ESL WORKSHEET - Superstitions

LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

SUPERSTITION

LinguaHouse
Jun. 11, 2022

Level: Upper-Intermediate (B2-C1)
Type of English: General English
Tags: Beliefs, Religion and Superstition; Paraphrasing and Explaining; Passive Voice; 16-18 Years Old; 18+ Years Old; Article Based
Publication date: 06/11/2022

This lesson is suitable for any time of the year, but ideal on a Friday the 13th. Students read an article on the origins of common superstitions and discuss the topic of irrational beliefs. In the grammar section of the worksheet, the passive structures used throughout the article are studied and practiced.

• CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English.
• CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English.
• CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English.
• CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English.
• CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audios (Am/Br English).

AUDIO TRANSCRIPT

Friday 13th and other superstitions. Where do superstitions come from?
The date Friday the 13th is considered to bring bad luck, according to western superstition. But where does this strange belief come from? One theory states that it is a modern combination of two older superstitions: that thirteen is an unlucky number and that Friday is an unlucky day. Let’s take a look at other well-known superstitions thought to bring misfortune to the masses.

Breaking a mirror
According to this superstition, breaking a mirror will leave you doomed for seven years. The generally accepted explanation is that the reflection in a mirror represents a soul, so damaging a mirror corrupts the soul of the one that broke it. Some believe that the reason for the seven years is that the Romans (who were the first glass mirror makers) believed that life renewed itself after every seven years, so the soul wouldn’t be fully restored until the next seven-year cycle had passed.

Black cat
The belief surrounding the luck of black cats varies across the world, with some cultures believing them to be lucky and others a bad omen. The most widespread belief is that if a black cat crosses your path, you will suffer bad luck. Black cats have often been associated with witches and during the Middle Ages, these superstitions led people to kill black cats.

Walking under a ladder
This superstition is said to have originated from early Christian teachings – an object with three points represents the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit. A ladder leaning against a building was seen as a triangle, and to pass through this triangle by walking under the ladder was seen as breaking the Trinity, putting you in league with the devil. Of course, it could simply be bad luck for you and the person at the top of the ladder if you accidentally knock it.

Umbrella indoors
This myth originates from the days when umbrellas were used mainly as protection against the sun in Ancient Egypt. To open one indoors would be an insult to the sun god (Ra) and invite his wrath on everyone in the household. Another legend surrounding this superstition is that it was invented specifically to cut down on the number of accidents. In 19th century England, the umbrella had pointy and dangerous metal spokes.

Full moon
Full moons are traditionally linked with insanity due to the folklore that madness can occur in cycles with the moon. It was thought that sleeping in direct moonlight caused madness or blindness and in Italy, France and Germany, it was said that a man could turn into a wolf if he, on a certain Wednesday or Friday, slept outside on a summer night with the full moon shining directly on him. Various facts have been claimed about the appearance of full moons. Police in Toledo, Ohio (US) claimed that crime rises by five percent during nights with a full moon and a study by a hospital in Bradford (England) found that dog bites were twice as common during a full moon.

Adapted from: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/general-english/superstition. Accessed on October 24, 2023. © 2008–2023 LinguaHouse.com. All rights reserved.