Historic Firsts
The first man to set foot on the moon.
Who is Neil Armstrong? On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to descend in the lunar module Eagle and set foot on the moon, “a giant leap for mankind,” in his words. He was part of a three-man team on NASA’s Apollo mission. He was accompanied in the lunar module by Buzz Aldrin, who joined him in planting the American flag on the moon. Michael Collins remained behind in the command module Columbia.
It’s not only a bog fruit associated with the holidays but also a shade of red.
What is cranberry? It comes from the German word kraneberrie, which means “crane berry.” It earned this name because the flower of the cranberry plant looks like a crane’s head and neck.
This citrus fruit has a bright yellow rind, pink interior, pulp, and seeds.
What is grapefruit? Grapefruit can interfere with some prescription drugs. If you’re unsure about interactions, check with your doctor or pharmacist.
The New Testament of the Bible was originally written in this language.
What is ancient Greek? It’s also known as Koine Greek. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew.
This everyday expression includes the color of Ireland and a word similar to jealousy.
What is green with envy? The idiom may have begun with Shakespeare’s writings. He wrote about jealousy in at least two of his plays: In Othello, he refers to “the green-eyed monster,” a phrase we still hear. In Antony and Cleopatra, he uses “the green sickness.”
The century during which the first U.S. transcontinental railroad was finished.
What is 19th century? In 1869, the inauguration of the railroad led to the country’s westward expansion.
This shade of tan is named for an animal that has a hump for storing fat and that you can ride at the Giza Pyramids in Egypt.
What is camel? The name for this hue of tan comes from the color of camel hair.
Nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositions.
What are parts of speech? At a minimum, most sentences have a noun and a verb. Some sentences are one-word sentences comprised of only an interjection, such as Yes! No! and Ouch!
Aside from the ability to speak to others in their language and increase confidence, learning a new language boosts this.
What is brainpower (or similar)? Language learning is another tool in the arsenal for keeping the brain engaged.
In 1920, this Macy’s competitor (now closed) was the first to host a Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia.
What is Gimbel’s? The department store, founded in 1887, closed its doors in 1986
The first American self-made businesswoman to become a millionaire.
Who is Sarah Breedlove (or Madam C. J. Walker)? Breedlove had a problem with hair loss, so she started a hair-care company for Black women that focused on healthy hair. Madam C. J. Walker was her business name and the name of her line of products.
Chartreuse is a hue of this secondary color.
What is green? It derives its name from the herbal liqueur Chartreuse, first created by the Carthusian monks of the Grande Chartreuse monastery in the French Alps.
Individual stars that form a shape within a defined boundary.
What is a constellation? NASA recognizes 88 constellations, 48 of which were named by the ancient Greeks. Each constellation is often named for its brightest star, and most have a backstory.
Snap! Crackle! Pop! The mascots of this cereal are known as Cric, Crac, and Croc in France.
What is Rice Krispies? In Spain, their names are Cris, Cras, and Cros.
When translated, the Italian title of this 1960 Federico Fellini film starring Marcello Mastroianni means “The Sweet Life.”
What is La Dolce Vita? It was filmed in Italy, mostly in Rome and the surrounding area.
The first woman to win a Nobel Prize; did so for her work in the field of radioactivity and then again for her work in chemistry.
Who is Marie Curie? In 1903, the Nobel committee awarded the prize to Curie, her husband Pierre, and physicist Becquerel, “in recognition of the extraordinary services they have rendered by their joint research on the radiation phenomena discovered by [Becquerel].”
A shade of this color is associated with Tiffany & Co.
What is blue? Tiffany has used the distinctive hue, also known as robin egg blue, since 1845. Tiffany Blue received a trademark in 1998, and it is now Pantone standard color “1837 Blue,” in commemoration of the year Tiffany was founded. Pantone colors are used by designers around the globe to ensure standardization and accuracy.
The colder of the two appliances that have a compressor, condenser coils, evaporator, evaporator fan, thermostat, and door gasket.
What is a freezer? The freezer and refrigerator both have the named components but have differing safe-operating temperatures.
The English word piano is a borrowed word from this language.
What is Italian? Piano is a shortened version of the Italian pianoforte. Other borrowed words include entrepreneur, which comes from the French, and kindergarten, from the Germans.
This type of light causes wrinkles and ages skin.
What is ultraviolet (or UV)? According to the Cleveland Clinic, too much UV light exposure can cause wrinkles, freckles, skin discolorations, and even cancer.
It is the origin country of the first woman in space.
What is Soviet Union (not Russia)? In 1963, Valentina Tereshkova orbited Earth for three days.
This shade of pink is also the name of a plant with exquisite, delicate petals.
What is fuchsia? It’s a very bright purplish-pink color used in home furnishings as well as in fashion. It dates to the 16th century, when the fuchsia plant was discovered in Central America.
It has a needle, bobbin winder, hand wheel, and foot pedal.
What is a sewing machine? Even though sewing machines today are computerized and can do much more than their predecessors, their essential parts remain the same.
This major world language is one of the three official languages of Fiji.
What is English? The other two official languages are Fijian and Fiji Hindi. Many people in Fiji speak a variant of English with a few Fijian or Hindi words sprinkled in. This is known as Finglish.
This New York City store’s shoe floor has its own zip code.
What is Saks Fifth Avenue? The official zip code is 10022-SHOE. The shoe floor features several shoe shops.