You know, I’m fascinated by history. But you’d possibly realised that, hadn’t you?
Hadn’t you?
Well, if you hadn’t by now …
Says I, grinning … !
My point is that — in the background — I’ve got the TV on, and it’s showing Yesterday. And they’re currently showing the fascinating Jeremy Clackson series, Inventions That Changed The World.
The current episodes the one about the invention of the telephone.
Scandalous how Alexander Bell outmanœuvred Elisha Grey to the patent office …
But let’s move on, shall we … ?
Yes, let’s … !
Yesterday’s teaser saw Trevor getting 5 out of 5, and putting in a couple of fantastic quotes.
Let’s see how it goes, today, shall we?
Yes, let’s …
Q1) In the Roman Catholic Church, 19th March is the Feast — or Solemnity, as it’s styled — of Saint … whom?
Q2) 19th March, 1931, saw the US state of Nevada legalise … what?
Q3) Exactly one year later, 19th March, 1932, saw which Australian landmark open?
Q4) 19th March, 1821, saw the birth of ethnographer, diplomat, fencer and linguist, Sir Richard Francis Burton: which revered — and rather racy — Indian text did he translate and publish into English?
Q5) 19th March, 1992, saw Buckingham Palace formally announce the split of which Royal couple?
Q6) And finally … 19th March, 1950, saw the death of author, Edgar Rice Burroughs. Name either of his two most famous literary creations.
And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …
Q1) 18th March, 1871, saw the formal start of which controversial period in French history?
A1) The Paris Commune. (Or La Commune de Paris, if you’re feeling French … )
Q2) 18th March, 1965, saw the world’s first spacewalk, by cosmonaut Aleksei Leonov: what’s the technical term for a spacewalk?
A2) An EVA: or Extra-Vehicular Activity.
Q3) 18th March, 1967, saw a supertanker run aground between Land’s End and the Scillies: what was that tanker’s name?
A3) The Torrey Canyon.
Q4) 18th March is Gallipoli Remembrance day: in which country?
A4) Turkey.
Q5) And finally … 18th March, 1766, saw the British government repeal which piece of unpopular legislation?
A5) The Stamp Act, 1765. (Which raised high taxes on paper, in what was then British colonies in North America.)
And — as it’s Friday — here’s the 60 questions set for struggling quiz masters …
Round One. General Knowledge.
Q1) T. S. Elliot once wrote a poem about which London suburb?
A1) Cricklewood.
Q2) Which company was the world’s 1st travel agency?
A2) Thomas Cook.
Q3) What’s the world’s smallest species of monkey?
A3) The Pygmy Marmoset.
Q4) Which famously typo-prone, broadsheet newspaper is occasionally nicknamed ‘The Gridiron’?
A4) The Guardian.
Q5) Subligaria is the Latin word for which item of clothing?
A5) Underpants.
Q6) In The Addams Family what’s the first name of Mrs Addams?
A6) Morticia.
Q7) In computing, what does the O stand for, in ‘OS’?
A7) Operating.
Q8) What’s the difference between the highest dart’s treble, and the lowest?
A8) 57. (60-3)
Q9) Who was the original presenter of University Challenge?
A9) Bamber Gascoigne.
Q10) Which spaghetti western’s star also appeared in Coogan’s Bluff?
A10) Clint Eastwood.
Round Two. Music and Lights.
Q11) What was Queen’s second longest hit single?
A11) Innuendo.
Q12) A Little Bit More was a hit for which American emergency number?
A12) 911.
Q13) Who had a US number 1 with Fantasy?
A13) Mariah Carey.
Q14) Stan and The Real Slim Shady were international hits for which artist?
A14) Eminem.
Q15) Firestarter was the first UK hit for which band?
A15) The Prodigy.
Q16) Who’s first hit was called Because We Want To?
A16) Billie Piper’s.
Q17) Missy Elliot recorded I Want You Back with which former Spice Girl?
A17) Mel B. (Scary.)
Q18) Chopin composed most of his music for which keyboard instrument?
A18) Piano.
Q19) George Michael bought whose piano, in 2000?
A19) John Lennon’s.
Q20) Who recorded a version of Something Stupid, with Boy George?
A20) Connie Francis.
Round Three. Euro Tour.
Q21) In which Irish City is the Abbey Theatre?
A21) Dublin.
Q22) What’s the official language of Denmark?
A22) Danish.
Q23) Spell ‘Dunkirk’, in French?
A23) Dunkerque.
Q24) Which east European country formed one half of an Empire with Austria?
A24) Hungary.
