English Department Name: Mark

English Test 1
Unit 1 Date

Total Score pts. %

Student’s Score

Contents

 First conditional

A. Reading

Superstitions

A superstition is a belief that is not based on anything scientific and is often created to explain things we
fear or don’t understand. Superstitions can be different from country to country or culture to culture, you
can probably think of some superstitions from your country or culture right now!

Sometimes superstitions become rituals we do for good luck, and sometimes they become things we avoid
in case of bad luck. Let’s take a look at some common English superstitions!

General Superstitions

 If you spill salt, throwing some over your shoulder will chase
away bad luck.

 If you open an umbrella indoors, it will bring you bad luck.

 If you break a mirror, you will have seven years bad luck.

 If you walk under a ladder, you will anger spirits.

People believe that if you touch or knock on wood after talking about something you hope will happen, it
will come true. Some superstitions are about travel. For example, there are people who think if your foot
is itchy, you will travel soon. Other superstitions predict things. Have you ever heard that if a butterfly
lands on you, you will get a new shirt?

Try to remember, even though superstitions can be found all over the world, they aren’t scientific or
factual. People often use them to emphasize common sense behaviours (like not walking under a ladder
that someone may be working on!) or to give them a sense of security in uncertain situations (like writing
your exams with a “lucky” pen).
B. Questions
1. What is a superstition?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. Why do people believe in superstitions?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

3. What do people believe will happen if they spill salt?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

4. Why would someone knock on wood?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

5. What do people think will happen if you break a mirror?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

C. About you
Think of another superstition you know. Try and explain this using a first conditional sentence:

for example: If you walk under a ladder, you’ll get bad luck.

D. Writing
Make up your own superstition. Write it in the first conditional, for example:

If you don’t brush your teeth in the morning, you will fail a test .

a. __________________________________________________________________________
b. __________________________________________________________________________
c. __________________________________________________________________________
 E. Grammar (Bonus track)

1. Underline first conditional sentences in the passage.

My life on Ko Chang Island

I want to tell about my life on this island. My grandfather Somchai always used to tell me that if you
want to succeed in life, you have to work hard. This was clear when we got here on this island in Trat. The
climate is hot and there are many hazards here such as when the sea rises, the beach becomes dangerous.

We were sent here as part of our training. They said if we

don’t go, we won’t pass the course. Each day we have to find
water and food. Sometimes when we search we find
dangerous animals, and we even found a bomb from WW2.
There is a danger from pirates too. If we hide from the
pirates, we might be ok.

I thought that if the weather is good, I’ll be able to make a

fire to cook some food, but making a fire is very difficult
with the things we have. If there is no wind tomorrow, we
might hear the sounds of crocodiles.

2. Connect each main clause with a suitable ‘if’ clause.

a. If Maria goes to a restaurant I will need sunglasses

b If he goes to the beach you will get a bad grade

.
c. If you don’t do your homework she will eat tacos

d If it’s sunny he will swim

.

3. Fill in the blank using First conditional.

a. If I ______________________(go) out tonight, I ____________ (go) to the cinema.

b. If you_________________________(get) back late, I________________ (be) angry.

c. If ___________________________(not/go) to bed early, I ______________(be) tired.

d. If you ________________________ (not/want) to go out, I _______________(cook) dinner at home.

e. If she __________________________ (get) a job, she _____________________ (stay) in Trat.

4. Complete the following sentences by adding your own clauses.

a. If I go to the mall,
____________________________________________________________________.

b. ________________________________________________________, I will spend time with my

family.

c. If it’s sunny,
_________________________________________________________________________.