Kathy’s green blouse is more than just her favorite item of clothing. It’s her lucky charm.“Every time I wear this, good things happen,”says Kathy.“

I’ll either find a great bargain or an excellent parking place. People are nicer to me. I wear it every time I’m feeling a little shaky–like if I have a big date. That way I know that things will go well.”

　　凯西的绿衬衫不只是她最喜爱的衣物，也是她的幸运符。“每一次穿上它就有好事发生。”凯西说，“我会找到物超所值的东西，或是很好的停车位。大家对我都很友善。每当我觉得不太有把握的时候我就穿这件衣服，比方说有重要约会的时候。然后我就知道事情会顺利进行。”

　　Is Kathy kidding herself? If so, she’s not alone. Millions of people believe that a good luck charm can make a difference. It can be an object that a person carries or an item of clothing; it can be a traditional symbol of luck or something of specific sentimental value. Whatever it is, the power these charms have for the bearer is very strong.

　　凯西在欺骗自己吗？如果是，她并非惟一的一个。上百万人相信幸运符会改变情势。它可以是某人随身携带的一样东西或是一件衣服，它可以是一种传统幸运符，或是某件有在感情上有特殊价值的东西。不管是什么，这些护身符赋予持有者的力量非常强大。

　　Traditional good luck charms vary from culture to culture. In the West, rabbit’s feet are considered lucky, as are horseshoes and any penny you find by accident. In Japan, one enterprising businessman has begun selling small gold lumps that look like human excrement; because in Japanese“excrement”is a homonym for“luck”. Even if they’ve done nothing for the many people who’ve bought them, they’ve already brought the businessman good fortune.

　　传统的幸运符因文化不同而有差异。在西方，兔子脚被视为幸运的象征，马蹄铁和你无意中发现的一分钱铜币也是一样。在日本，有个富于想象的生意人开始销售看起来像人类粪便的小金块，因为在日文中“粪便”和“好运”的发音相同。就算这东西对很多买了它的人没起什么作用，但它已经给那个生意人带来了好运。

　　But do they work? It’s possible–if people think they do. Recently, in England, 100 people were given a coin they were told was lucky and were asked to carry it for a month. Thirty percent of the group later reported that their luck had indeed improved, although they also said that carrying the coin improved their confidence and optimism about the future. Coincidence? Probably not–as the playwright Tennessee Williams once said,“Luck is believing you’re lucky.”

　　但是那些东西真的有用吗？有可能，如果大家相信它们有用的话。最近在英国，100个人拿了一个据称会带来好运的硬币，并且被要求带在身上1个月。这群人中有30%后来报告说，他们的运气真的改善了，不过他们也说带着这个硬币增强了他们的自信心和对未来的乐观态度。是巧合吗？也许不是。正如剧作家田纳西·威廉斯曾说：“幸运就是相信自己运气好。”