5 SUPERSTITIONS:

JUST WHISTLING IN THE DARK

VOCABULARY PREVIEW irrational: unreasonable; not logical Norse: West Scandinavian, Norwegian, Icelandic Wrath: intense anger rationalize: to explain or interpret; to make reasonable incorruptibility: state of being unable to spoiled or made consternation: great shock or fear aversion: strong dislike distorted: twisted out of shape; misrepresented; immoral. consternation: worry; anxiety SKIMMING AND SCANNING A. Skimming. Take 1 minute to skim the following article. Run your eyes over the article to get a general idea of what it is about. 1. After you have skimmed the article, write its main idea in your own words. ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________

Chapter 5 Superstitions: Just Whistling in the Dark

37

2. Without looking back at the article, write three questions that you think will be answered by reading it. a. ____________________________________________________ b. ____________________________________________________ c. ______________________________________________________ B. Scanning. First, underline the key words in the following questions. Next, scan the article to find the answers. Quickly underline each answer and move to the next question. It should take you no more than 3 minutes to answer all of the questions. After you finish scanning for all ten of the answers, write them in the spaces provided. 1. What are the five superstitions discussed? _______________ 2. Who wrote the book entitled How Did It Behave Reasons, Backgrounds and Practical Explanations? ________________ 3. Is Friday the 13 discussed? _______________ 4. Are any superstitions _______________ 5. What buildings _______________ in about animals skip the discussed? 13
th th

America

floor?

6. Who painted Last Supper? ________________ 7. When was the ________________ cat linked to itches and Satan?

38 Parlin Pardede Extensive Reading (2012)

The following selection is excerpted from Knight-Ridder Newspaper. 1980. Now read the article as quickly as possible without suffering your comprehension.

Superstition: Just Whistling in the Dark

(Edward Jay Whetmore) (1) "Why do you suppose the boss is so grumpy" (2) "Dunno. Maybe he got up on the wrong side of the bed." (3) "He'd probably feel better if you got him a cup of coffee." (4) "Right. Knock on wood." (5) One of these fellows is superstitious. He probably goes out of his way to avoid meeting black cats. He doesn't walk under ladders, step on sidewalk cracks or open umbrellas indoors, and he worries a lot if he breaks a mirror. That makes him a trifle silly and just like almost everybody else. (6) A superstition is a belief based wholly on fear and not in harmony with known law of science. How do you know the number 13 is unlucky? You just know it. How do you know that spilling salt is Unlucky" It just is. (7) Irrational? Yes and no. (8) Superstitions, wrote Rabbi D. R. Brasch in his book, Superstitions: How Did It Behave Reasons, Backgrounds and Practical Explanations. They belonged to the social life of both the civilized and the savage. Here are some examples. The Unlucky Number 13 (9) In some European countries, you can't live in house No. 13. It does not exist. No. 12 is followed by No. 12'/z and then No. 14.
Chapter 5 Superstitions: Just Whistling in the Dark

39

Many office buildings in this country skip the 13th floor. Some airlines and sports arenas omit 13 as a seat number. A true triskaidekaphobiac would not start a journey on the 13th of any month (on Friday the 13th he stays right in bed with the covers pulled way up over his head), will not buy or use 13 of anything, will not wear a number 13 on a uniform or cat with 12 others. (10) Why? Historically, 13 represents the number of men present at the Last Supper. Greek philosophers and mathematicians scorned the number 13 as being "imperfect," and in Norse mythology, 12 gods were present when the evil spirit Loki busted a party at a good address in Valhalla and killed Balder a very popular god. Walking Under Ladders (11) This superstition has a practical application. You could get a bucket of paint on the head. But custom says if you walk under a ladder, the wrath of the gods will be on you in any case and what you ought to do is quickly cross your fingers and make a wish. (12) Historians have rationalized that the ladder, leaning against a wall forms a triangle signifying the Holy Trinity. To pass through such sacred space is a punishable offense. It's flat dangerous to play with such super natural forces; a bucket of paint on the head is nothing compared to what could he in store. Getting out of Bed on the Wrong Side (13) It is written that to get out of bed on the left side is to subject your day to misfortune and misery. You are supposed to rise from the right and place your right foot on the floor first. If you err, go hack to bed until you can do it correctly. This superstition has to do with the ancient belief that right was right and left was wrong. Spilling Salt (14) If this happens to you, you're supposed to take a pinch of salt and toss it over your left shoulder into the face of the devil. 40 Parlin Pardede Extensive Reading (2012)

