Name Date

Interactive MagazIne aRTICle

SuperStitionS: MagazIne
magazine aRTICle
article

SuperStitionS:
The Truth Uncovered • by Jamie Kiffel
The Truth Uncovered • by Jamie Kiffel

Connect Across Texts

In “The Across
Connect Experiment,”
Texts a man’s belief determines his actions.
In “The
this magazine article,
Experiment,” find out
a man’s the determines
belief truth about his
some beliefs
actions.
called superstitions
In this magazine . find out the truth about some beliefs
article,
called superstitions .
Some people believe in superstitions to explain the unexplainable. Often that
meanspeople
Some explaining badinluck.
believe Old Mr. Smith’s
superstitions house
to explain theburned down? HeOften
unexplainable. mustthat
have
forgotten
means to knockbad
explaining on wood afterMr.
luck. Old heSmith’s
said hishouse was fireproof.
homeburned down? HeButmust
where
have
did strange
forgotten to beliefs
knock onlikewood
this come from,
after he saidand
hiswhy
homedidwas
people believeBut
fireproof. them? Here
where Interact with the Text
are strange
did the straight facts
beliefs likebehind somefrom,
this come superstitions.
and why did people believe them? Here
are the straight facts behind some superstitions. 1. Text Features
Text features such as
subtitles provide more
SuperStition 1 information about the
Ravens predict death.
SuperStition 1 content of an article.
Underline the main title of
Ravens predict death.
Where It Came From Ravens are scavengers, so they were often spotted at the article and the subtitle.
cemeteries and From
battlefields—places associatedsowith How does the subtitle
Where It Came Ravens are scavengers, theydying.
were People started at
often spotted
clarify the title?
thinking the and
cemeteries birdsbattlefields—places
could predict death.associated with dying. People started
thinking
What’s the the Truth?
birds could
Peoplepredict
who death.
spot 1 1 Text Features
What do you learn
ravens
What’s could be in for
the Truth? somewho
People good luck—
spot 1 1 Text
from Features
this photo
What
and thedoother
you learn
not death.
ravens couldAccording
be in fortosome
legend,
good Vikings
luck— from
raventhis photo
photo that
sailing the ocean would release
not death. According to legend, Vikings captive and the other
you would not
raven
learn ifphoto that
you just
ravens andocean
sailing the follow would
them toward
releaseland. If
captive you
readwould not
the text?
the birds returned, the sailors learn if you just
ravens and follow them towardknewland. land
If read the text?
was still far away. And tame ravens
the birds returned, the sailors knew land are
very friendly.
was still “TheyAnd
far away. act tame
like puppies,”
ravens are says
Patricia Cole “They
very friendly. of NewactYork
likeCity’s Prospect
puppies,” says
The raven became a symbol of death, 2. Preview/Set a Purpose
Park Zoo. “They’ll sit on your lap,
Patricia Cole of New York City’s Prospect let you but some people admire the bird for Look at the photos,
scratch their heads, The raven becameand afearless
symbolbehavior.
of death,
Park Zoo. “They’ll sit and play lap,
on your tug-of-war!”
let you its intelligence
but some people admire the bird for
the caption, and the
subheadings. What do
scratch their heads, and play tug-of-war!” its intelligence and fearless behavior.
you think you will learn
about in this section?
Key Vocabulary In Other Words
belief n., something you think is true the unexplainable things they can’t figure out
Key Vocabulary In Other
was Words
fireproof could not burn down
superstition n., an idea based on
belief n., something you think is true the unexplainable
scavengers animals things they can’t figure out
that eat dead things
fear, not science or logic was fireproof
superstition n., an idea based on spotted seen could not burn down
fear, not science or logic scavengers
captive animals that eat dead things
ravens ravens kept on the ship
spotted
tame seen ravens that are not wild
ravens
captive ravens ravens kept on the ship
tame ravens ravens that are not wild

Unit 1: Think Again  11


Interact with the Text
3. Text Features
Photos and diagrams
support the text. Explain
how the diagram,
“Triangles in a Doorway,”
clarifies and supports the
text in Superstition 2.
4. Interpret
Underline the words that
explain why people threw
salt over their left shoulder.
Why was salt so valuable?
12  Unit 1: Think Again
Name Date
SuperStition 2
Walking under a ladder is bad luck.
Where It Came From In ancient times, people believed that triangles were
sacred. Walking through a triangle could break the triangle’s good powers and
let evil things escape . In this case, the triangle
Triangles in a Doorway
is formed by the ladder and the ground.
What’s the Truth? Triangles aren’t sacred. They triangle 1
are just three connected points that, unlike the
points of a line, aren’t in a row. Math experts such
as Professor Albert L. Vitter think of rectangular
forms—such as doorways—as two triangles.
(Picture a line from one corner of a doorway to
its diagonal corner.) According to this notion, triangle 2
when you walk through a doorway you are walking
through two triangles. Of course, you know by your Interpret the Diagram
Explain how a doorway
own experience that it’s perfectly safe to do this! is like two triangles.
SuperStition 3
Throwing salt over your left shoulder
wards off evil.
Where It Came From In the days before refrigeration, salt was very valuable
because people used it to preserve meat, fish, and other foods. People
worried that evil spirits might try to steal their salt, especially if it spilled. So
they tossed salt over their left shoulders into the eyes of any salt-stealing
demons to stop them.
Key Vocabulary In Other Words
escape v., to get free sacred  special, holy
wards off evil  keeps away evil
demons  bad spirits, devils 
 Name Date

