’s unlucky to see one magpie on its own, but in Korea, it’s the opposite .If you see a magpie in the morning you will get good news that day .Another Korean superstition says that you mustn’t wash your hair in the morning of an exam .If you wash your it, you won’t remember what you’ve learned¡.

In Russia, mirrors can be lucky or unlucky. If you look in a broken mirror, you will have bad luck. If you leave something at home by mistake and have to go back for it, you will have bad luck .But you won’t be unlucky if you look in a mirror when you go home to get it.

Sometimes, cities have their own superstitions. At Salamanca University in Spain, there is a superstition about a stone carving on one of the walls. If students touch this carving before a test, they will do well. But if they forget to touch it, they won’t pass the test.

The Stone carving at university of Salamanca

How many British superstitions do you Know?

Match the beginnings and endings of these superstitions

1 If you open an umbrella indoors,

2 If you see two magpies

3 If the sky is red in the evening

4 Something bad will happen to you

5 You will have a male visitor

A if you walk under a ladder

B it’ll bring bad luck

C If you drop a knife ( and a female visitor if you drop a fork)

D you‘ll be lucky

E the weather will be good the next day.

Superstitions

Complete the text use the correct form of the verbs in the bracket.

Different countries have different superstitions , like in Uk and Japan for instance , if a black cat ………(walk) in front of you , you ……………( have ) good luck . But in the USA and many other countries it’s the opposite, if a black cat ………….(cross) your path , it ………….(bring)you bad luck .However, many superstitions are almost the

same the world over . For example , if you ……….(break) a mirror , you …………….(be)unlucky for seven years , but if you ……………(touch) wood , it ………………..(prevent) bad luck.

There are also superstitions about numbers .If you ……………..(look) at the seats on some airplanes , you……………..(not find) the number 13. In Japan the number 4 is unlucky because it is pronounced the same as the word for “death” . However, dates where numbers are the same ( for example 12/12/12) are very lucky. If a Japanese couple ………………….(decide) to get married they ……………….try to have the wedding on such a date.

Liste to the song and complete the gaps with the words below . Use some words more than once .Does the singer think superstitions are a good thing or a bad thing? How do you know.

Baby devil face luck problems song things wall

SUPERSTITION"

VERY SUPERSTITIOUS, WRITINGS ON THE …………,

VERY SUPERSTITIOUS, LADDERS BOUT' TO FALL,

THIRTEEN MONTH OLD ………, BROKE THE LOOKIN' GLASS

SEVEN YEARS OF BAD …….., THE GOOD THINGS IN YOUR PAST

WHEN YOU BELIEVE IN ………. THAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND,

THEN YOU SUFFER, SUPERSTITION AIN'T THE WAY

VERY SUPERSTITIOUS, WASH YOUR ………. AND HANDS,

RID ME OF THE ………, DO ALL THAT YOU CAN,

KEEP ME IN A DAYDREAM, KEEP ME GOIN' STRONG,

YOU DON'T WANNA SAVE ME, SAD IS MY ……….

WHEN YOU BELIEVE IN ………. THAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND,

THEN YOU SUFFER, SUPERSTITION AIN'T THE WAY, YEH, YEH

VERY SUPERSTITIOUS, NOTHIN' MORE TO SAY, VERY SUPERSTITIOUS,THE………… ON HIS WAY, THIRTEEN MONTH OLD …….., BROKE

THE LOOKIN' GLASS, SEVEN YEARS OF BAD…….. , GOOD THINGS IN YOUR PAST

WHEN YOU BELIEVE IN ……… THAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND,

THEN YOU SUFFER, SUPERSTITION AIN'T THE WAY, NO, NO, NO