Food on the floor, screaming and crying… If you’re a parent or have ever been at a restaurant with children present, you know that can be an unwelcome part of the experience. But some people have children who actually behave pretty well while dining … Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The New Yorker is an American magazine known for its sophisticated tone, liberal political perspective, varied literary fare, and witty single-panel cartoons. It was founded by journalist Harold Ross, who aimed to create a sophisticated, metropolitan magazine—in contrast to publications such as Life, which he saw as unrefined. Now one of the most respected publications in the US, The New Yorker is recognized for its strict style and high-quality content. Who is its mascot? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
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Since the 1930s the town of Menton, France, has celebrated its annual Lemon Festival. Festival organizers expect about 300,000 people to visit the town during the festival in order to enjoy the parades—featuring larger-than-life-sized figurines made entirely of citrus fruit, a specialty of the region—and other activities. Performances of local folk music and dance also take place during the festival. In addition, visitors may stroll by scenes from famous stories reconstructed out of citrus fruits and displayed in one of the city’s parks. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Born in France to a Spanish father and French-Dutch mother, Nin began her literary career in Paris in the 1930s but did not receive widespread recognition until the 60s. Frequently moving between France and the US, Nin was influenced by psychoanalysis and Surrealism. Her intensely personal diaries were the basis for many of her novels and stories, which are noted for their poetic style and searching portraits of women. She was also known for her relationship with which well-known author? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
In 1939, American educator Frank Cyr organized the first national standards conference for school transportation. One of the most memorable accomplishments of the conference was the selection of a highly visible, standardized color for school buses that would allow them to be easily identified by other motorists. The hue became known as “National School Bus Chrome,” and Cyr was hailed as the “Father of the Yellow School Bus.” According to Cyr, what was the main priority of conference attendees? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (adjective) Showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering.
Synonyms: careworn, drawn, raddled, worn.
Usage: His face was ghastly pale; his chin had a brown cut on it—a cut half healed; his expression was haggard and drawn, as by intense suffering.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
He’d been waiting for this day, and when his doctor handed him the mirror, Andy Sandness stared at his image and absorbed the enormity of the moment: He had a new face, one that had belonged to another man. His father and his brother, joined by several doctors … Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
“The Met” is the foremost repository of art in the US, with a collection of more than two million works of art. Established for the purpose of encouraging the study of fine art, the museum opened in 1872 with just one stone sarcophagus and 174 paintings. However, the collection quickly outgrew its gallery space and in 1880 was moved to its iconic present-day location on the eastern edge of Central Park. In recent decades, the Met has used what controversial practice to acquire high-quality art? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Adams was an American photographer famous for his black-and-white landscape photographs and for his many books about photography, including a series of technical instruction manuals: The Camera, The Negative, and The Print. He invented the “zone system,” a technique for determining optimal film exposure and development, and advocated a more sharply focused and composed style of photography than was in vogue at the time. What initially spurred his interest in photography? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
An icebreaker is a ship specially designed to force its way through ice-covered waters. Whether powered by gas turbines, diesel-electric power, or nuclear energy, icebreakers are expensive to build, very expensive to run, and uncomfortable to travel in on the open sea because they roll easily. Nevertheless, icebreakers are needed to keep trade routes open where there exist seasonal or permanent ice conditions. What three features must a ship possess in order to be considered an icebreaker? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary