lamb – In Gothic times, lamb was used for “adult sheep” as well as “baby sheep.” More…
rack of lamb – A roast of the rib section of lamb. More…
shepherd’s pie – Got its name from the meat it originally contained—lamb or mutton. More…
white meat – The pale meat of poultry, rabbit, or veal; red meat is from beef or lamb. More…
Kyrgyztan declared independence from the Soviet Union on August 31, 1991, along with other central Asian republics as the Soviet empire crumbled. Located along the famed Silk Road, the trade route connecting the eastern and western parts of Eurasia, the country is mostly mountainous, part of the Tien-Shan, or Celestial Mountains. Independence Day is a national public holiday in the Kyrgyz Republic. Discuss
To become more successful, popular, important, or accepted. Watch the video
In the 1920s, husband-and-wife sociologists Robert and Helen Lynd arrived in Muncie, Indiana, with the goal of identifying the town’s cultural norms and determining what social changes had taken place since 1890. In their published report, they kept the location anonymous, identifying Muncie as “Middletown.” They returned during the Great Depression to study its impact and found that the town’s values had changed little. What did the Lynds find to be the ultimate status symbol during the 20s? Discuss
Definition: (noun) A definite liking; a strong inclination.
Synonyms: preference, taste, predilection.
Usage: Our boss humored Bobby’s penchant for playing jokes on people until he found himself on the receiving end of one such prank.
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arctic – Comes from the ancient Greeks’ word for north, arktikos, literally “of the bear”; arctic should be pronounced AHRK-tik. More…
above – Traces back to Old English bove, first meaning “north” and later taking the meaning of “overhead.” More…
true north – North according to the earth’s axis, not magnetic north. More…
cold – When the moon is far to the north, it is popularly called a cold moon. More…
St. Rose was the first canonized saint of the Americas, born in Lima, Peru, in 1586. She is the patron saint of Central and South America and the Philippines. She died in 1617 and was canonized in 1671. On her feast day, a candlelight procession takes place from her shrine in the church of Santo Domingo to the cathedral. Adults wear purple robes, while children wear white ones. People sing religious hymns as they accompany the rose-covered image to the cathedral. St. Rose’s Day is a public holiday throughout Peru. Discuss
To ridicule, mock, or tease someone or something; to make fun of someone or something. Watch the video
No man’s land is territory whose ownership is unclear or under dispute and is often unoccupied. The term—then spelled “nonesmanneslond”—was likely first used in medieval Europe to describe a contested territory or refuse dumping ground between fiefdoms. During WWI, it was used to refer to the land between enemy trenches too dangerous to occupy, and during the Cold War, it became associated with territories near the Iron Curtain. What stretch of no man’s land is known as the “Cactus Curtain”? Discuss
Definition: (adjective) Lasting a very short time.
Synonyms: fugacious, passing, short-lived, transitory, transient.
Usage: Spare me in my ephemeral happiness, leave it to me for a few days, for a few minutes.
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