Unit 7 grade 10: Cultural Diversity – Reading
Are you superstitious? (Are you superstitious?)
1. Task 1 Unit 7 Grade 10 Reading
Are the following statements true for you? (Do the following sentences apply to you?)
first. Before doing something important, I always choose a favourable time for it.
(Before doing something important I always choose a suitable time to do)
2. I never visit people’s homes on the first day of the New Year unless they invite me.
(I never go to anyone’s house on New Year’s Day unless they invite me)
3. I never sweep the floor during the first three days of the New Year.
(I never sweep the house in the first 3 days of the new year)
4. When I set out for an examination, I always try to avoid crossing the path of a woman.
(When I prepare for an exam, I always avoid a woman.)
5. On important days throughout the year I always lay food on the altar for my ancestors because I believe that they will enjoy the meal with my family.
(On important days of the year, I often put food on the altar for my ancestors because I believe they will dine with my family.)
2. Task 2 Unit 7 Grade 10 Reading
Read the text and answer the following questions by circling the best option A, B, C, or D. (Read the text and answer the following questions by circling the correct choice A, B, C or D.)
Superstitions still play an important part of life for many people in Vietnam. For example, a lot of people choose a favourable date for occasions such as weddings, funerals, or house moving days. Some people may argue that being superstitious has no place in today’s society. However, superstitions have existed in all human societies throughout history. As a country situated in Asia, where many mysteries, and legends originate, Viet Nam has also various superstitious beliefs about daily activities.
There are numerous rituals related to daily activities. During the Vietnamese New Year, for example, many people believe that the first person who visits their home on the first day of the new year will affect their life. Thus, they try to choose this person very carefully. If this person is rich, prestigious or happy, then the family will have good fortune that year. People also believe that if you sweep the floor during the first three days of the festival, you might sweep out any wealth. For other things, such as setting out for an examination or starting up a business venture, people will try to avoid crossing the path of a woman as this may not bring good luck to them. As for traditional beliefs, Vietnamese people strongly believe in life after death. They think that their ancestors have gone to live in another world. So, the altar is believed to be the place where the ancestors’ souls live in. That’s why on many days of the year, people not only lay the table for meals, but they also lay food on the altar so their ancestors will join them for the meal.
first. What is true about Vietnamese society? (What is true about Vietnamese society?)
a. Only few people in Vietnam are superstitious. (Only very few Vietnamese people Male is superstitious)
b. People used to be superstitious in the past, but not now. (People used to be superstitious in the past, but not now.)
c. Superstitions are part of life for the majority of Vietnamese people. (Superstitions are a part of life for most Vietnamese.)
d. All people in Vietnam are superstitious. (everyone in Vietnam is superstitious)
2. How does the writer explain the origin of Vietnamese superstitions? (How does the author explain the origin of superstition in Vietnam?)
a. They are based on scientific research. (They are based on scientific studies.)
b. Viet Nam is located in part of the world where many mysteries and legends exist. (Vietnam is located in a position in the world where where many mysteries and anecdotes exist)
c. Superstitions are beliefs about the supernatural. (Superstition is belief in supernatural powers)
d. These are government rules that everyone must follow. (That’s the law issued by the government forcing everyone to obey.)
3. Which of the following is mentioned as a superstitious belief? (Which of the following statements is referred to as superstitious beliefs?)
a. People don’t care much about the first person who visits their home on the first day of the New Year. (People usually don’t care much about the first person to visit their home on New Year’s Day.)
b. People never choose the person who visits their house on the first day of the year. (People never choose who to visit first on New Year’s Day.)
c. People believe that they will bring good fortune to their family if they work hard during the Tet holiday. (People believe that they will bring good luck to their families if they work hard during Tet.)
d. People believe their first guest on the first day of the new year will affect the family prosperity for the whole year. (People believe that being the first guest in the new year will affect the prosperity of the whole year.)
4. Why do people lay food on the altar? (Why do people put food on the altar?)
a. They believe that their ancestors will enjoy the meal with them. (They believe that their ancestors will eat meals with them)
b. The altar can be used as a table to lay food. (The altar can be used as a display table for food)
c. They put the food there for later use. (They put food there to eat later)
d. They don’t know why they put it there. (They don’t know why.)
Guide to answer
1 C 2.b 3.d 4.a
Translated:
Superstitions still play an important role in many people’s lives in Vietnam. For example, many people choose an appropriate date for a wedding, funeral, or moving house. Some might argue that superstition no longer exists in today’s society. However, superstition has existed in all human societies throughout history. As a country located in Asia, the birthplace of many myths and legends, Vietnam also holds many superstitious beliefs about daily activities.
