7th December Questions

 

Specialist Questions Set By The Plough Horntails

1. History: Britain, 1951 to 1960
2. Geography:
3. Science
4. Arts and Entertainment
5. Sport
6. December
7. Local Macclesfield Round
8. Picture Round

Round 1: ‘Having it so good’. Events involving Britain from 1951 to 1960.

All of the questions in this round appear in the book of this title by Peter Hennessy

Q1. Who became Prime Minister following the General Election of 1951?

A1. Winston Churchill.

Q2. In March 1957, the Gold Coast was the first British colony to gain independence. What was this country called after independence?

A2. Ghana

Q3. Name either of the items that were the last to be taken off rationing after World War II (in July 1954)?

A3. Meat or Bacon

Q4. In October 1956, the British, French and Israeli governments signed the Sèvres Protocol. To what event was this related?

A4. Fighting over control of Suez Canal. (Also accept, potential removal of the Nasser Government in Egypt.)

Q5. In April 1956, 2 politicians from the Soviet Union appeared together at the cenotaph in London. These 2 men were commonly known by the newspapers as ‘B and K’. So, if K was Kruschev, what was the surname of the man known as B?

A5. Bulganin

Q6 What organisation links the following people in 1958? Cannon Collins, J B Priestley, Michael Foot and Bertrand Russell,

A6. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)

Q7 The foundation marches of the CND in 1958 started with more than 5000 people rallying in Trafalgar Square, London. To where did these hordes of people march?

A7. Aldermaston, HQ of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment.

Q8. Britain detonated its first hydrogen bomb (~ 0.6 megatons) in May 1957. Where did this event take place?

A8. Christmas Island

Supplementary Questions:

Q9. In June 1956, Britain’s Prime Minister Winston Churchill flew to the USA to attend a summit meeting. On landing in Washington DC, he was met by the US Vice President. Who was this?

A9 Richard Nixon ( …he hung around for a long time in US politics!!!!).

Q10. Harold McMillan became Prime Minister in 1956 after the resignation of Anthony Eden. Which constituency did he represent?

A10. Stockton on Tees

Round 2: Geography:

Q1. On which river does Leicester lie?

A1. Soar

Q2. What is the capital of Botswana?

A2. Gaborone

Q3. What is the capital of the Spanish province of Andalucia?

A3. Seville

Q4. What, in population terms, is the largest Spanish speaking country in the world?

A4. Mexico

Q5 In which country is the source of the Euphrates river?

A5. Turkey.

Q6. What is the name of the body of water that lies between the Inner and Outer Hebrides?

A6. The Minch.

Q7. The Pindus mountains lie mainly in which country?

A7 Greece. (Bits are also in southern Albania and Macedonia)

Q8 What is the name of the desert surrounding Las Vegas?

A8. Mojave Desert.

Supplementary Questions

Q9. The Kalahari Desert is mostly in which country?

A9. Botswana. (Bits are in Namibia and South Africa)

Q10. To which country does the island of Elba belong?

A10. Italy

Round 3: Science.

Q1 The moons Titan and Mimas belong to which celestial body?

A1 Saturn

Q2 What shapes are attached to a line of a weather map to denote a warm front?

A2 Semi circle (when these are in colour, these semi circles are red)

Q3 Retinol and beta carotene are dietary forms of which vitamin?

A3 Vitamin A

Q4 ’Plaster of Paris’ and ’Gypsum’ are both form of which chemical compound ?

A4 Calcium Sulphate di-hydrate (Accept just calcium sulphate)

Q5 What is the SETI programme?

A5 Search for extra- terrestrials

Q6 Orbiting 35,900km above the equator, what term is given to satellites that remain in their orbit above the same point on the Earth’s surface?

A6 Geostationary

Q7 Where in the body do you find Haversian canals?

A7 In the bones.

Q8 What is the name given to the top vertebra of the spine ?

A8 Atlas. ( also accept C1 vertebra)

Supplementary Questions:

Q9 On the Beaufort Scale what number is a moderate breeze?

A9 4

Q8 Where was a speed record of 11.2mph set in 1972?

