Double Talk
The Big Apple, followed by the state in which you can find it
What is New York, New York? The city’s original name was New Amsterdam.
This national park is located primarily in Wyoming.
What is Yellowstone? It was the first national park in the world, and its top attraction is the Old Faithful geyser.
Canada’s Independence Day is celebrated during this month.
What is July? July 1 is Canada Day. The holiday commemorates the day in 1867 when Canada’s original three provinces—Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Canada province—were united into one nation.
This American international airline epitomized luxury travel during the 1960s and featured flight attendants in baby blue uniforms.
What is Pan Am? The heyday of Pan Am is often compared to what the Orient Express meant to train travel.
On road trips or sitting on the bus to summer camp, kids would sing a song about beer that started with this number.
What is 99? The title is “99 Bottles of Beer” and it begins:
“Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of beer. Take one down, pass it around, 98 bottles of beer on the wall...”
On July 1, 1961, Princess Diana was born and later became the Princess of Wales when she married the heir to the British throne. This was her title and name before she married then-Prince Charles.
What is Lady Diana Spencer? She was known as “The People’s Princess” and tragically passed away in an automobile accident on August 30, 1997.
Part of a ballerina’s costume
What is tutu? The word comes from the French cucu, which means “bottom.” They first appeared in 1832 at a ballet in Paris.
Roy Orbison was the original performer of this hit 1960s song about a low-lying body of water.
What is “Blue Bayou”? Linda Ronstadt’s late ’70s cover of “Blue Bayou” was also a hit.
These are Canada’s equivalent to U.S. states.
What are provinces? Canada has 10 provinces.
This is the national airline of France.
What is Air France? The airline was fully state-owned until 2003, when all but 18 percent of the company became privately owned.
“I’m a man of means by no means” is a line from this popular 1965 song by Roger Miller.
What is “King of the Road”? The song tells of a man who’s left the traditional way of life behind for the freedom of the open road.
On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law this act that provides health insurance to Americans aged 65 and older.
What is Medicare? The act amended the Social Security Act, which became law in 1935.
Baby’s first word (typically)
What is mama (or dada)? Infants typically spend most of their time with their mothers and fathers, and both names are easy words to learn. Many cultures use short, repeating words for mother and father.
This novel by Alice Walker was made into a movie starring Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, and Oprah Winfrey in 1985.
What is The Color Purple? Steven Spielberg directed the film and called it his first serious film.
Canada has this number of territories.
What is three? The three territories are governed by the federal government.
“Fly the friendly skies” was this airline’s famous slogan.
What is United Airlines? “Fly the friendly skies of United” was first introduced by United in 1965.
When hiking in a national park, you might run into this bear who warns, “Only you can prevent wildfires.”
Who is Smokey? The Smokey Bear campaign was inaugurated in 1944, making Smokey and his message 80 years old.
The hottest days of summer in the northern hemisphere occur between July 3 and August 11 and are colloquially known as this.
What are the dog days of summer? In addition to heat, these days bring high humidity.
Jokes young kids tell
What is knock-knock? These jokes are timeless, and some are really cute.
The Kremlin is adjacent to this UNESCO World Heritage Site that has been a gathering place for centuries.
What is Red Square? The word red in this case has nothing to do with the color or communism. Krasnyi is the Old Russian word for “red” and also means “beautiful” or “pretty.”
This is the name of Canada’s transcontinental east-west highway.
What is the Trans-Canada Highway? It runs the entire length of Canada, from British Columbia in the west to Newfoundland in the east.
EL AL is the national carrier of this Middle Eastern country.
What is Israel? The airline’s name comes from the book of Hosea and loosely translates to “to the skies.”
The best view of this natural light display in Earth’s polar regions would be far from the lights of civilization.
What are the aurora borealis (or the northern lights)? The lights are caused by the interaction between charged particles (electrons and protons) and Earth’s magnetic field.
This is the easiest way to retain hydration in a garden’s soil during the brutal heat of July.
What is mulching? Adding a top layer of mulch also controls weeds.
Another name for a saddle (Oxford) shoe during the 1940s–1960s
(Hint: The name was inspired by the cheerleaders who wore them at pep rallies.)
What is rah-rah? Interestingly, rah-rah shoes are popular again today, but they’re a little different than they were back then. Today’s in-demand Rah-Rah’s are limited-edition Italian high-top sneakers designed by Sherard Sharpe.
Salacious, lurid, and/or sensational reporting is sometimes referred to as this.
What is yellow journalism? The term originated during a furious competition between two New York City newspapers. The online equivalent is known as “clickbait,” which uses sensational and often misleading headlines to get readers interested in the story.
Name one of the three Canadian territories.
What is Northwest Territories, Nunavut, or Yukon? Nunavut was the last territory created by statute in 1999. Previously, it was part of the Northwest Territories.
This is Australia’s national airline.
What is Qantas? The name stands for “Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services,” and it was first registered as a business in November 1920. The kangaroo has been featured on the airline’s livery since 1944.
This overnight train chugs through a vast swath of Middle America on its north-south route and is memorialized by Arlo Guthrie’s 1972 hit tune of the same name.
What is the City of New Orleans? Amtrak still runs the route with the same name. The 900-mile (1,448-kilometer) trip takes 19 hours and has 23 stops along the full route.
July’s full moon is known as this.
What is the (full) buck moon? The moon gets this name from the male deer (buck), which in July is in its final month of antler growth. The antlers regrow each year, often slightly bigger than the year prior.
Middle Eastern salad or side dish
What is couscous? The grain is typically made from semolina and is a staple in the Middle East and North Africa.
A reward program that became popular nationwide starting in the 1930s, these were an early form of coupons put out by the Sperry & Hutchinson Company.
What are S&H Green Stamps? Green Stamps were offered in certain regions beginning in 1896, but they were most widely distributed in the U.S. between the 1930s and the 1980s, with a peak in the 1960s and ’70s.
Canada Day went by this name originally.
What is Dominion Day? It was renamed Canada Day in 1982, when the country gained independence from England.
This Netherlands’ national carrier was founded in October 1919 and is considered the oldest operating airline in the world. It merged with Air France in 2004.
What is KLM? Its full name is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Since the merger in 2004, KLM still flies under its own name.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, has this extremely long and high suspension footbridge.
What is the Capilano Suspension Bridge? It’s the longest footbridge in the world and spans the Capilano River. The original version dates to the 19th century. The bridge stands (or more accurately, swings) 230 feet (70 meters) above the river and spans 450 feet (137 meters).
This national celebration in France happens every July and draws huge crowds to the streets of Paris.
What is Bastille Day? It commemorates the storming of the Bastille in 1789, which sparked the French Revolution.