(15) This superstition is rooted in the ancient and biblical importance of salt. Salt purifies; hence it became the symbol of incorruptibility. Salt on the table became the emblem of justice, and to upset it became a forewarning of injustice. (16) In a famous Last Supper painting by Leonardo da Vinci, the faces a Jesus and the Apostles vividly show consternation and grief. Why? Historians say because someone just dumped the salt shaker over. (17) Who did it? Judas, of course. But there is no confirmation of this episode; Brasch said da Vinci merely used the old superstition to dramatize his painting. Breaking a Mirror (18) This is good for seven years of had luck or it could cause a death in the family. If a mirror breaks, legend instructs you to get the pieces out of the house posthaste and bury them in the ground. (19) Before the invention of mirrors, man gazed at his reflection in pools, ponds and lakes. If the image was distorted, disaster was sure to strike. (Sometimes a sneaky enemy would ruin his foe's day by pitching a pebble in to the water.) (20) Gradually water gave way to shiny metal and then glass, but man still was convinced any injury to the reflection would he visited upon the real thing, just as he thought that by piercing the eyes of an enemy in a picture would cause the enemy to go blind. And the seven years? It is thought that the figure stems from Roman belief that a man's body physically rejuvenated itself every seven years and he became, in effect, a new man. Meeting a Black Cat (21) Custom dictates that if your path is crossed by a black cat, you're really, going to be in for it unless you return home immediately.
Chapter 5 Superstitions: Just Whistling in the Dark

41

(22) To the Egyptians, the cat was a god and anyone who killed one was punished. Come the Middle Ages, however, and the cat was linked to itches and Satan. Everyone knows what happens when you cross the devil. Whistling (23) This is a professional superstition; newsmen are not supposed to whistle in m newsroom, and actors do not whistle in the dressing room. It probably back to the sailor's deep aversion to whistling except at very special times. (24) In the days of sail, seamen believed it was possible to call up a storm by an accidental use of magic-like duplicating the noise of wind in the rigging. Whistling on board was to invite had luck, except when the ship was calmed, and then only by an expert who would know in which precise direction to send the whistle as an order for wind. (1000 words)

-----A. Answers to Skimming Questions Your answer should be similar to the correct answer for question 2 in the Comprehension Check. Write the answers to your skimming questions here. a. _____________________________________________________________ b. _____________________________________________________________ c. _____________________________________________________________

42 Parlin Pardede Extensive Reading (2012)

B. Comprehension Check Circle the letter before the best answer to each question below. Don't look back at the article. Subject and Central Thought 1. The subject of this article is ..... (A) unusual superstitions. (B) triskaidekaphobia. (C) people's fears. (D) the history of superstitions. 2. The main idea is that ..... (A) only silly people are superstitious. (B) superstitions come from uncivilized cultures. (C) everyone is superstitious. (D) superstitions have historical explanations. Details 3. The author thinks people who believe in superstitions are .....(A) abnormal. (B) logical. (C) a bit silly (D) correct. 4. A triskaidekaphobiac ..... (A) stays home on Friday the thirteenth. (B) believes the number thirteen has religious value. (C) thinks the number thirteen is lucky. (D) thinks numbers determine destiny. 5. Superstitions ..... (A) do not affect most people's thinking. (B) are based on scientific fact. (C) only involve things that are seen. (D) come from many countries. 6. If you break a mirror, you are supposed to ..... (A) stay indoors that day. (B) bury the pieces. (C) throw the pieces into a river, ocean, or lake. (D) throw a piece over your shoulder. Inferences 7. From the article, we can conclude that superstitions ... (A) are no longer believed. (B) have been believed in every period of time. (C) come from Europe. (D) keep people from doing evil things.