A8 On the moon by the lunar vehicle from Apollo 16.

Q10 Which chemical element is named after a town in Scotland?

A10 Strontium – town was Strontian

Round 4 Arts & Entertainment: RADIO TIMES

Q1. Name the (regular) host of ‘Excess Baggage’ on Radio 4?

A1. Sandy Toksvig (Also accept John McCarthy who is an infrequent substitute presenter but has recently been standing in)

Note: QMs should deduct 3 points from teams responding with jokes about ‘regular’ and frequency of bowel movement…

Q2. Name the (regular) host of the mid-week edition of ‘Front Row’ on Radio 4?

A2. Mark Lawson (need Christian name as well as surname : this is a Nigella and Nigel free-zone)

Q3. Who joins Simon Mayo weekly on Radio 5 Live to provide his verdict on new movies in ‘Film Review’?

A3. Mark Kermode (need Christian name as well as surname)

Q4. Who co-presents an evening show on Radio 2 from Manchester with Mark Radcliffe with (as the blurb states) “witty badinage, great music and the latest additions to The Chain”?

A4. Stuart Maconie

Q5. During 2010, who presents “The Organist Entertains”, since 1969, a regular weekly programme on Radio 4?

A5. Nigel Ogden

Q6. What was the recently publicised hundredth object on “A History of the World in 100 Objects”?

A6: A solar powered lamp with charger for mobile phone (accept ‘Torch’ or ‘Mobile phone charger’)

Q7. Who hosts “In our time” on Radio 4?

A7. (Lord) Melvyn Bragg

Q8. Who is the current (2010 – 2011) host of “I’m sorry I haven’t a clue”?

A8. Jack Dee

(N.B. The arrangement with Stephen Fry, Jack Dee and Rob Brydon sharing the duty only pertained in 2009.)

Supplementary Questions (and amusement):

Q9. Besides originating the urban myth that Bob Holness played the saxophone on Gerry Rafferty’s song “Baker Street”, what game did Stuart Maconie claim that David Bowie had invented?

A9 Connect Four

Q10. What was the first object on “A History of the World in 100 Objects”?

A10. Mummy of Hornedjitef

(N.B. Not the oldest object - Olduvai Stone Chopping Tool - which was No.2.)

Round 5: Sport

Q1 Who was the last English born manager to coach a men’s FA cup winning side?

A1 Joe Royle (1995 Everton vs Manchester United 1-0)

Q2 Who was the first footballer to be knighted?

A2 Sir Stanley Mathews (he received a CBE in 1957 and was Knighted in 1965)

Q3 In which city is the Gabba cricket ground?

A3 Brisbane, Australia

(The name Gabba comes from the area of Brisbane where the ground is situated Woolloongabba)

Q4 Which sport takes place in an area 32ft long by 21ft wide, (9.75 metres X 6.40 metres) using a ball which weighs approximately 0.85 ounces (24 grams)?

A4 Squash

Q5 London has held the Summer Olympics on two occasions name either of the years?

A5. 1908 or 1948

Q6 Who was the first cricketer in history to take 300 test match wickets?

A6. Fred Truman

Q7 In which year did Roger Bannister run the first mile in under 4 minutes?

A7. 1954 (6^th May at Iffley road track in Oxford – His time was 3 minutes 59.4 seconds)

Q8 In 1956, where were the Melbourne Olympic Equestrian events held?

A8. Stockholm, Sweden (It was due to quarantine restrictions and they were held 5 months earlier)

Supplementary Questions:-

Q9 Which Arthur Conan Doyle character had a horse named after him and subsequently a horse race?

A9. Brigadier Gerard

Q10 In the 2010 Formula One motor racing season how many points are awarded to the winning driver of a grand Prix?

A10. 25

Q11 Eddie Futch was a renowned American Boxing Trainer; one of his claims to fame was that he trained four of the five fighters who beat Muhammed Ali, name one?

A11. Ken Norton, Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick

Q12 In 2003 who scored England’s only try in their rugby World Cup final victory over Australia in Sydney, 20-17 being the final score?

