Month: March 2022

production

arborization – The production of a treelike structure. More…

Broca’s area – An area of the brain involved with the production of speech; it was named after P. Paul Broca, a French surgeon. More…

economic, economical – Economic means “pertaining to the production and use of income,” and economical is “avoiding waste, being careful of resources.” More…

value-added tax – A tax levied on the difference between a commodity’s price before taxes and its cost of production. More…

Tunisia Gains Independence from France (1956)

Over the centuries, many nations have fought over, won, and lost the African country of Tunisia. It was under Ottoman rule from 1574 until the late 19th century, when France, England, and Italy contended for it. France emerged the victor. In 1955, it granted Tunisia complete internal self-government. Full independence came in 1956. A year later, the monarchy was abolished and Tunisia became a republic. Prior to the 2011 revolution, how many presidents had Tunisia had since gaining independence? Discuss

Charles William Eliot (1834)

Eliot was an educator and the president of Harvard from 1869 to 1909. Under his administration, Harvard developed from a small college with attached professional schools into a great modern university. Several notable reforms were introduced during his tenure: the elective system was extended, the curriculum was enriched, written exams became mandatory, and the faculty was enlarged. Eliot opposed football and tried unsuccessfully to abolish the game at Harvard. Why did he object to the sport? Discuss

Gregorian Chant

Gregorian chant is also known as plainchant or plainsong and is a form of monophonic, unaccompanied singing. It was developed in the Catholic church, mainly during the period 800-1000, and is based on Eastern models of Byzantine chant. Gregorian chant takes its name from Pope St. Gregory the Great, who is believed to have brought it to the West. In what ways is Gregorian chant different from modern music? Discuss

vote

co-opt – “To select (someone) for a group or club by a vote of members,” it is from Latin cooptare, “to choose as a colleague or member of one’s tribe”; its sense of “take over” came by 1953. More…

ostracism – In ancient Greece, when it was proposed that a person be sent into exile, a vote was taken and the method of registering the vote involved putting the name on a piece of broken pottery called ostrakon; casting the vote was ostrakizein, giving us English ostracism. More…

red state, blue state – A red state is any U.S. state that tends to vote for candidates of the Republican party in a general election; a blue state votes for Democratic candidates. More…

chirotonize – To elect by voting or to vote. More…

Sydney Harbour Bridge Opens (1932)

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of Australia’s major landmarks, connecting Sydney’s central business district with the North Shore. Nicknamed the “coat hanger” because of its arch-based design, it is among the world’s widest and longest bridges, and it towers as much as 440 feet (134 m) above the harbor. Despite opening during the Great Depression, the bridge was heralded by lavish festivities. How did a member of a right-wing paramilitary group interrupt the bridge’s ribbon-cutting ceremony? Discuss