Signs of Autumn
The days can be hot during the fall, but you’ll feel the chill during these two times of day.
What are morning and night? Fall and spring are transitional seasons that feature incremental but major changes in temperature during their three-month spans.
This fungus tops both pizza and pasta.
What are mushrooms? Favorite Italian mushrooms include portobellos, porcini, and chanterelles.
He was the defendant in “The Trial of the Century.”
Who is O. J. Simpson? After football, he served as spokesman for Hertz. He also appeared in several screen productions.
He’s nicknamed “Wills.”
Who is Prince William? He was known as a brat when he was a child. The queen was not amused at one of his favorite sayings: “When I am king, I’m going to make a new rule that…”
Of trapezoid, circle, square, and triangle, it’s the shape that doesn’t belong.
What is circle? The circle is the only shape in the group that doesn’t have angles or straight lines. It has only one curved line.
This American fast-food giant opened its doors in the United Kingdom on October 1, 1974.
What is McDonald’s? It opened in the south of London, and the location is still open today.
This full moon happens during the fall, either in September or October.
What is the harvest moon? It’s the brightest of all the full moons, giving off an orange glow like a big pumpkin in the sky.
This green sauce can top both pizza and pasta.
What is pesto? Pesto is a versatile sauce and can also be used on vegetables, eggs, beans, and meats.
We closed out the 20th century with hysteria surrounding this change scheduled to take place at the stroke of midnight 2000.
What is the Y2K bug? Early computer programs represented years in two digits instead of four. The world worried that when we started over in a new century, computer programs would go haywire. This fear never materialized thanks to meticulous planning and preparation by governments and companies around the world.
This is the nickname of Prince Andrew’s former wife.
What is “Fergie”? When Sarah Ferguson was 12 years old, her mother took a vacation to Argentina, fell in love with a polo player, and moved there, leaving her family behind.
Of buffalo, horse, donkey, and zebra, it’s the animal that doesn’t belong.
What is buffalo? The horse, donkey, and zebra all share the same body type and are closely related. They belong to the genus Equus. People have tried for hundreds of years to domesticate zebras without the desired results, so they cannot be ridden.
Born September 1, 1939, this comedian was a regular on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, and she starred in the 1980 film 9 to 5 with Dolly Parton and Jane Fonda.
Who is Lily Tomlin? Her most popular role on Laugh-In was telephone operator Ernestine.
This fruit grown in Washington state is in season and a sign of fall.
What are apples? Experts recommend isolating apples so their ethylene won’t
ripen other fruit prematurely. Did you know the world produces more than 7,500 varieties of
apples?
Flour is the primary ingredient in most pasta, but this pasta uses potato and flour to form its shape.
What is gnocchi? Of the different varieties of pasta, gnocchi has the fewest calories.
These shantytowns popped up during the Great Depression, when people were evicted from their homes.
What are Hoovervilles? Many blamed President Herbert Hoover for not providing assistance and named the shantytowns for him.
Queen Elizabeth’s mother was known by this title.
What is the queen mother? Because she was a trickster as a child, the queen mother earned the nickname “Merry Mischief.”
Of shoulder, arm, finger, and toe, it’s the body part that doesn’t belong.
What is toe? The other body parts are located above the waist; the toes are located below the waist.
Every year, the U.S. Supreme Court convenes its new session on this Monday in October.
What is the first Monday? The start date is set by statute. Did you know that the term sitting refers to hearing cases? Alternatively, the court is in recess when it considers cases, writes briefs, and issues decisions and orders.
Trees, shrubs, and vines that lose their leaves fall into this category.
What is deciduous? Those that keep their leaves and pine needles are known as evergreen.
This U.S. city is famous for its deep-dish pizza.
What is Chicago? Comedian Jon Stewart calls the infamous thick Chicago pizza a “casserole.” It’s made with pizza toppings on a yeasty, bread-like crust made in cast-iron pans.
The year 1983 saw the first generation of this communication device.
What is a mobile or cell phone? Motorola was the first to launch the cell phone in the consumer market.
This is the Windsors' August vacation spot.
What is Balmoral Castle? Located in Scotland, Balmoral is also where Queen Elizabeth died.
Of the $1, $20, $100, and $500 bills, this one doesn’t belong.
What is the $500 bill? The $500 bill is the only one not currently printed. The government stopped printing it in 1945 and stopped issuing it in 1969, but it is still legal tender—if you can get anyone to believe it’s real.
Born October 20, 1882, this Hungarian actor is renowned for his portrayal of Dracula on stage and screen.
Who is Bela Lugosi? When Lugosi first appeared on Broadway in 1922, he knew little English. When he passed in 1956, he was buried in his Dracula cape.
The waning sunlight in the fall leads to a reduced production of this in plants.
What is chlorophyll? Chlorophyll is required for photosynthesis. This process feeds the plants and gives them their color during the spring and summer. The lack of sunlight causes the leaves to have brilliant fall colors.
Pizza first gained popularity in this country.
What is the United States? Flatbread topped with sauces and other ingredients dates to ancient Roman, Greek, and Egyptian civilizations.
During the Iran hostage crisis, he kept us glued to our TVs during his weeknight ABC News Nightline show.
Who is Ted Koppel? He typically focused on one topic each night, but he always gave important updates on the hostage crisis.
Under the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, this herb, often referred to as a spice, was not allowed on royal menus.
What is garlic? The queen hated the taste and the smell of it.
Of green, purple, red, and orange, this is the color that doesn’t belong.
What is red? Red is a primary color. The other three colors are secondary colors, or combinations of two primary colors.
Octo-, the first part of the word October, gives a hint that October was originally in this numerical position on the calendar.
What is the eighth month? Octo- means “eight” in Latin and Greek. Under the ancient Roman lunar calendar, there were 12 months, but only 10 had names. The named months began in March. With the switch to the solar Julian calendar, all 12 months were named. The original 10 months retained their names but not their numerical positions when January and February were added to the calendar.
This natural phenomenon in the sky, most visible in Arctic areas, burns brighter in the fall.
What are the northern lights? They’re brighter due to the seasonal tilt of Earth around the time of the autumnal equinox.
Italians originally used this method of cooking pasta.
What is baking? They used dried pasta to make the predecessor of today’s lasagna.
The rule of the Russian tsars ended when this imperial family was summarily executed in 1918.
What is Romanov? In 2000, the Russian Orthodox Church canonized Tsar Nicholas II and named him Saint Nicholas the passion-bearer.
Aside from liking bold colors, this is the reason Queen Elizabeth wore them.
What is visibility, so she could be spotted in a crowd? Crowds can be deep, and she wanted people to be able to say they saw the queen.
Of Greece, Norway, Austria, and Romania, this is the country that doesn’t belong, as it is not a member of the European Union (EU).
What is Norway? The EU has 27 member nations, but not every country on the European continent belongs to it.
Born October 16, 1854, he authored The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest.
Who is Oscar Wilde? He also wrote poetry. Wilde is regarded as one of the greatest wits of all time.