SERVICIO NACIONAL DE APRENDIZAJE SENA

SISTEMA INTEGRADO DE GESTION Versión: 02

Procedimiento Ejecución de la Formación Profesional Integral
ENGLISH WORKSHEET Código: GFPI-F-0109

SUPERSTITIONS

1. Match up as many words as you can.

__B__ 1. Nervous
__J__ 2. Superstitious a) lasts forever, does not end
b) worried about what might happen
__E__ 3. Ritual
c) a place to gamble for money
__A__ 4. Timeless
d) a change in direction, the opposite
__F__ 5. Jinx
e) an action that is repeated due to custom or belief
__D__ 6. Reversal
f) to cause bad luck to happen
__C__ 7. Casino
g) well known for
__I__ 8. Lucky Streak
h) to respond to an event or situation
__G__ 9. Notorious
i) good fortune that happens over and over in a short time
__H__ 10. React
j) believing that certain things can cause good or bad luck

2. Complete the next text with the words from the box. Then, Answer the question in letter F.

*Nervous * React *Superstitious *Timeless *Jinxing * Reversal

*Lucky Streak *Casino * Rituals *Notoriously

Would you get married on Friday the 13th?

A. Do you avoid walking under ladders? Do black cats make you Nervous? Some people are very _
Superstitious _. They carry a lucky charm such as a rabbit’s foot everywhere they go. Why is a rabbit
lucky? Because it’s born with its eyes open, of course!

B. Where do superstitions come from? Long ago, people didn’t have the scientific knowledge we do
today. To reduce their fear about unexplainable events, people came up with __ Rituals _. They
passed
their beliefs down from generation to generation. Some superstitions are _ Timeless _. Floors in
buildings still go from the 12th to the 14th floor, even though nobody can agree why the number 13
is unlucky!
 SERVICIO NACIONAL DE APRENDIZAJE SENA
SISTEMA INTEGRADO DE GESTION Versión: 02
Procedimiento Ejecución de la Formación Profesional Integral
ENGLISH WORKSHEET Código: GFPI-F-0109

C. Superstitious people think they can turn bad luck away. They “knock on wood” (or, in Britain,
“touch wood”) to avoid _ Jinxing _themselves. For example, if you say “I’ve never broken a limb”
you should immediately search for a table to knock on to avoid a _ Reversal _ of luck. You may
break your leg tomorrow if you don’t!

D. Many superstitions are related to money. For example, if you give money away on Mondays, you’ll
give money away all week long. If you leave your purse on the floor, you’ll go broke. Gamblers are
_ Notoriously __ superstitious. If you’re in a __ Casino _, never get up to use the washroom. Your
__ Lucky Streak will go down the toilet!

E. Superstitions differ from culture to culture. A superstitious African mother won’t cut her baby’s hair
before her child’s first birthday! In Mexico, a bride must not wear pearls on her wedding day. Pearls
symbolize tears and an unhappy marriage.

F. Are you superstitious? How would you _React_ if someone opened an umbrella in your living
room?

Yes, I am hyper. If someone opens an umbrella in my living room, I will be very angry.
3. Read again the text and answer the questions.
a. Why is a rabbit a symbol of luck? Because they are known as a talisman.
b. Where did superstitions originate? Superstitions originated from unexplained events
c. Why does the reading mention the 13th floor of a building? because a long time ago, people had no
way to explain the events.
d. What superstition do some people have about Mondays? if you give money away on Mondays, you’ll give
money away all week long
e. What must a Mexican bride NOT do on her “big day”? she must not wear pearls on her wedding day

4. Complete the sentences with words studied during the reading.

a. Superstitious people feel _NERVOUS_ when a black cat is near.

b. Knock on wood to avoid _JINX_ yourself.
c. If you’re having a lucky __Streak__ at the , don’t get up to use the washroom!
d. Mexican brides are __REACT__superstitious.
e. They perform many __RITUALS __on their wedding day.

5. Create a result clause to go with the “IF” clause. Follow the example.

a. If you step on a crack, you will break your mother’s back.

b. If you wear pearls on your wedding day, you will she must not have pearls, that symbolizes an
unhappy marriage
 SERVICIO NACIONAL DE APRENDIZAJE SENA
SISTEMA INTEGRADO DE GESTION Versión: 02
Procedimiento Ejecución de la Formación Profesional Integral
ENGLISH WORKSHEET Código: GFPI-F-0109

c. If you walk under a ladder, you will have bad luck.

d. If you leave your purse on the floor, you will be ruined.
e. If you carry a rabbit’s foot everywhere, you will have very good luck.
6. Write 5 more examples of superstitions from your own culture. Follow the first conditional.

If you stand up early in the morning whit your left foot, you will have a bad day.

1. When a pet dies suddenly it is a sign that they fought against an evil entity to protect their
family.
2. by breaking a mirror, a person undergoes seven years of bad luck.
3. If a person's feet are swept, they are sentenced to be single for life.
4. When you see a black or dark-colored butterfly that is large, it is considered a bad omen,
since it could announce the death of a very close person.
5. At the moment of toasting, it is necessary to keep your gaze in the other's eyes, otherwise 7
years of bad luck in privacy could come.

7. Select one of the countries of your most interest and look of information about its superstitions.
Write 5 examples.

1. Brides have to borrow something, something old, something new and something blue will
give them good luck.
2. If a person has his feet swept, he will be sentenced to be single for life.
3. By breaking a mirror, a person suffers seven years of bad luck.
4. If you accidentally spill a salt shaker and the salt falls, it means that you are going to lose
prosperity, abundance and fortune in your life.
5. If a person wears yellow it will attract bad luck, since the demon smells like sulfur and sulfur
is yellow.