Q25) The Capodimonte region of Italy is famous for what, porcelain or pasta?
A25) Porcelain.
Q26) The Schwarzwald, in Germany, is known as what, in England?
A26) The Black Forest.
Q27) On which Sea is Odessa?
A27) The Black Sea.
Q28) The Bourse, in Paris, is what: the French Stock Exchange, or the French National Bank?
A28) The French Stock Exchange.
Q29) Which Sea is to the west of Denmark?
A29) The North Sea.
Q30) Which is furthest north, The Ukraine, Estonia, or Belarus?
A30) Estonia.
Round Four. At The Movies.
Q31) Who were the 2 directors of AI: Artificial Intelligence?
A31) Stephen Spielberg, and Stanley Kubrick.
Q32) Who directed Gladiator?
A32) Ridley Scott.
Q33) In Meet The Parents, what animals is the Robert De Niro Character fond of?
A33) Cats.
Q34) What does ‘Zorro’ mean, in English?
A34) Fox.
Q35) Which movie starred John Travolta, Hugh Jackman, & Halle Berry?
A35) Swordfish.
Q36) Who played Bridget’s mum, in Bridget Jones Diary?
A36) Gemma Jones.
Q37) Who’s the female star of both Pearl Harbour and Underworld?
A37) Kate Beckinsale.
Q38) In Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, what’s the job of John Hurt’s character?
A38) Doctor.
Q39) Who starred with Harry Enfield, in Kevin & Perry Go Large?
A39) Kathy Burke.
Q40) Who became romantically involved with Russell Crowe, in the making of Proof Of Life?
A40) Meg Ryan.
Round Five. 20th Century.
Q41) Who was Conservative party leader on the 31st of December 1999?
A41) William Hague.
Q42) François Mitterand was a socialist head of which country?
A42) France.
Q43) How many children did Tony Blair have when he became PM, in 1997?
A43) Three.
Q44) Which country did the Red Army come from?
A44) The USSR. (Accept Soviet Union, give ½ for Russia.)
Q45) Yves St. Laurent found fame designing what?
A45) Clothes.
Q46) The tragedy of Aberfan took place in which country of the UK?
A46) Wales.
Q47) The Battle of El Alamein was fought during which war?
A47) World War 2.
Q48) Which big band leader vanished, flying over the English Channel, during World War 2?
A48) Glenn Miller.
Q49) Arsenal player, Tony Adams, was jailed for which offence?
A49) Drink-driving.
Q50) How many British PM’s were there, during the 1990’s?
A50) Three.
Round Six. General Knowledge.
Q51) Cheryl James is the real name of which member of Salt & Pepa, Salt, Pepa, or Mike?
A51) Salt.
Q52) Who were Tony Hancock’s regular scriptwriters?
A52) Galton and Simpson.
Q53) Who was the first Republican president of the USA?
A53) Abraham Lincoln.
Q54) Which vegetable is used to make saurkraut?
A54) Cabbage.
Q55) What did the Russians call their spacemen?
A55) Cosmonauts.
Q56) What does the U stand for, in VDU?
A56) Unit.
Q57) What shape is a pie chart?
A57) Circular.
Q58) Who hasn’t guest starred on Friends Prince Charles, George Clooney, or the Duchess of York?
A58) Prince Charles.
Q59) True or False; - Tony Blair hasn’t been on The Simpsons.
A59) False. He has.
Q60) What sort of creature is a mandrill?
A60) A monkey.
Enjoy those, everyone. I’ll catch you later.
3 comments:
Q1 Solemnity of Saint Joseph
Q2 Gambling
Q3 "The Coathanger" better known as The Sydney Harbour Bridge
Q4 The Kama Sutra of Vatsayayana (कामसूत्र)
Q5 The Duke and Duchess of York
Q6 Tarzan & John Carter
Trevor
"...if people were paid for writing rot such as I read in some of those magazines, that I could write stories just as rotten. As a matter of fact, although I had never written a story, I knew absolutely that I could write stories just as entertaining and probably a whole lot more so than any I chanced to read in those magazines." - Edgar Rice Burroughs
"Take the Kama Sutra. How many people died from the Kama Sutra as opposed to the Bible? Who wins?" - Frank Zappa
q1 Don't Know
Q2 gAMBLING
q3 Sydney Harbour Bridge
Q4 Karma Sutra
Q5 Andrew and Fergie
Q6 Tarzan
Mum
Boy George never recorded "Something Stupid" with Connie Francis. I'm a bit of a BG expert, you see!!! Hope you're OK :)
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