Superstition

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Superstition

• By Cathy Chang

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(No Transcript)
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Article 1

• Black cats have a bad name in many countries,
  but nowhere more so than Italy, where a papal
  edict in the middle ages declared they were
  instruments of the devil. Black cats were thrown
  into the fires to join witches burned at the
  stake.
• The Italian Association for the Defense of
  Animals and the Environment (AIDAA) estimates
  60,000 were killed last year, to ward off bad
  luck but also for use in satanic rites and in
  cosmetics laboratories where black fur gives the
  best results.
• The group has set up 200 information points in
  towns and cities around Italy, where passers-by
  will be given literature on black cats, asked to
  sign a petition and urged to adopt one of the
  5,000 in cat refuges.
• AIDAA has also sent a letter to Pope Benedict,
  a well known cat lover.

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Questions

• What is your attitude towards black cats?
• Do you see this kind of attitude towards black
  cats in Taiwan?
• From movies, books, etc.
• Why do you think that black cats are considered
  evil?
• Are there any more superstitions about animals?
• Are there any superstitions that you believe in?

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Article 2

• Many shelters around the country is prohibiting
  black cat adoptions from Oct. 28 to Nov. 2,
  fearing the animals could be mistreated in
  Halloween pranks or worse, sacrificed in some
  satanic ritual.
• Some animal experts say the practice does more
  to hurt animals than protect them by limiting the
  times that they can be adopted.
• Behaviorally, theres no difference from the
  color of the cat. Its tied into this whole
  mythology about the animal dont let it cross
  your path or some foreboding or foreshadowing of
  evil and thats an outdated superstition, says
  Gail Buchwald, vice president of the American
  Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
  shelter in New York City.

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Questions

• Do you feel that the adoption of black cats
  should be banned during Halloween?
• Do people still use animal sacrifices nowadays?
• Like killing chickens on certain days to give to
  the gods?
• Can you think of other animals that are linked to
  certain festivals or celebrations?

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Vocabulary

• Shelters ???
• Prohibiting ??
• Mistreated ??
• Pranks ???
• Sacrificed ??,????
• Ritual ?????
• Experts ??
• Practice ??,??,??
• Limiting ??
• Behaviorally ??,????
• Mythology ??
• Foreboding ?????
• Foreshadowing ??
• Outdated ???
• Prevention ??,????,??

• Papal edict ?????
• Middle ages ???
• Instruments ??,??
• Stake ???
• Association ??
• Defense ??,??,??
• Estimates ??,??
• Ward off ??
• Satanic rites?????
• Cosmetics ??,???
• Laboratories ????
• Passers-by ???
• Petition ???
• Adopt ??
• Refuges ???
• Pope ????

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References

• Idaho animal shelter halts black cat adoptions
• http//www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15459377/
• Italy's "black cat day" aims to halt killings
• http//abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id3880
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