Lala

Unit 4: Writing ex. 5 page 21
Many times, parents have told children about things that may happen to them if they do certain things, but this is just an old wives’tale. Parents’ intentions are always good, but they are wrong. There are some old wives tales in my country that are very common and that people still believe in eventhough most of them are not true.
Parents usually tell their children not to swallow their gum because it will stick to their ribs. I personally do not believe it istrue but any children today still think it is a fact. Like everything else that you swallow, gum will go straight into your stomach and be digested without sticking toanything. Even though the gum is sticky, the lining of the stomach won’t allow anything to stick to it.
I often crack my knuckles and I have been told tons oftimes that it causes arthritis. This one also is not true but knuckle cracking is not really good for your health. While it is true that constant knuckle cracking canreduce the strength of your grip and cause swelling, it certainly does not lead to arthritis.
Another old wives’ tale very common is that sitting too close to thetelevision will deteriorate your eyesight. I do not think it is one hundred percent true but I do think that your eyes may become tired if you sit too close for a long timeor if the light in the room you are watching television is too dim.
Many old wives’ tales have been told from generation to generation in my country, without beingscientifically proved. Many people nowadays still think of them as true and advise their children not to do some things lest come what parents think will happen.