Interact with the Text

5. Interpret
Underline the sentence
that describes why salt
occurs in tears. What do
you think would happen if
salt did not occur in tears
naturally?

What’s the Truth? Even if there were

really demons, throwing salt in their
eyes might slow them down for a little
while, but it wouldn’t stop them. In
fact, salt occurs naturally in tears. It
and the proteins in tears keep germs Ninety-eight percent of a tear is water. Tears
also contain small amounts of sodium chloride,
away and help prevent eye infections. the chemical name for salt.

SuperStition 4
Breaking a mirror means trouble.
6. Text Features
Where It Came From People used to believe that your reflection was actually In your own words,
describe the information in
your soul. So if you broke a mirror, you’d break—and therefore lose—your soul. the diagram, “Reflection in
What’s the Truth? The image in a Mirror.” Why do you think
Reflection in a Mirror this diagram was included?
a mirror is a phenomenon of light.
Light bounces off you and bounces back.
“When you look at any object in a
mirror, what you’re actually seeing
mirror
is reflected light,” says Lou
Bloomfield, author of How Things
Work: The Physics of Everyday Life.
When you stand in front of a mirror,
you your reflection
reflected light from your body
bounces off the mirror’s surface. Interpret the Diagram When light from your
body hits the surface of the mirror, what
That’s why you see your reflection. happens next? What does this action cause
you to see in the mirror?

Monitor Comprehension
In Other Words Explain
soul  spirit, inner self  Name a superstition
a phenomenon of  something that  described in the article
happens with and explain the truth
behind it.

Unit 1: Think Again  13

 A nAlyze Superstitions: The Truth Uncovered
SuperStition
SuperStition
5 Name 5 Date
SuperStition 5
Knocking on Knocking
wood keeps
on woodmisfortune
1. Explain keeps
Which misfortune
away.
superstition away. to do away.
has something with demons? Which one
Knocking
SuperStition on to
has something wood keeps
5with
do misfortune
the soul? Use text evidence to tell the truth behind
Interact with theWhere
Text
Where It Came FromIt People
Came From Knocking
used People
to believe
used
that
each on wood
to believe
one. that keeps misfortune away.
Where It Came From People used to believe that
gods lived inside
7. Interpret godstrees.
lived inside
If you knocked
trees. If youon
2. wood
knocked when
Vocabulary on According
wood when to the article,
wood what might a superstitious person do to
gods
Wherelived insideFrom
It Came trees.People
If you used
knocked on wood
to believe when wood
that wood
In your own words,
you wanted ayou describe
favor,
wanted
the tree
a favor,
godsthe would
treehelp avoid
godsyou. misfortune
would help you. ?
why this superstition is you wanted a favor, the tree gods would
gods lived inside trees. If you knocked on wood when help you.
What’s the Truth?
What’sInthe theTruth?
past, people
In the past,3. Analyze
may peopleText
have may Features
have Tell a partner which text feature inwood the article you
false. you wanted
What’s a favor,
the Truth? the
In tree
the gods
past, would
people help
may you.
have
found most helpful. Explain why.
mistaken tree-dwelling
mistaken tree-dwelling
insects for gods, insectssaysfor gods, says
mistaken tree-dwelling
What’s the Truth? 4. Focus In the insects
Strategy for gods,
past, people
Preview may says
and
larva have
Set a Purpose
larva Look back at the questions you
an entomologist
Linda Butler, Linda Butler, an entomologist
at West Virginia at West Virginia larvaelse did you learn that
Linda Butler, an entomologist
wrote before at
you
mistaken tree-dwelling insects for gods, says West
read. DidVirginia
you learn the answers? What
University. “Lots
University.
of noisy“Lots
insects
of noisy
live inside
insects trees,”
was live inside
interesting? trees,”
University.
Linda Butler, “Lots of noisy
an entomologist insects live inside
at West Virginiatrees,” larva
she says. “Forsheinstance,
says. “For theinstance,
larva of the thepine
larvasawyer
of the pine sawyer
she says. “For
University. “Lotsinstance,Return
of noisy thetolarva
the
insects Text
of the
Thelive
pineinsidepine
sawyer sawyer
trees,”
The
beetle
pinegotsawyer beetle got
beetle makesbeetle
a loudmakes
gnawing a loud
sound gnawing
when itsoundchews when it its
chews
name from the name from theThe
itssawing pine sawyer beetle got
sawing
beetle
she says.makes Reread
“Forainstance,
loud and
the Write
gnawing sound
larva What
of when
the do itsuperstitions
pine chews
sawyer cause people
its name fromto thedo? Use facts
sawing
on wood.” von wood.” v noise the larva makes
noise the
as itlarva makes
The as itsawyer
pine beetleitas
gotit
on wood.” from the
v a loud gnawing soundtext for ideas.
chews the Then
wood. list eachthe wood. its name from the sawingcauses
superstition
noise next
the to
larva what
makes
beetle makes when itchews
chews chews the wood.
people to do. noise the larva makes as it
on wood.” v
chews the wood.

