【明報專訊】Pat has a day out with her friends. On her way home, something is waiting for her in the dark... should she be worried?

「 Eason: Meow!!! 」

「 Pat: AARGH!!! 」

「 Pat: Why is it so cold here? 」

「 Dr Panda: Watch out, Pat! 」

「 Pat: I've had bad luck ever since I saw a black cat on the street last night. 」

「 Dr Panda: You should put rubbish properly into the bin. Don't let your personal feelings cloud your judgement! 」

■ Culture tips

Cats were worshipped by ancient Egyptians (picture). They became strongly associated with witchcraft and something evil and negative in the Middle Ages. Today, superstitions surrounding black cats are well-known. Depending on which country you are in, bumping into a black cat on the street can mean good luck (e.g. Japan) or bad luck (e.g. the US and many European countries). Therefore, black cats are less commonly adopted than bright coloured cats in the West. October 27 is National Black Cat Day in the United Kingdom - a day dedicated to black cats and intended to connect them to those who might be looking to purchase a kitten or rehome a cat.

■ English highway﹕

Cloud (v)

"Clouding your judgement" means making it difficult for you to understand a situation.

e.g. Anger clouded his judgement.

■ Glossary

worship (v) 崇拜

witchcraft (n) 巫術

superstition (n) 迷信

adopt (v) 領養