4

SUPERSTITIONS AND BELIEFS

LESSON A

Superstitions

STARTING POINT

The things people believe!

A Read the list of superstitions. Do you believe in any of them?

Beliefs Across Cultures

In Turkey, many people agree that

when someone goes on a journey,
you should pour water on the ground
behind him or her to bring the
person back safely.
In Brazil, people claim you should
enter a place using your right foot to
have good fortune.

In Russia, looking into a broken

mirror will bring bad luck.
In Italy, many people believe that
if visitors toss a coin into the Trevi
Fountain in Rome, they will return
to that city in the future.
In Japan, it is very bad luck to give
a present that consists of four pieces.

In Venezuela, some people say

that if someone passes a broom over
your feet, you will never get married.
In Greece, you should place
your shoes with the soles on the
floor when you take them off
because overturned shoes are
considered unlucky.

B Pair work Which superstitions do some people in your culture believe?

VOCABULARY

Expressions with luck

A Match the statements with the replies containing luck.
1. Ive got to go. I have a big test tomorrow.

a. That was beginners luck.

2. Im out of cash. Is there an ATM nearby?

b. No such luck. Im staying home.

3. He won the first game of chess he ever played!

c. Im afraid youre out of luck.

4. He lost his job and house, and now hes sick.

d. Wow! Hes got bad luck.

5. Are you going to Europe this summer?

e. Well, best of luck!

6. How did you win those soccer tickets?

f. Dont push your luck.

7. Thanks for the $20. Can I have $40 more?

g. It was the luck of the draw.

B Pair work Use the expressions with luck to write short conversations.
Actthem out with your partner.
I really want tickets to the Jay Z concert.
Im afraid youre out of luck. They sold out in 10 minutes!
VOCABULARY PLUS see page 133

28

UNIT 4

Superstitions and beliefs

GRAMMAR

Reporting clauses
To report what someone says, thinks, believes, etc., you can use a sentence that includes a
reporting clause. The use of the word that is optional.
In Turkey, many people agree (that) when someone goes on a journey, you should pour water on the
ground behind him or her to bring the person back safely.
In Venezuela, some people say (that) if someone passes a broom over your feet, you will never get married.
The following verbs are often used in reporting clauses.
More formal: argue assert claim report
More conversational: admit agree assume believe doubt explain feel say
GRAMMAR PLUS see page 112

A Look at the Starting Point on page 28 again. Can you find two other sentences
that contain reporting clauses? For the sentences that dont, add a reporting
clause and rewrite the sentence.
B Rewrite each sentence with a reporting clause. Use a different reporting verb
to introduce each one.
1. Everyone is superstitious about a few things.

Many people agree that almost everyone

is superstitious about a fewthings.
2. Its fine to follow superstitions for fun, but
nottoreally believe in them.
3. Superstitions are an important part of our
cultural heritage.

4. Superstitions are dangerous

because they prevent people from
thinking scientifically.
5. Many holiday rituals are based on
ancient beliefs and superstitions.
6. Superstitions sometimes contain
truths handed down from the past.

C Pair work Share your answers with your partner. Then give your opinions
about the statements.
Many people agree that almost everyone is superstitious about a few things. Its true! When
Ispill some salt, I always throw a little over my left shoulder so I dont have bad luck.

DISCUSSION

Everyday superstitions
A Pair work Do you know any superstitions connected with these things?
Describe them toyour partner.
t
BOJNBMT
BOE
QMBOUT

t
DMPUIJOH

t
NPOFZ

t
EBZT
EBUFT
PS
NPOUIT

t
GPPE

t
OVNCFST

t
IPVTFIPME
PCKFDUT

t
DPMPST

t
XFEEJOHT

B Group work Join another pair and compare your answers.

