Thursday, February 18, 2016

Cup/Plate semi finals–the questions

 

SET BY: WATERS GREEN RAMS AND CHESTER ROAD TAVERN

1. Which Italian whey cheese has a name that literally means ‘recooked’?

Ricotta

2 In which sea, a part of the Mediterranean, is the island of Corfu?

Ionian Sea

3 Which song was a number one hit in 1967 for Frank and Nancy Sinatra and also a hit for Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman in 2001?

Somethin’ Stupid

4 Which Italian bread was created in 1982 by Arnaldo Cavallari a baker from Adria and has a name that translates into English as ‘slipper’?

Ciabatta

5 Which fictional character shares his name with theme parks in Milton Keynes, Warrington and Matlock Bath?

Gulliver (Land, World and Kingdom)

6 By what name were Starburst sweets known in the UK prior to 1998?

Opal Fruits

7 Which ten letter word is the correct term for the three legged symbol associated with the Isle of Man?

Triskelion

8 Who was the female vocalist in the band the Eurythmics?

Annie Lennox

9 Which game, invented by AA Milne, has world championships staged on bridges at Little Wittenham in Oxfordshire?

Pooh Sticks

10 Christopher Wood who wrote the screenplays for the Bond films ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ and ‘Moonraker’ as well as literary fiction and historical novels also wrote which series of humorous erotic novels under the name of Timothy Lea?

The ‘Confessions’ series (“Window Cleaner” etc.)

11 A company called Ebac is producing washing machines at its Durham factory making it the first British manufacturer of washing machines since which company moved production to Italy in 2009?

Hotpoint

12 Originating in England during the seventeenth century what type of animal is a Cleveland Bay?

Horse

13 Complete the title of Stieg Larsson’s first novel in the Millennium series: ‘The Girl With . . . . ?

The Dragon Tattoo

14 Born Chaim Weintrop; who recorded ‘Who Do You Think You Are Kidding Mr Hitler’, the theme to ‘Dad’s Army’, just before he died in 1968?

Bud Flanagan

15 Which cartoon strip featuring a group of children and a dog began in the Daily Mirror on 19th October 1959 and was written for most of its life by Maurice Dodd? Discounting reprints the strip ended in 2006.

The Perishers

16 In the Christian calendar what name is given to the Sunday that falls between Passion Sunday and Easter Sunday?

Palm Sunday

17 In the final episode of the television sitcom ‘Dad’s Army’ which one of Captain Mainwaring’s men married Mrs Fox?

Corporal Jones

18 Walter Raleigh was executed during the reign of which English monarch?

James I (1618)

19 As in the name of the English musician P J Harvey; for what does the P stand?

Polly

20 Lee Latchford-Evens, Claire Richards, Lisa Scott-Lee, Faye Tozer and Ian Watkins were members of which pop group?

Steps

21 A judge on the TV programme The Voice, Ricky Wilson is a current member of which rock band?

Kaiser Chiefs

22 Big Bash Cricket – In which city do the “Heat” play their home games?

Brisbane

23 Which Lincolnshire town was the capital of England and Denmark for five weeks in 1013?

Gainsborough

24 Which Irish author who tirelessly wrote and spoke on behalf of a wide-ranging vision to transform British society, was famous for quotes such as - “Science never solved a problem without creating ten more”, and “I often quote myself, it adds spice to the conversation”?

George Bernard Shaw

25 Four of the operas by Verdi are based on the works of which playwright?

Shakespeare

26 An autopsy of which Bulgarian journalist, who died in 1978, revealed a pinhead sized capsule in his leg that had been designed to contain the poison ricin?

Georgi Markov

27 Ruling Egypt for over sixty years, which Pharaoh was the only one to have “The Great” after his name?

Rameses II

28 What was the original name of the British Internet Service Provider that was founded in 1998 as a project by Dixons to provide free Internet access to customers buying new home PCs from Dixons stores?

Freeserve (Not Wanadoo, a name adopted in 2004)

29 The World Championships in which sport took place at The Potters Resort in Norfolk in January 2016?

Bowls (World Indoor)

30 Who wrote the 6-volume work The History Of The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empire?

Edward Gibbon

31 “Ten Days That Shook the World” is a book by American journalist John Reed about which twentieth century event?

The Russian Revolution

32 Hong Kong staged the UCI World Cup in January 2016 in which sport?

Cycling

33 Which trail-blazing website that once boasted 23 million members has recently announced it is closing because of lack of interest and out-of-date contact details of its members?

Friends Reunited

34 Swallowed up each night by the sky goddess Nut and reborn each morning, who was the Sun God to the ancient Egyptians?

RA (Amun-Ra)

35 Born in the Netherlands with the surname Behar, what was the name of the double agent who escaped from Wormwood Scrubs in 1966 after being sentenced to 42 years’ imprisonment?

