Wednesday, March 28, 2012

27th March Questions set by The Weaver

 

Vetted by: Waters Green Phoenix, Knot Know-alls

Specialist Rounds are :

Geography

Arts and Entertainment

History

Alliterative Answers

Science

The County Set

Sport

Initial Reactions

 

Geography

Q1 What is the most easterly country of mainland Africa ?

A1 Somalia (Ras Hafun)

Q2 What area became the U.K.'s newest National Park on becoming operational in 2010 (31st March) ?

A2 South Downs

Q3 Symonds Yat is a beauty spot and viewpoint overlooking which U.K. River ?

A3 Wye

Q4 Which inlet of the North Sea, north east of Inverness, is the largest firth in Scotland and one of the most important places in the U.K. for observing dolphins and whales ?

A4 Moray Firth

Q5 On an Ordnance Survey map for what do the letters L.C. stand ?

A5 Level Crossing

Q6 On an Ordnance Survey map for what do the letters E.P. stand ?

A6 Electricity Pylon/Pole

Q7 What is the capital city of Nigeria ?

A7 Abuja

Q8 The rivers Tigris and Euphrates both rise in which country ?

A8 Turkey

Supplementary Questions

Q9 Cape Comorin is the southernmost point of which country ?

A9 India

Q10 Which volcano is nicknamed “The Lighthouse of the Mediterranean” ?

A10 Stromboli

Q11 Which South American country has Colombia to the north and Peru to the south and east ?

A11 Ecuador

Q12 Into which body of water does the River Volga empty ?

A12 Caspian Sea

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

In each case name the artist, writer, musician, sculptor etc who created the work given.

Q1 The painting “Allegoria Della Primavera” (1478)” in the Uffizi (translates as “Allegory of Spring”)

A1 Sandro Botticelli

Q2 The painting “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte – 1884” (completed 1886) in the Art Institute of Chicago

A2 Georges Seurat

Q3 The notorious 1953 musical work with no played notes and entitled “4 minutes 33 seconds”

A3 John Cage

Q4 The 1944 musical score “Appalachian Spring”

A4 Aaron Copland

Q5 The controversial minimalist sculpture made of bricks, “Equivalent VIII”

A5 Carl Andre

Q6 The bronze David (circa 1420 – 1460) in Florence

A6 Donatello (Donato di Niccolo di Betto Bardi)

Q7 The heads of the four U.S. presidents on Mt. Rushmore

A7 Gutzon Borglum (and his son Lincoln Borglum)

Q8 Theme music to BBC TV's “Sky at Night” programme (an extract from “At the Castle Gate” from “Pelléas et Mélisande” )

A8 Jean Sibelius

Supplementary Questions

Q9 Which band produced the early rock opera “Arthur (or the decline and fall of the British Empire)” in 1969 ?

A9 The Kinks

Q10 Creator of the surreal American TV series “Twin Peaks”

A10 David Lynch and Mark Frost (accept either)

Q11 Who conceived and largely built the Sydney Opera House ?

A11 Jorn Utson

Q12 Who wrote the music for Billy Elliot the musical ?

A12 Elton John

HISTORY

Q1 Who, to date, has been the youngest President of the U.S.A. ?

A1 Theodore Roosevelt (42 years 322 days – he became President on the assassination of McKinley in 1901 – John F Kennedy is the youngest person to have been elected to the office – 43 years 236 days)

Q2 Who was the U.S. President at the time of the Wall Street Crash ?

A2 Herbert Hoover

Q3 In the 19th Century what was a “Penny Dreadful”

A3 Cheap and sensational book/novel (accept book/novel)

Q4 Where is Queen Victoria buried ?

A4 Frogmore Mausoleum at Windsor (accept Windsor)

Q5 Which geological time period is named after a small mountain range on the French/Swiss border ?

A5 Jurassic (after Jura mountains)

Q6 Which 19th Century novelist is credited with introducing the pillar box to Britain ?

A6 Anthony Trollope

Q7 Who was Chancellor of the Exchequer at the time of the General Strike of 1926 ?

A7 Winston Churchill

Q8 The Neander Valley, site of the discovery of the prehistoric skeleton named “Neanderthal Man”, is in which country ?

A8 Germany

Supplementary Questions

Q9 Who was Pope during World War 2 (name and number required)

Q9 Pius 12th

Q10 Initially, the Crimean War broke out between Russia and which other country ?

A10 Turkey

Q11 Edward VIII (Duke of Windsor) was Governor of where during World War 2 ?

A11 The Bahamas

Q12 Who succeeded Henry VIII on the throne of England ?

A12 Edward VI

ALLITERATIVE ANSWERS

In each case the answer is a two word name or phrase, each word of which starts with the same letter. e.g. “burly Wigan wing legend of the 50's and 60's“ would give the answer “Billy Boston”

Q1 Norwegian based sports and outdoor clothes maker founded in 1877

A1 Helly Hansen

Q2 Common name of Bibendum, the world's oldest trademark

A2 Michelin Man

Q3 Three time Stanley Cup winning Pennsylvania based ice hockey team

A3 Pittsburgh Penguins

Q4 Third division Scottish football team based in Clackmannanshire

A4 Alloa Athletic

Q5 Golden Globe winning actor in the “X-Files”

A5 David Duchovny

Q6 Driver of “The Compact Pussycat” in TV's Wacky Races

A6 Penelope Pitstop

Q7 Contemporary US artist famous for paintings of the American flag

A7 Jasper Johns

Q8 English painter (1891 – 1959) knighted in 1959. Painted “The Resurrection, Cookham”

A8 Stanley Spencer

Supplementary Questions

Q9 Latin phrase meaning “for one's country”

A9 Pro patria

Q10 Common name for a race of around 1500 metres, referring back to Imperial units

A10 Metric mile

Q11 Exhaust emission control device in cars, first introduced into the UK in the early 90's

A11 Catalytic converter

Q12 Australian city on the Murrumbidgee river 452 kilometres south west of Sydney

A12 Wagga Wagga

SCIENCE

Q1 Austrian Karl Landsteiner was awarded the Nobel prize for medicine in 1930 for the discovery of what ?

A1 Human blood groups

Q2 Which German physicist was the first recipient of the Nobel prize for physics in 1901 for his discovery of X-rays ?

A2 Wilhelm Röntgen

Q3 In astronomical terms what is a N.E.O. ?

A3 Near Earth Object

Q4 In astronomical terms what is E.T.I. ?

A4 Extra-terrestrial Intelligence

Q5 Featured on the national side of Italian 1 Euro coins what is the title of Leonardo's famous drawing of a multi-limbed figure emphasising human proportions ?

A5 Vitruvian Man

Q6 Taking its name from a certain city, what name has been given to the condition whereby hostages come to empathise with their captors ?

A6 Stockholm Syndrome

Q7 Oxygen is one of the two elements in the periodic table that start with the letter “O”. What is the other ?

A7 Osmium

Q8 In terms of mass, the sun accounts for what percentage of the total mass of the solar system ?

A8 99.9% (accept anything over 89.9%)

Supplementary Questions

Q9 How is Lateral Epicondylitis more commonly known ?

A9 Tennis elbow

Q10 What is the main diet of the Koala bear ?

A10 Eucalyptus leaves

Q11 Somnambulation is the medical name for what ?

A11 Sleepwalking

Q12 Selenography is the study of what ?

A12 The moon

THE COUNTY SET

Each answer contains the name of an English or Irish county. e.g. Superman's alter ego is Clark Kent.

Q1 Historic London building nowadays a visual arts centre, home to the Courtauld Gallery, the Gilbert Collection, the Hermitage Rooms etc. but was for many years the home of the Registrar General for England and Wales.

A1 Somerset House

Q2 Cambridge University college founded in 1596 and including Carole Vorderman as one of its better known students (and Oliver Cromwell)

A2 Sidney Sussex

Q3 Former husband of Victoria Wood, used “The Great Soprendo” as a professional name

A3 Geoffrey Durham

Q4 “Oh, 'tis my delight on a shiny night in the season of the year” is the final line of each verse in which traditional English folk song ?

