There are many strange superstitions in the world. The most common one is related to

black cats, (1) ______are the source of hundreds of unlucky superstitions. It’s a sign of bad luck (2) ______they walk in front of you or you step on their tails. They even bring bad luck into a house if they sneeze inside! This superstition dates (3) ______to the Middle Ages when they became associated with witches and evil spirits.

Another common superstition is about walking under a ladder. A more (4) ______ explanation can be traced back to ancient Egypt. The early Egyptians believed that the shape of the Pyramids had a special power. It was considered very bad luck to break the “power” of this shape and that’s exactly what walking under a ladder would do!

In addition, in Roman times, people (5 ) ______ the habit of looking at themselves in pools of water. Some believed that these reflections were in fact “glimpses of the soul”. Any disruption to the water in the pool would bring bad luck to the person looking in it. This superstition lives on with the fear of bad luck from breaking a mirror.

1. A. which `B. who C. when D. where

2. A. although B. because C. if D. unless

3. A. on B. in C. back D. for

4. A. mystery B. mysterious C. mysteriously D. mysteries

5. A. had B. took C. raised D. became