INSTITUT ICÀRIA NAME: English Department ESO D HANDOUT ONE: What you know about Superstitions in Britain? TASK ONE In pairs, decide whether the following statements bring GOOD or BAD luck in Britain Friday thirteen – Touch wood – Spill salt – Find a cover plant with four leaves – A black cat – Walk underneath a ladder - See a magpie – Put new shoes on the table - Break a mirror – A horseshoe – Open an umbrella indoors – Catch falling leaves in autumn GOOD LUCK: BAD LUCK: TASK TWO In pairs, put the beginnings and the ends together, using the expressions from the box the sky – angry - left hand - get married – good luck – at the corner – seven years – a black cat – nose – some money – a mirror – the weather If you see _, a will be fine tomorrow If you are _ of a table, b you’ll get soon If is red this evening, c you’ll have _ If your _ itches, d you’ll not If you break _, e you’ll get _ If your _ itches, f you’ll have of bad luck TASK THREE In groups of four, discuss the following questions Which British superstitions are similar to those in your country? Which are different? Can you give a definition of ‘superstition’? Do you believe that they can influence our lives? INSTITUT ICÀRIA NAME: English Department ESO D HANDOUT ONE Be careful! Some superstitions can be different from the ones we have in our country GOOD LUCK Touch wood BAD LUCK Friday thirteen Find a cover plant with Spill salt four leaves A black cat Walk underneath a ladder A horseshoe See a magpie Catch falling leaves in Put new shoes on the autumn table Break a mirror Open an umbrella indoors GOOD LUCK Touch wood (to make something come true) A clover plant with four leaves (specially the Irish As you may know, the shamrock is one of their cultural symbols) A black cat (Black cats are a sign of good luck if they cross your path Moreover, the picture of a black cat appears on greeting cards and birthday cards in England) A horseshoe (over the door But It needs to be right way up) U-shape Catch falling leaves in Autumn (every leaf means a lucky month next year) BAD LUCK Friday thirteen ( it is considered like this because Jesus was crucified on a Friday) Spill salt ( if you so, you must throw it over your shoulder to counteract the bad luck) Walk underneath a ladder Break a mirror ( Seven years of bad luck It has its origin in ancient times, when mirrors were considered to be tools of the gods) Open an umbrella indoors INSTITUT ICÀRIA NAME: English Department ESO D See a magpie Put new shoes on the table TASK TWO In pairs, put the beginnings and the ends together, using the expressions from the box If you see a black cat a The weather will be fine tomorrow If you are at the corner of a table, b you’ll get some money soon If the sky is red this evening, c you’ll have good luck If your left hand itches, d you’ll not get married If you break a mirror, e you’ll get angry If your nose itches, f you’ll have seven years of bad luck If you see a black cat, c you’ll have good luck If you are at the corner of a table, d you’ll not get married If the sky is red this evening, a The weather will be fine tomorrow If your left hand itches, b you’ll get some money soon If you break a mirror, f you’ll have seven years of bad luck If your nose itches, e you’ll get angry ITCH: an uncomfortable sensation that causes a desire to scratch the skin SCRATCH: rub a part of one’s body with one’s fingernails to relieve itching (The cartoons Lisa and Bart Simpsons watch on Tv: Itchy and Scratchy) INSTITUT ICÀRIA NAME: English Department ESO D TASK THREE In groups of four, discuss the following questions Which British superstitions are similar to those in your country? Which are different? SIMILAR: BREAK A MIRROR, TOUCH WOOD, FIND A COVER PLANT WITH FOUR LEAVES, WALK UNDERNEATH A LADDER, A HORSESHOE, OPEN AN UMBRELLA DIFFERENT: FRIDAY THIRTEEN, SPILL SALT, A BLACK CAT, SEE A MAGPIE, PUT NEW SHOES ON THE TABLE, CATCH FALLING LEAVES IN AUTUMN, YOUR NOSE ITCHES, YOUR LEFT HAND ITCHES, THE SKY IS RED, AT THE CORNER OF A TABLE Can you give a definition of ‘superstition’? A superstition is an irrational belief that an object, action, or circumstance brings good or bad luck to people’s life Do you believe that they can influence our lives? Students’ own answers