Unit 4 Superstitions and beliefs Lesson A 1

Unit 4 Superstitions and beliefs

Lesson A. 1 amber: a yellowish-brown substance formed from tree sap, which is used to make jewelry. cricket: a jumping insect similar to a grasshopper, which makes loud sounds heard especially at night.

• Bless: a phrase that is said to someone who has just sneezed • Suspicious : mistrustful or possibly guilty of something

Lesson. A. 3 ~possible answers • 1. I agree (that) carrying a good luck charm will protect you from harm. • 2. I doubt (that) only uneducated people still believe in superstitions. • 3. I believe (that) crystals have mysterious healing powers. • 4. I agree (that) almost everyone is superstitious about a few things.

• 5. I assume there is some truth behind every superstition. • 6. I feel (that) superstitions are dangerous because they prevent people from. • 7. I believe (that) superstitions are an important part of our cultural heritage. • 8. I don’t agree (that) to avoid any problems, you should follow traditional rituals and customs when planning you wedding.

Lesson. A. 7 ~~answers First paragraph thesis statement: Superstitions concerning both good and bad luck are part of everyone’s life in the United States. Last paragraph Restatement of thesis statement: superstitions are just a part of life, whether or not you believe in them.

Lesson. B. 1 • Plausible : believable

Lesson. B. 1. (3) • without a trace: with no sign or evidence of having been there previously. • sacred: considered to be holy and worthy of respect. • to lick: to move the tongue over the surface of something • to abduct: to kidnap

Lesson. B. 1. (B 3)possible ansers 1. (a) A woman in spain: she is trying not to forget about her dead husband, so she imagines that her thoughts or dreams about him are really her husband communicating with her. (B) A family living in an old house: the family used some kind of mechanical device to produce the illusion of a ghost.

(C) Villagers in Canbodia: The sick people were already on the road to recovery when they were licked by the cow. It’s just coincidence that they were cured. (D)A couple in the United States: The couple made up the story because they wanted attention.

2. Many people are fascinated by “human-interest” stories – celebrity gossip, descriptions of unexplained experiences, and bizarre events – that regular newspapers don’t cover. 3. Answers will vary.

Lesson. B. 2. (2) answers • • 1. psychic 2. telepathy 3. alien 4. ghost 5. UFO 6. ESP 7. Astrology

Lesson. B. (3 A) answers • 1. It is assumed that some people report alien abductions to get publicity. • 2. It is estimated that 50% of the population believes in ghosts. • 3. It has been said (by many people) that UFO sightings are increasing.

• 4. It is believed (by many people) that some people have experienced telepathy. • 5. It is claimed (by many) that some people can communicate with plants. • 6. It used to be said (by some people) that Mars was inhabited by aliens. • 7. It is said that many celebrities consult astrologers.

Lesson. B. (5 a)~~answers • 1. myth • 2. legend • 3. urban legend • 4. folk tale

Lesson. B. (6 A. 2) • woodcutter: a person who cuts wood as profession • Chirimia: an ancient instrument similar to a flute made from the branch of a tree, which is still played by the Maya in Guatemala • To hollow out: to remove the inside of something

• songbird: any of many types of birds that make musical sounds • eligible: to be desirable as a marriage partner

Lesson. B. 6. (a 4) possible answers • Marian’s story: this is a story from China called “The Magic Pot. ” A woodcutter came across a large pot and put his ax inside it. He took it home, showed it to his wife, and then discovered there were two axes in the pot. He thought it was a magic pot, so he put coins in it. They doubled, so he put in more. Soon there was money everywhere. Then he put his wife in the pot, so there were two. The man jumped into the pot as well. They climbed out of the pot, divided the money and built houses next to each other.

• Frank’s story: “the chirimia” is a Guatemalan story about a beautiful but sad princess. Her father decided to let her choose a husband, but she was not impressed with anyone until she heard a song sung by the last candidate. He was poor but sang beautifully. The princess said she’d marry him, but first he had to go live in the forest and learn how to sing like the birds. He tried but couldn’t. he began to cry, and the Spirit of the Forest then showed him how to make an instrument called a chirimia so he could sound like a songbird. He learned to play it, and when the princess heard him she agreed to marry him.

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