Mr. Bean's Holiday: Luck

This Mr. Bean's scene is great to warm-up topics about luck or coincidences. Mr. Bean is great for all sort of activities. My students had a blast.

A. Read the definition of LUCK below and discuss the questions that follow:


Luck or fortuity is good or bad fortune in life caused by accident or chance, and attributed by some to reasons of faith or superstition, which happens beyond a person's control.



1. Do you agree with this definition?


2. Does luck exist or is it just coincidence? Explain it.


3. Does luck really exist was it it fate, which is supposed to be pre-determined in our lives? Explain it.


4. Look at the kinds of luck described below. Can you think of practical examples for each one of them?


a. Constitutional luck, that is, luck with factors that cannot be changed. Place of birth and genetic constitution are typical examples.


b. Circumstantial luck—with factors that are randomly brought on. Accidents and epidemics are typical examples.


c. Ignorance luck, that is, luck with factors one does not know about. Examples can be identified only in hindsight, the ability to understand an event only after it happened.




5. An approach to luck includes the application of the rules of probability, and an avoidance of unscientific beliefs. Do you agree with it? Why (not)?


6. Do you agree with this statement: Some encourage the belief in luck as a false idea, but which may produce positive thinking, and change one's responses for the better. Why (not)?


7. People who believe in good luck are more optimistic, more satisfied with their lives, and have better moods. Do you agree? Why (not)?


8. Do you believe in good luck charms? Give examples of some popular luck charms people believe in where you live.


9. A penny, a rabbit's foot, a rock, a necklace, any coin can be consider to be a good luck charm.The four-leaf clover is the best known lucky symbol around the world and across many very different cultures. It is the most common yet the hardest to find. Do you have any luck charms?


10. How are superstitions and luck connected?



B. Watch the movie segment from the movie Mr. Bean's Holiday. Then answer the questions that follow.





1. Describe the scene.


2. Was Mr. Bean lucky or was it just a coincidence?


3. What kind of luck was it, according to the item 4 in exercise A? Constitutional, circumstantial, or ignorance? Justify it.


4. What was the prize Mr. Bean won?


5. How surprised was he?


6. Have you ever won a bingo or the lottery? What was your luckiest prize?


7. Do you consider yourself a lucky person? Why (not)?


8. What about Mr. Bean? Is he lucky?

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - MR BEAN'S HOLIDAY