A4 The Lincolnshire Poacher

Q5 An old fashioned name for Goitre (the swelling of the thyroid gland – normally caused by Iodine deficiency)

A5 Derbyshire neck

Q6 English fast bowler returned figures of 9 for 57 in South Africa's 2nd innings in the Oval test of 1994

A6 Devon Malcolm

Q7 The title of a cycle of 63 poems by English poet A.E.Housman first published in 1896 and has been in continuous print ever since

A7 A Shropshire Lad

Q8 RAF World War 2 bomber pilot, commander of 617 squadron (The Dambusters) after Guy Gibson

A8 Leonard Cheshire

Supplementary Questions

Q9 Completes the set of three on a standard Monopoly board along with Whitehall and Pall Mall

A9 Northumberland Avenue

Q10 Type of horse drawn four wheeled two seater carriage famously mentioned in a song title from the musical Oklahoma

A10 Surrey (The song is entitled “The Surrey with the fringe on top”)

Q11 Musician, singer, actor born David Albert Cook in 1947 (23rd July)

A11 David Essex

Q12 A breed of heavy draught horse , also a make of lawnmower

A12 Suffolk Punch

SPORT

Q1 Who is the current PDC darts world champion ?

A1 Adrian Lewis

Q2 Who is the current snooker world champion ?

A2 John Higgins

Q3 In which London district is Lords cricket ground located ?

A3 St. John's Wood

Q4 Prestbury Park is the official name of which horse racing course ?

A4 Cheltenham

Q5 “The Man of Steel” award is the annual award for the outstanding player of the year in which sport ?

A5 Rugby League Super League (accept Rugby League but not Rugby Union)

Q6 Lady Paramount is the title given to an official, who often presents the prizes, in which sport ?

A6 Archery

Q7 Who was the first bowler to take 300 wickets in test match cricket ?

A7 Fred Trueman

Q8 Which 'United' are the team/club featured in the novel and movie “The Damned United”

A8 Leeds United

Supplementary Questions

Q9 Which snooker player is nicknamed “The Thunder from Down Under”

A9 Neil Robertson

Q10 Which golfer, last year (2011), became the only golfer ever to top the money lists on both sides of the Atlantic (U.S. PGA and European tours) in the same year ?

A10 Luke Donald

Q11 Athens, Atlanta and Amsterdam are three of the four cities beginning with the letter “A” that have hosted the summer Olympics – what is the other ?

A11 Antwerp

Q12 What is the only horse racing course in County Durham ?

A12 Sedgefield

INITIAL REACTIONS

Many well known people are recognisable from their surnames and respective initial letter or letters of their first names. In each question you have to provide the name to which a particular letter refers – e.g. in John F. Kennedy the “F” is for Fitzgerald

Q1 The letter “P” as in author P.G. Wodehouse

A1 Pelham (Pelham Grenville)

Q2 The letter “S” as in poet and author T.S.Eliot

A2 Stearns (Thomas Stearns)

Q3 The letter “L” as in actor Samuel L. Jackson

A3 Leroy

Q4 The letter “C” as in actor W.C. Fields

A4 Claude (William Claude – surname originally Dukenfield)

Q5 The letter “C” as in C.J. De Mouie (Eggheads team member)

A5 Connagh (Connagh Joseph)

Q6 The letter “P” as in jockey A.P.McCoy

A6 Peter (Anthony Peter)

Q7 The letter “T” as in former England cricketer I.T. Botham

A7 Terence (Ian Terence)

Q8 The letter “S” as in artist L.S. Lowry

A8 Stephen (Lawrence Stephen)

Supplementary Questions

Q9 The letter “S” as in librettist W.S. Gilbert

A9 Schwenk (William Schwenk)

Q10 The letter “L” as in author Dorothy L. Sayers

A10 Leigh

Q11 The letter “D” as in Canadian singer K.D. Lang

A11 Dawn (Katherine Dawn)

Q12 The letter “A” as in B.A. Baracas, the character played by Mr T in the A-team

A12 Attitude (Bad Attitude)

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

Q1 In what month does the state opening of Parliament traditionally take place ?

A1 November (4th Thursday in November)

Q2 In what month does the Grouse shooting season traditionally (and legally) begin ?

A2 August (the Glorious Twelfth)

Q3 Which U.K. city is known as “The Athens of the North” ?

A3 Edinburgh

Q4 “Beantown” is the nickname for which U.S. city ?

A4 Boston (also known as “The Athens of America”)

Q5 “An adventure film 65 million years in the making” was the tag line to which movie of 1993 ?

A5 Jurassic Park

Q6 What is Kris Kristofferson's character's call sign in the movie Convoy ?

A6 Rubber Duck

Q7 BAJAN is the name given to natives/inhabitants of which island ?

A7 Barbados

Q8 CARIOCAS is the name given to natives/inhabitants of which city ?

A8 Rio de Janeiro

Q9 What nationality are the band A-HA ?

A9 Norwegian

Q10 Which ABBA song lent its title to Alan Partridge's spoof chat show ?

A10 Knowing me, knowing you

Q11 On U.K. Motorways what colour are the cats eyes that mark slip road junctions ?

A11 Green

Q12 HYDROSIS is the medical name for what everyday occurrence ?

A12 Sweating/perspiration

Q13 STERNUTATION is the medical name for what everyday occurrence ?

A13 Sneezing

Q14 Which town was given the right to add the word “Royal” to its name in October of last year (2011) ?

A14 Wootton Basset

Q15 Recently announced, on what date (day and month) will the 2012 Olympic flame commence the U.K. leg of its journey (in Cornwall) ?

A15 May 19th (allow one days tolerance – arrives in U.K. May 18th)

Q16 Who is the chief of the Gaulish village in the Asterix comic book series ?

A16 Vitalstatistix

Q17 SMEW, SHOVELLER, PINTAIL, POCHARD are all types of what species of bird?

A17 Duck

Q18 Concorde is the capital of which U.S. state ?

A18 New Hampshire

Q19 Olympia is the capital of which U.S. state ?

A19 Washington State

Q20 The DUMA is the name of the lower house of parliament of which country ?

A20 Russia

Q21 What is the Spanish word for yellow ?

A21 Amarillo (“Is this the way to...”)

Q22 GLOSSITIS is inflammation of what part of the body (precisely) ?

A22 Tongue (do not accept mouth – that is stomatitis)

Q23 In what part of the body (precisely) does carpal tunnel syndrome originate?

A23 Wrist

Q24 What breed of dog was named “best in show” at Cruft’s earlier this onth?

A24 Lhasa Apso

Q25 Who was U.S. Secretary of State in George W. Bush's administration 2005-2009 ?

A25 Condoleeza Rice

Q26 Helle Thorning-Schmidt is the current Prime Minister of which European country ?

A26 Denmark

Q27 What is the name of the Bolton Wanderers player who suffered a cardiac arrest during the F.A. Cup tie on 17th March ?

A27 Fabrice Muamba

Q28 Often referred to as the “animal's Victoria Cross”, what is the name of the medal awarded to animals that have displayed acts of bravery etc. whilst serving with the armed forces of the U.K. ?

A28 Dickin Medal

Q29 What was the name of the security firm robbed of £26 million in gold bullion at Heathrow in 1983 ?

A29 Brinks-Mat

Q30 In what year did Mao Zedong die ?

A30 1976

Q31 Which U.S. city is served by Hartsfield airport ?

A31 Atlanta (the world's busiest airport with 89 million passengers per year)

Q32 Which city is served by King Khaled airport ?

A32 Riyadh (Saudi Arabia - was an alternative landing site for NASA's space shuttle)

Q33 Clara Petacci was the mistress of whom ?

A33 Benito Mussolini

Q34 Limburger cheese is from which country ?

A34 Belgium

Q35 In computer science what is “Pixel” short for ?

A35 Picture Element

Q36 In computing, what is “Fortran” short for ?

A36 Formula Translator

Q37 On which river does Canterbury stand ?

A37 Stour

Q38 On which river does York stand ?

A38 Ouse (do not accept Great Ouse, which runs into the Wash)

Q39 Often in the news currently, who is the appropriately named Group Chief Executive of Barclays Bank plc ?

A39 Bob Diamond

Q40 Why was a horse named RAISA in the headlines earlier this month ?

A40 Retired police horse loaned to Rebekah Brooks and ridden by David Cameron (allow anything along these lines)

Q41 In evolution terms what popular name is given to the hypothetical creature halfway between anthropoid apes and modern human beings ?

