Why we are afraid of Friday the 13th
What do
you know about Friday the 13th?
What
numbers are bad luck for you?
As humans we give special meaning to some
numbers. An example of this fascination
is refusing to put a floor 13 in many tall building. Many building go directly
from floor 12 to 14.
In nearly every culture, the number 13
means bad or unlucky. It comes from hundreds of years of superstition. Some who study history say that maybe 13 comes from
Jesus Christ’s Last Supper. There were 13 people—Jesus and his twelve
apostles—seated around a table. Judas, the 13th person became the one apostle
who betrayed Jesus. So many people
began to see 13 as the unlucky number.
And there have been other strange happenings in history with the number that
are bad luck.
For example, in some ancient civilizations, 13 moon cycles were considered unlucky.
And as we know, there’s Friday the 13th. This goes back to the Crusades: exactly, Friday,
October 13, 1307. On that date, King Philip IV of France had the Knights
Templar killed and tortured. The Knights Templar were a highly respected group
made up of the most skilled group of fighters.
Finally this fear of the number 13 came to
America. When the first tall building began being made, most buildings did not
have a 13th floor. The owners were afraid that people would not want to rent
space in their building.
Samuel Lewis, general manager of the Lefrak
Management Company, said that this superstition has affected the majority of
buildings in America. He thinks that 90 percent don’t have a 13th floor. Owners
are simply afraid people won’t rent.
For those people who are worried about
renting they can rest easy. Out of
629 apartment buildings in New York City with 13 or more floors, only 9 percent
actually had the 13th floor labeled 13. Some changed them to: “14,”
“M,” or, if 13 is the top floor, “PH.” (That means “penthouse.”)
Despite this fear it appears as though now we care more about the 13th-floor
view than about the omen of living
in a building with a 13th floor. Every new building in one part of
New York has a 13th floor with 13 written on it. And this hasn’t deterred renters at all.
Try
to guess the meaning of the words in bold and match them with their closest
meaning from the choices in the right. Some of the answers are very close and
have similar meaning. The meaning of these words is how they are used in the
reading. Some of these words have different meanings in the dictionary depending
on how they are used.
The
answers are below the table.
fascination
|
A
|
1
|
To be very interested in something, amazing
|
betrayed
|
B
|
2
|
Very old times, very long ago
|
superstition
|
C
|
3
|
To discourage from doing something, to lose
interest to do something because of some other action
|
ancient
|
D
|
4
|
A symbol of something bad that is coming
|
rest easy
|
E
|
5
|
To be scared of something evil that we can’t
see, to think that something bad will happen if we do something
|
Despite
|
F
|
6
|
Anyway, to do something without worrying
about some other thing
|
omen
|
G
|
7
|
To stop worrying, not feel more relaxed
|
deterred
|
H
|
8
|
To lie to someone who trusts us and to break
that trust, to cheat someone who trusts us
|
A=1, B=8, C=5, D=2, E=7, F=6, G=4, H=3
Some example sentences using the new words or phrases from the
meaning of how they are used in the reading to help you understand better.
The history of the Korean
writing system is fascinating.
She felt betrayed because he secretly dated her best friend.
A famous superstition is that black cats bring evil.
In ancient times Korea was three kingdoms.
We can rest easy now because there are no more exams.
Despite the heavy rain, many people want
to go outdoors.
In some parts of Asia, the
number 4 is a bad omen for death.
The hot weather has not deterred him from wearing a full suit.
Some questions using the new words/phrases. Try to use the
words/phrases in your answer.
What other superstitions do you find fascinating?
Why?
What are some famous superstitions in your country?
Are there ancient traditions in your country that others think are strange?
Describe them.
If your friend was superstitious, how would you make them
rest easy?
Would you do something despite superstitions in your country or culture?
Are there some numbers, colors,
or other things that are an omen for
you or in your country/culture?
Would you be deterred from living in a building with
an unlucky number 4 or 13 in it?
Have you ever been betrayed? How did you feel? What would
you do if someone you trusted betrayed
you?