Mike Barber, age 12, of Eugene, Ore., for his question:

WHY DO WE CALL IT AN ADAM'S APPLE?

Two wings of cartilage meet at right angles in front of the larynx or voice box, making a lump on the neck of some men that we call an Adam's apple. The lump is usually seen when a boy starts his adolescent years, as the larynx grows larger and his voice deepens. It isn't a rule, however, since this lump is not seen in every person.

The lump was given the name of Adam's apple through a confusion over two similar Hebrew words. The picturesque name, the story goes, is a reminder of the Biblical first man and the forbidden fruit he tasted.

 A woman can also have an Adam's apple although it isn't a common female trait.