A12. Jason Robinson

Round 6: December: All of the events that are in this round occurred in this month:

Q1 December 1^st 1955: What was the name of the black woman who was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama USA on for refusing to give up her seat on a bus for a white man?

A1 Rosa Parks

Q2. Also on December 1^st, but in 1919, who was the first woman to take her seat as an MP in the British House of Commons?

A2 Lady Nancy Astor

Q3 On December 2^nd 2001, what was the name of the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Enron the energy company that filed for bankruptcy in Houston, Texas?

A3 Kenneth Lay

Q4 What was the name of the hospital in Cape Town, South Africa where the world’s first heart transplant took place on December 3^rd 1967?

A4 Groote Schur

Q5 On December 6, 1973 - Gerald Ford was sworn in as vice president of the USA under Richard Nixon. Who did he replace?

A5 Spiro Agnew (who pleaded no contest to charges of income tax evasion.)

Q6 On December 7^th 1987, what was the name of the leader of the Soviet Union who arrived in Washington DC USA to start negotiations for the elimination of ballistic missiles?

A6 Mikhail Gorbachev

Q7 On December 10^th 1898, which country was bought by the USA for $20 million, as part of the Treaty of Paris to end the Spanish-American war

A7 The Philippines

Q8 On December 14^th 1900, which physicist published a theory of quantum physics as part of a study of radiation on black body substances?

A8 Max Planck

Supplementary Questions:

Q9 December 18, 1940 - Adolf Hitler ordered the German General Staff to begin planning the invasion of Soviet Russia. What was the code-name of this invasion?

A9 Operation Barbarossa,

Q10 On December 21^st 1975, Ilich Ramirez Sanchez led a raid of German and Arab terrorists on an OPEC meeting in Vienna killing 3 people and taking hostages. How was this person better known?

A10 Carlos the Jackal

Q11 On December 21^st 1988, the Pan Am jumbo jet was blown up over Lockerbie. What was the name of the Libyan who was convicted of this act?

A11 Abdelbasset Ali al-Megrahi,

Q12 On December 31^st 1999, control of the Panama Canal was officially handed over to Panama. Who was President of the USA when the treaty to bring this about was signed in 1977?

A12 Jimmy Carter

Round 7: What do you know about Macclesfield and its neighbouring towns?

Q1 Who, in about 1743, built the first water-powered silk mill in Macclesfield?

A1 Charles Roe. (hence Roe Street in centre of Macclesfield town…)

Q2 Barnaby, is a local holiday period celebrating St Barnabas, on what day is St Barnabas` day?

A2 June 11^th ( as it has been since 1574…)

Q3 Macclesfield railway station appeared in which 2005 football hooliganism film starring Elijah Wood?

A3 Green Street (About a West Ham football firm)

Q4 Give a year in the life of Thomas Wardle the Leek based international authority on dyeing and printing silk and textiles generally?

A4 1831 - 1909

Q5 Who was the World famous cyclist who produced bicycles in Macclesfield for 3 years during the 1960s?

A5. Reg Harris

Q6 In which local town is the Anson Engine Museum?

A6 Poynton

Q7 Where is the Cuckooland Museum (exhibiting mainly cuckoo clocks) located?

A7. Tabley, Knutsford accept either

Q8 What is the name of the Hall, an original Norman house which was rebuilt in 1480 and extensively remodelled in 1701, the estate of which belonged to the Fitton family?

A8 Gawsworth Old Hall

Supplementary Questions

Q9 In what year did the last remaining commercial cinema close in Macclesfield (the Majestic)?

A9 1997

Q10 Macclesfield was granted a “Borough Charter” in 1261 by whom?

A10 Lord Edward (future Edward 1) accept either.

Q11 What was the title of the 2007 film, about Ian Curtis, the lead singer of Joy Division who grew up in Macclesfield.

A11 Control

Round 8: Picture round.

You will be shown a picture of a comedian, the birth / death years ( if applicable) and one of their classic lines…

All you have to do is name the person.

