Superstitions

Many people in the world are influenced by superstitions based on their religious and cultural beliefs. Superstitions develop from extreme beliefs in luck or the supernatural (= unreal or impossible) things such as magic and spirits.

People can become superstitious due to indoctrination (teaching someone to accept beliefs) by ancestors and a person's individual spirituality (=deep belief).

Like other people, Bamar people (from Myanmar) have some superstitions relating to bad luck such as whistling at night, cutting nails at night, black cats and the number 10. As I was born and raised in a superstitious environment, I followed some practices of my parents and saw some people become extremely fearful due to superstitions. When I matured, I came to know that extremes are never good, so I have since ignored superstitious things.

In my opinion, we should believe in religion and luck, but we should not be extreme and superstitious. Superstition can make people unhappy and fearful, but it cannot change our luck.

Our luck is created by our action. The better the action, the luckier we are.

Please watch and listen to the informative video about “superstitions” and complete the multiple choice questions.

1. Many superstitions are

(a) based on science.

(b) related to religious beliefs

(c) from the same general origin

2. The superstition about the number.13 is connected to:

(a) Christianity

(b) Buddhism

(c) Consumerism

3. Many buildings around the world do not have

(a) a thirteenth door

(b) a thirteenth floor

(c) thirteen stairs

4. The ancient Indo-Europeans believed that

(a) trees were the homes of ghosts

(b) touching a tree creates wealth

(c) trees can cause bad luck

5. Japanese, Koreans and Chinese believe the number 14 is unlucky because 14 sounds similar to

(a) will die

(b) just died

(c) must die

6. Lighting three cigarettes from the same match initially could cause bad luck for

(a) smokers

(b) soldiers

(c) snipers

7. Many people follow a superstition because

(a) it brings them good luck

(b) it keeps them safe

(c) it is easier that resisting it

When you are ready, enter your answers into the test sheet below