The New Year’s Friday Question Set

You know, I’ve GOT to admit, I’ve THINK I got a touch forgetful, this morning … !

You‘ve realised it’s Friday, yes … ?

Yes, me too.

The trouble with that, of course, is that I usually — usually — mange to post up the Friday question set, along with the day’s Teaser, on a Friday.

Only today … I completely forgot … !

Where DO I put my face … ?

At ANY rate … ?

At any rate it’s something I can remedy, by putting up the 60-question set for Struggling pub quiz masters, now … !

Here they are, along with the usual Creative Commons License …

Online 132: The Quiz of the Year. (The first and last ten questions are about 2011: the rest are copied from Hutton 195.)

ROUND ONE. GENERAL 2011 KNOWLEDGE.

Q1) 2011 saw which country become the 17th to join the Euro?

A1) Estonia.

Q2) What’s 2011 in Roman numerals?

Q2) MMXI

Q3) Which UN body admitted Palestine as a member, in October of this year … ?

A3) UNESCO.

Q4) This year saw the death of Steve Jobs: which tech firm was he the CEO and Chairman of … ?

A4) Apple.

Q5) What was the film with the biggest earnings in 2011 … ?

A5) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, with a worldwide box-office of $1,328,111,219.

Q6) 2011 also saw the most of which sort of films released … ?

A6) Sequels: a total of 28.

Q7) Which team won the Indian Premier League cricket, this year… ?

A7) The Chenai Super Kings.

Q8) Name the DJ who died 29th October, 2011.

A8) Sir Jimmy Saville.

Q9) The various revolutions in the Middle East, this year, are collectively called what … ?

A9) The Arab Spring.

Q10) In which country did that start … ?

A10) Tunisia.

ROUND TWO. CRIME AND PUNISHMENT.

Q11) Name either of the Moors Murders. (Two points for both.)

A11) Ian Brady, and Myra Hindley.

Q12) The killers of which 13-year-old were released in 1997, 18 years after their conviction?

A12) Carl Bridgewater.

Q13) Who was arrested on the 5th of January, 1981, on suspicion of murdering 13 women?

A13) Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper.

Q14) Which serial killer was arrested after the death of 81 year-old Mrs Angela Grundy?

A14) Harold Shipman.

Q15) HMP Manchester is the modern name of which notoriously riotous prison?

A15) HMP Strangeways.

Q16) Before leaving office, in 2003, George Ryan, the Governor of Illinois, made what extraordinary gesture?

A16) Reprieved all the inmates on Illinois’ Death Row.

Q17) Who was found hung in his cell, on New Year’s Day, 1995?

A17) Fred West.

Q18) Which hospital for the Criminally Insane opened in Berkshire, in 1863?

A18) Broadmoor.

Q19) Which American serial killer admitted to necrophillia, cannibalism & 15 counts of murder in 1992?

A19) Jeffrey Dahmer.

Q20) True or false: TV actor & comedian, Stephen Fry, was imprisoned for credit card fraud, whilst at school.

A20) True, he got three months.

ROUND THREE. HANDBAGS & GLADRAGS

Q21) What name is given to the protective trousers worn by cowboys in the American west?

A21) Chaps.

Q22) What type of garment is a glengarry?

A22) A hat.

Q23) What name was given to the sleeveless woollen tops, fashionable in the 1970’s?

A23) Tank tops.

Q24) Where would a man wear dundrearies?

A24) On his face. (They’re long side whiskers.)

Q25) How is the Scottish filibeg better known?

A25) The kilt.

Q26) What is a mantilla?

A26) A light shawl/veil: often worn on a comb.

Q27) What colour cap do the goalkeepers in water-polo wear?

A27) Red.

Q28) In greyhound racing, what colour jerkin does the dog in trap two wear?

A28) Blue.

Q29) What is a wide-awake?

A29) A hat.

Q30) What language does the word ‘anorak’ originate in?

