Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21-4-2021: Charlotte Brontë

21st April, 2021.

Yes: it’s true.

I caught Apple’s Spring Loaded event, last night.

Part of it, anyway, and right at the key juncture: when they announced the introduction of the new iMac.

Which, it has to be said, looks VERY good.

Granted, it’s possibly still got those swap space issues endemic to Big Sur: ones you’ll possibly have seen Old Peculiar regular, Debbi Mack, complain about, along side myself.

The machines only feature Thunderbolt/USB 3 ports: those of us with older peripherals will need adaptors.

And the new M1 chips aren’t as upgradeable as they could be.

Countering that … ?

The M1 processors are fast, the machines have far better web cams than the ones in my 2017, 21” model.

Oh, and the screen’s bigger.

Personally?

And remember this is me you’re talking to … 

Yes: I want one!

Now … has anyone got a few thousand pounds spare … ?

~≈🖥≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga*, Trevor†, Mum‡, Debbi^ and Edithª putting in their answers: with Trevor and Olga scoring five out of five, Debbi on four and Mum and Edith on three.

Let’s see how everyone does with today’s questions, shall we?

Here they are, along with the How To, License and video … 

Q1)        21st April, 1816, saw the birth of Charlotte Brontë.   What was the name of the first novel she wrote: Jane Eyre, Shirley or The Professor?

Q2)        What was the name of the first novel she got published: Jane Eyre, Shirley or The Professor?

Q3)        Charlotte and her sisters originally published under pseudonyms.   Which one did she use: Currer Bell, Ellis Bell or Acton Bell?

Q4)        Charlottë’s best known work was Jane Eyre.   Jane falls in love with whom: Mr Rochester, Mr Darcy or Mr Jones?

Q5)        Finally … ?   Her final book was left unfinished at Charlotte’s death in 1855.   What was it called: Emma, Gemma or Diana?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1)        20th April is UN Chinese Language Day.   Standard Chinese is a version of which dialect of Chinese: Mandarin, Wu or Yue?

A1)        Mandarin.

Q2)        Yue Chinese is also called what: Cantonese, Pekingese or Symbionese?

A2)        Cantonese.   It’s the version spoken in Guangzhou (Canton), Hong Kong and Macau.   (Going by one part of the Wikipedia entry on Chinese, 博客, is the Cantonese word for ‘blog.’   Just don’t ask me to pronounce it!)

Q3)        Hokkien is a version of Southern Min Chinese.   It’s widely spoken in the Republic of China.   The Republic is also called what: Malaysia, Taiwan or Hong Kong?

A3)        Taiwan.

Q4)        Chinese has been compared to the Romance language family. Romance languages have their origins, where: Europe, Arabia or Africa?

A4)        Europe.   (The family includes French, Italian, Catalan and Portuguese.)

Q5)        Finally … ?   Chinese writing is what: hieroglyphic, pictographic or logographic?

A5)        Logographic.   The traditional name for the logograms is hanzi (simplified Chinese: 汉字, traditional Chinese: 漢字), or ‘Han characters.’

Here’s a thought … 

“I avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward.”

Charlotte Brontë, as quoted by Elizabeth Gaskell.

And a song …

Today’s questions will be answered in tomorrow’s Teaser.

Feel free to share today’s video Teaser.

Have a good day.

*        Five languages, Olga?   That’s a big recommendation for Duolingo!   Now, you mentioned strangeness.   That’s sort of why I think it — and Arabic — are good quiz subjects.   They’re very different to European language.   I’ve also read that Chinese is a tonal language: the meanings of words will change with the pitch.   That’s on top of the fact that — from the little I know — the different dialects can be as different as Catalan, Aranese, Spanish and Galician!   You might have a challenge, Olga!

Oh, being a Dr Who fan in Spain’s possibly as frustrating as being a ministericos in the UK: there’s still no  series 4!   I’m blaming HBO!

Story dice?   I’ve got to look those up!   And wish Little Anna well!   

†        Oh, I’ve seen those, Trevor: it does make wading through them fiddly!   Oh, I didn’t know if you’d seen it: but the six UK clubs have pulled out of the Super League.   I believe Chelsea have cited the repetitional damage.

‡        Hello, Mum!

^        Wasn’t it just, Debbi?   Oh, if you win the Lottery, mind me borrowing a few grand?   Um … … 

ª        Oh, bless you, Edith: and cheers!   But I’m just good at using Google and Wikipedia!   Oh … !   Now THAT’S a bit more like it: it’s nice to see Taco’s done an electro swing version!   (And they’ve got Macs on that stage: I’m a bit of a fan … )