George Blake (Still living in Moscow at the age of 93 and enjoying a KGB pension)

36 Which Richard Strauss opera, premiered in 1905, is based on a play by Oscar Wilde?

Salome

37 Which American author, known for living on the edge, once said that there are only three true sports, mountaineering, motor racing and bullfighting?

Ernest Hemingway

38 Dating from 1850 the Olympian Games centred on which Shropshire town, are said to be the forerunner of the modern Olympics? One of the mascots for the 2012 London Olympics was named after the town.

Much Wenlock (Accept Wenlock)

39 Big Bash Cricket – In which city do the “Scorchers” play their home games?

Perth

40 The presenter of the TV programme The Voice, Marvin Humes is a former member of which successful boy band?

JLS

41 The Democratic Republic Of Congo was a colony of which country between 1908 and 1960?

Belgium

42 What was the first name of the politician known as Screaming Lord Sutch?

David

43 What is the name of the principal adult home of Sir Winston Churchill, that was presented to the National Trust shortly after his death in 1965?

Chartwell (House)

44 Which artist was played on film by Kirk Douglas in 1956 and by both Tim Roth and Martin Scorcese in 1990?

Vincent Van Gogh (in Lust For Life, Vincent & Theo and Dreams)

45 What is the stage name of the entertainer born Steven Frayne in Bradford in 1982?

Dynamo (a magician)

46 Which Canadian-born footballer played for both Manchester City and Manchester United and made the last of his 42 appearances for England in 2008?

Owen Hargeaves (played 4 games for Man. City)

47 Which plant, due to its hardy nature, is sometimes known as the cast iron plant in this country and the bar room plant in the USA?

Aspidistra

48 Give a year in the reign of King George the 4th.

1820-1830

49 The highest point in the Irish Republic, Carrantuohill, is in which county?

Kerry

50 Why was Susanne Hinte in the news in January 2016?

She made a much-publicised false lottery claim

51 Who was the first British female to win an Olympic gold medal in athletics?

Mary Rand (accept Bignal) in Tokyo, 1964. She won 6 days before Ann Packer won the 800 metres.

52 What is the longest river that flows into the Mediterranean Sea?

Nile

53 Flevoland and Friesland are provinces of which European country?

Netherlands

54 Complete the title of the best-selling 2015 book by Bill Bryson “The Road To Little ......................”

Dribbling

55 What is the highest denomination Euro banknote?

500 Euro

56 The blue agave plant is used to make which spirit?

Tequila

57 The 2013 film Rush told of a sporting rivalry. Name one of the two rivals.

Nikki Lauda or James Hunt

58 The village of Stilton, that gives its name to the cheese, is in which county/

Cambridgeshire

59 The artist Marc Chagall was born in 1887 in which country?

Russia

60 What is the only county of the Irish Republic that begins with a vowel?

Offaly

61. Who wrote the novel ‘Go Set a Watchman’?

A. Harper Lee

62. Who founded the multimedia production company ‘Harpo Studios’?

A. Oprah Winfrey (Harpo is Oprah spelt backwards)

63. The Phil Silvers Show was originally set in which fictional army base?

A. Fort Baxter

64. Which 1960’s American sitcom had characters such as the Captain, the millionaire, the movie star and the professor?

A. Gilligan’s Island

65. Who composed the opera Aida (1871)?

A. Guiseppi Verdi

66. Which British magazine published from 1868 to 1914 was subtitled "A Weekly Show of Political, Social and Literary Wares"?

A. Vanity Fair

67. What was the name of the children’s nanny who was bludgeoned to death on the evening of 7 November 1974?

A. Sandra Rivett

68. Who had a 1944 work of art entitled “Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening”?

A. Salvador Dali

69. ‘English’, ‘Dali’, ‘Toothbrush’, ‘Horseshoe’ and ‘Hungarian’ are all types of what?

A. Moustache

70. Sacha Baron Cohen provided the voice for which character in the Madagascar series of films?

A. King Julian

71. Purple Ronnie advertised which soft drink?

A. Vimto

72. In children’s literature, Snozzwangers, Wangdoodles and Vermicious Knids are known to eat what?

A. Oompa Loompas

73. Adlington Hall is owned by which family?

A. The Legh family

74. Which actress, married to Will Smith, initiated a boycott of this year’s Oscars due to a lack of black/ethnic minority nominees? (Full name required)

