Ladders Aren't Bad Luck, But...

A painting job, two squirrels and a lesson in superstition · 不是梯子倒霉 · 是松鼠捣乱

It sounded simple enough. Paint the back of the house. So my little brother and I got our paint, paint brushes, rags and a ladder, and headed to the back of the house.

We were working on scraping off the old paint when we heard this loud chattering noise. It was two squirrels chasing each other along a telephone line. They were jumping from tree to tree and running along the sides of houses. It was incredible to watch.

After a while, I got back to work. As I was scraping, I dropped the paint scraper. It fell under the ladder. I told my brother to get it for me, but he refused. He said it was bad luck to walk under a ladder.

"What are you talking about?" I said. "Don't be foolish!" I laughed at him and jumped down. Just to prove my point, I walked under the ladder back and forth three or four times. "Look, is anything bad or unlucky happening to me?"

I climbed up the ladder feeling that I had taught my little brother a lesson about superstitions. I started to paint. Then I saw the squirrels running along our roof and coming straight at me.

The first squirrel suddenly jumped on the ladder and ran down the side of it. The second squirrel followed and the two of them began circling at my feet. I was scared and moved too quickly. The paint spilled everywhere and the ladder started to sway. I jumped off the ladder, and luckily, landed on my feet. It hurt, but I was okay.

I looked at my brother. He was smiling at me with an "I told you so" look on his face. But I looked him straight in the eye and said, "Look! I told you. Ladders aren't bad luck. Squirrels are!"

Ladders Aren't Bad Luck, But... — A painting job, two squirrels and a lesson in superstition

It sounded simple enough. Paint the back of the house. So my little brother and I got our paint, paint brushes, r(1)__________ and a ladder, and headed to the back of the house.

We were working on scraping off the old paint when we heard this loud c(2)__________ noise. It was two squirrels chasing each other along a telephone line. They were jumping from tree to tree and running along the sides of houses. It was i(3)__________ to watch.

After a while, I got back to work. As I was scraping, I dropped the paint scraper. It fell under the ladder. I told my brother to get it for me, but he r(4)__________. He said it was bad luck to walk under a ladder.

"What are you talking about?" I said. "Don't be f(5)__________!" I laughed at him and jumped down. Just to prove my point, I walked under the ladder back and forth three or four times. "Look, is anything bad or u(6)__________ happening to me?"

I climbed up the ladder feeling that I had taught my little brother a lesson about s(7)__________. I started to paint. Then I saw the squirrels running along our roof and coming s(8)__________ at me.

The first squirrel suddenly jumped on the ladder and ran down the side of it. The second squirrel followed and the two of them began circling at my feet. I was scared and moved too quickly. The paint s(9)__________ everywhere and the ladder started to s(10)__________. I jumped off the ladder, and luckily, landed on my feet. It hurt, but I was okay.

I looked at my brother. He was smiling at me with an "I told you so" look on his face. But I looked him straight in the eye and said, "Look! I told you. Ladders aren't bad luck. Squirrels are!"

📌 重点单词 · Key Vocabulary

🔗 重点词组 · Key Phrases

💡 语法小贴士 · Grammar Tips

🪜 文化拓展 · Ladders, Luck and Laughter

本文围绕一个西方家喻户晓的迷信展开："walking under a ladder brings bad luck"（从梯子下面走过会带来厄运）。这类迷信源自中世纪的欧洲——梯子靠墙形成的三角形曾被看作三位一体的象征，穿过它就是"闯入神圣区域"；而从梯子下走过也确实可能被上面的工具或油漆砸中，算是"有实用依据"的安全提示。

西方常见的迷信还有不少：打破镜子会倒霉七年（mirror superstition）、黑猫挡路不吉利（black cat crossing）、数字 13 不祥（所以许多楼房没有 13 层）、敲木头避邪（knock on wood）等。有意思的是，很多西方人"半信半疑"地遵守着这些规矩，就像文中的弟弟，宁可信其有。

故事的幽默在于结尾的反转：哥哥证明了自己没倒霉，却是靠运气；真正"作祟"的也不是梯子，而是两只捣乱的松鼠。一句 "Ladders aren't bad luck. Squirrels are!" 既保住了哥哥的面子，又巧妙承认了"有些事就是那么巧"——与其迷信，不如对生活多一点幽默感。