A41 The missing link

Q42 What is the link between Captain Cook, Inspector Morse, and NASA's space shuttle programme ?

A42 Endeavour (Capt. Cook's ship, first name of Insp. Morse, and the space shuttle Endeavour)

Q43 Who is the current (as of 20th March) shadow Foreign Secretary ?

A43 Douglas Alexander

Q44 Who is the current (as of 20th March) shadow Defence Secretary ?

A44 Jim Murphy

Q45 In U.S. baseball, what name is given to the set of matches played by the champion clubs of the American League and the National League ?

A45 The World Series

Q46 Incorporating a letter from the Greek alphabet, what is the U.S.A's equivalent of the S.A.S ?

A46 Delta Force

Q47 Razzle Dazzle, All that Jazz, and Funny Honey are all musical numbers from which show ?

A47 Chicago

Q48 I Dreamed a Dream, Bring Him Home, and Building the Barricade are all musical numbers from which show ?

A48 Les Miserables

Q49 Correctly spell the word for the class of society BOURGEOISIE (pronounced BOOR-ZHWAH-ZEE)

A49 BOURGEOISIE

Q50 Correctly spell the word for ones range of of skills, REPERTOIRE (REP-EH-TWAH)

A50 REPERTOIRE

Q51 Which Roman road ran from Dover to Wroxeter (near Shewsbury) via London ?

A51 Watling Street

Q52 Which Roman road ran from Exeter to Lincoln via Leicester ?

A52 The Fosse Way

Q53 What is normally alloyed with silver to make sterling silver ?

A53 Copper (92.5% silver, 7.5% copper by mass)

Q54 On the Mohs scale of mineral hardness talc is ranked softest. What mineral is ranked second softest ? Its name is derived from the Greek for chalk or plaster.

A54 Gypsum

Q55 Who is generally credited with the invention of the modern elevator ?

A55 Elisha Otis

Q56 Hubert Cecil Booth is generally credited with inventing what everyday household item ?

A56 (Motorised) Vacuum cleaner.

Q57 The offices of the ICC (International Cricket Council – the governing body of cricket) were located at Lords cricket ground until August 2005. In which city are they now located ?

A57 Dubai

Q58 In “The Wealth of Nations” what phrase did Adam Smith use to describe the English – a phrase also attributed to Napoleon ?

A58 A nation of shopkeepers

Q59 In which city was Beethoven born ?

A59 Bonn

Q60 In which city is James Joyce, writer of Ulysses, buried ?

A60 Zurich

Q61 In which part of the body would a LABRET be inserted as an ornament ?

A61 The lip

Q62 The adjective CRURAL refers to what part of the body ?

A62 Leg or thigh

Q63 In what year was Joan of Arc canonised (declared as a Saint) ?

A63 1920 (allow 1900 – 1940)

Q64 In what year did Wyatt Earp die ?

A64 1929 (allow 1924 – 1934)

Q65 A food dish described as 'A la broche' would be prepared in what manner ?

A65 On a skewer or spit roasted

Q66 In cooking to which vegetable does the term “Lyonnaise” refer ?

A66 Onions

Q67 Who in Greek mythology has a name meaning “All gifted” or “All giving” ?

A67 Pandora

Q68 In Greek mythology the drinking of the water of which river caused complete forgetfulness of Hades ?

A68 Lethe (LEE-THEE)

Q69 Who composed the opera “The Pearl Fishers” ?

A69 Georges Bizet

Q70 Which American poet wrote the collection of poems entitled “Leaves of Grass” ?

A70 Walt Whitman

Q71 Which actor played the lead role in “Dixon of Dock Green” 1955 - 1976 on BBC TV ?

A71 Jack Warner

Q72 What is the surname of the main family in Downton Abbey (TV series) ?

A72 Crawley (the Earl and Countess of Grantham)

Q73 Who took the award for the best British male solo artist at the “Brit” awards last month

A73 Ed Sheeran

Q74 Which group took the award for best British group at the “Brit” awards last month ?

A74 Coldplay

Q75 At what rate is VAT levied on domestic fuel and power ?

A75 5%

Q76 Which engineer designed the internal framework for “The Statue of Liberty” ?

A76 Gustave Eiffel

Q77 Edward Nigma is the actual name of which Batman villain ?

A77 The Riddler (E-Nigma)

Q78 Manolo Blahnik is a famous name in the design of what ?

A78 Shoes

Q79 Who co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates ?

A79 Paul Allen (he proposed the name Micro-Soft)

Q80 Who is the host of the new BBC2 quiz show Breakaway ?

A80 Nick Hancock

Q81 What is the name of the annual festival held in the Shetland Islands each January that culminates with the burning of a replica Viking longship ?

A81 Up Helly Aa

Q82 How many faces does an icosahedron have ?

A82 Twenty

Q83 Which parliamentary constituency was represented by both Oliver Cromwell (1628-1629) and John Major (1983-2001)

A83 Huntingdon

Q84 What is Africa's smallest mainland country ?

A84 Gambia

Q85 Which Japanese director directed the classic film Seven Samurai upon which The Magnificent Seven was based ?

A85 Akira Kurosawa

Q86 Who is the dictionary expert, in dictionary corner, on Channel 4's Countdown programme ?

A86 Susie Dent

Q87 What is the name of Antony Gormley's display of 100 life size cast iron figures on Crosby beach ?

A87 Another place

Q88 Almost three times the height of Mount Everest, Olympus Mons is one of the tallest known mountains in the Solar System – on which planet is it to be found ?

A88 Mars

Q89 Samsoe cheese is from which country ?

A89 Denmark

Q90 Mamie Geneva Doud was married to which U.S. president ?

A90 Dwight D. Eisenhower

Q91 Which boxer was BBC sports personality of the year in 1985 ?

A91 Barry McGuigan

Q92 Which boxer was BBC sports personality of the year in 1999 ?

A92 Lennox Lewis

Q93 Which tax did John Hampden refuse to pay in 1637 precipitating the English Civil War A93 Ship Money

Q94 Who instigated the Third Servile War in 73 BC ?

A94 Spartacus

Q95 What name has been given to places of outstanding universal value in accordance with the convention adopted by Unesco in 1972 ?

A95 World Heritage Site

Q96 Which Indian city, nicknamed the Garden City, is the centre of the Indian technology industry ?

A96 Bangalore (Bengaluru)

Supplementary Questions

Q1 Who murdered his wife Cora, also known as Belle Elmore ?

A1 Dr. H.H. Crippen

Q2 Who 'invented' the female first name Wendy ?

A2 J.M. Barrie (in Peter Pan)

Q3 Which bird has the longest migration ?

A3 Arctic tern (North Polar region to South Polar region)

Q4 What name did Dutch Guiana adopt on becoming independent ?

A4 Suriname

Q5 What word describing the remote inner parts of a country comes from the German for “behind an area” ?

A5 Hinterland

Q6 In the Church of England, how many times are the Banns, giving notice of an intended marriage, read out ?

A6 Three

Q7 What word from the Spanish for tube is used to describe a deep valley with vertical sides excavated by a river ?

A7 Canyon

Q8 In what field of the arts is the Stirling Prize awarded ?

A8 Architecture

Q9 Which village near Coventry claims that its medieval cross on its village green marks the centre of England ?

A9 Meriden

Q10 What type of bed takes its name from the Turkish (originally Persian) for long seat ?

A10 Divan

Q11 Which colourful singer has the real name Alecia Moore ?

A11 Pink

Q12 Robert van Winckle is the real name of which rapper/songwriter ?

A12 Vanilla Ice

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

March 20th Questions

 

SPECIALIST QUESTIONS

Set By

THE BRITISH FLAG

 

Vetted by The Dolphin Dragons and The Robin Hood

SPECIALIST ROUNDS:

1. ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

2. GEOGRAPHY

3. SCIENCE

4. MOTERS DAY

5. DUPLICATED

6. HISTORY

7. SPORT

8. DO YOU HAVE THE BOTTLE !

ROUND 1: ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

1.

What is the surname of the brothers Raymond and Charlie played by Dustin Hoffmann and Tom Cruise, respectively, in the 1988 film “ Rain Man” ?

BABBITT

2.

What is the name of the leading character, played by Russell Crowe in the 2001 film “A Beautiful Mind” ?

JOHN NASH

3.

Which artist’s nickname is “Jack The Dripper” ?

