S e c o n d e d I t I o n 1 Reading for the Real World 1

4 
_________________ and 
kissing under mistletoe. Bad-luck superstitions on the survey included walking under 
a ladder and 
5 
_________________ . Of the people 
6 
_________________ 
the survey, young people said they were superstitious more often than old people.

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upplemental Reading
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998 was a very bad year, especially for people 
who believed the number 13 is an unlucky 
number. In 1998, three months had a Friday that 
fell on the 13
th
of the month--February, March, and 
November. That is actually the most Friday the 13
th
s 
possible in a year. 
The origin of the number 13 being an unlucky number goes back to the time 
of Jesus’s death. At the last supper, Jesus gathered his twelve followers for a 
special meal, but including himself, there were a total of 13 people at the table. 
One of those followers later betrayed Jesus and turned him over to be killed. 
Today, superstitions about the number continue to worry people. As a 
result, most American skyscrapers do not have a 13
th
floor. In addition, most 
airplanes lack a 13
th
row because few customers would buy tickets to sit there. 
Perhaps surprisingly, when asked, only 13 percent of the American population 
admit they believe that Friday the 13
th
is an unlucky day. The percentage is slightly 
higher among young people. About 30 percent of Americans between the ages of 
eighteen and twenty-four say they try to generally be a little more careful on a 
Friday falling on the 13
th
. Interestingly, the nine movies of the horror series 
Friday the 13
th
were all released during this age group’s formative years (1980-
1993). Perhaps the series has had a greater effect on people than anyone would 
like to admit.