Ice Cream
This name for ice cream desserts made from vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream is derived from the city where they originated.
What is Neapolitan? It can be served in a bowl with three individual scoops or as a block with three distinct layers. It came to the United States via immigrants from Naples, Italy.
This Mexican border town is popular with San Diego locals and visitors.
What is Tijuana? It has grown from a small, gritty border town to a travel destination with thriving food and cultural scenes.
This common writing instrument used by children is covered in wood.
What is a pencil? Wood covers the graphite-and-clay composite used as a writing medium. It’s a myth that pencils are made with lead.
Meaning of et cetera, or etc.
What is “and so on”? It also means “and so forth” as well as “and others.”
Louisa May Alcott’s Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy share this last name in Little Women.
What is March? The characters are based on Alcott’s own family. Jo is the most outspoken and determined of the sisters, aspiring to become an author.
Everywhere you look, you will find these sales in August.
What are back-to-school sales? School now starts in August, not the day after Labor Day, as it did during the mid-20th century.
During Prohibition, ice cream shops replaced these establishments.
What are saloons (or bars)? Since the sale of alcohol was prohibited, people found another way to socialize while consuming a legal “sin.”
These inexpensive accommodations are popular with students and predate Airbnb.
What are hostels? When they first opened in Europe, students exchanged chores and a small amount of money for their board in hostels.
This large wooden boat in the Bible was built to withstand 40 days and nights of a rainstorm.
What is Noah’s ark? The ark is referenced in Genesis 6–9.
Shortened version of the word for a former student who graduated from a school, college, or university
What is alum? It is also used for students who attended the school but did not graduate. In Latin, nouns are declined, so there are various forms of the word for male and female, singular and plural, but you can’t go wrong with alum and alums.
Laura Ingalls is a young tomboy who grows up on the American frontier in this TV series.
What is Little House on the Prairie? Her nickname is Half-Pint.
On August 6, 1762, this lunchtime favorite was created by an earl.
What is the sandwich? The Earl of Sandwich is credited with ordering some meat between two slices of bread.
The ice-cream cone was popularized during this century, but it was invented in 1896 by an Italian immigrant.
What is the 20th? The 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair popularized the cone.
The world’s busiest airport is in this city.
What is Atlanta, Georgia? Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport serves more than 100 million passengers a year, a mind-blowing number.
This Swedish company that sells moderately priced home furnishings is one of the largest global consumers of wood.
What is IKEA? The company uses technology to maximize the yield and minimize waste from its wood, and also has a tree-planting initiative to help replace the wood it uses.
Meaning of “Et tu, Brute?”
What is “And you, Brutus?” This line from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar captures the moment in which Caesar realizes his friend Brutus is among his assassins.
Agatha Christie gave us this masterful amateur female detective.
Who is Miss (Jane) Marple? Miss Marple first appears in a 1927 short story and has subsequent adventures in Christie’s books and plays. Before becoming Jessica Fletcher in the television show Murder, She Wrote, Angela Lansbury starred as Miss Marple in the 1980 film The Mirror Crack’d.
If you visit Coney Island in August, take a break to eat one of these.
What is a hot dog? Nathan’s Famous is the hot dog flagship stand in Coney Island. It’s also the home of the Fourth of July hot dog-eating contest. In early 2026, Smithfield finalized a deal to acquire the company, but it will continue to operate under the Nathan’s Famous banner.
This modern president declared National Ice Cream Day on the third Sunday in July.
Who is President Ronald Reagan? Thomas Jefferson was the first president to serve ice cream at the White House.
You might be forbidden from entering this popular attraction in Beijing.
What is the Forbidden City? A daily visitor limit is in place, so book a tour to ensure entry.
Before modern paper was made from wood pulp, it was made from cotton, hemp, and this fabric.
What is linen? Paper wasn’t made from wood until around the mid-19th century. Money is still made from linen and cotton because it wears better (pun intended).
Meaning of quid pro quo
What is “This for that”? The phrase indicates an exchange of something for something, or a reciprocal favor or transaction. You often hear it in political speech, when one party accuses the other of an illicit arrangement.
She is Charlotte Brontë’s eponymous heroine, whose life is full of trials and tribulations.
Who is Jane Eyre? The book chronicles her life from an orphan to an intelligent, resilient woman.
On August 22, AD 565, the first alleged sighting of this monster took place in Scotland.
What is the Loch Ness monster? The monster’s nickname is Nessie. The first alleged photo was snapped in 1933.
This is how ice cream was prepared to travel into space with the Apollo astronauts.
What is freeze-drying? Astronaut Mike Massimino said, “[It was] more closely related to a building material than a food.”
After a day of sightseeing and shopping in London, plan a late afternoon trip to the Ritz, the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, the Savoy, or other fine hotels for this traditional treat.
What is afternoon tea? Sweet and savory finger foods accompany tea or another beverage of your choice.
This light wood is commonly used in rafts and boats.
What is balsa? Its lack of density allows it to float. It is often confused with balsam, which is a resin.
Latin for “who benefits,” often used in a political context when something unpopular becomes a law or regulation
What is cui bono? When translated to Italian, it’s reversed—bono cui.
Victoria Winters was hired as the governess for the Collins family on this 1960s afternoon soap opera.
What is Dark Shadows? This was the era of “dark” TV series. All three were introduced in the mid-1960s and were wildly popular on their first run. The other two series are The Addams Family and The Munsters.
This flower is one of August’s two official birth flowers, along with the poppy.
What is the gladiola? Gladiolas provide the last rush of summer blooms in a wide array of vivid, eye-popping colors.
People in this Scandinavian country eat the most ice cream per capita.
What is Norway? In 2016, each person ate an average of 2.6 gallons (9.8 liters) of ice cream per year.
The Maasai Mara National Reserve is the top destination in this country.
What is Kenya? Safaris are a big business in Kenya, and the country’s main attraction is the Maasai Mara National Reserve. The wildlife haven also offers balloon rides and cultural activities.
This dwarf willow tree is the smallest in the world.
What is Arctic willow? It’s found in the Arctic tundra and can survive the highest elevations. It looks more like ground cover, but it’s classified as a tree. It has a single main stem with branches shooting off from it.
Meaning of non sequitur
What is “It does not follow” (or similar)? The phrase refers to a response or conclusion in an argument or debate that is illogical and fails to address the points just presented.
In Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, this revolutionary woman knits a long list of names into a scarf.
Who is Madame (Thérèse) Defarge? She knits the names of those who would be charged or executed during the French Revolution.
In the Old English calendar, Weod Monath (WEE-ohd MOHN-ahth) was the name for August, and it translates into this.
What is “weed month”? August is the month when plants and weeds grow fastest.