JACKSON POLLOCK

4.

Handel’s “Zadok The Priest” is one of 4 anthem’s he wrote for the coronation of which monarch ?

GEORGE II (1727)

5.

In the play “Peter Pan” what is Captain Hook’s ship called?

JOLLY ROGER

6.

Georges Perec’s novel “La disparition” (1969) translated into English under the title “A Void” (1994) was written without using which letter of the alphabet ?

E

7.

Which well known great British actor has recently released a debut CD of his classical compositions entitled “Composer” ?

SIR ANTHONY HOPKINS

8.

Which British pop star released an album for Valentine’s Day this year called “Kisses on the Bottom” ?

SIR PAUL McCARTNEY

SUPPLEMENTARIES:

I.

Name the only dog to make an appearance by name in a Shakespeare play ?

CRAB (The Two Gentlemen Of Verona)

II.

In Walt Disney’s film Cinderella name either of the ugly sisters.

ANASTASIA OR DRIZELLA (TREMAINE)

ROUND 2: GEOGRAPHY

1.

Name the island off the coast of West Africa whose name means “strong wind” in English ?

FUERTEVENTURA

2.

The islands on New Britain and New Ireland form part of which country ?

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

3.

Name either of the 2 South American countries that DO NOT have a land border with Brazil ?

CHILE OR EQUADOR

4.

There are 4 letters in the alphabet that have only one capital city in the world beginning with that letter (I, Q, U and Z). Two of these are Quito and Ulan Bator – name either of the other two capital cities ?

ISLAMABAD OR ZAGREB

5.

Until 1927 what was Australia’s capital city ?

MELBOURNE

6.

Four US States meet at a point called “the four corners” - Arizona, Utah and Colorado are 3 of them, which is the fourth ?

NEW MEXICO

7.

In which English County would you find the River Piddle ?

DORSET

8.

What is the name of the lighthouse that is 4 miles west of the Scilly Isles and is shown at the start of the BBC One “News At Six” ?

BISHOPS ROCK

(don’t accept South Bishop which is off Pembrokeshire)

SUPPLEMENTARIES:

I.

Where would you find the world’s first and only tilting bridge ?

GATESHEAD / NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE

II.

Which is the only county in Northern Ireland NOT TO border Loch Neagh ?

FERMANAGH


ROUND 3: SCIENCE

1.

The binary number 11010 is equal to which number in the decimal number system (denary) ?

26

2.

How many square centimetres are there in one square metre ?

10,000 (100 x 100)

3.

What medical first did George Jorgensen endure in 1952 ?

FIRST SEX CHANGE OPERATION

(became Christine Jorgensen)

4.

What is the S.I. unit of force ?

NEWTON

5.

From the bark of which tree did aspirin originally come ?

WILLOW

6.

Who wrote “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind “?

ALBERT EINSTEIN

7.

Which unit of energy amounts to 746 watts ?

ONE HORSEPOWER

8.

Which is the only letter of the alphabet that DOES NOT appear in the name of an element in the periodic table ?

J

SUPPLEMENTARIES:

I.

What type of surgery does Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire specialise in ?

CARDIOTHORACIC (ACCEPT HEART OR LUNGS)

II.

What would you measure with an Odometer ?

DISTANCE TRAVELLED BY A VEHICLE

ROUND 4: MOTHERS DAY

1.

In the UK, when does Mothering Sunday always fall ?

4TH SUNDAY OF LENT

2.

What is the better known name of the prophetess Ursula Southeil, who was born in a cave in Knaresborough, Yorkshire in 1488 and predicted such events as the Great Fire of London and the defeat of the Spanish Armada, as well as her own death in 1561 ?

MOTHER SHIPTON

3.

Who is the celebrity daughter of Goldie Hawn ?

KATE HUDSON

4.

Who is the celebrity mother of actress Carrie Fisher ?

DEBBIE REYNOLDS

5.

In the Bible, who was the mother of John The Baptist ?

ELIZABETH

6.

What was the name of the Greek King of Thebes who fell in love with his mother ?

OEDIPUS

7.

What is the proper name for Mother Of Pearl ?

NACRE

8.

Who had a number 2 UK hit in June 1977 with “Ma Baker” ?

BONEY M

SUPPLEMENTARIES:

I.

Which classic science fiction movie featured a ship’s computer called Mother ?

ALIEN

II.

Which 1930’s radio star had the catchphrase “Can you hear me, mother” ?

SANDY POWELL


ROUND 5: DUPLICATED

In this round all answers are duplicated words or parts of words:

Example: Question : A large extinct flightless bird of the pigeon family that once inhabited Mauritius Answer: Dodo

1.

A small nocturnal primate that lives in trees and is found in Madagascar ?

AYE - AYE

2.

A small North American deciduous tree or scrub of the custard apple family that has large oblong leaves, purple flowers and small fleshy edible fruit ?

PAW – PAW

3.

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta is better known as whom ?

LADY GAGA

4.

William Joyce was better known as who during World War II ?

LORD HAW – HAW

5.

The Newfoundland nurse, hired by the Darlings to look after their children Wendy, John and Michael ?

NANA

6.

The name of the vacuum cleaner in The Teletubbies ?

NOO – NOO

7.

The baby elephant who, in 1969, famously defecated and urinated and dragged her keeper through the mess in the Blue Peter studio ?

LULU

8.

American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1976. Their hits include Africa , Rosanna and I Won’t Hold You Back ?

TOTO

SUPPLEMENTARIES:

I.

Maximum security prison operated by the New York State Department of Correctional Services located in Ossining, New York, opened in 1828 ?

SING SING

II.

Fictional character in Joseph Heller’s novel “ Catch – 22” whose mother thought he had been named Caleb Major ?

MAJOR MAJOR (in fact he was Major Major Major Major !!)

ROUND 6: HISTORY

1.

Which specialist unit commanded by Major General Orde Wingate operated behind enemy lines in Burma during World War II ?

THE CHINDITS

2.

At which battle were cannons first used ?

BATTLE OF CRECY (1346) (by the English)

3.

Who briefly succeeded Adolf Hitler as leader of Nazi Germany in 1945 (April 30th to May 23rd) ?

KARL DONITZ / DOENITZ

4.

What did Captain Charles Yeager achieve in 1947 ?

FIRST MAN TO FLY A PLANE THROUGH THE SOUND BARRIER (first to break the sound barrier)

5.

In which country did the Hundred Flowers campaign/movement take place in the summer of 1957 ?

CHINA

6.

Against which country did Britain fight the so-called War of Jenkins’s Ear from 1739 to 1748 ?

SPAIN

7.

Who is the only US President to have served two NON-CONSECUTIVE terms in office ?

GROVER CLEVELAND

(1885-89 (22nd US president) / 1893-97 (24th US president)

8.

Who was Queen Victoria’s first Prime Minister ?

VISCOUNT MELBOURNE (also accept William Lamb)

SUPPLEMENTARIES:

I.

According to tradition, the behaviour of which “sacred” wild animal released by Boudica in front of her army inspired them to defeat the Romans ?

BROWN HARE (Accept HARE)

II.

How long did the Anglo-Zanzibar war of 1896 last ?

38 MINUTES (accept 1 hr and anything less than 1 hr)

ROUND 7: SPORT

1.

Which company is the sponsor of this year’s F.A. Cup competition ?

BUDWEISER

2.

Which company is the sponsor of rugby league’s Super League ?

EDDIE STOBART

3.

Who won this year’s World Cup women’s skeleton title ?

SHELLEY RUDMAN

4.

Three weeks ago who completed a triathlon from Paris to London (cycle, row and run over 295 miles) in 5 days ?

JOHN BISHOP

5.

Name the boxer who defeated Amir Khan under controversial circumstances last December ?

LAMONT PETERSON

6.

Who was the premiership football goalkeeper who scored a goal from a clearance kick in a league game in early January this year ?

TIM HOWARD (EVERTON) – they still lost !

7.

In track cycling’s kierin event what is the name given to the motorised cycle that is used to bring the riders up to a certain speed before leaving the track and allowing them to race the final two laps ?

DERNY

8.

Which sporting trophy has grown from 7 inches to 35 inches in height since first being awarded in 1893 ?

THE STANLEY CUP (ICE HOCKEY)

(The names of all the winning players, coaches, management and club staff are engraved on it each year !)