Ask follow-up questions.
In parts of Great Britain, people who arent feeling well sometimes
stick coins into the trunk of a tree that has fallen down.
Why is that?
Well, some people believe that if you put a coin in wood, it can make
illnesses go away. They call these trees wishing trees.
LESSON A

Superstitions

29

LISTENING

Common explanations
A Listen to people talk about superstitions. What superstitions are they talking about?
How is each superstition explained?
B Listen again. Answer these questions.
1. How did the woman with allergies react to the mans explanation?
2. Why did the son feel it was necessary to say that he was only kidding?
3. Why does the man suggest not telling Mr. Wilson that being left-handed was
oncethought to be suspicious?

DISCUSSION

Are you superstitious?

A Pair work Take turns interviewing each other, and complete the questionnaire.
Then calculate your scores.

Lucky or
Unlucky?

YES
(1 pt.)

1. Is it unlucky not to say something like Bless you! when someone sneezes?
2. Are there any particular days that you consider unlucky?
3. Do you have any lucky numbers?
4. Do you think some colors bring good luck?
5. Do you avoid walking under a ladder because it might bring you bad luck?
6. Are there any animals you consider unlucky?
7. Do you believe that certain actions before a wedding bring good or bad luck?
8. Do you carry any good luck charms or have any in your house?
9. Do you have a piece of clothing that brings you good luck?

SCORE

10. Do you avoid having specific items in your house because they might bring bad luck?
01

Life is not a matter of luck to you!

24 Youre not very superstitious, but . . .

57

Youre fairly superstitious, arent you?

810 Wow! Youre really superstitious!

B Group work Compare your scores. Then explain some of the things youre
superstitious about. Is there anything else that you think brings good or badluck?
Well, when I talk about something thats going well, I say knock on wood.
Really? Why do you do that?
Well, they say that if you knock on something made of wood, your luck will continue.
30

UNIT 4

Superstitions and beliefs

NO
(0 pt.)

WRITING

Restating a thesis
The first paragraph of a composition provides the thesis statement and sometimes
gives general examples. The last paragraph restates the thesis statement.
A Read this composition. Find the thesis statement and a supporting example in
the first paragraph. Then look at the last paragraph. Which sentence restates
the thesis statement?

SUPERSTITIONS:
HARD TO IGNORE

Some people think that certain objects bring them good luck; others
avoid certain things or situations that they believe might bring them
bad luck. Even people who claim not to believe in superstitions
sometimes use phrases such as knock on wood when they
speak. Superstitions concerning both good and bad luck are part of
everyones life in the United States even if you dont believe in them,
they are difficult to ignore.
Its easy to find superstitions relating to good luck. For example, my
friend Irene carries a fake rabbits foot in her pocket to bring her good
luck. Another friend, who plays baseball, panics whenever his mother
washes his lucky baseball socks. My mother believes that nine is her
lucky number, and even my level-headed father has hung a horseshoe
over the entrance of our home to bring us good luck and good fortune.
Superstitions concerning bad luck are just as common. My mother
believes that certain days are bad for events like marriages and
ceremonies, while my uncle always says knock on wood and then
looks for something made of wood to knock on with his hand. Then
theres my friend who goes out of his way to avoid black cats. My sister
never puts her bag on the floor because she thinks doing so will bring
her bad luck.
Personally, I am not very superstitious. I dont have any lucky socks,
and I dont have any lucky or unlucky numbers. Still, I find myself
avoiding black cats, and I knock on wood every now and then.
Superstitions are just a part of life, whether you believe them or not.

B Write a composition about superstitions and good and bad luck in your culture.
Do your first and last paragraphs follow the guidelines stated in the box above?
C Pair work Exchange your composition with a partner, and answer these questions.
1. Does the first paragraph contain a thesis statement and give general examples?
2. How well do the examples in the middle paragraphs support the thesis? Are there
enough examples?
3. Does the last paragraph restate the thesis?
LESSON A

Superstitions

31

LESSON B

Believe it or not

STARTING POINT

Fact or fiction?
A Three of these news stories are true and one is false. Decide which one isfalse.

A company has produced

a device designed to
chase away loitering
children and teenagers.
It was explained that the
device emits a sound that
irritates young people.

