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Friday the 13th

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Friday the 13th

Date: Mar 11 2009

Themes: Alternative, Holidays

Grammar: Simple Past Tense

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Intro

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For superstitious people, Friday the 13th is the scariest day of the year. Some people believe that whenever the 13th day of the month falls on a Friday, it’s an unlucky day. This year there are two Friday the 13ths. The first one happened last month, and this Friday will be the next one.

Friday the 13th is also the name of a classic slasher movie that has recently been remade. In the original film, a young boy, Jason Voorhees, drowns in a lake while he’s away at summer camp. His mother takes her revenge by killing all the camp counselors and then Jason comes back to kill people for 13 more movies. Ella and Marni both love slasher films. Listen to them talk about Friday the 13th, the new movie and the day.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Ella

Ella

 Marni

Marni

Ella:  Oh my gosh. I love scary movies.

Marni:  Me too. I can’t get enough of them.

Ella:  Have you seen Friday the 13th?

Marni:  Now are you talking about the original or the remake?

Ella:  Um, I think the one that just came out.

Marni:  Yes, it is a remake actually of the original. But the first one at Camp Silver Creek, I mean, I loved it, and it was totally terrifying, and it really started this whole genre.

Ella:  Of slasher films?

Marni:  Slasher films, and you know, Jason Voorhees, and you would just think of that hockey mask and be terrified. You never looked at a hockey mask the same!

Ella:  Yeah! Well isn’t he supposed to be dead, didn’t he drown at the camp?

Marni:  The whole premise is that he was a boy who drowned at the camp, and everybody… his mom felt like he should’ve been saved. I mean, ‘cause in the original, the mother was actually the villain.

Ella:  Oh, well that’s different. You don’t expect that.

Marni:  Yeah…Does Friday the 13th freak you out? Are you superstitious?

Ella:  I don’t know, I haven’t had anything bad happen to me yet, but I was extra cautious.

Marni:  I always feel that way too. But I definitely know that people…some people…I have friends that are terribly superstitious and they won’t even leave the house.

Ella:  Yeah, and they watch for the black cats.

Marni:  Exactly, don’t walk under a ladder…

Ella:  Don’t break a mirror…

Marni:  All those things.

 

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Discussion

Ella and Marni talk about the classic slasher film, Friday the 13th, which has just been remade. The earlier Friday the 13th films forever changed the way people looked at hockey masks, because the killer in the film wears one.

Neither Ella nor Marni are very superstitious. However, they still think it’s a good idea to be extra careful on Friday the 13th. Marni knows some people who are extremely superstitious. They get scared on Friday the 13th and they also follow other superstitions. For example, they try to avoid black cats, they don’t walk under ladders, and they try not to break any mirrors.

Are you superstitious or do you know someone who’s superstitious? What are some superstitions in your country?

 

Comments

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mengs

mengs

Philippines

I am not that supertitious but i always make it a point to be more extra careful and aware of my environment.  I am not like other people who wants to stay at home every friday the 13th because they afraid they might be killed or something, because I believe that wherever you are if its your time, then its your time. :-) 

07:45 AM Mar 12 2009 |

ceylia

China

i think it depends you.but in my country ,most of people are buddhists. i just want to know that the original of the friday the 13th(i mean why people say that it is the worst day in the year? )

06:51 AM Mar 12 2009 |

yuber_19

yuber_19

Spain

I'm not a superstitious but I have a reverse thing that when I see somthing I feel that my day will be lucky or when I wear a bangle which from someone close to me I get a feeling that I'll be succeed in something that I have to pass .

 there are some superstitions in my country that I don't believe in like seeing black cats or owl .

06:04 AM Mar 12 2009 |

徐慧

徐慧

China

'Friday the 13th'? never heard that before,totally different conception about 'superstitious'.

05:16 AM Mar 12 2009 |

tiagon85

Brazil

I´m not superstitious, it is something that i really don´t care about. However, I love slasher movies, and Friday the 13th is one of my favorities.

03:09 AM Mar 12 2009 |

Sagandres

Sagandres

Colombia

I´m not superstitious, because in my life always I have been in contact with natural science, and scientific method and positivism, then I don´t believe in those things.  But in my country exists many superstitions related to Catholic believes and ancient prehispanic traditions. 

03:09 AM Mar 12 2009 |

cheercherry

China

Yahooo…you  got that right! But I don't think this very culture will carry on forever…you know my parents don't believe in it nor me lol…

02:08 AM Mar 12 2009 |

dbf_fonseca

Brazil

Ohhh, the first Friday the 13th is the best one on my opinion, it's really scary.

And about superstitious, I think we need to open our minds cause this things does not exists, it's just coincidence.

12:28 AM Mar 12 2009 |

sallyj

sallyj

Jordan

i sometimes behave like a superstitious person.For example,i feel bad when i see a black cat in my way,or when i hear the cawing of the crow.These signs make me feel afraidFrown

Friday the 13th is not common for me,but i think that i'll take care of myself on this day…just in case!!

by the way i love scary and slasher films…

scary movies are more than just amazing for me..Boooooo

08:42 PM Mar 11 2009 |

carlosbertholdi

Brazil

Superstition is for people with no logic in their minds. What's the reason behind a black cat or walk under a ladder give you bad luck, you know, it's just nonsense. WHAT IS LUCK anyway there is no such a thing as luck. Think people, think and the science be with you.

08:13 PM Mar 11 2009 |

Cool_Lucky

Cool_Lucky

Ukraine

I dont like these films,they are have poor budget!!

08:09 PM Mar 11 2009 |

guitar_61

guitar_61

Russian Federation

I liked the old ones the new ones just suck.

actually the number 13 itself is kinda similar in most of the cultures and they consider 13 and also the number 7.

06:54 PM Mar 11 2009 |

Goolies

Germany

I'm not superstitios. My man was born on Friday the 13th. And I love him and we are very happy. 

06:43 PM Mar 11 2009 |

c_kuo

China

i dislike slasher movies at all though i'm a slasherLaughing

06:32 PM Mar 11 2009 |

c_kuo

China

i dislike slasher movies at all though i'm a slasherLaughing

06:32 PM Mar 11 2009 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

Anyway,I like scary and slasher films! How many more tense is better! hehe I’m nothing superstitious :P

06:03 PM Mar 11 2009 |

lylymiranda

Russian Federation

I`m not superstitious. I don`t afraid black cats, broken mirrors. Smile

 

04:30 PM Mar 11 2009 |

manito888

Mexico

thanks its really interesting i wont belive in freddy anymore

04:25 PM Mar 11 2009 |

sweet chocolate24

United Arab Emirates

oh its my first time to know that the 13th of every month is a cursed day….!!!!!!

03:09 PM Mar 11 2009 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

Did you know,that friday the 13th it has nothing to do with bad luck? It has to do with dogmas by catholic church that says the extermination of the Templar Knights occured in this day,this way,it not means lack of luck for us and yes,lack of luck for them that died! hahaha

02:31 PM Mar 11 2009 |

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