Superstitions: video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quOdF1CAPXs

1_Before watching: Match the phrases with their definitions.

1 be familiar with A a kind of number used in ancient Rome

2 avoid doing something B the reason why something is done
3 origin C a favour or protection from (a) god
4 to be common D a Chinese language
5 blessing E to try not to do something
6 Roman numeral F the chance that you’re going to remember
is high
7 Cantonese G where something comes from
8 purpose H to be the reason for something
9 absentminded I to know something
10 to cause an accident / a cause J not thinking about what you’re doing at the
for moment
11 to cling to something K to be the same for many people
12 to be irrational L to keep yourself from doing something you
want to do
13 to resist something M to keep holding on to something
14 to be likely to remember N not using logic to think about something

2_Before watching: Look at the questions and try to guess the answers. Mark them with
a pencil.
1) What is the origin of the fear of the number 13?
a) there were 13 people in a plane that crashed
b) there were 13 people at the Last Supper in the Bible
c) there were 13 floors in a building that collapsed

2) What is triskaidekaphobia?
a) a fear of being arrested
b) a fear of living on the 13th floor
c) a fear of the number 13

3) Why is knocking on wood supposed to be lucky?

a) people believed the tree spirit would bless them
b) people believed they could become a tree spirit

4) Which numbers are believed to be unlucky in Italy and China? Why?

5) Which superstition was once good advice?

a) don’t step on a crack in the pavement
 b) avoid the number 13
c) don’t whistle in the theater

6) What is the superstition connected to smoking?

a) you should not smoke three cigarettes at once
b) three people should not smoke together
c) you should not light three cigarettes with one match

7) How could superstitions help sportspeople?

a) they don’t think about losing so much
b) they believe they are better and so they really are better
c) they won’t remember when they’ve lost

8) Where do many common superstitions come from?

a) medicine
b) sports
c) religion

9. DRAW YOUR OWN SUPERSTITIONS AND EXPLAIN IN YOUR OWN WORDS