Learn the superstitions about spilling salt and a lucky penny
Now Playing: Lesson Audio
Get a breakdown of the dialogue and translations instantly with the Premium line-by-line Audio. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Unlock Lesson Notes and Transcripts for every single lesson. Sign Up for a Free Lifetime Account and Get 7 Days of Premium Access.
| THE TWO SUPERSTITIONS |
| Becky: In this lesson, you’ll learn about two common superstitions in the U.S.. The first superstition is about bad luck. What are we going to talk about? |
| Eric: First we’re going to talk about spilling salt. |
| Becky: So, some people in the U.S. believe that if you spill salt, you’ll have bad luck. |
| Eric: Right, that’s why if I spill salt, I throw some more salt over my left shoulder. |
| Becky: This way, you won’t have bad luck. Any idea where this superstition came from, Eric? |
| Eric: Well, some people say that Judas spilled salt at the Last Supper before betraying Jesus Christ. |
| Becky: But, more likely, it’s because salt was once an expensive commodity. People wanted to discourage others from wasting it and so it was bad luck to spill it. |
| Eric: Like most superstitions, it originally had a practical purpose. |
| Becky: Let’s now talk about something that brings good luck... |
| Eric: like a lucky penny. |
| Becky: In the U.S., it's believed that if you find a penny faceup on the ground, you should pick it up. |
| Eric: So if you see a penny with Abraham Lincoln’s face pointing up, pick it up and all day long, you’ll have good luck. |
| Becky: Right! Most people say a lucky penny means that a guardian angel is protecting you and watching over you. |
| Eric: Traditionally, metal is believed to bring wealth. So that’s probably why people believe a penny, even though it’s not a lot of money, can bring good luck. |
| Becky: And if you see a penny that is face-down, flip it over. |
| Eric: That way, the next person who finds it can have good luck! |
Outro |
|---|
| Becky: There you have it - two American superstitions! Are they similar to any of your country’s superstitions? Let us know in the comments! |
| Eric: Bye! |
Comments
Hide