A sample

You know, I’ve got to admit, it’s not that often I’ll post up some sample questions.

Well …

Apart from on a Friday, that is …

But I recently got asked to provide some sample quizzes, for a community centre, over in Basildon. And, as they’re sample quizzes, I’m going to reprint them, here.

Or, at least the first one I put together; here, enjoy!

ROUND ONE. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE.

Q1) Where would you find a jib?

A1) On a sailing ship.

Q2) Diplomat Kofi Annan is the former Secretary General of the UN; – which African

country is he from?

Q2) Ghana.

Q3) How deep, in feet & inches, is a fathom?

A3) 6 foot.

Q4) What does the ‘mp’ stand for in mp3 player?

A4) Moving Picture.

Q5) Which country has the most universities?

A5) India, with 7000 (The US comes second with over 4000.)

Q6) The streets of Atlantic City, New Jersey, were used in the original version of which board game?

A6) Monopoly.

Q7) Srimavo Bandaranike was the world’s 1st female PM. But of which Island nation?

A7) Sri Lanka. (Accept Ceylon.)

Q8) Wailing Cats is the literal German term for the for which ‘H’; – hangover, heartburn, or headache?

A8) Hangover.

Q9) What does the word ‘Islam’ literally mean; submission, worshipper, or God?

A9) Submission.

Q10) Who co-wrote “Fawlty Towers” with John Cleese?

A10) Connie Booth. (She played Polly, the receptionist.)

ROUND TWO. TV DINNERS.

Q11) Bamber Gasgoigne was the original presenter of which quiz?

A11) “University Challenge”.

Q12) Who’s the regular comedy partner of Dawn French? (And we’re not talking Lenny Henry)

A12) Jennifer Saunders.

Q13) Who was the main female presenter of “That’s Life”?

A13) Esther Rantzen.

Q14) Which time travelling detective series has main characters called Sam Tyler, & Gene Hunt?

A14) “Life On Mars”

Q15) Bach’s “Air on a G String” was used in the tv ad’s for which brand of cigar?

A15) Hamlet

Q16) In a American tv public information film, which Hollywood star famously, and rather ironically said “Take it easy, driving … the life you save might be mine”?

A16) James Dean

Q17) “I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here” is filmed in which country?

A17) Australia.

Q18) In which decade was the series “Tenko” set?

A18) The 1940’s

Q19) “QI” is presented by which member of Fry & Laurie?

A19) Stephen Fry.

Q20) The other member of Fry & Laurie stars in which US medical drama?

A20) “House” (Hugh Laurie)

ROUND THREE. HOBBIES AND LEISURE.

Q21) A digitabulist collects what; thimbles, fingerbones, or nail varnish?

A21) Thimbles.

Q22) What name is given to a garden with geometrically arranged beds and small hedges?

A22) Knot garden.

Q23) In bungee–jumping, what exactly is the bungee?

A23) A length of elastic cord.

Q24) If you’re doing Batik, what, APART from fabric dye, are you painting onto fabric?

A24) Wax.

Q25) Carillon is a popular form of which hobby; – bell ring, choral singing, or poetry recitation?

A25) Bell ringing.

Q26) Who is the only known, unmarried character, in Cluedo?

A26) Miss Scarlet.

Q27) What is the national board game of Japan, Go, Shogi, or Mah-Jonng?

A27) Go.

Q28) How many dominoes are there in a standard set?

A28) 28.

Q29) In Canadian rules canoeing, are you sitting, standing, or kneeling, in the canoe?

A29) Kneeling.

Q30) What name is given to an online diary?

A30) Blog. (Or WEB LOG, to be picky!)

ROUND FOUR. AT THE MOVIES.

Q31) In the 1990 film “The Hunt for Red October”, what nationality is Sean Connery’s character?

A31) Lithuanian

Q32) What is the full title of Die Hard 2?

A32) “Die Hard 2: Die Harder”

Q33) Who starred as an evil cop, in the film “Unlawful Entry”?

A33) Ray Liotta

Q34) How was controversial silent movie star, Roscoe Arbuckle better known?

A34) Fatty

Q35) Who played Harrison Fords father in “Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade”?

A35) Sean Connery

Q36) Who was the voice of Yoda, in “Return of the Jedi”?

A36) Frank Oz

Q37) Who directed the 1991 film, “Jungle Fever”; – Spike Lee, Mel Brooks, or Sir David Lean?

A37) Spike Lee

Q38) Which US city featured in the film “Robocop”?

A38) Detroit

Q39) What was the name of the kidnapped dolphin, in “Ace Ventura, Pet Detective”?

A39) Snowflake

Q40) Which of the Kemp brothers played Ronnie Kray in “The Krays”?

A40) Gary Kemp.

ROUND FIVE. THE WRITTEN WORD.

Q41) Name the dog, in “The Famous Five.”

A41) Timmy.

Q42) “Truckers”, “Diggers,” and “The Carpet People,” are children’s books written by which author?

A42) Terry Pratchett.

Q43) According to Charles Dickens, which Essex town is the dullest place on Earth?

A43) Chelmsford.

Q44) Will Smith stars in the film version of which Isaac Asimov book?

A44) “I, Robot.”

Q45) The world’s most syndicated cartoon strip appears in 2,620 newspapers; – which strip are we talking about?

A45) “Peanuts” (by Charles M. Schulz).

Q46) Which quirky fictional tv detective was created by R. D. Winfield?

A46) Jack Frost.

Q47) How long did the late Alistair Cooke present his “Letter from America”?

A47) 58 years.

Q48) Who disgraced former peer wrote “The Fourth Estate”?

A48) Jeffery Archer.

Q49) What was the FULL name of Tom Sawyer’s girlfriend in the Mark Twain classic “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”?

A49) Rebecca ‘Becky’ Thatcher.

Q50) Who was the cartoonist whose satire appeared in Punch, Private Eye and the Sunday Times?

A50) Gerald Scarfe.

ROUND SIX. GENERAL KNOWLE IGNORANCE.

Q51) Thomas Chippendale made what; – furniture, footwear, or fruit-punch?

A51) Furniture.

Q52) Mandarin is a form of which language?

A52) Chinese.

Q53) Newsnight presenter, Jeremy Paxman is a fan of which punk band?

A53) The Clash.

Q54) Standing on the deck of a ship, and facing forward, what side of the ship is starboard?

A54) The right-hand side.

Q55) If the 1st of day the month is a Thursday, what's the 8th day going to be?

A55) Thursday.

Q56) Which was built 1st, the Eiffel tower, or the Empire State Building?

A56) The Eiffel Tower.

Q57) Which fruit is bought by the bunch; – grapes, pears, or plums?

A57) Grapes.

Q58) If you multiply the length of a rectangle, by its width, what do you get?

A58) The area.

Q59) What word can go after “soap”, and before “office”?

A59) Box.

Q60) What was the only Prince song to have won an Oscar?

A60) Purple Rain.