Alice Chiu Unit 9

Activity One: Superstitions Superstitions Activity Two: Create a New Superstition Create a New Superstition

SuperstitionsSuperstitions

What are superstitions? Superstition is a traditional belief that a certain action or event can cause or foretell an apparently unrelated event.

Most superstitions are old wives’ tales: pieces of advice or ideas which a lot of people believed in the past but which we now know are wrong.

How long have they existed? Superstitions have existed in every human society throughout history. Many people have such beliefs. Even highly educated people act superstitiously occasionally.

Why are people superstitious? 1.People have fears which make them insecure. 2.Superstitions…  help overcome such fears.  provide security.  reassure people to get what they want.  help avoid trouble.

Some superstitious people believe… Carrying a rabbit’s foot will bring good luck. A rabbit’s foot is associated with fertility.

Other superstitious people believe … If they see a black cat cross their path, they will have bad luck.

Still other superstitious people hold… Dropping a knife or fork on the floor means company is coming.

People born on Sunday… Example 1/10 …will always have good luck.

If a bride and groom see each other on their wedding day before the ceremony… Example 2/10 …they will have bad luck.

A pregnant woman must eat right food… Example 3 /10 …or she will give her child an unwanted mark.

After a person dies, the doors and windows of the room should be opened… Example 4 /10 …so the spirit can leave.

Example 5 /10 Putting money in a purse or wallet that is given as a gift… …to make sure the purse or wallet will always contain money.

Example 6 /10 Never start a trip on Friday, especially if it is the 13th day of the month… …because Friday and the number 13 are associated with bad luck.

Example 7 /10 Wedding guests throw rice at the newlyweds… …to ensure that the marriage will result in many children.

Example 8 /10 Finding a horseshoe or a four-leaf clover … …means good luck.

Example 9 /10 Breaking a mirror, walking under a ladder or spilling salt… …brings bad luck.

Example 10 /10 A howling dog means… …death is near.

Conclusion Superstitions will probably have a part in life as long as people fear something or have uncertainties about the future.

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Most of us have never broken a mirror, or walked under a ladder. But we might knock on wood for good luck sometimes. The countless superstitions certainly have an influence on us. In this activity, you are going to practice with researching skills and writing to create a new superstition. There are six different steps in the plan:

Step One Do Your Research Choose a well-known Chinese superstition. Then check an appropriate reference aid, such as the Internet or an encyclopedia, for information about the origin of the superstition. Write a report of your findings.

Step Two Understand Superstitions Superstitions take two forms: –An action and its terrible consequence EX: Break a mirror, and you have seven years of bad luck. –A situation and its implication EX: An itching palm means you will receive money.

Step Three Create Your Own Superstition Use one of the two preceding forms to create a modern superstition from one of these starters. Be creative, so you can also come up with your own superstition without one of the starters: –The phone rings four times, then stops... –If you turn on your computer at midnight... –When you are studying, you drop your book...

Step Four Expand Your Story After creating your own new superstition, develop a story that explains under what circumstances the superstition originated.

Step Five Create an Illustration Create an illustration(s) that will help someone visualize your superstition story.

Step Six Present Your Creation Share the work with others by telling your creative story and pictures that goes with it.

All superstitions are recognized and believed gradually. After today’s creating and expanding, maybe one day you’ll find YOUR superstition become part of people’s life—just like a “black cat” or a “broken mirror”!

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