WHY ARE BROKEN MIRRORS BELIEVED TO BE UNLUCKY? Breaking a mirror is said to bring seven years' bad luck. Although most people may claim that they are not (1) (SUPERSTITION) __________, they would nonetheless be a little (2) (COMFORT) __________ if they did break a mirror. This age-old superstition is likely to have come from the ancient (3) (BELIEVE) __________ that when a person looked at their (4) (REFLEX) __________, they were seeing their own soul. If that reflection was broken, then the soul would be (5) (DESTRUCTION) __________. The seven-year period probably arises from another ancient belief, that the body replaced itself every seven years. After this time had passed the soul would then be (6) (RENEW) __________. Superstitions (7) (SURROUND) __________ mirrors don't end there. Break one in Yorkshire, and you'll lose your best friend, and in America, it's not bad luck to break one on (8) (PURPOSIVE) __________. If you do it (9) (ACCIDENT) __________, simply take out a dollar bill and make the sign of the cross. In many countries it's a common (10) (CUSTOMARY) __________ to cover any mirrors in the house with a cloth when someone has died.