Numerical Expressions
The 1920s
Flowers and Plants
Grab Bag
Government Agencies
Notable November Events
100
This expression describes someone who feels like an unnecessary extra when accompanying a couple.
What is the third wheel?
Long before people said "third wheel," English speakers used the phrase "fifth wheel" as far back as the 1800s to describe something totally unnecessary, like an extra wheel on a four-wheeled horse-drawn wagon. Over time, "third wheel" won out because it is much easier to picture three people than five.
100
This is the nickname often given to the 1920s because of the decade's explosive economic prosperity and vibrant cultural shifts.
What is the Roaring 20s?
Some historians suggest the name may have been a playful spin on "the roaring forties"—a nautical term for the stormy, high-wind ocean latitudes between 40 and 50 degrees south.
100
This flower, by any other name, would smell as sweet.
What is a rose?
"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" is a famous quote from William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, spoken by Juliet in Act 2, Scene 2.
100
This World War II general was elected to be President in 1952
Who is Dwight D. Eisenhower?
Eisenhower planned and supervised two of the most consequential military campaigns of World War II: Operation Torch in the North Africa campaign in 1942–1943 and the invasion of Normandy in 1944.
100
This agency oversees the nation's space program and famously sent astronauts to the Moon.
What is the NASA?
The pressurized suits worn by the Apollo astronauts were not built by a traditional aerospace defense contractor, but by the Playtex corporation, the famous undergarment maker, which won the contract because of their expertise in working with flexible, multi-layered latex and fabric
100
On November 7, 1944, this president was elected to an unprecedented fourth term, defeating Thomas E. Dewey.
Who is Franklin D. Roosevelt?
Following his death, the U.S. congress passed the 22nd amendment, limiting future presidents to only two terms in the Oval Office.
200
This phrase describes a person who has achieved only one major success, particularly in music.
What is a one hit wonder?
The phrase originally came from baseball in the early 1900s, where sportswriters used it to describe a pitcher who allowed only a single base-hit during a game (now more commonly called a "one-hitter").
200
It was during the 1920s when this baseball player, nicknamed The Great Bambino, was traded to the Yankees and achieved his greatest fame, setting the home run record.
Who is Babe Ruth?
Ruth did not retire as a Yankee; he played his final 28 games in 1935 for the Boston Braves, finishing his career in a blaze of glory by hitting three home runs in a single game on May 25, 1935.
200
This flower is often associated with remembrance and is commonly worn on Veterans Day in the United States.
What is a poppy?
"In Flanders Fields," which sealed the red poppy as an international symbol of military remembrance.
200
This has been the official currency of Britain since 928 AD
What is the pound sterling (or British pound)?
The United Kingdom did not adopt the euro when it was a member of the European Union
200
This agency investigates workplace safety violations and enforces regulations to protect employees.
What is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)?
Daily workplace fatalities have fallen significantly since the agency's inception, dropping from about 38 deaths per day in 1970 to roughly 12 to 15 deaths per day today, despite a doubled workforce.
200
On November 26, 1789, the first American holiday occurred, proclaimed by President George Washington to be this day, a day of prayer and for gratitude for the successful establishment of the new American republic.
What is Thanksgiving?
Washington himself marked the day by attending a service at St. Paul's Chapel in New York City and by donating food and beer to imprisoned debtors.
300
It's the numerical name for the clubhouse or bar where players gather after a round of golf
What is the 19th hole?
The tradition started as Scottish weather protection. Long before modern luxury clubhouses, early golfers in Scotland needed a simple shelter from the harsh, wet weather to warm up and settle their wagers over a drink.
300
This famous aviator made the first solo nonstop flight
across the Atlantic in 1927.
Who is Charles Lindbergh?
Lindbergh’s plane, the Spirit of St. Louis, had no front windshield. He used a side window and a periscope to see ahead.
300
This is the green pigment that helps plants absorb sunlight.
What is chlorophyll?
Chlorophyll is found in green plants, algae, and microscopic marine phytoplankton. Phytoplankton are so packed with it that massive blooms can turn parts of the ocean bright green.
300
These natural disasters measured on the Richter scale
What are Earthquakes?
The strongest earthquake ever recorded measured 9.5 on the Richter scale. It struck Chile on May 22, 1960.
300
This agency is responsible for protecting the president and investigating counterfeit money.
What is the Secret Service?
It was established on April 14, 1865 as a branch of the U.S. Treasury Department to stop massive amounts of forged money—when an estimated one-third to one-half of all U.S. currency was fake. They didn't start guarding presidents until 1901 after the assassination of President William McKinley, making protection their secondary mission for nearly 40 years
300
November 22nd, 1963 - While traveling via motorcade through downtown Dallas, John F. Kennedy was assassinated by this lone gunman, though some debate how 'lone' he really was.
Who is Lee Harvy Oswald?
Two days after the Kennedy assassination, while being transferred through the basement of the Dallas City Hall, Lee Harvey Oswald was fatally shot in the stomach by nightclub owner Jack Ruby. The killing was broadcast live on national television, making it one of the first major crimes captured in real time on air.