A. Jada Pinkett-Smith (Accept Jada Pinkett)

75. Name the hedge fund manager who recently gained infamy for hiking the price of AIDS drug Daraprim

A. Martin Shkreli

76. Who was revealed as the second presenter, alongside Chris Evans, for the new series of Top Gear?

A. Matt Le Blanc

77. Which F1 driver was killed during qualifying for the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix?

A. Roland Ratzenburger

78. Name either of the Cuban-American candidates contesting the Republican primaries alongside Donald Trump.

A. Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio

79. What was the name of the high school featured in the film Grease?

A. Rydell High

80. Which organisation’s recent infamous Xmas quiz contained a typographical error rendering it virtually unsolvable?

A. GCHQ

81. Julian Assange has been resident in which embassy for over three years?

A. Ecuadorian Embassy

82. Which British designer was appointed dressmaker to the royal family in 1938?

A. Norman Hartnell

83. Which modern capital is built on the site of ancient Carthage?

A. Tunis

84. On what would you normally find an aglet?

A. Shoelace

85. Who played Hotlips Hoolihan in the TV series MASH?

A. Loretta Swit

86. Who wrote The Legend of Sleepy Hollow?

A. Washington Irving

87. Which scandal did journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncover in the 1970s?

A. Watergate

88. What is or was sold by a colporteur?

A. Books - particularly religious tracts and bibles

89. Who was the lead singer with INXS until his death in 1997?

A. Michael Hutchence

90. In which body of water is the Kuril Trench?

A. Pacific Ocean

91. In which English County is Althorp House?

A. Northamptonshire

92. Who won his first of five Olympic gold Medals in the coxed fours in 1984?

A. Steve Redgrave

93. Name the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

A. John Whittingdale MP

94. Name the actor who plays the lead character in the BBC series Luther?

A. Idris Elba

95. After Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel who is the next person named in the Bible?

A. Enoch

96. Who wrote the novels ‘The Trial’ and ‘The Castle'?

A. Franz Kafka

97. Who said ‘if you can’t convince them, confuse them’?

A. Harry S Truman

98. Lauryn Hill was a member of which Nineties pop band?

A. The Fugees

99. In which English county did the Battle of Bosworth take place?

A. Leicestershire

100. What animals are on the cover of The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds album?

A. Goats

101. 50 cardinals, two flamingos and six penguins attended the 1963 London premiere of what film?

A. The Birds

102. Of what is melophobia a fear or hatred?

A. Music

103. Which well-known word translated means 'mother city'?

A. Metropolis

104. Alnwick Castle in Northumberland is sometimes used to represent which famous school?

A. Hogwarts (in Harry Potter films)

105. Who held the post of Leader of the House of Commons on 1st January 2015?

A. William Hague

106. Which word represents the letter ‘M’ in the NATO phonetic alphabet?

A. Mike

107. What is the French term for Shrove Tuesday?

A. Mardi Gras

108. Who was the Frenchman who first deciphered the Rosetta stone?

A. Jean-Francois Champollion

109. Who was Prime Minister when Queen Victoria came to the throne?

A. Lord Melbourne

110. Who played the mermaid in the 1984 film Splash?

A. Daryl Hannah

111. What foodstuff did the BBC use to advertise its Christmas TV schedule?

A. A Sprout

112. Which company sponsors the Scottish Premiership football league?

A. Ladbrokes

113. Who is the leading scorer for Macclesfield Town FC this season?

A. Kristian Dennis

114. Who originally said "a week is a long time in politics"?

A. Harold Wilson

115. In 1854 10,000 people died of an epidemic of what in London?

A. Cholera

116. In music halls who was known as the "prime minister of mirth"?

A. George Robey

117. ‘Lean in 15’ by ‘The Body Coach’ is currently one of the country’s best selling books – name the Body Coach?

A. Joe Wicks

118. Who patented his internal combustion engine in 1892?

A. Rudolph Diesel

119. In what year did Margaret Thatcher become leader of the Conservatives?

A. 1975

120. Albert Bridge in Manchester spans which river?

A. River Irwell

Tie Break Questions

1. According to Google Maps, what is the distance, in miles, as the crow flies, between Cape Town in South Africa and Tunis in Tunisia? ANSWER – 4920

2. In what year was the Automobile Association founded? ANSWER – 1905

Supplementaries

S1 Which novel begins with the line, ‘The great fish moved silently through the water, propelled by short sweeps of its crescent tail’?

Jaws

S2 Which British jazz musician took his stage name from a Somerset term meaning pal or mate?

Acker Bilk

S3 The song ‘I Write The Songs’ made popular by Barry Manilow and David Cassidy was written by which member of the Beach Boys?

Bruce Johnson

S4 Engineer and inventor Elon Musk, actor Sid James, writer JRR Tolkien and cricketer Tony Greig were all born in which country?

South Africa

S5 Music - Allesandro Moreschi was the last one to suffer this indignity and he died in 1922. What was the name of this Italian practice of preserving choirboy’s voices?

Castrati

S6 The Internet – What is currently the world’s most popular browser?

(Google) Chrome

S7 The Voice – Who is the only Judge/Coach to have taken part in every series?

Will-i-Am

S8. In which English County is Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn?

B. Kent

S9. Prestbury-raised Sarah Burton designed Kate Middleton’s wedding dress – for which fashion house is she currently creative director?

C. Alexander McQueen

S10. In which country is the U19 cricket world cup currently being held?

D. Bangladesh

S11. Purple Ronnie advertised which soft drink?

E. Vimto

S12. Name the famous pool in Herefordshire which has produced several British record breaking carp

F. Redmire

S13. Mistress Ethel Le Neve (name the murderer)

G. Dr Crippen