SUPPLEMENTARIES:

I.

Which Monarch competed in the men’s doubles at Wimbledon ?

GEORGE VI (1926 - lost !)

II.

Who is the only Nobel prize winner to appear in the Wisden Cricketeers Almanac

SAMUEL BECKETT

(played for Dublin University against Northamptonshire)

ROUND 8: HAVE YOU GOT THE BOTTLE (Picture Round)

Give the name of the lager/beer from the picture of the labels. For any player who has a visual impairment there are questions to be used at the bottom of this page.

1.

beer1

FOSTERS

2.

 

beer2

CARLING

3.

beer3

LABATT’S

4.

beer4

CASTLE

5.

beer5

AMSTEL

6.

 

beer6

STELLA ARTOIS

7.

beer7

KRONENBOURG

8.

beer8

BUDWEISER

SUPPLEMENTARIES:

I.

beer9

HEINEKEN

II.

beer10

BECKS

Questions to be used for any visually impaired players:

I.

Which brewery founded in 1873 is found in the Northern German city of Bremen ?

BECKS

II.

Which brewery founded in 1758 currently sponsor the Grand National horse race ?

JOHN SMITHS

 

 

General Knowledge Questions

Set by the Robin Hood

Vetted by The Dolphin Dragons and The British Flag


1. Whose 1835 Difference Engine is regarded as the granddaddy of computers?

Charles Babbage

2. For a time, General George Patton was stationed in the North West of England. In which town ?

Knutsford

3. In what year did William Shakespeare die? (leeway).

1616 (2 years either side)

4. In 2011, Sebastian Vettel set a new record for the number of Formula 1 Grand Prix pole positions in a season. How many times was he on pole?

15 (won 11 races)

5. What is the first name of Kate and Pippa Middleton's brother?

James

6. Who played the title role in the TV series The Return of the Saint?

Ian Ogilvy

7. Where was the seat of the French collaboration government in World War Two?

Vichy

8. Which liberal party leader was accused and acquitted of the attempted murder of his gay lover?

Jeremy Thorpe

9. What did New Zealand pioneer in 1893, with the UK not following until 1918?

Votes for Women (in 1918 for the over 30’s and then in 1928 for the over 21’s)

10. Who wrote Oedipus Rex ?

Sophocles

11. Midwife and Surinam are varieties of what?

Toad

12. What Latin term means "Being caught in the act"?

In flagrante delicto

13. Which London Market is historically associated with selling fish?

Billingsgate

14. Who set up a charitable foundation in 1913 and in the process donated some 550 million dollars in his lifetime?

John D Rockefeller

15. In Cheshire dialect, if you were varging, what would you be doing?

Quarrelling

16. In the TV comedy Dad's Army what is Captain Mainwaring's first name?

George

17. Constance, Countess Markiewicz was the first woman MP elected but she never sat in the house. Why?

She was a member of Sinn Fein

18. Octavian defeated Mark Anthony and Cleopatra at Actium in 31BC. What name did he adopt on becoming Emperor?

Augustus

19. In which country is Timbuktu?

Mali

20. By what nickname is the US state of Kentucky known?

The Bluegrass State

21. "Ich bin ein Berliner." He wasn't but who said it anyway?

President JF Kennedy

22. What are Marrons Glace?

Candied chestnuts

23. On which album by Fleetwood Mac would you find the following tracks: Don't Stop, Songbird, The Chain ?

Rumours

24. Who wrote the World War Two history book, "Band of Brothers"? (both names required)

Stephen E Ambrose (His son Hugh wrote "Pacific")

25. Rory McIlroy became the world number one golfer two weeks ago. Which English golfer did he depose?

Luke Donald (Lee Westwood was second and dropped to third)

26. What creature is responsible for the deaths of more people in Africa than any other?

The mosquito

27. Which Girl group had a hit record with Pure Shores ?

All Saints

28. When a Cockney says "There's a right George Raft in 'ere tonight," what does he mean?

Draft

29. In which city would you find the famous department store GUM?

Moscow

30. What was peculiar about Odin's horse Sleipnir?

He had eight legs

31. Where is Karl Marx buried?

London, Highgate Cemetery

32. In what year was Mrs Ghandi Prime Minister of India assassinated? (leeway)

1984 - allow 1 year either side

33. What became the world’s first official national park in 1872?

Yellowstone Park (Wyomimg).

34. Bolas, gladiator and trapdoor are all types of what?

Spider

35. Name either of Homer's great poems

Iliad and The Odyssey

36. Which London Market is historically associated with selling meat?

Smithfield

37. What Latin term is used to describe being of sound mind?

(in) Compus mentis

38. Cheshire dialect, if you were asked to give something a thrutch, what would you do?

give it a squeeze

39. What cornerstone of the economy was first introduced in 1798?

Income Tax

40. Who plays Gabrielle Solis in Desperate Housewives?

Eva Longoria

41. By what name / nickname is the musician David Howell Evans better known?

The Edge (U2)

42. Where was the 1991 EU treaty on economic and social affairs signed?

Maastricht

43. Which baseball movie featured Madonna as Mae Morbadito?

A league of their own

44. The Cherwell and the Mole are tributaries of which River?

The Thames

45. What is the only western city to have been quarantined as a result of the SARS outbreak?

Toronto

46. What is the name of the national park situated in the Sierra Nevada?

Yosemite

47. Who is married to Trudie Styler?

Sting

48. Who was the controversial president of the International Olympic Committee from 1980 to 2001?

Juan Antonio Samaranch

49. Which motor manufacturer has given the UK a jobs boost by announcing that its' new Invitation model will be built in Britain?

Nissan

50. What animal was central to Edward Jenner's development of the smallpox vaccine?

The Cow

51. You hear a Cockney say, "Gerrit down yer Gregory!". What does he mean?

Neck (Gregory Peck)

52. Which Boy Band had a hit record with Hangin' Tough?

New Kids on the Block

53. Which jewellery store packages all their merchandise in distinctive blue boxes?

Tiffany's

54. What was the name of Alexander the Great's horse?

Bucephalus

55. In what year was Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin killed in Israel? (leeway)

1995 - allow 1 year either side

56 Where is Oscar Wilde buried?

Paris, Pere Lachaise cemetery,

57. What did undersea explorer Jacques Cousteau invent in 1943 ?

The Aqualung

58. The Bourne Identity was taken from the book written by which author?

Robert Ludlum

59. Which football club used to play their home games at Burnden Park?

Bolton Wanderers

60. Who was the first Archbishop of Canterbury?

St Augustine

61. What was the number of Dick Dastardly's car in Whacky Races?

OO (double zero)

62. Whose funeral delayed a British Royal wedding by one day in 2005?

Pope John Paul II (it was Charles & Camilla's!)

63. How many questions are asked in the Life in the United Kingdom test (required for all foreign nationals who wish to settle in the United Kingdom or obtain British citizenship)?

24

64. Experts claim to have found traces of which artist's work beneath a Florentine fresco?

Leonardo Da Vinci

65. By what name is Robert Nakeville better known ?

Bobby Davro

66. Which European country elects a new prime minister every year ?

Switzerland

67. Which film allowed Sylvester Stallone to display his goalkeeping skills?

Escape to victory

68. In which country is the source of the Amazon?

Peru

69. Which British mass murderer committed suicide in early 2004?

Harold Shipman

70. Who is married to Adrian Edmondson?

Jennifer Saunders

71. Where is the headquarters of the Flying Doctor service in Australia's Northern Territory?

Alice Springs

72. What is the English translation of the Olympic motto, Citius Altius Fortius?

Faster, Higher, Stronger

73. In 1936, Ethel Cain, in the role of Tim, became the first what?

speaking clock (until 1963)

74. Who led the failed attempt to assassinate Hitler in 1944 ?

Von Staufenberg

75. In what year did Sir Stanley Matthews play his last ever league soccer match? (leeway)

1965 (2 Years either side)

76. In the 1960's, the British Grand Prix was held at three different circuits. Silverstone and Brands Hatch were two. Name the third.

Aintree

77. General Fahid al-Jassim commands which country's armed forces?

Syria

78. Who played the part of George Cowley in The Professionals?

Gordon Jackson

79. Which western country saw student riots in its capital that nearly toppled its government in 1968?

France. (More importantly, it caused the postponement of the Le Mans 24 hours to September that year!)

