LUCK

Superstitions
Below is a list of good and bad superstitions that are particularly popular in the UK and Ireland. Discuss
them with a partner. From where do you think they originate? What superstitions are there in your culture
or country? Are they similar to the ones below? Add more superstitions to both groups.

Things that bring bad luck: Things that bring good luck:

Walking under a ladder  Getting pooed on by a bird

 Seeing one magpie  Coming across a black cat
 Putting new shoes on a table  Finding a four-leafed clover
 Opening an umbrella inside

The luck in our lives

Can you give an example of a time when you experienced good luck?

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What do you think?
Do you consider yourself a lucky person? Why? Why not?

Have you ever followed a superstition or had a lucky charm in the hope of improving your luck? What was

the result?

Do you think some people are naturally luckier than others? Why? Why not?

What part do you think luck plays in success?

Do you think there is some connection between hard work and success? Why? Why not?

How much control do you believe you have over your own luck?

Can luck be entirely attributed to chance, or are there factors within our control?

The Luck Factor by Prof. Richard Wiseman

Social psychology researcher Richard Wiseman has always been

fascinated by the luck factor. He wanted to verify whether some

people were really lucky or unlucky by nature. After conducting

many practical experiments, he noted that people who say they

are lucky demonstrate behavior that tends to foster luck. He is the

author of the book the Luck Factor.

Watch the video What do lucky people do differently? - BBC Ideas and read the article Be lucky - it's an

easy skill to learn published in the Telegraph UK. And let’s the discussion get started!

If you want to learn more about this topic you can explore Richard Wiseman’s site.