Answers:

1. Jack Benny

2. Tim Vine

3. Rhod Gilbert

4. Victor Borge

5. Andy Kaufman

6. Colin Crompton, (introducing Wheeltappers & Shunters club)

7. Bob Newhart

8. Charlie Williams

9. Billy Crystal

10. Joyce Grenfell

Picture 1

B. 1894

D. 1974

Quote: Give me golf clubs, fresh air and a beautiful partner, and you can keep the clubs and the fresh air.

 

Picture 2

B 1967

Still alive

Quote: I've just been on a once-in-a-lifetime holiday. I'll tell you what, never again."

 

Picture 3

B 1968

Still alive

Quote: "A spa hotel? It's like a normal hotel, only in reception there's a picture of a pebble."

Picture 4

B 1909

D 2000

Quote: The difference between a violin and a viola is that a viola burns longer.

Picture 5

B 1949

D 1984

Quote: I never told a joke in my life.

Picture 6

B 1931

D 1985

Quote: I went to Morecambe once ….. it was shut

Picture 7

B: 1929

Still alive

Quote: ‘I flew with the Mrs. Grace L Ferguson Airline & Storm Door Company…They are a ‘no frills’ airline. They did away with maintenance …’

Picture 8

B 1927

D 2006

quote: "If you don't laugh, I'll come and live next door to you.'

Picture 9

B 1948

Still alive

Quote: Women need a reason to have sex. Men just need a place.”

Picture 10

Born 1910

Died 1979

… in a song…..The zest goes out of a beautiful waltz when you dance it bust to bust…

 

 

General Knowledge Questions: 7 December 2010

Set by the Puss In Boots with something for everyone.

Q1. Which protocol was adopted in Japan in 1992 by 16 major carbon emitting countries, who committed themselves to cutting emissions?

A1. Kyoto

Q2. In cutlery, what are tines?

A2. The prongs of a fork

Q3. In human biology where is the philtrum?

A3. The groove beneath the nose and the upper lips in mammals

Q4. Which is the world's third biggest island by area and the only one governed by three separate countries?

A4. Borneo

Q5. Lemurs are native to only two countries. Name either.

A5. Madagascar; Comoros

Q6. The name of which breed of dog takes it name from its supposed Spanish origins? It was a long silky coat and drooping ears.

A6. Spaniel

Q7. To the nearest degree Celsius, at what temperature does sea water usually freeze?

A7. -2°c [minus two degrees]

Q8. What is the most densely populated state in the European Union?

A8. Malta [more than three times as dense as the Netherlands]

Q9. What is the least densely populated state in the European Union?

A9. Finland [followed by Sweden]

Q10. Who was the UK's heaviest-ever MP? He was MP for Rochdale and died in September 2010.

A10. Cyril Smith

Q11. Who directed Lost In Translation and Marie Antoniette? Her father Francis is also a director.

A11. Sofia Coppola

Q12. Which King of England was ransomed for 100,000 marks in 1194 by the Duke of Austria?

A12. Richard I [the Lionheart]

Q13. Whose novels included The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, and The Invisible Man?

A13. H G Wells

Q14. Which author's Life of Johnson was published in 1791?

A14. James Boswell

Q15. Which fabled creature, had the head, trunk, and arms of a man, joined to the body and legs of a horse?

A15. Centaur

Q16. Which fabled animal is usually represented as having the head and wings of an eagle and the body and hind quarters of a lion?

A16. Griffin

Q17. What is a funambulist?

A17. A performer on the tight (or slack) rope, a rope-walker, a rope-dancer.

Q18. The Tregothnan estate grows tea in which English county?

A18. Cornwall

Q19. In which year was the Brighton bombing, the Libyan Embassy siege in London, and the Union Carbide chemical factory explosion in Bhopal? No leeway.

A19. 1984

Q20. In which year did the Berlin Wall fall, and Baywatch start? No leeway.

A20. 1989

Q21. Which is the 8th planet out from our sun?

A21. Neptune

Q22. Which Roman construction ran from the Forth to the Clyde

A22. Antonine Wall

Q23. As at 4 December 2010, who was Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs?

