Speaking and listening – Pre-intermediate to Upper-intermediate

Let’s talk about SUPERSTITION

Superstition: a belief not based on reason or fact, but on old ideas about luck and magic

Are you superstitious? Who’s the most superstitious Have you ever visited a fortune
If so, give examples. person you know? teller?
If not, explain why. Talk about him or her. What did he or she predict?

What’s your star sign? Do you read the horoscope? Which sign of the Chinese
How many signs of the zodiac Do you believe in it? zodiac were you born under?
do you know? Has it ever come true? How many do you know?

Do you believe in astrology? Have you ever eaten in a Do you believe in ghosts?
What are lucky or unlucky Chinese restaurant? Have you ever seen one?
numbers? Did you get a fortune cookie? Talk about it.

What’s the strangest thing Has a dream ever come true? What’s a lucky charm?
that has ever happened to you? Can dreams predict the Give examples.
Talk about it. future? Talk about it. Do you have one?

What are things that are What are things that are Do you believe in UFOs?
considered unlucky? considered lucky? Are we alone in the universe?
Explain. Explain. Give your view.

Do you believe in fate (= power Do you believe in reincarnation? What’s the strangest old wives’
believed to control all events)? (= born in another body after death) tale you’ve ever heard?
Why or why not? Why or why not? (= a superstitious belief or story
belonging to traditional folklore)

Lucky (L), unlucky (U) or

neither (x)
in your country?
meet a black cat  
break a mirror  
four-leaf clover  
Friday the 13th  
horseshoe over the door  
open umbrella indoors  
the number 13  
Aquarius   Gemini   Sagittarius   the number 4  
Aries   Leo   Scorpio   the number 8  
Cancer   Libra   Taurus   the number 9  
Capricor touch or knock on wood  
n   Pisces   Virgo   walk under a ladder