Folk Fiction?
According to Irish folklore, this mischievous little shoemaker hides a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. If you catch him, he might grant you three wishes—but blink, and he’s gone!
What is a leprechaun?
This is the legal term for the formal decision or finding made by a jury.
What is a Verdict?
Anemone
A brightly colored sea creature with tentacles—or a flowering plant with delicate petals.
uh·neh·muh·nee
Liam buys 4 granola bars at $1.25 each and pays with a $10 bill. How much change should he get back?
What is $5?
This mammal can curl into a nearly impenetrable ball by folding up its keratin-plated scales when threatened by predators.
What is pangolin or armadillo?
This giant lumberjack from American tall tales is best friends with a giant blue ox named Babe.
Who is Paul Bunyan?
A formal accusation by a grand jury that there is enough evidence to bring criminal charges against a person
What is an “indictment”?
Mnemonics
Memory aids—like acronyms or rhymes—that help you remember things.
nuh·maa·nuhks
Emma watches 3 movies back-to-back. The first is 1 hour 45 minutes, the second is 2 hours 10 minutes, and the third is 1 hour 35 minutes.
If she starts at 4:15 PM, what time does she finish?
What is 9:45 PM?
This nocturnal mammal emits high-frequency sound waves and interprets their echoes to “see” in complete darkness with sonar-like precision.
What is a Bat?
This Scottish water spirit appears as a beautiful horse and lures riders onto its back—before galloping into the water to drown them.
What is a kelpie?
A now-rare term meaning a person declared outside the protection of the law, often subject to arrest or worse on sight.
What is "Outlawry"?
Synecdoche
A figure of speech where a part is used to represent the whole, or vice versa (like “wheels” for “car”).
suh·nek·duh·kee
A farmer has chickens and cows. There are 28 heads and 84 legs. How many cows are there?
What is 14 Cows?
This amphibian species can completely regrow lost limbs, including bones, muscles, nerves, and even skin patterns, within a few weeks.
What is a salamander?
In Icelandic tradition, this monstrous Christmas cat eats people who don’t receive new clothes before the holidays.
What is the Yule Cat (Jólakötturinn)?
A bizarre but real legal term describing property so intermingled that it can’t be returned to its original owner
What is "confusion of goods"?
Chiaroscuro
An art technique that uses strong contrasts between light and dark.
kee·aa·ruh·skyur·ow
A train leaves at 2:00 PM traveling 60 mph. Another train leaves the same station at 3:30 PM going 90 mph. At what time will the second train catch up?
What is 6:30?
This small, colorful insect can see ultraviolet light—wavelengths that are completely invisible to the human eye—allowing it to spot flower patterns and mates we can’t perceive.
What is a Butterfly?
In Japanese folklore, this creature is a raccoon-dog with shapeshifting powers, a sake bottle, and very exaggerated anatomy.
What is a tanuki?
A Latin phrase meaning “let the buyer beware,” often used in cases involving shady purchases
What is caveat emptor?
Otorhinolaryngologist
A medical specialist who treats conditions of the ear, nose, and throat
ow·tow·rai·now·leh·ruhn·gaa·luh·juhst
A rectangle’s length is 3 times its width. If its perimeter is 96 cm, what is the area?
What is 432 cm²?
This shrimp relative throws the fastest punch in the animal kingdom—its club-like limb strikes with the acceleration of a bullet, creating a shockwave that can break glass.
What is a Mantis Shrimp?