There are rituals related to daily activities. During the New Year in Viet Xam, for example, many people believe that the first person to break into the house on New Year’s Day will affect their lives. So they try to choose this person very carefully. If this person is rich, prestigious or cheerful, this family will have good luck that year. It is believed that if you sweep the house during the first 3 days of the new year, you will sweep away your prosperity. For other things like preparing for an exam or starting a business, people will try to avoid meeting a woman because it doesn’t bring them luck. As for traditional beliefs, Vietnamese people truly believe in life after death. They think their ancestors went to live in another world. Therefore, the altar is believed to be the place where ancestral spirits live. That is why for many days of the year, people not only set the table to eat, but they also put food on the altar because the ancestors would stop eating with them.
3. Task 3 Unit 7 Grade 10 Reading
Discuss the following with a partner. (Discuss the following sentence with a friend.)
Are you a superstitious person? Why/Why not? (Are you a superstitious person? Why?)
Guide to answer
Students’ answers
4. Practice
4.1. Reading comprehension
Choose the letter A, B, C or D to complete the passage below
Check out these wild wedding traditions from around the globe.
The Blackening of the Bride: Scotland
The bride and groom are slathered from head ____________ (1) toe in every disgusting substance their friends can get their hands on. Curdled milk, rotten eggs, spoiled curry, fish sauces, mud, flour, sausages, every nasty thing you can imagine. As if that weren’t enough, the couple is then paraded about, with well-wishers making ____________ (2) much noise as possible. Depending on the region, sometimes it’s just the bride or groom alone ____________ (3) is the victim of this particular pre-wedding tradition.
Crying Ritual of the Tujia People: Sichaun Province, China
Starting 30 days before the wedding, the bride spends an hour a day ____________ (4). Ten days later, she is joined by her mother, and then ten days after that, her grandmother. I know what you’re thinking, ____________ (5) this is actually meant as an expression of joy and deep love.
Daur Chick Liver Tradition: Inner Mongolia, China
Time to get mystical. To select a wedding date, the young couple must take a knife and together slaughter a chick. The date is then divined by the appearance of the chick’s liver. If the liver has an unfortunate appearance, they must keep __________ (6) chicks until they find a good one.
Kumbh Vivah: India
Indian men and women born as Mangliks — meaning Mars is situated in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th or 12th house of a person’s Rashi (Indian astrological moon sign) — are believed __________ (7). It is believed that Mangalik Dosha negatively affects married life, causing tension and sometimes the untimely death of one of the partners. To cancel ___________ (8) effects, a Kumbh Vivah can be performed before the wedding. This is a wedding between a Mangalik and either a statue of Vishnu or a Peepal tree or banana tree. The celebrated Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai had one such marriage with a tree before marrying her husband, Abhishek.
Bathroom Moratorium: Tidong community, Indonesia/Malaysia
After the wedding, the bride and groom are not allowed to use the bathroom _________ (9) three whole days. They cannot leave the house, clear their bowels or urinate. The couple is watched over and are allowed minimal amounts of food and drink. ______________ (10) the custom is not practiced, they believe it will bring bad luck to the couple, with consequences such as a broken marriage, infidelity or death of their children.
Question 1: A. off B. to C. with D. for
Question 2: A. as B. like C. more D. most
Question 3: A. what B. when C. which D. who
Question 4: A. cry B. cry C. to cry D. cry
Question 5: A. but B. so C. and D. with
Question 6: A. killing B. kill C. killed D. to kill
Question 7: A. curse B. to be cursed C. be cursed D. cursing
Question 8: A. this B. that C. these D. those
Question 9: A. in B. for C. with D. of
Question 10: A. If B. When C. While D. Unless
To practice reading comprehension skills and grasp vocabulary with the topic “Cultural Diversity“, please come to the practice part Unit 7 Reading test The following new English 10.
Multiple-choice
5. Conclusion
Through this lesson, you need to read the article, complete the exercises and memorize the following vocabulary:
- superstition /ˌsuːpəˈstɪʃn/(n): belief, superstition
- soul /səʊl/(n) : soul, soul
- prestigious /preˈstɪdʒəs/(adj): prestigious, prestigious
- mystery /ˈmɪstri/ (n) : mystery, mystery
- legend /ˈledʒənd/(n): legend, fairy tale
- funeral /ˈfjuːnərəl/ (n) : funeral
- altar /ˈɔːltə(r)/(n): altar
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