Where Superstitions Come From

Sep 30, 2026

Upload by moss~

Passage explains what a superstition is and why people keep following superstitious rules despite lacking real evidence. It describes beliefs about ladders, mirrors, knocking on wood, and horseshoes, including how fears of trouble can start from everyday common sense. It also clarifies how scientists explain persistence through a sense of control when nervous and selective memory, since lucky outcomes feel remembered while failures are forgotten.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLifestyle

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time11 min

AccessFree to download

Where Superstitions Come From

Superstitions as beliefs about luck

Examples: ladders, triangles, paint cans

Mirrors and breaking bad luck

Knocking on wood and protective charms

Horseshoes and selective luck credit

Why people keep believing: control and memory

Picture yourself walking down a sidewalk when you spot a tall ladder leaning against a wall. Do you duck under it, or do you step around it instead? Millions of people walk the long way, all because of a superstition, which is a belief that doing one thing will bring good or bad luck. These beliefs are everywhere, and many of them are far older than your great-great-grandparents. That ladder you avoided actually hides an old story. Long ago, some people said a ladder leaning against a wall made a triangle shape, and they believed triangles were special, so walking through one seemed like bad luck. Others just knew a plain truth: standing under a ladder is a great way to get a paint can dropped on your head! Sometimes a superstition begins as good common sense before it turns into a spooky rule. Common sense also hides behind the fear of breaking a mirror. People once believed a mirror held a piece of your spirit, so cracking one meant seven long years of bad luck. Back then, mirrors were made of polished metal or costly glass, so breaking one really was a small disaster for your wallet. No wonder folks wanted to blame bad luck instead of their own clumsy elbows! Not every superstition is about avoiding trouble, though. Have you ever knocked on wood after saying something hopeful? Some people long ago believed helpful spirits lived inside trees, so tapping the wood was a way to say thank you or ask for a little help. Others hung a horseshoe above a door with the ends pointing up, like a cup, so the good luck would not spill out. So why do smart people keep believing these things today? Scientists say superstitions make us feel like we have control when we are nervous, such as before a big test or game. We also remember the times a lucky charm seemed to work and quietly forget all the times it did not. That means a horseshoe gets the credit and never has to take the blame, which is a pretty good deal for apiece of metal! Where Superstitions Come From Name: | Solve each problem.
Use the article to answer the question.
1) What is a superstition, according to the passage?
A. A belief that doing one thing will bring good or bad luck
B. A rule that keeps people safe on busy sidewalks
C. A story that grown-ups tell to frighten children
D. A holiday celebrated in many different countries | | | | | Answers
1.
2.
3. | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2) How does forgetting affect our belief in lucky charms?
A. We forget where we first got the lucky charm
B. We remember the times a charm worked and forget the times it did not
C. We remember every time a charm failed to help us
D. We remember only the charms that other people used | | | | | 4.
5.
6. | | | | | | | 3) What practical reason did the passage give for not standing under a ladder?
A. A worker might need to climb down quickly
B. The triangle shape could block the sidewalk
C. The ladder might tip over into the street
D. A paint can could be dropped on your head | | | | | 7.
8.
9.
10. | | | | | | | 4) According to scientists, why do people keep believing in superstitions?
A. They are proven to change the outcome of games
B. They are taught in schools all around the world
C. They make us feel like we have control when we are nervous
D. They are cheaper than buying a real lucky charm | | | | | | | | | | | | 5) How was a horseshoe hung so that good luck would not spill out?
A. With the ends pointing down, like a rainbow
B. Beside a mirror, like a picture frame
C. With the ends pointing up, like a cup
D. Flat against the door, like a plate | | | | | | | | | | | | 6) Why did some people think walking under a ladder was unlucky?
A. The ladder reminded them of a broken mirror's shape
B. The ladder was often used by workers who feared bad luck
C. The ladder was too

FAQs

According to the passage, what is a superstition?

A superstition is a belief that doing one thing will bring good or bad luck.

What examples does the passage give for superstitions?

It covers avoiding ladders, fear of breaking mirrors, knocking on wood for helpful spirits, and hanging a horseshoe to keep luck from spilling out.

Why do scientists say people continue believing superstitions?

Scientists say superstitions help people feel in control when they are nervous, and people remember times a lucky charm seemed to work while forgetting when it did not.

Sep 30, 2026

Upload by moss~