Dan: Are you awake?
Emma:  Yeah.
Dan: Oh, good.  I've been reading this really interesting article about superstitions.
Emma: Uh-huh.
Dan: Some of these things I've never heard of before.
Emma: Go on.
Dan: So apparently in Australia, you're not allowed to, or you shouldn't, take a picture of an Aboriginal person.
Emma: Oh, wow.  I wonder why?
Dan: Well it says that Aboriginal people think the photo will take their spirit away.
Emma: Really?  Actually, I feel uncomfortable when people take my picture, too.
Dan: For the same reason?
Emma: No, I just don't like it.
Dan: Right.  Anyway, there's more stuff like this.  So in China, you should avoid giving gifts in sets of four.  The Chinese character for four can be pronounced the same way as death.
Emma: Oh, so you can't give presents?
Dan: You can give presents, but don't give them four at a time.
Emma: Four, OK.
Dan: This has never been a problem for me because I think just one present is enough.
Emma: Fair enough.
Dan: Do you know the ladder one?
Emma: About if you walk underneath a ladder, that brings bad luck?
Dan: Yes, that one.  Do you know why?
Emma: No, no idea.
Dan: I never knew this either.  It says it's something to do with the ladder making a triangle shape and triangles were considered sacred to people.
Emma: Oh, wow.
Dan: So if you walk through them, you're desecrating the sacred space. . . .