80. Who lost in Enfield but was elected as MP for Kensington after the death of Alan Clark?

Michael Portillo

81. What did Thomas Sullivan invent in 1908 ?

Tea bags

82. Which author is most famous for his Discworld series of books?

Terry Pratchett

83. Name the system used to calculate results in one-day cricket matches affected by bad weather

The Duckworth - Lewis System

84. Which group was arrested and deported in 1834 after forming what was effectively a trade union?

The Tolpuddle Martyrs

85. Name the programme about a train with a boiler fired up by a dragon called Idris

Ivor the Engine

86. How many questions are asked in the theory part of the driving test (both motorcycle & car)

50

87. Which legendary country singer died in a plane crash in 1963?

Patsy Kline

88. According to the Forbes list of billionaires, who is Britain's richest man, coming in at number 78 overall?

Gerald Grosvenor the 6th Duke of Westminster

89. Which contest was first held on 19th April 1951?

Miss World

90 There were the two great civilisations in Greece between 2000 and 1000 BC. Name either

Minoan and Mycenaean

91. By what nickname is the US state of California known as?

The Golden State

92. In which country is Mashonaland?

Zimbabwe

93. Which female wit said, "give a man a free hand and he'll run it all over you"?

Mae West

94. What is a haggis before it is stuffed?

A sheep's stomach.

95. . In which play does the phrase "Band of Brothers" first appear?

Henry V

96 On which album by Carol King would you find the following tracks: Will you love me tomorrow; It's too late; So far away

Tapestry (Carol King)

Supplementaries:

97. Who sailed around the world in Gypsy moth IV?

Sir Francis Chichester (He wasn’t knighted until after his return)

98. Which mass car manufacturer’s badge is designed to denote an aeroplane propeller?

BMW (NB if a player answers Spyker, do not accept it, they are a niche manufacturer)

99. Who wrote The Boys From the Blackstuff?

Alan Bleasedale

100. Who wrote The Woman in White?

Wilkie Collins

Thursday, March 15, 2012

13 March Questions


SPECIALIST QUESTIONS
          Set by
THE LAMB INN
1. GEOGRAPHY
2. SCIENCE
3. HISTORY (THE FIFTIES)
4. ART & ENTERTAINMENT (literally speaking
5. SPORT
6. RIVERS
7. CLASSICAL CHESTNUTS
8. TOBACCO


GEOGRAPHY
1. What is the name of Aberdeen's airport ?
DYCE.
2. What is the name of the three mile natural breakwater which protects the Humber Estuary ?
SPURN HEAD.
3. What is the name of the large inlet of the Baltic Sea which separates Sweden and Finland.
GULF OF BOTHNIA.
4. In which US state is Daytona Beach?
FLORIDA.
5. Which island off the tip of the Lleyn Peninsular in North West Wales used to be a pilgrimage destination for monks ?
BARDSEY ISLAND.
6. Which box girder bridge in Dundee stretches for 2,246 metres ? THE TAY (ROAD) BRIDGE. Accept Tay Bridge.
7. What is the capital of Slovenia
LJUBLJANA.
8. Apart from Liverpool, where else might you take a ferry to the Isle of Man ?
HEYSHAM.
SUPPLEMENTARY
A. What is the capital of Madagascar ?
ANTANANARIVO.
B. Which Australian state has borders with each of the other mainland states and territory ?
SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
SCIENCE
1. Which chemical compound comprises blackboard chalk ? CALCIUM SULPHATE.
2. Which vitamin found in green leaves is essential for blood clotting
VITAMIN K.
3. Which scientist shared the Nobel prize for physics in 1903 with Pierre and Marie Curie, and gives his name to the SI unit of radioactivity?
HENRI BECQUEREL.
4. Which poisonous organic acid is present in rhubarb leaves and wood sorrel ? OXALIC ACID.
5.Which hard fatty substance made from rendered animal fat can be used to make candles ?
TALLOW.
6. What kind of defect in humans are protanopia, deuteranopia, and tritanopia ?
COLOUR BLINDNESS.
7. The mineral cassiterite is an oxide of which metal ?
TIN.
8. The SI unit of frequency, equal to one cycle per second, is named after which German physicist ?
HERTZ.
SUPPLEMENTARY
A. Which subatomic particle takes its name from a passage in James Joyce's 'Finnegan's Wake' ?
QUARK.
B. What name is given to the visible electric discharge seen at a plane's wing tips, and in other places, caused by static electricity in the atmosphere ?
ST. ELMO'S FIRE.
HISTORY (THE FIFTIES)
1. Who was the speech therapist who died in 1953 and who helped George VI with his impediment ?
LIONEL LOGUE. (of the film The Kings Speech fame)
2. Who was the US senator who conducted a witch-hunt against what he called 'reds'
Joseph Mccarthy.
3. Miles Davis was a famous fifties jazz musician who played his music on what?
TRUMPET.
4. Joy Beverley of The Beverley Sisters married which English football captain
BILLY WRIGHT.
5. After the defection of the spies Burgess and MacClean, who was revealed as The Third Man' ?
KIM PHILBY.
6. The Festival of Britain opened in 1951. But in which month ? MAY. (the 3rd)
7. Who was the designer of the German V2 missile who later guided the American space programme ?
WERNER VON BRAUN. Accept BRAUN but not BROWN.
8. The Rolls Royce 'Thrust Measuring Rig' took off vertically. But what was its nickname ?
THE FLYING BEDSTEAD.
SUPPLEMENTARY
A. Which blonde American film starlet was known as 'The Poor man's Marilyn Monroe' ?
JAYNE MANSFIELD.
B. Musical star Mary Martin was the mother of which American actor whose screen home was 'South Fork' ?
LARRY HAGMAN (do NOT accept J.R. Ewing)

