Below you will see the words and word combinations you are going to work
with in the following exercises. First, read the text and fill in the gaps with
a proper word or word combination:
Superstitions & Bad Luck Omens
пустоBlack Cats
They
have long been believed to be a supernatural omen since the witch hunts of the
middle ages when cats were thought to be connected to evil. Since then, it is
considered bad luck if a black cat crosses your path.
пустоBroken Mirrors
An
ancient myth our ancestors believed was that the image in a mirror is our
actual soul. A broken mirror represented the soul being astray from your body.
To break the spell of misfortune, you must wait seven hours (one for each year
of bad luck) before picking up the broken pieces, and bury them outside in the
moonlight.
пустоLadders
In the
days before the gallows, criminals were hung from the top rung of a ladder and
their spirits were believed to linger underneath. Common folklore has it to be
bad luck to walk beneath an open ladder and pass through the triangle of evil
ghosts and spirits.
пустоOwls
If an
owl looks in your window or if you seeing one in the daylight bad luck and
death will bestow you.
пустоSalt
At one
time salt was a rare commodity and thought to have magical powers. It was
unfortunate to spill salt and said to foretell family disarray and death. To
ward off bad luck, throw a pinch over your shoulder and all will be well.
пустоSparrows
Sparrows
are thought to carry the souls of the dead and it is believed to bring bad luck
if you kill one.
пустоUnlucky Number #13
The fear of the number 13 is
still common today, and avoided in many different ways. Some buildings still do
not have an official 13th floor and many people avoid driving or going anywhere
on Friday the 13th.