视听说1(第三版)Unit3_P52Superstitions

新视野大学英语

视听说教程1（第三版）

本学期期末考试将考到的材料

Further practice in listening:Passage 1

Script

There are certain superstitions in almost every culture in the world.Even societies that arevery rational and scientific are sometimes a little bit superstitious. Forexample, the United States is a country that is very advanced in science andtechnology. But American people sometimes believe in superstitions. Americansconsider “13” an unlucky number. Some people in the United States also believethat if Friday falls on the 13th day of the month, they will have bad luck.Some Americans believe they will have bad luck if they walk under a ladder.Even if people say they are not superstitious, they will often avoid walkingunder a ladder. Often people consider it unlucky to break a mirror. If a personbreaks a mirror, he or she will have seven years of bad luck. Americans alsothink they will have bad luck if a black cat crosses their path. A long timeago, people believed that black cats were actually witches.

However, some things are thought to bring good luck. For instance, someAmericans believe

if they dream about a white cat, or step on their own shadow, or put amirror just across the door, they will have good luck. Or if they catch afalling leaf on the first day of autumn, they will have good luck all winter.Others think if they blow out all the candles on their birthday cake in oneblow, they will get whatever they want. And some people think they will havegood luck if they find a penny on the ground and pick it up.

Q1: What is this passage mainly about?

Q2: According to the passage, what is considered as bad luck?

Q3: Why is it considered bad luck to see a black cat crossing one’s path?

Q4: According to the passage, what will bring people good luck?

Key

C*1*B*C