Sporting Superstitions - Unit 9
B2 First · Open Cloze · Ready for B2 First 4th Edition, Macmillan Education Limited
For questions 1–8, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in each space. There is an example at the beginning.
Most of (0) ___ have routines, habits and superstitions. We'll wear our lucky shirt to an interview, arrange our cutlery in a particular way or turn the oven off three times, just to (1) ___ sure. In a competitive environment, in (2) ___ athletes are all going for gold, years of training, drastic diets and intense coaching might just (3) ___ be enough ... so, sometimes, the Olympians turn (4) ___ luck for extra support. 'Superstition is very common in sport most of all because of the uncertainty of the outcome,' says sports psychologist Dr George Silk. 'Athletes use it so they can rely on something else other (5) ___ their own consciousness. Sport is generally based on repetition and superstition means being in control, adding a safety net. It affects the mind and not the body. If you convince (6) ___ that you are in luck, you'll boost your confidence and tend to perform better. And if you fail, you can always blame it (7) ___ the luck.' So, (8) ___ they may know deep down that a 'lucky' pair of socks won't take them over the line any faster, many athletes stick to their rituals for that little bit of confidence, belief and a sense of security.
Sporting Superstitions
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