Its been confirmed that if

an egg is placed directly
between two cell phones
that are in talk mode,
the egg will be cooked in
about an hour.

A candy company is
selling lollipops with a
variety of insects inside,
including crickets, ants,
and scorpions. It is
claimed that the lollipops
are actually quite tasty.

It was reported that a

website broadcast live
video of a wheel of
cheddar cheese as it
ripened. It is said that
the video ran for over
ninemonths.

B Pair work Tell your partner your choice and explain why you think it is false.
(For the answer, see page 142.)

VOCABULARY & SPEAKING

That sounds fishy!

A Which of these words describe something likely to be true? Which describe
something likely to be fabricated? Divide them into two groups. Then add two
more items to eachgroup.
believable
conceivable

convincing
credible

dubious
far-fetched

fishy
iffy

misleading
phony

plausible
well-founded

B Use the words in part A to write about each story in the Starting Point.

The article about the candy company sounds completely phony to me.
Itsjustnot a plausible story.
C Group work Take turns making statements, some true and some false,
about yourself to your group. Respond using the words describing truth
andfabrication.
I have a very good singing voice, and I sing with a band on the weekend.
Well, your speaking voice is very nice, so that seems pretty believable to me.
VOCABULARY PLUS see page 133

32

UNIT 4

Superstitions and beliefs

GRAMMAR

Reporting clauses in the passive

To report a general claim or opinion, you can use a passive form of a reporting verb and it.
Notice that the agent is often omitted and understood to be some people or many people.
It was explained (that) the device emits a sound that irritates young people.
It is said (that) the video ran for over nine months.
GRAMMAR PLUS see page 113

A Look at the Starting Point on page 32 again. Can you find other examples of
reporting clauses in the passive?
B Rewrite these statements with a reporting clause in the passive with it.
1. People estimate that 50 percent of the
population believes in ghosts.

It is estimated that 50 percent of

the population believes inghosts.
2. Some sources say that the idea of
horseshoes being lucky dates back
tothe ancient Greeks.
3. Many claim that some people can
communicate with plants.
4. People once thought the sun moved
around the earth.

5. Some sources have reported that

practical jokes on April 1 are becoming
less common.
6. Experts argue that people create
Internet hoaxes for a wide variety
ofreasons.
7. Sociologists think that people developed
the first superstitions in an attempt
to gain control over things they
didntunderstand.
8. People too easily assume that just
because something is in print, its true.

C Pair work Use reporting clauses in the passive to talk about

these interestingfacts.
1. A company makes a bicycle that seats seven people.
2. A 33-year-old man married a 104-year-old woman.
3. On April 1, 2006, a flight was denied permission
to land because the air traffic controller was on a
tea break.
4. Butterflies can taste with their feet.
5. You can send a coconut through the mail in the
United States without any wrapping.
6. A crocodile measuring over six meters long was
found in the Philippines.
7. The worlds first webcam was used to let staff in
a university computer department see the office
coffee pot.

Useful expressions
Reporting something surprising

Get this . . .
Believe it or not, . . .
Did you hear what happened?

Get this its been reported that a company makes a bicycle that
seats seven people.
D Pair work Complete these statements about beliefs using your
owninformation. Compare your statements with a partner.
1. People dont believe this anymore, but it used to be said that . . .
2. Recently, it has been reported in the news that . . .

LESSON B

Believe it or not

33

LISTENING

Shocking news

/&5)&3-"/%4

A Look at the map of Belgium. What do you know about

thiscountry?
Brussels

B Listen to a conversation about a journalistic hoax that

affected many people in Belgium. What was the hoax?

#&-(*6.

C Listen again. Which events actually happened?

Choose the correct answers.

