Read the following short essay and then complete the Summary Writing Process to create a complete, concise summary paragraph. Are You Superstitious? By Patricia Williams "Wow! Somebody sure got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning!" How many times have you heard this cliché (a commonplace expression) and what does it even mean? Clichés like this one belong to a group of ideas called "superstitions," which are beliefs people have that bad things can happen as a result of some mysterious circumstance. For example, when someone says, "You must have gotten out of the wrong side of the bed this morning," that person is really referring to a belief that if you do not get out of bed on a certain side, you are doomed to have a bad day. Such superstitions may sound silly, but many people believe in them. Chances are, you have heard of or may even believe in some of them yourself without even realizing it. One popular superstition is the belief that opening an umbrella indoors will cause bad luck. As we know, umbrellas are used to shield a person from wind, rain, and even the sun, but how would opening one inside bring bad luck? Some people believe that doing so is changing the purpose for using an umbrella. After all, why would a person need to open one inside? In this case, changing the umbrella's purpose is thought to invite bad luck. Another common superstition is that breaking a mirror causes seven years of bad luck. This comes from two different beliefs: first, that a mirror reflects a person's soul. Second, that a mirror can be used to ward off evil spirits. When a person breaks a mirror, the belief is that person's image has been destroyed, thus destroying his or her future. Or, if one believes mirrors keep away evil spirits, that person believes such spirits may soon arrive through a broken mirror, bringing bad luck. Finally, how many of us have seen a black cat coming toward us and thought about moving away so it would not cross our paths? For centuries, people connected black cats with witches. As a result, people saw them as a sign that something bad will happen if they come into contact with such a creature. But what is the likelihood that a cat can change your luck? Superstitions are beliefs, and how one views them all comes down to what a person chooses to believe can or cannot happen in this world. For some, superstitions such as these are entirely serious. However, for others, they are just folklore, tales passed down from generation to generation that hold no real meaning. The next time you find yourself acting on any superstitions, it may be a good time to take note and reflect on what you believe.
Read the following short essay and then complete the Summary Writing Process to create a complete, concise summary paragraph. Are You Superstitious? By Patricia Williams "Wow! Somebody sure got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning!" How many times have you heard this cliché (a commonplace expression) and what does it even mean? Clichés like this one belong to a group of ideas called "superstitions," which are beliefs people have that bad things can happen as a result of some mysterious circumstance. For example, when someone says, "You must have gotten out of the wrong side of the bed this morning," that person is really referring to a belief that if you do not get out of bed on a certain side, you are doomed to have a bad day. Such superstitions may sound silly, but many people believe in them. Chances are, you have heard of or may even believe in some of them yourself without even realizing it. One popular superstition is the belief that opening an umbrella indoors will cause bad luck. As we know, umbrellas are used to shield a person from wind, rain, and even the sun, but how would opening one inside bring bad luck? Some people believe that doing so is changing the purpose for using an umbrella. After all, why would a person need to open one inside? In this case, changing the umbrella's purpose is thought to invite bad luck. Another common superstition is that breaking a mirror causes seven years of bad luck. This comes from two different beliefs: first, that a mirror reflects a person's soul. Second, that a mirror can be used to ward off evil spirits. When a person breaks a mirror, the belief is that person's image has been destroyed, thus destroying his or her future. Or, if one believes mirrors keep away evil spirits, that person believes such spirits may soon arrive through a broken mirror, bringing bad luck. Finally, how many of us have seen a black cat coming toward us and thought about moving away so it would not cross our paths? For centuries, people connected black cats with witches. As a result, people saw them as a sign that something bad will happen if they come into contact with such a creature. But what is the likelihood that a cat can change your luck? Superstitions are beliefs, and how one views them all comes down to what a person chooses to believe can or cannot happen in this world. For some, superstitions such as these are entirely serious. However, for others, they are just folklore, tales passed down from generation to generation that hold no real meaning. The next time you find yourself acting on any superstitions, it may be a good time to take note and reflect on what you believe.
Social Psychology (10th Edition)
10th Edition
ISBN:9780134641287
Author:Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson, Robin M. Akert, Samuel R. Sommers
Publisher:Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson, Robin M. Akert, Samuel R. Sommers
Chapter1: Introducing Social Psychology
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1RQ1
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Structure
Step 1:- The main idea of the passage is superstitions.
Step 2( supportive details):-
- This passage is written by Patricia Williams on the topic of superstition which is very finely present in the structure of any society.
- The common superstitions that are present in our society are breaking mirror means arrival of an evil, black cat is considered as which, opening umbrella inside house will cause bad luck, etc.
- For some people superstitions matters as serious issue while for other it us just folklore for entertaining purpose.
- Author tries to expose various superstious which are logically irrelevant but still relevant for superstitious people.
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