A23. William Hague

Q24. As at 14 December 2010, who was Secretary of State for Justice?

A24. Kenneth Clarke

Q25. In contrast to verse or poetry, what form of language is that typically spoken or written?

A25. Prose

Q26. Disappointed at the lack of quality affordable paperbacks in Exeter station in 1935, which publishing brand was launched by Allen Lane?

A26. Penguin

Q27. Which animal lies at the root of the word "chivalry" ?

A27. Horse [via the French 'cheval']

Q28. Which public corporation cares for the 2,200-mile network of canals and rivers in England, Scotland and Wales?

A28. British Waterways

Q29. Which word is both a month of the year and area of England's borderland?

A29. March

Q30. Who is the only English king to have been crowned in France, and the first to have had two separate reigns?

A30. Henry VI.

Q31. In which city can be found Salisbury Crags and Calton Hill

A31. Edinburgh

Q32. Which area of a ship is the stern?

A32. The rear part

Q33. In which year did the National Health Service come into effect? No leeway.

A33. 1948

Q34. What term is given to a semi-arid grass-covered plain as found in south-eastern Europe and Siberia?

A34. Steppe

Q35. In which English cathedral is the Mappa Mundi?

A35. Hereford

Q36. At the butchers, what are sweetbreads?

A36. The pancreas, or the thymus gland, of an animal, used for food [accept if player's answer includes "pancreas", "thymus", or "edible glands", but not if they answer "thyroid"]

Q37. Which comedian's most famous character is the Pub Landlord?

A37. Al Murray

Q38. Which volcano destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum in 79AD?

A38. Mount Vesuvius

Q39. Which Roman emperor succeeded Caligula and preceeded Nero?

A39. Claudius

Q40. Which city does 'neopolitan' refer to?

A40. Naples

Q41. Which 1969 film starred Michael Caine with Noel Coward and Benny Hill?

A41. The Italian Job

Q42. Who had a 1971 chart hit with Move On Up?

A42. Curtis Mayfield

Q43. By what animal is a papal edict known?

A43. Bull

Q44. Where did the largest fire in peacetime Europe break out in 2005?

A44. Buncefield oil storage depot in Hertfordshire [accept Buncefield or Hertfordshire]

Q45. Which artist designed the album covers for Do They Know It's Christmas and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band?

A45. Peter Blake

Q46. The ancient Greek, Plato, is the earliest author to mention which fabled island lying in front of the Pillars of Hercules?

A46. Atlantis

Q47. Which school was attended by both James Bond and Tony Blair, and was a stop on Sean Connery's milkround?

A47. Fettes College

Q48. Which specie of human takes it name from the valley in Germany where their remains were first found in 1856?

A48. Neanderthals [from the Neander valley]

Q49. Which word can be both a crucifix and ¼ of an acre?

A49. Rood [as in rood screen and Holyrood Palace]

Q50. Which region of Guyana was the original and chief source of light brown cane sugar?

A50. Demerara

Q51. Which port and meat-packing centre of Urugay gives its names to a brand of pies and meat products?

A51. Fray Bentos

Q52. Which country is the only one not have a rectangular or square flag?

A52. Nepal

Q53. After which Italian region did Josiah Wedgewood name the pottery works he established in 1769?

A53. Etruria [accept Etruscan etc]

Q54. In which year did Britain adopt the new-style Gregorian calendar, losing 11 days?

A54. 1752 (+/- 10 years)

Q55. Which Devon town is famous for carpet production?

A55. Axminster

Q56. What is the only place name in the UK with an exclamation mark in its name?

A56. Westward Ho!

Q57. What is the most Easterly town in mainland England?

A57. Lowestoft

Q58. What is the most Northerly town in mainland England?

A58. Berwick-Upon-Tweed ["Berwick" is acceptable]

Q59. What is the surface area of a full size snooker table in square feet? No leeway.

A59. 72 (12x6)

Q60. What village in Luxembourg gives its name to the agreement to abolish internal borders enabling passport-free movement between a large number of European countries?

A60. Schengen

Q61. The port of Dover currently offers regular cross-channel ferries to Calais and which other French port?