A nAlyze AKey Superstitions:

Vocabulary Superstitions:
nAlyze A nAlyze
misfortune n., bad luck
The Truth The
Superstitions:Uncovered
In Truth Uncovered
Other Words
The
an entomologist Truth Uncovered
a person who studies insects
A nAlyze
mistaken v., mixed up, confused
1. Explain Which
1. Explain
superstition
Which superstition
has Superstitions:
somethinghasto do
something
with demons?
to do with
WhichThe
one Truth
demons? Which oneUncovered
1. Explain Which superstition has something to do with demons? Which one
has somethinghas to do
something
with the tosoul?do with
Use the
textsoul?
evidence
Use totext
tellevidence
the truthtobehind
tell the truth behind
1. has something
Explain Which to do with the has
superstition soul? Use text to
something evidence
do withtodemons?
tell the truth
Whichbehind
one
each one. each one.
each
has one.
something to doawith themight
soul?a person
Use textdoevidence to tell the truth behind
2. Vocabulary2. According
Vocabulary to the
According
article, what
to themight
article, superstitious
what superstitiousto person do to
Selection Review 
avoid misfortune
avoid
2. Vocabulary
? misfortune
2.
each
Superstitions:
? one.
avoid misfortune
Vocabulary
According to the article, what might a superstitious person do to
The ?Truth Uncovered
3. Analyze Text3. Analyze
FeaturesText Tell Features TellAccording
a partner which a partner to
text featuretheinarticle,
which text whatyou
the article
feature might
in a superstitious
the article you person do to
3. Analyze
avoid Text Features
misfortune ? Tell a partner which text feature in the article you
found most helpful.
found Explain
most helpful.
why. Explain why.
A. Complete the chart below. Explain 3. found
why most
Analyze people
Texthelpful.
FeaturesExplain
believed why.
each
Tell aatpartner whichattext
4. Focus Strategy
4. Focus
Preview
superstition, and the truth about Strategy
and Set
Preview
a Purpose
and Set a
Look Purpose
back the
Look
questions
back youfeature
the in the
questions youarticle you
4. each.
Focus
found Strategy
most Preview
helpful. Explain and
why. Set a Purpose Look back at the questions you
wrote before you
wroteread.
before
Did you
you learn
read. the
Did answers?
you learn What
the answers?
else did What
you learn
elsethat
did you learn that
wrote before
4. Focus you Preview
Strategy read. Didand you Set
learna the answers?
Purpose LookWhat
backelse didquestions
at the you learn you
that
was interesting?
was interesting?
Superstition was
Whywrote
People interesting?
Believed
before you read.ItDid you learn theThe Truth What else did you learn that
answers?
Return to theReturnText to the Text
Ravens predict wasReturn
interesting?
to the Text
Reread and Write
Reread anddoWrite
What superstitions
What do cause
superstitions
people to cause
do? people
Use factsto do? Use facts
RereadReturnand toWrite
theeachWhat do superstitions cause people to do? Use facts
Text
death.from the text for
fromideas.
the text
Thenforlistideas.
each Then
superstition
list next
superstition
to what itnextcauses
to what it causes
from the text for ideas. Then list each superstition next to what it causes
people to do. people to do. Reread and Write What do superstitions cause people to do? Use facts
Walking under a people
from thetotextdo. for ideas. Then list each superstition next to what it causes
ladder is bad luck. people to do.
Key VocabularyKey Vocabulary In Other WordsIn Other Words
Throwing salt wardsKey Vocabulary an entomologistana person In Other Words
misfortune misfortune
n., bad luck n., bad luck entomologist
who studies
a person
insects
who studies insects
misfortune n., bad luck an entomologist a person who studies insects
mistaken off evil.
mistaken
v., mixed up, confusedKey Vocabulary
v., mixed up, confused In Other Words
mistaken v., mixed up, confused an entomologist a person who studies insects
misfortune n., bad luck
mistaken v., mixed up, confused
B. Answer the questions.
1. How do the text features help you understand what the
magazine article is about?
____________________________________________________________________________________
2. What do superstitions cause people to do? Give one example
from the text and what it caused people to believe.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

14  Unit 1: Think Again