superstition (n) the belief that particular events happen in a way that cannot be explained by reason or science; the

belief that particular events bring good or bad luck (ความเชื่อเรื่อง

โชคลาง)charm (n) a small object worn on a chain or

bracelet, that is believed to bring good luck (เครื่องราง)

Vocabulary (Ex. 1)

Do you believe it?11

Chinafour

thirteen Friday

black

egg

H G I A

C B F E

Audio script and answers C 2.28D – see a ladybird

1 H – find a four-leaf clover2 G – open an umbrella3 I – keep a horseshoe4 A – walk under a ladder5 C – touch wood6 B – break a mirror7 F – spill salt8 E – pull a wishbone

Possible answersA: I think finding a four-leaf clover is lucky.B: Me too!A: I think opening an umbrella in the house is unlucky.B: I don’t think so.A: I think keeping a horseshoe is lucky.B: So do I.A: I think walking under a ladder is unlucky.B: Me too!A: I think touching wood is unlucky.B: I don’t think so.A: I think breaking a mirror is lucky.B: I don’t agree.A: I think spilling salt is unlucky.B: I think you’re right.A: I think pulling a wishbone is unlucky.B: I think you’re wrong.

Possible answers1 It might be a horseshoe. It can’t be an umbrella.2 It can’t be a ladybird. It must be an umbrella.3 It can’t be a horseshoe. It might be a ladder.4 It can’t be an umbrella. It must be a four-leaf clover.

Possible answersA 1 - It might be because the pencil remembers what you

have written before. / It can’t be true!B 2 - It must be because your shoes are dirty and because you

might sit on your hat. / It can’t be true!C 3 - It might be because this shows you are strong! / It might

be true.D 4 - It might be because it is an unusual event. / It can’t be

true.

C

B

A

Do many people like studying star signs?Yes, they do.

1 For the star signs, what is a Gemini like?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________2 What was the most sacred tree for the Celts?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________3 What did it represent?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________4 Why do people tie ribbons and notes to trees?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________5 For Chinese Astrology, what are the characteristics of a tiger?

And of a dragon?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________6 Where are Fortune Cookies from?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

For the star signs, a Gemini is really lively and he / she doesn’t like being alone.

The most sacred tree for the Celts was the oak.

It represented strength and independence.

People tie ribbons and notes to trees because they hope dreams and desires will come true.

For Chinese Astrology a tiger is impulsive and powerful and a dragon is strong and ambitious.

They are from America.

L

D

H

F

JA

C

E

G

I

K

Audio script and answers C 2.30B – Aries

1 L – Taurus 7 C – Scorpio2 D – Gemini 8 E – Sagittarius3 H – Cancer 9 G – Capricorn4 F – Leo 10 I – Aquarius5 J – Virgo 11 K – Pisces6 A – Libra

DGAFCE

may

may bemay be

may likemay arrive

might snow

might go might rent

might break

be

dodoesn’t

He doesn’t believe in horoscopes, does he?

They broke a mirror, didn’t they?

You can’t come to my Halloween party, can you?

He’s going to buy a black cat, isn’t he?He will believe it, won’t he?

He shouldn’t throw any salt over his shoulder, should he?

won’t he

did youhas heisn’t it

are youwasn’t it

did sheisn’t it

can hewere you

didn’t you

doesn’t she

don’t like

reads

were

didn’t study

don’t believehas visited

This house is scary. Strange things started to happen about a month ago. Mum was the first to see something. It was late at night, on the stairs. She saw a little girl in a kind of long, white nightie. She was really frightened. The rest of us - Dad, me, and my brother and sister - didn't believe her.

Then we started to hear strange noises from downstairs. Dad wanted to investigate, but Mum said no. Nightafter night, it became worse. Other figures started to appear, not only on the stairs but in the kitchen and even the bedrooms. I was terrified.

Finally, last night, my dad and brother went downstairs to investigate while my mum, sister and I waited upstairs. When they came back they were very worried. ‘There’s no doubt,’ my dad said, We’ve got to do something.’

You see, people haven’t lived in this house for years because we’ve frightened them all. But no one believes in ghosts anymore and so there are humans here again. We’re not going to share our house with humans. No way. So, tonight, we're going to get them. And then no one will want to live here again. Ever.[Haunted House, Louise Cooper]

1 Who lives in the haunted house?

2 Who did Mum see?

3 What did the family hear?

4 Where did figures start to appear?

5 How did the writer feel?

6 Who speaks in the last paragraph?

7 Why haven’t people lived in the house for years?

8 Why do the ghosts want to “get” the people?

(A family: mum, dad, and three children – the writer, her brother and her sister)

(A little girl in a kind of long, white nightie)

(Strange noises from downstairs)

(On the stairs, in the kitchen and in the bedrooms)

(Terrified)

(A ghost)

(Because the ghosts have frightened them)

(Because they don’t want to share their house with humans)

กิจกรรมเพิม่เติม

nightie (n) (= nightdress) a long loose piece of clothing like a thin dress, worn by a woman or girl in bed (ชุดนอนท่ีเป็นชุดเสื้อกระโปรงติดกัน

หลวมๆ)investigate (v) to carefully examine the facts of a situation,

an event, a crime, etc. to find out the truth about it or how it happened (ค้นหาความจรงิ)

frighten (v) to make somebody suddenly feel afraid [ทำาใหก้ลัว, ตกใจ]

Vocabulary

hoax (n) an act intended to make somebody believe something that is not true, especially something unpleasant (การหลอกลวง, การเล่นตลก)

Audio script and answers C 2.32The BBC often plays April Fool’s hoaxes and one of the most famous was in 1957 when they showed farmers picking spaghetti from trees!!

The Guardian published an article, titled “Britain Rules the Skies”, about the invention of a new machine to control the (1) weather. The article said the machine could guarantee long, dry summers, rain only at night and lots of snow every Christmas.

Another UK newspaper reported that a Japanese runner, Kimo Nakajimi, entered the London Marathon but was confused by an incorrect translation of the rules. He understood that he had to run for (2) 26 days, not 26 miles.

A few years ago, the respectable Massachusetts Institute of Technology issued an announcement which said that the (3) Internet needed an annual spring clean and that it would be closed for 24 hours.

In 1998, Burger King announced their new left-handed (4) hamburgers. They had the same (5) ingredients, but they were rotated 180° so that left handed people could eat them more easily.

What about whistling vegetables? A UK supermarket announced they had some special, new (6) carrots for sale. They were genetically modified and had (7) holes in them so they could make a whistling sound when cooked.