There are many superstitions in Britain, but one of the most【C1】_____held is that it is unlucky to walk under a ladder—even if it means【C2】_____the pavement into a busy street!

【C3】_____you must pass under a ladder you can【C4】__bad luck by crossing your fingers and【C5】__them crossed until you have seen a dog.【C6】__, you may lick your finger and【C7】__a cross on the toe of your shoe, and not look again at the shoe until the【C8】_____has dried.

Another common【C9】_____is that it is unlucky to open an umbrella in the house—it will either bring 【C10】__to the person who opened it or to the whole【C11】__. Anyone opening an umbrella in fine weather is 【C12】_____, as it inevitably brings rain!

The number 13 is said to be unlucky for some, and when the 13th day of the month【C13】_____on a Friday, anyone wishing to avoid a bad event had better stay【C14】__. The worst misfortune that can happen to a person is caused by breaking a mirror, 【C15】__it brings seven years of bad luck! The superstition is supposed to【C16】_____ in ancient times, when mirrors were considered to be tools of the gods.

Black cats are generally considered lucky in Britain, even though they are【C17】_____witchcraft. It is【C18】_____ lucky if a black cat crosses your path—although in America the exact opposite belief prevails.

Finally, a commonly held superstition is that of touching wood【C19】_____luck. This measure is most often taken if you think you have said something that is tempting fate, such as “my car has never【C20】_____, touch wood?”

Older people must be given more chances to learn if they are to contribute to society rather than be a financial burden, according to a new study on population published recently.

The current approach which【C1】_____on younger people and on skills for employment not【C2】__to meet the challenges of demographic change, it says. Only 1％ of the education budget is【C3】_____spent on the oldest third of the population.

The【C4】_____include the fact that most people can expect to spend a third of their lives in【C5】__, that there are now more people over 59 than under 16 and that 11.3 million people are【C6】_____state pension age.

“【C7】_____needs to continue throughout life. Our historic concentration of policy attention and resources 【C8】__young people cannot meet the new【C9】_____,” says the report’s author, Professor Stephen McNair.

The major【C10】_____of our education budget is spent on people below the age of 25.【C11】__people are changing their jobs,【C12】__, partners and lifestyles more often than【C13】__, they need opportunities to learn at every age.【C14】_____some people are starting new careers in their 50s and later.

People need opportunities to make a “midlife review” to【C15】_____to the later stages of employed life, and to plan for the transition【C16】__retirement which may now happen【C17】_____at any point from 50 to over 90, says McNair.

And there should be more money【C18】_____to support people in establishing a【C19】__of identity and finding constructive【C20】_____for the “third age”, the 20 or more years they will spend in healthy retired life.