Different cultures have traditionally held differing superstitious beliefs, beliefs that are deemed "irrational." Such beliefs go back to ancient cultures such as the Greeks and Romans, 36 believed that natural occurrences were a result of actions of the gods. Such fear of the gods was what the Romans meant by superstition. 

   In Western cultures, some superstitions actually caused more bad luck such as the belief in England that cats were witches and that they were the cause of the Plague. 37 killing off the cats, the English caused the rat population to flourish, and, thus increase disease. But cats have been part of superstitious beliefs for ages. The black cat crossing one's path 38 bad luck, for example. Cats are also supposed to suck the breath away from babies, killing them.

    Many superstitious beliefs are connected to religion. For instance, if one holds out a cross or wears one, the person can ward off evil. Certain talismans worn or hung in houses were to have warded off evil. Saint Gregory I the Great ordered that people say "God Bless You" when someone sneezed 39 ward off disease. 

   One of the oddest superstitions seems that of wishing someone to "break a leg" when one actually wishes him/her well. It all started a long while back when someone said, "Good luck" and some actor broke a leg. So now people say pretty much the 40 to ward off bad luck. At least this one makes sense when one knows its origin.

   An endangered animal or plant is a species that is considered in immediate danger of becoming extinct. Its population is very small and it needs active 41 to survive. Extinction has occurred throughout history, but increased dramatically in recent times due to the growth of the human population. The species extinction rate is now one species per day, which will lead to a dramatic decrease in the 42 of life on earth. 

   Many marine mammal scientists are now becoming concerned with the drop in numbers of dolphins. River dolphins that live in Asia and the Amazon are 43 due to dam building and habitat destruction. Another concern is the number of dolphins dying in the tuna fisheries of the eastern tropical Pacific. Historically, yellow-fin tuna has been caught by encircling the dolphins that swim above the tuna with purse seine nets. Over 100,000 dolphins per year died in the 1970s and early 1980s after being caught in tuna nets, and several species of dolphins in the eastern tropical Pacific are now considered 44 under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Efforts of environmental organizations and consumers led to "dolphin-safe" labeling of canned tuna, and a 98% reduction in dolphin 45 since 1990. However, recent changes in US and international laws have reopened this complex issue, and the outcome is in doubt. Fortunately, the major companies have all promised to sell only tuna that is caught without encircling dolphins.

   We all probably know someone who is intelligent, but does surprisingly stupid things. What does it mean to be smart or intelligent？Our everyday use of the term is meant to describe someone who is knowledgeable and makes wise decisions, but this definition is at odds with how intelligence is traditionally measured. The most widely known measure of intelligence is the intelligence quotient, more commonly known as the IQ test, which includes visuospatial puzzles, math problems, pattern recognition, vocabulary questions, and visual searches. 

   The advantages of being intelligent are undeniable. Intelligent people are more likely to get better grades and go farther in school. They are more likely to be successful at work. And they are less likely to get into trouble（e.g., commit crimes）as adolescents. Given all the advantages of intelligence, though, you may be surprised to learn that it does not predict other life outcomes, such as well-being. You might imagine that doing well in school or at work might lead to greater life satisfaction, but several large scale studies have failed to find evidence that IQ impacts life satisfaction or longevity. Grossman and his colleagues argue that most intelligence tests fail to capture real-world decision-making and our ability to interact well with others. This is, in other words, perhaps why “smart” people, do “dumb” things. 

   The ability to think critically, on the other hand, has been associated with wellness and longevity. Though often confused with intelligence, critical thinking is not intelligence. Critical thinking is a collection of cognitive skills that allow us to think rationally in a goal-orientated fashion, and a disposition to use those skills when appropriate. Critical thinkers are amiable skeptics. They are flexible thinkers who require evidence to support their beliefs and recognize fallacious attempts to persuade them. Critical thinking means overcoming all sorts of cognitive biases.