James Baquet The month of July has an ambiance all its own — and I’m not just saying that because I was born near the middle of it. Generally, all the kids are out of school. The weather has gone hot, but hasn’t reached the debilitating stage of the “dog days” in August, and the rain can be pretty much relied on to stay away. It’s a grand coincidence, then, that America’s founding fathers happened to declare independence near the start of the month, providing for a holiday to kick off summer with aplomb. July 4 celebrations have certain revered features which cannot be gainsayed. Among these are certain foods — hotdogs and hamburgers, watermelon and ice cream, potato chips and pickles. In fact, July is both National Hot Dog Month and National Ice Cream Month in the United States. Also common are speeches and recitations, including the preamble of the “Constitution” (“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union...”), that of the “Declaration of Independence” (“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal...”), and of course, Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” (“Four score and seven years ago...”). Parades are also a prominent feature of the day. The ones organized in small towns can be especially fun, with hobbyists showing off their cars, pets, and other kinds of pride and joy; marching bands, town dignitaries, and the local beauty queen (and sometimes king). The town’s products may also be paraded down the main street. Youth and senior organizations, as well as civic groups, may work for months on floats — wagons or trucks decorated with scenes or tableaus, often organized around a yearly theme, such as national parks, great moments in history, or categories like famous books or films. The parade may end in a park or at fairgrounds, where awards are given in various categories: the best float, band, car, and so on. The day is generally rounded out with a nighttime display of fireworks, usually accompanied by the “ooos and aaahhhs” of spectators gathered in a meadow or a school stadium, with picnic foods, soft drinks, and beer and wine. Vocabulary: Which word above means: 1. spoken against, denied 2. highly respected or honored 3. not needing to be proven 4. speech 5. introductory statement 6. something that makes one very proud and happy 7. making one week, draining 8. atmosphere, mood 9. poise, assurance 10. scene composed of live performers standing still ANSWERS: 1. gainsayed 2. revered 3. self-evident 4. address 5. preamble 6. pride and joy 7. debilitating 8. ambiance 9. aplomb 10. tableaus | 