2 Match the words (1-6) with the definitions (a-g).
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a mood |
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b insignificant |
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c cremation |
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d cat |
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e holy |
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g omen |
3 Read the following sentences and decide if they are true (t) or false (f).
1 The intensity of pigment metabolism in black cats determines a high level of protective substances in the organism, which contribute to a good health and high immunity of animals to viral diseases.
2 Sometimes even a police patrol was not scared to keep on going along the street if a black cat had crossed their way.
3 Some people consider such cats to bring luck, others, conversely, suppose that black cats are the incarnate of evil.
4 Witches, in their part, could not turn into black cats by perforce.
5 Any white hair was not regarded as a saving divine sign.
6 In the middle Ages black cats were suspected of relationship with the evil spirit.
4 Look at the statements about origins of some superstitions. Read the text to decide if each statement is correct or incorrect.
In the Middle Ages black cats were considered to be witches.так правильно
To step on a black cat’s tail meant to drive away evil spirits.
To walk under a ladder was considered to break the power of pyramids’ shape.
To avoid bad luck one should look at his/her reflection only in water pools.
Romans believed that it was possible to see the soul when looking into the water.
Crossed fingers are the sign of Christian faith.
Knocking on wood is an action against misfortune.
Saying “Bless You” meant “Be Healthy".
Saying “Bless You” dates back to the time of the great plague.
It was a law to say “Bless You”.
Superstitions explained
Some luck superstitions are well known, but perhaps their origin will cause a bit of a surprise. In most cases the reasons behind the most common of superstitions, can be traced back to medieval or even ancient times. They are quite often even more peculiar than the beliefs they attempt to explain.
For example, some of the most universal superstitions centre around black cats. They are the source of literally hundreds of unlucky superstitions. It's a sign of bad luck if they walk in front of you, and it is unlucky to step on their tails - unlucky for them too! They are even said to bring bad luck into a house if they sneeze inside it! This unfortunate connection with misfortune dates back to the Middle Ages when they became associated with witches and were thought to harbour evil spirits.
There are very practical reasons for thinking twice before walking under a ladder, but a more mysterious explanation can be traced back to ancient Egypt. The early Egyptians believed that the shape of the pyramids had a special power. It was considered very bad luck to break the 'power' of this shape and it was strongly believed that by walking underneath a ladder this was exactly what would happen!
In Roman times people had the habit of looking at their reflections in pools of water. Some believed that these reflections were in fact 'glimpses of the soul'. Any disruption to the water, such as a stone being thrown into the pool, would bring bad luck to the person looking in. This superstition lives on to some extent in present times, with the fear of bad luck from breaking a mirror.
With regard to good luck superstitions many people cross their fingers. It was said that one could prevent evil spirits from destroying their chances of good fortune by making the sign of the Christian faith.
Knocking on wood was thought to bring good luck by summoning up good spirits from trees to protect against misfortune.
Saying ‘Bless You’ when somebody sneezes dates back to the great plague that swept through Europe. When sufferers began sneezing violently, it was considered a sign of death, so The Pope passed a law requiring people to bless the sneezer.
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