Art & Entertainment
(Literally speaking)
1. Which British poet kept a pet bear while he was at Trinity College, Cambridge?
Byron
2. On which Pacific Island did Robert Louis Stevenson die?
Samoa
3. Which Shakespeare play has a setting at the Battle of Agincourt?
Henry V
4. What is the title of the 1957 John Wyndham book that features alien children in a village, which has been made into two films (in 1960 and 1995) called 'Village of the Damned'?
The Midwich Cuckoos
5. Which author died of pneumonia at a railway station two days after deciding to abandon his family and wealth?
Tolstoy
6. Dolores Haze is the eponymous 'heroine' of which book?
Lolita
7. Which TS Eliot poem contains the line 1 will show you fear in a handful of dust', giving the title to the Evelyn Waugh novel 'A Handful of Dust'?
The Wasteland
8. Which League of Gentlemen writer and actor wrote a series of novels featuring the flamboyant portrait painter and secret agent Lucifer Box?
Mark Gatiss
Supplementary questions
A. In The Day of the Jackal' by Frederick Forsyth, which French leader was the target for assassination?
Charles de Gaulle
B. How many syllables are there in a haiku?
17 (They go 5, 7, 5 — so here's one:)
To convey ones mood
In seventeen syllables Is very diffic...
C. The mediaevalist and ex-Python, Terry Jones, wrote a credible and scathing critique of one of Chaucer's Canterbury pilgrims claiming he was simply an unscrupulous mercenary? Which pilgrim?
The knight
D. Which French poet, described by Victor Hugo as 'an infant Shakespeare', abandoned writing at 19 and became a salesman?
Rimbaud
SPORT
1. Who scored the 20,000th Premier League goal earlier this season ?
MARC ALBRIGHTON (ASTON VILLA).
2. Who are the current county cricket champions ?
LANCASHIRE.
3. Which rugby union team plays its home games at Wellford Road LEICESTER TIGERS (ACCEPT LEICESTER)
4. Which horse won the 2011 Epsom Derby ?
POURMOI.
5. The Formula One motor racing season starts in March 2012. Which country will stage the first race ?
AUSTRALIA.
6. Who is the current Wimbledon Ladies singles tennis champion ? PETRA KVITOVA.
7. Catalan Dragons rugby league team is based in which French city ?
PERPIGNAN.
8. Paul Scholes has returned to the Manchester United team after earlier announcing his retirement. What squad number does he now wear ?
No. 22.
SUPPLEMENTARY
A. The film 'Chariots of Fire' was centered on the 1924 Olympic games in which city?
PARIS.
B. Russian pentathlete Boris Onischenko achieved infamy at the 1976 Montreal Olympics by doing what ?
CHEATING IN THE FENCING COMPETITION. (MUST SAY FENCING)
(He had an electronic switch on the hilt of his sword enabling him to register a false hit).
RIVERS
All questions have a loose connection with rivers
1. Which river with a literary connection flows through the town of Ipswich
THE ORWELL.
2. In Samuel Coleridge's poem Kubla Khan, what is the name of the sacred river
ALPH.
3. In which year did the actor River Phoenix die ?
1993 (Accept 1992 - 1994).
4. The river Tagus flows through which European capital city ? LISBON.
5. Boney M's 1978 No.l record 'Rivers of Babylon' was a double A side. Which single featured on the flip side ?
BROWN GIRL IN THE RING. (tra la la la la).
6. What is the name of the ferryman who carries the dead over the river Styx to the underworld ?
CHARON.
7. The river Rhone meets which other major French river at Lyons ?
THE SAONE.
8. What is the name of the TV chef who has featured in the TV series 'Riverbank cottage?
HUGH FEARNLEY-WHITTINGSTALL.
SUPPLEMENTARIES
A. The 1992 film *A river runs through it' was directed by which famous Hollywood heart-throb ?
ROBERT REDFORD.
B. The 1974 single 4Take me to the river' was recorded by which male solo soul artist?
AL GREEN.
CLASSICAL CHESTNUTS
(Classical music with a few clues)
1. Which opera composed by George Gershwin had an original cast of classically trained African-American singers and is set in Catfish Row, Charleston, South Carolina ?
PORGY & BESS.
2. Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No.2 was used to great effect in which 1945 film starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard and written by Noel Coward ?
BRIEF ENCOUNTER.
3. Offenbach's barcarolle from the 'Tales of Hoffman' is a famous piece of music, but what is a barcarolle ?
A BOATING SONG, PARTICULARLY BY GONDOLIERS (Accept any reference to boats)
4. The first four notes from which world famous symphony were used by the BBC during WWII to introduce news broadcasts because they evoked the Morse code for V, symbolising victory ? BEETHOVEN'S 5th
5. Augustus Jaeger was Edward Elgar's best friend. Jeager being German for 'hunter' inspired Elgar to write which of his Enigma Variations named after an Old testament patriarch known as The Mighty Hunter ?
NIMROD.
6. Which music thrilled youngsters in the 50's as they saw Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels in The Lone Ranger ?
THE WILLIAM TELL OVERTURE (Gioachino Rossini).
7. Which classical composer's tortured life and career was the subject of the Ken Russell film 'The Music Lovers' ?
PYOTR ILYCH TCHAIKOVSKY.
8. Which Gilbert and Sullivan operetta contains the song generally known as 'A policeman's lot is lot a happy one' ?
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE.
SUPPLEMENTARIES
A. Music to the films 'Out of Africa'; 'Dances with Wolves' and the arrangement of the James Bond theme have one thing in common. What is it ?
JOHN BARRY (He wrote the first two and arranged Monty Norman's original Bond theme).
B. Which anthem by Handel, also used for the UEFA Champions League and P&O cruise adverts has been sung at every coronation since that of George II in 1727 ?
ZADOK THE PRIEST.
TOBACCO
1. In the BBC TV series featuring Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock, what does Holmes use to replace the traditional pipe?
Nicotine patches
2. Which film contains the lines: 'It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark... and we're wearing sunglasses'?
The Blues Brothers
3. Which king, labelled 'the wisest fool in Christendom', wrote the treatise, 'A Counterblaste to Tobacco', one of the earliest anti-smoking publications?
James I
4. Which work by Oscar Wilde contains the lines: 'A cigarette is the perfect type of pleasure. It is exquisite, and leaves one unsatisfied. What more can one want?'
A Picture of Dorian Gray
5. Harold Wilson, Peter Gushing, Dave Lee Travis, Ian Botham, Barry Norman and Stephen Fry have all held which smoking-related title, which was discontinued in 2004?
Pipe Smoker of the Year
6. What is the wet and sour-smelling unburned tobacco at the bottom of a pipe called?
Dottle
7. Which song contains the lines: “No phone, no pool, no pets, I ain't got no cigarettes'?
King of the Road
8. What was the title of the music in the cigar adverts featuring the line, 'Happiness is a cigar Called Hamlet' ?
Air on the G string. (J.S.Bach — From the Orchestral Suit No. 3 in D major)
Supplementary questions
A. The city of San Luis Obispo, California, became the first city in the world to restrict indoor smoking in all public places, including bars and restaurants. In which year?
1990 (accept 1989-1991)
B. Which was the first country to introduce fully smoke-free workplaces?
Ireland
C. Cigarettes and alcohol was the fourth single by which band?
Oasis
D. Which author and playwright wrote the trilogy, The Smoking Diaries', as well as the play Cell Mates” which Stephen Fry fled from to contemplate suicide in Bruges?
Simon Gray