'3"/$&

1. The king and queen left the country.

ris

2. People panicked.
3. A television station website crashed.
4. Foreign ambassadors called the Belgian authorities.

DISCUSSION

Internet hoaxes
A Pair work Have you ever read or heard about something on the Internet that
was a hoax? Tell your partner about it.
B Pair work Read these claims found on the Internet. Choose the ones you
think are hoaxes. Then discuss with a partner. (For the answers, see page 142.)
New Mesage

Website Claims
1. A man offers $10,000 to anyone who can find him a wife.
2. There is a group dedicated to preventing cruelty to insects throughout the world.
3. Each year, the Internet must be shut down for 24 hours to allow authorities to clean it.
4. There is a new chewing gum that you can recharge with flavor when the taste fades.
5. An 85-year-old woman is training to climb Mount Everest with her little dog.
6. An adventure company is now reserving seats for a trip to the center of the earth.
7. A new technology allows you to get a suntan from your computer screen.
8. A company can deliver tacos to homes using delivery robots.

C Group work Discuss these questions with your group.

1. Which of the website claims seems the most plausible to you?
Which seems the mostiffy? Why?
2. Why do you think people create hoax websites and hoax emails?
3. Do you think people who create Internet hoaxes should be punished?

34

UNIT 4

Superstitions and beliefs

HOAX?

READING

Athletes and their superstitions

A Pair work Research suggests that good luck charms and lucky rituals can
actuallyhave an effect on an athletes performance. Why might this be so?
Discusswith a partner. Then read the article.

DO GOOD LUCK CHARMS

REALLY WORK

IN COMPETITIONS

To avoid jinxing herself, Canadian hurdler

Angela Whyte never carries her podium clothes
with her to the track at international competitions.
But before the 100-meter hurdle final at the
Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, Ms. Whyte
faced a dilemma, because her roommate whom
she would usually ask to bring them was gone
forthe day.
I packed the podium clothes in a separate
backpack, so they wouldnt touch the competition
gear, she laughed, after winning a silver medal.
Its a little psycho, but it worked!

Ms. Whyte isnt alone in her faith in the power of

superstition. Numerous studies have examined the
prevalence of magical thinking among athletes,
finding that the greater the interest in sports, the
more superstitious a person is likely to be.
Intrigued by stories about athletes such as
Michael Jordan, who wore his old college shorts
under his uniform throughout his professional
career, Dr.Lysann Damisch led a study in which

she found that following a lucky ritual enhances

self-confidence. This leads one to set higher goals
and be more persistent, ultimately achieving
greatersuccess.
Not all athletic rituals work this way, though.
Dr.Damisch claims that routines such as bouncing
a basketball exactly three times immediately
before shooting a foul shot does more than
simply boost confidence. This routine actually
serves to focus attention and also triggers
well-learned motor sequences. Other apparent
superstitions may have more to do with creating
a relaxed and positive mindset. Ms. Whyte, for
example, always travels to competitions with a
teddy bear named O.T. but not because she
believes O.T. brings her luck. Ive had him since
Iwas two years old, she explains, sohe reminds
me of my home and family when Im traveling.
Hesmy security blanket.
The effectiveness of superstitious rituals may
explain why they have persisted across cultures
and eras, Dr.Damisch points out. But there
are limits to their power. Following such rituals
doesnt mean you win, because of course
winning and losing is something else.

Source: Do Good Luck Charms Really Work In Competitions? by Alex Hutchinson, The Globe and Mail

B Read the article again. Are the statements true (T), false (F), or is the information not
given(NG) in the article? Write the correct letters and correct the false statements.
1. Angela Whyte considers her ritual of not carrying her podium clothes to the track
completely rational.
2. Those with an avid interest in sports are not likely to be influenced by superstitions.
3. Dr. Damisch was fascinated by Michael Jordans professional career.
4. An increase in self-confidence can make people set and reach more challenging goals.
5. Some lucky rituals actually help the brain and body prepare for performance.
C Group work Discuss these questions. Then share your answers with theclass.
1. What other good luck charms and lucky rituals used in sports do you know about?
How do they relate to the findings of the research mentioned in the text?
2. What things do you do to increase confidence and keep a positive mindset?
Which is most effective?
LESSON B

Believe it or not

35