Chapter 5 Superstitions: Just Whistling in the Dark

43

8. The author seems to believe that ... (A) superstitious people are dangerous to society. (B) superstitions have no place in modern society. (C) superstitious people do silly things. (D) superstitions are religious in origin. 9. Superstitions ..... (A) didn't influence ancient people. (B) were used by the church to control people. (C) aren't believed by educated people. (D) are found all over the world. 10. The author probably is .....(A) superstitious. (B) a college professor. (C) a scientist. (D) a religious leader. C. Vocabulary in Context: Fill-In Write the best word from this list in the blank in each sentence below. irrational philosopher distort Norse wrath incorruptibility consternation rationalize aversion episodes

1. Some people have such a strong _____________ to cabbage that even the smell of it cooking makes them sick. 2. Thursday was named after the _____________ god Thor, god of thunder. 3. Most ____________ of television programs are recorded on videotape for later broadcast rather than presented live. 4. During the middle Ages, beliefs about witchcraft were so _____________ that cows, insects, and birds were convicted of being witches and put to death. 5. You must make someone very angry to incur his or her ____________ 6. Mirrors in carnival fun houses are shaped to ____________ people's reflections.

44 Parlin Pardede Extensive Reading (2012)

7. Scandals such as Watergate have shaken our faith in the ____________ of our political leaders. 8. People ____________ continued smoking by pointing to healthy elderly people who have smoked all of their lives. 9. Eighteenth-century patients at St. Bartholomew's hospital must have felt ____________ at being asked to pay their funeral expenses when they were admitted. 10. Socrates, probably the best known Greek ____________ never wrote down his own teachings; we know what he said because a student, Plato, took notes.

D. Using Context Clues/Word Parts To practice using context clues to determine the meaning of words, circle the letter of the best definition for each underlined word below. The words are shown here in the context in which they appear in the article. 1. "In Norse mythology, 12 gods were present when the evil spirit Loki busted a party at a good address in Valhalla and killed Balder, a very popular god." (A) history (B) legends (C) world (D) geography. 2. "In Norse mythology, 12 gods were present when the evil spirit Loki busted a party at a good address in Valhalla and killed Balder, a very popular god." (A) heaven (B) the ocean (C) hell (D) history. 3. "To pass through such sacred space is a punishable offense. It's flat dangerous to play with such supernatural forces; a bucket of paint on the head is nothing compared to what could be in store." (A) deadly (B) godlike (C) funny (D) scientific 4. "You are supposed to rise from the right and place your right foot on the floor first. If you err, go back to bed until you can do it correctly." (A) do it correctly (B) trip (C) make a mistake (D) fall asleep

Chapter 5 Superstitions: Just Whistling in the Dark

45

5. "Salt purifies; hence it became the symbol of incorruptibility." (A) therefore (B) because (C) when (D) also 6. "But there is no confirmation of this episode: Brasch said da Vinci merely used the old superstition to dramatize his painting." (A) story (B) song (C) proof (D) painting 7. "if a mirror breaks, legend instructs you to get the pieces out of the house posthaste and bury them in the ground." (A) secretly (B) quickly (C) slowly (D) eventually 8. "it is thought that the figure stems from Roman belief that a man's body physically rejuvenated itself every seven years and he became, in effect, a new man." (A) aged (B) killed (C) saw (D) renewed E. Essay Test Questions 1. Why do you think most people are superstitious?

2. Give some examples of how fear of the number 13 changes people's behavior.

46 Parlin Pardede Extensive Reading (2012)

F. Book (Passage) Report Write down a Passage Report for the article entitled Superstitions: Just Whistling in the Dark.

Chapter 5 Superstitions: Just Whistling in the Dark

47

48 Parlin Pardede Extensive Reading (2012)