A61. Dunkirk

Q62. Cross Channel ferries leave the town of Newhaven in East Sussex for which French ferry port?

A62. Dieppe

Q63. Which Beatles song when translated into German would be entitled 'Gestern?'

A63. Yesterday

Q64. The TV series 'A touch of Frost' was set in which fictional town?

A64. Denton

Q65. In which English County was the TV series 'Wycliffe' set?

A65. Cornwall

Q66. The forint is the currency of which European country?

A66. Hungary

Q67. The kuna is the currency of which European country?

A67. Croatia

Q68. Which city airport is at Lulsgate Bottom?

A68. Bristol Airport

Q69. Which Motorway links the M1 west of Leicester with the M6 north of Coventry?

A69. M69

Q70. Which Motorway links the M1 east of Sheffield with the M62 just west of Goole?

A70. M18

Q71. What does the C in E=mc² stand for?

A71. The speed of light (in a vacuum)

Q72. How is Gustav Mahler's symphony number 8 otherwise known?

A72. The symphony of a thousand

Q73. What nationality is Nick Clegg's mother?

A73. Dutch

Q74. What nationality is Michael Portillo's Father?

A74. Spanish

Q75. Which planet has a day which is longer than it's year?

A75. Venus (day is 243 earth days, year is 224 earth days)

Q76. How many forwards are there on a rugby union team?

A76. 8 (with 7 backs making a team of 15)

Q77. Which film is based on Philip K Dick's book 'Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep'?

A77. Blade Runner

Q78. Which is the largest species of cat? You need only name the species rather than any particular sub-species.

A78. Tiger

Q79. For which discovery did Watson and Crick win the 1962 noble prize for medicine?

A79. The structure of DNA (which is a double helix)

Q80. What was Steven Spielberg's first full length feature film?

A80. Duel

Q81. Who is the only man to win both the formula one and motorcycle world championships?

A81. John Surtees

Q82. In which Florence museum is Michelangelo's David currently on display?

A82. The Accademia

Q83. Who is the current male world ten metre diving champion?

A83. Tom Daley

Q84. Which car firm manufactures the Berlingo model?

A84. Citroen

Q85. What car firm manufactures the Kangoo model?

A85. Renault

Q86. What during world war one was renamed liberty cabbage in both the UK and the USA?

A86. Sauerkraut

Q87. In Indian cuisine what ingredient does a Saag dish contain?

A87. Spinach (and/or mustard leaf)

Q88. In Indian cuisine what ingredient does an Aloo dish contain?

A88. Potatoes

Q89. What is Postman Pat's last name?

A89. Clifton

Q90. In which desert is the world's driest place?

A90. Atacama (Chile)

Q91. Which baseball team was George W Bush a co-owner before his move into politics?

A91. The Texas Rangers

Q92. What is the USA equivalent to the British Victoria Cross?

A92. The (Congressional) medal of honor (the two are their respective countries' highest military decorations).

Q93. Which king was killed at the battle of Bosworth field in 1485?

A93. Richard III

Q94. Which is the country of origin of the Dalmatian breed of dog?

A94. Croatia

Q95. What did Albert Einstein define as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results?

A95. Insanity (accept madness)

Q96. In which state is the US city of Boston?

A96. Massachusetts

Supplementaries

Q1. In which UK city is the People's History musuem?

A1. Manchester

Q2. What is the name of anthropologist Kate Fox's best-selling book about the behaviour of the people in England?

A2. Watching The English

Q3. The works of which writer of far-fetched fiction include The Japanese Devil Fish Girl and Other Unnatural Attractions and The Brentford Triangle?

A3. Robert Rankin

Q4. Which disgraced historian was found by a court in 1996 to be an active Holocaust denier who had "for his own ideological reasons persistently and deliberately misrepresented and manipulated historical evidence"?

A4. David Irving

Q5. Which slang term did a restaurant chain seek to redefine as meaning to "reflect a job that is stimulating, rewarding ... and offers skills that last a lifetime."

A5. McJob

Q6. In which county is Wensleydale?

A6. North Yorkshire