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
1. What is the pen name of the British author and former MI5 agent David Cornwell? Ans. John Le Carre'.
2. Which actor starred as Martin Riggs in the Lethal Weapon movies? Ans. Mel Gibson
3. Which soccer club in 1997 lost in both the FA and Coca Cola cup finals and were relegated from the Premier league?
Ans. Middlesbrough
4. Which animal is at the centre of Coventry City FC's badge and has also been used as a logo for The Carlsberg Brewery?
Ans. The Elephant
5. Which opera by Richard Wagner contains the wedding march popularly known as Here Comes the Bride?
Ans. Lohengrin
6. What colour is Japanese Wasabi paste / sauce? Ans. Green
7. Which mineral deficiency can lead to cretinism and goitre? Ans. Iodine
8. What is the answer to the ancient riddle of The Sphinx: "Which creature in the morning goes on four legs, at mid-day on two, and in the evening upon three, and the more legs it has, the weaker it be"?
Ans. Man - as a baby, an adurt and an old person with a stick. (Those whacky Egyptians!) .........
9. Which striking wading bird eats with its bill upside down?
Ans. The Flamingo.
10. In which country is "Puffin in Milk* a popular dish?
Ans. Iceland.
11. In the film Notting Hill, Hugh Grant masquerades as a journalist from which publication?
Ans. Horse and Hound.
12. What is the name of the handyman in the musical The Rocky Horror Show?
Ans. Riff Raff.
13. The Loire is the longest river in France, at which port does it meet the sea?
Saint Nazaire.
14. After the Dunkirk withdrawal, where in France was the first major allied commando raid, which proved disastrous ?
Ans. Dieppe
15. Hailed as a "miracle material" and "the next big thing" what is the name of the carbon based material, the strongest ever measured, which earned Nobel prizes for the team at Manchester University who managed to produce it?
Ans. Graphene
16. Which fruit has traditionally been used to make the cordial Grenadine?
Ans. Pomegranate.
17. For what historical event did Benjamin Britten write the opera Gloriana?
Ans. The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
18. Which North American mountain system extends from the island of Newfoundland to central Alabama?
Ans. The Appalachians.
19. Comedian Brendan O'Carroll's alter ego is Mrs Brown, what is Mrs Brown's first name?
Ans. Agnes.
20. Which politician said "What is our task? To make Britain a fit country for heroes to live in."
Ans. David Lloyd George
21. What name is given to scissors which produce a zigzag edge on material?
Ans. Pinking shears.
22. The port of Hamburg stands on which river?
Ans. The Elbe
23. The Saxon Hoard of precious materials was found near Lichfield. In which Saxon kingdom would they have been buried?
Ans. Mercia
24. What is the English equivalent of the Italian dish Zuppa Inglese?
Ans. Trifle
25.What is measured in dioptres? (di op ters)
Ans. The power of Lenses
26. Which American jockey became British flat racing champion three times in the 1980's?
Ans. Steve Cauthen
27. Denmark Street in London is also known by what iconic name?
Ans. Tin Pan Alley.
28. Which apple has a reddish brown skin and has the same name as its colour? Ans. Russet
29. Which horse is the current holder of Cheltenham Gold Cup? Ans. Long Run
30. Which British river is formed by the confluence of the Goyt, the Tame and the Etherow?
Ans. The river Mersey
31. Which Dutch artist committed suicide by shooting himself in the chest with a pistol in 1890?
Ans. Vincent Van Gogh
32. What name is given to the stream of electrons and protons that flows outward from the sun?
Ans. Solar winds, (accept charged particles.)
33. Which Shakespeare phrase was used to describe the British strikes of 1978/79?
Ans. The winter of discontent
34. Which British retail store chain has the same name as the faithful dog of Odysseus, king of Ithaca?
Ans. Argos.
35. What name is given to lines that show points of equal depth on a sea chart?
Ans. Isobaths.
36. Which metal is alloyed with zinc and nickel to make 1£ coins?
Ans. Copper
37. What was the name of the Russian nuclear submarine that sank in the Barents Sea in 2000?
Ans. The Kursk.
38. Which impressionist painted The Luncheon of the Boating Party in 1881? Ans. Pierre-August Renoir.
39. Apart from the usual ingredients of potatoes and onions what is the other main vegetable ingredient of Vichyssoise soup?
Ans. Leeks.
40. Which battle of the 19th century is known as the Battle of the 3 Emperors, French, Russian and Austrian?
Ans. The battle of Austerlitz
41. In which decade of the 19th century did Captain Matthew Webb become the first man to swim the English Channel?
Ans. 1870’s (1875 to be exact)
42. Which British blues/ rock guitarist bought 3 vintage 1950's Fender Stratocasters in 1970, disassembled them, and took the best parts from all 3 to make "Blackie" his main guitar for the next decade and a half?
Ans. Eric Clapton (He sold it for his Crossroads charity in 2004 when it raised $959,500 !)
43. Which hirsute Texan blues/rock guitarist bought a 1959 Les Paul Standard in 1968, naming it "Pearly Gates" for which he always purchases a seat next to him, when flying, and it has featured on all his Albums ever since.
Ans. Billy Gibbons ZZ Top, (it now never leaves his studio and is worth $500,000 +)
44. Which country transferred its capital from Alma-Ata to Akmola, later renamed Astana, in
1998?
Ans. Kazakhstan
45. Who was the last of the Danish Kings of England?
Ans. Harthacnut, 1040 to 1042. (Son of Cnut, he succeeded his half brother Harold Harefoot)
46. What was the name of the whaling ship in Melville's novel Moby Dick? Ans. The Pequod
47. Who wrote the music for the ballet Gayane which features the famous Sabre Dance?
Ans. Aram Khackaturian
48. In Macclesfield, for what is Geoff Wappett well known?
Ans. As the head coach and director of rugby for Macclesfield Rugby Football Club
49. Which French artist, under the pseudonym R Mutt, exhibited a urinal entitled "Fountain" in 1917?
Marcel Duchamp.
50. The Walloon region is one of three areas in which country?
Belgium.
51.Who in the early 18th century, invented the steam driven water pump used to keep mines free from flooding?
Thomas Newcomen
52. What product for gardeners did James Dyson launch ahead of his bagless vacuum?
The Ballbarrow (with the ball replacing the wheel)
53. In Thomas Hardy's Wessex novels, what position was attained by Michael Henchard?
Mayor of Casterbridge.
54. AC Milan is one of two Serie A teams in Milan. What is the correct full name of the other?
Internazionale Milan. (NOT Inter Milan)
55. Which British weekly publication covers the entertainment and performing arts industry?
The Stage.
56. What is the name of the highest prize given to a competing film at the Cannes Film Festival.
The Palme d'Or
57. On the outskirts of which English town is Anthony Gormley's landmark sculpture Angel of the north?
Gateshead.
58. Which star cluster is known as the Seven Sisters?
The Pleiades
59. Which river separates Argentina and Uruguay?
The River Plate
60. Which fantasy novel has the subtitle “There and Back Again”
The Hobbit
61. In show jumping, what name is given to a competition that tests a horse's ability to jump high fences?
Ans. Puissance
62. What works on the Otto cycle?
Ans. 4 stroke engines. (Induction, compression, ignition & exhaust)
63. Which part of an insect's body lies between the head and the abdomen?
Ans. The Thorax
64. Which multinational company began as an import business selling oriental sea shells to London collectors?
Ans. Royal Dutch Shell
65. Who performed a kite flying experiment in 1752 to demonstrate that electricity and Lightning were connected ?
Ans. Benjamin Franklin.
66. On TV who is "An Idiot Abroad"?
Ans. Carl Pilkington
67. Which 1701 act of parliament was designed to stop Catholics acceding to the British throne?
Ans. The Act of Settlement.
68. In which year did Sunday trading officially become legal in England and Wales? There is leeway.
Ans. 1994. Accept 93 to 95
69. Which ship, in the early 20th century, was captained by Edward J Smith?
Ans. The Titanic.
70. Barbary, Rock and Rufous Turtle are all types of what ?
Ans. Dove / accept pigeon.
71. Who was the author of The Wheel of Time' series of fantasy novels who died in 2007
Ans. Robert Jordan.
72. Which James bond book / film features the villain Hugo Drax?
Ans. Moonraker
73. The world's first full-scale commercial atomic-powered electricity generating plant was opened by the Queen in 1956. What was its name?
Ans. Calder Hall (now being decommissioned, do not accept Windscale or Sellafield)
74. Which choral work by Handel features the Hallelujah Chorus?
Ans. Messiah
75What name is given to a female bear?
Ans. A Sow.
76. Who starred opposite Vince Vaughn in the 2006 film The Break-up? Ans. Jennifer Aniston.
77. Berkshire, Chester White and Landrace are breeds of which animal? Ans. Pig.
78. For what iconic symbol did Lady Frances Stuart model in Charles II reign?
Ans. Britannia.
79. Which present day country covers much of the area previously known as Mesopotamia?
Ans. Iraq
80. Which metallic element gives bricks their red colour?
Ans. Iron
81. In which year did Nigel Mansell win his only Formula 1 World Championship?
Ans. 1992
82. Edward, Prince of Wales (the Black Prince) was the son of which King of England? Ans. Edward III
83. Who played TV reporter Borat Sagdiyev for the benefit of the "glorious nation" Kazakhstan.
Ans. Sacha Baron Cohen
84. The winner of which 200 lap motor race receives The Borg - Warner trophy? Ans. The Indianapolis 500.
85. Which author created the character Tarzan?
Ans. Edgar Rice Burroughs.
86. Which talent show winner had to withdraw from The Sound of Music as a congenital vocal condition worsened and after surgery, dropped her voice from soprano to alto?
Ans. Connie Fisher.
87. Which actress played Ricky Tomlinson's wife in both The Royle Family and Brookside? Ans. Sue Johnston
88. Which city, 60 miles northwest of Liverpool, derives its name from two rivers, the river Glass and the river Dhoo?
Ans. Douglas, Isle of man.
89. Which 6 letter girls name is an anagram of a Shakespeare play?
Ans. Thelma (Hamlet)
90. Humans have how many vocal chords?
Ans. 2
91. Who headed the special commission set up to investigate the death of President John F Kennedy?
Ans. Earl Warren.
92. In which US state is the painted desert?
Ans. Arizona.
93. The stars Castor and Pollux are in which constellation?
Ans. Gemini
94. Which US general, known as "Old Blood and Guts" died after a car crash in Dec 1945?
Ans. General George S Patton.
95. Who was appointed England football manager, for 7 matches on a part time basis, after Alf Ramsey was sacked in 1974?
Ans. Joe Mercer
96. Which fish "shoots" its land based insect prey by squirting water at them to knock them into the water ready for consumption?
Ans. The Archer fish, (they can squirt water up to 3 metres and rarely miss)

Supplementaries
S1. Asuncion is the capital of which country?
Ans. Paraguay
S2. What is notable about the word DERMATOGLYPHICS (der matto glifficks - QM please spell out the word)
Ans. It is the longest word in the English language which has no repeat letters.
S3. Which figure from Norse Mythology was the subject of a 2011 film?
Ans. Thor.
S4 What are Bretons, Belgians and Percherons types of?
Ans. Heavy draft Horses.
S5. In the Chinese calendar 2012 is known as the year of the what?
Ans. Dragon.
S6. Who was the last man to walk on the moon ?
Ans. Captain Eugene Cernan.
S7. In which country was the actor Jeffery Rush born?
Ans. Australia
S8. What was the nickname of the DJ and broadcaster Alan Freeman?
Ans. Fluff.