400
This 2-word term isn't just for donuts; it could be 13 eggs from a farmer or 13 steaks from the butcher
What is a bakers dozen?
he practice started in 13th-century England under King Henry III's Assize of Bread and Ale Law. If bakers sold bread that was too light, they faced heavy fines, public shaming, or being thrown in jail. To make sure they never fell short due to dough variations or cooling shrinkage, bakers tossed in a 13th loaf as a safety cushion
400
This iconic cartoon character made his debut in the 1928 animated short Steamboat Willie.
Who is Micky Mouse?
Despite making his famous screen debut in this short, Mickey Mouse doesn't actually speak any words. He whistles, laughs, and squeaks, and his very first spoken words ("Hot dogs!") wouldn't arrive until 1929 in The Karnival Kid.
400
This carnivorous plant snaps shut when an unsuspecting insect touches tiny trigger hairs inside its leaves.
What is a Venus Flytrap?
They do not eat bugs to survive—they still get their main energy from the sun through photosynthesis. They consume insects only to supplement poor, nutrient-deficient soil (especially for nitrogen).
400
"Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get" is an iconic line said by Tom Hanks in this film.
What is Forrest Gump?
Tom Hanks wasn’t anyone’s first choice for the role. Novelist Winston Groom, who wrote Forrest Gump imagined John Goodman in the title role and Director Robert Zemeckis is said to have wanted Bill Paxton. Bill Murray, Chevy Chase and John Travolta are all said to have turned down the role as well.
400
If a hurricane or tornado is heading toward your hometown, this agency helps coordinate federal disaster response and recovery.
What is Federal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA)?
The very first act of federal disaster relief happened in 1803 when Congress suspended bond payments for victims of a devastating fire in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
400
On November 3, 1957 , Soviet Russia launched the world's first inhabited space capsule, Sputnik II, which carried Laika, who was one of these kinds of animal.
What is a Dog?
Laika was a 13-pound, three-year-old stray who had lived on the streets of Moscow. She was chosen for her gentle and docile nature, which was believed to make her a good candidate for space travel.
500
This phrase involving a 10¢ piece means something is extremely common and easy to find.
What is a dime a dozen?
If you are in the United Kingdom, the equivalent idiom is "ten a penny", meaning the exact same thing using British currency.
500
Discovered accidentally by Alexander Fleming in 1928, this antibiotic revolutionized the treatment of bacterial infections.
What is Penicillin?
Since its rollout during WWII, penicillin and its family of antibiotics have saved hundreds of millions of people from once-deadly infections like strep throat, syphilis, and infected wounds
500
This plant is known for its distinctive purple flowers and is commonly used in aromatherapy
What is Lavender?
Ancient Egyptians used lavender as perfume and in the mummification process (traces have even been found in King Tut's tomb).
500
Pottery is fired in these hot ovens.
What are Kilns?
Temperatures for home kilns typically range from 2000° to 2400° Fahrenheit or 1093° to 1316° Celsius.
500
Though the 2 men weren't related, President Hoover frequently received mail intended for the director of this agency
What is the FBI?
J. Edgar Hoover led the bureau for nearly 48 years (from 1924 until his death in 1972), serving under eight different U.S. presidents before Congress instituted a strict 10-year term limit.
500
November 22, 1890 - This future French leader is born. He led the Free French against the Nazis during World War II and later became President of France, serving from 1958-69.
Who is Charles De Gaulle?
During World War I, he spent over two and a half years as a prisoner of war after being captured at Verdun, and he made five separate (though unsuccessful) attempts to escape.
600
This expression describes returning back to the starting point after an unsuccessful attempt to make progress.
What is back to square one?
Many language historians link it to roll-and-move board games like Chutes and Ladders, where landing on a bad square forces a player to slide all the way back to the start, or similar track games.
600
This famous American gangster, nicknamed 'Scarface' became synonymous with organized crime in Chicago during Prohibition.
Who is Al Capone?
Despite orchestrating massive bootlegging, gambling, and murder rings—and famously going uncharged for the 1929 St. Valentine's Day Massacre—Capone was finally brought down and sentenced to 11 years in prison in 1931 for income tax evasion.
600
Maple, oak, and birch trees belong to this category of trees that typically shed their leaves seasonally.
What is Deciduous?
The yellow, orange, and red colors in fall leaves are actually present all year long, hidden by green chlorophyll until the tree stops producing it.
600
This country was part of an empire with Hungary from 1867 to 1918.
What is Austria?
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in June 1914 prompted Austria-Hungary to issue the July Ultimatum to Serbia, which ultimately led to the declaration of war and the start of World War I.
600
According to its first administrator, this president who created the EPA in 1970 wasn't "particularly interested" in the environment.
Who is Richard Nixon?
The agency's creation was heavily inspired by the public outcry surrounding the Cuyahoga River in Ohio, which was so heavily polluted with industrial waste that it caught on fire more than a dozen times, including a famous blaze in June 1969 that captured national attention
600
November 4th, 1979 - About 500 young militants from this Middle Eastern nation stormed the American Embassy and took 90 people hostage, resulting in a crisis that lasted 444 days.
What is Iran?
ABC’s late-night news program Nightline, hosted by Ted Koppel, was born out of the crisis. It originally aired as special daily reports titled America Held Hostage to track the unfolding events day by day, eventually turning into a permanent nightly news program.