A30) Greenlandic Eskimo.

ROUND FOUR. TOURIST DESTINATIONS.

Q31) Where would you find the Horseshoe and Rainbow Falls?

A31) Niagara Falls.

Q32) Which material was used to make the Statue of Liberty?

A32) Cast Iron.

Q33) In which country was the first Asian Disneyland resort opened?

A33) Japan.

Q34) Where would you be if you visited the ‘Athens of Ireland’?

A34) Belfast.

Q35) Which is further north: Majorca, Ibiza or Madeira?

A35) Majorca.

Q36) Which art gallery would you be if you were looking at the Venus de Milo? (Bonus point for naming the city it’s in.)

A36) The Louvre, in Paris.

Q37) In 1851, where did tourist go, in London, to visit the Great Exhibition?

A37) The Crystal Palace.

Q38) Where are the Crown Jewels?

A38) The Tower of London.

Q39) Which waterfalls are on the borders of Zambia, and Zimbabwe?

A39) The Victoria Falls.

Q40) Would in England would a tourist be, if he’d just been called a ‘grockle’?

A40) Cornwall. (It’s the Cornish word for ‘Outsider’.)

ROUND FIVE. FOOD AND DRINK.

Q41) Agar Agar is the vegetarian alternative to what?

A41) Gelatine.

Q42) What drink was Lorraine Chase advertising, when she said, “Nah, mate, Luton Airport” … ?

A42) Campari.

Q43) During the 50’s, which cook wrote about Mediterranean Food, and French Country Cooking?

A43) Elizabeth David.

Q44) There are 2 ingredients of the cocktail called a Redeye: name either. (Two points for both)

A44) Whisky and tomato juice.

Q45) What would you be eating, if you were eating a Spanish chorizo?

A45) A spicy sausage. (Accept sausage.)

Q46) What drink was once nicknamed Madame Geneva?

A46) Gin.

Q47) What nut is one of the two main ingredients of Marzipan?

A47) Almond.

Q48) Which Mexican snack food has a name that translates as ‘little donkey’?

A48) Burrito.

Q49) Which garden herb is usually made into a sauce that’s a traditional accompaniment to roast lamb?

A49) Mint.

Q50) What cheese is made backwards?

A50) Edam.

ROUND SIX. GENERAL IGNORANCE.

Q51) Belgium made a record, this year, for being the country to go the longest time without a working what … ?

A51) Government. (Feel free to polish up the Ben Elton routines, RIGHT now … )

Q52) Who won this year’s series of Strictly Come Dance, on BBC1?

A52) Harry Judd, drummer for McFly.

Q53) On a similar theme, who won this year’s X-Factor … ?

A53) Little Mix.

Q54) which notorious terrorist leader was killed by US Navy Seals, this year … ?

A54) Osama Bin Laden.

Q55) The UK had a public holiday on the 29th April, this year: for whose wedding … ?

A55) That of Prince William to Catherine Middleton.

Q56) What paper went out of circulation after the 2011 phone-hacking scandal?

A56) The News of the World.

Q57) Who broke Nigel Mansell’s record for most pole positions in F1, in 2011?

A57) Sebastian Vettell

Q58) Movie-wise, which film won the 2011 Best Picture Oscar, this year … ?

A58) The Kings Speech.

Q59) Japan was hit by a Magnitude 9.1 earthquake in 2011: what was the name of the Japanese power station seriously affected by this earthquake … ?

A59) Fukushima.

Q60) Hackers took the Playstation Live network offline, this year: who owns the Playstation network … ?

A60) Sony

There …

That makes it all better, doesn’t it … ?

I hope so … !

I’m just sorry about two things: firstly, not getting it up earlier.

And secondly … ?

Not having more questions about 2011 in it: I’ll have to see if I can’t revise that in time for next year, by making good use of Sticky Notes …

I’ll leave you with the tune I’m listening to, shall I … ?