Friday the 13th and knocking on wood.

Becky here.

And I'm Eric.

In this lesson, you'll learn about two common superstitions in the U.S.

The first superstition is about bad luck.

What are we going to talk about?

First, we're going to talk about Friday the 13th.

In the U.S., it's believed that a Friday that falls on the 13th day of any month is an unlucky day.

This is both because Fridays and the number 13 are considered unlucky by some.

Some Christians believe that Jesus was crucified on a Friday, making it unlucky.

But I think most Americans don't think of Friday as unlucky.

I'd agree, but a lot of people believe the number 13 is unlucky.

This goes back to the Last Supper where Jesus was betrayed.

Right, 13 people attended the dinner.

All together, that makes Friday the 13th an unlucky day.

Hey Eric, have you ever seen the movie Friday the 13th?

Oh no, I hate horror movies.

Let's talk about something that brings good luck.

We think it's lucky to knock on wood.

Let's say you're up for a big promotion at work and you're talking about what you would do if you got it.

You might say, if I get this promotion, knock on wood.

And then tap on the table a couple times, like you were knocking on the door.

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