Thursday, December 15, 2016

13th December–The Questions

 

The Specialist Questions have been set by The Brewers

As this is the last one before the Christmas Break, there is definitely a certain theme going through these questions, ho, ho, ho

1. History: Today's The Day

2. Now! That's what I call Christmas

3. Science and Nature

4. Sport

5. Geography

6. Arts & Entertainment - Christmas Films

7. What we wanted for Christmas

8. It's in the Bible, it must be true

TODAY'S THE DAY

The following questions all relate to events/occasions that happen(ed) on the 13th December.

1. "Dia do Marinheiro" (translated - "Sailor's Day") is celebrated on the 13th December in which South American country to commemorate their Navy?

BRAZIL

2. In which year during World War 2 did the Kingdoms of Hungary and Romania declare war on the United States on December 13th?1941

3. Which country declared itself as a republic on 13th December 1974 but has remained within the Commonwealth of Nations ever since?

MALTA

4. In which decade of the 16th Century did Sir Francis Drake set sail from Plymouth, on his round-the-world voyage on December 13th?

70's (1577)

5. On the 13th December 2002, the EU announced that 10 countries would become members from May 1st 2004.Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Malta, Hungary & Poland were 5. Name 1 of the other 5.

ESTONIA, LATVIA, LITHUNIA, SLOVAKIA, SLOVENIA

6. Operation Red Dawn was an American military operation conducted on 13th December 2003 that led to capture of whom?

SADDAM HUSSEIN

7. Which American actor and comedian, who starred in the 1963 film Bye Bye Birdie and the Night at the Museum film series, was born on this date in 1925?

DICK VAN DYKE

8. Which famous English poet and lexicographer (born 1709), died on this date in 1784

SAMUEL JOHNSON

Supp I . St. Lucy's Day is a National day, celebrating their patron saint on December 13th on which Caribbean island?

SAINT LUCIA

Supp 2. Which African-American civil and human rights activist, who was born on December 13th 1903, and died on December 13th 1986, is considered "one of the most important African-American leaders of the 20th Century and perhaps the most influential woman in the Civil Rights Movement"?

ELLA BAKER

NOW! (THAT'S WHAT I CALL) CHRISTMAS

Every question relates to a band, artist(s) or song that has topped the Christmas charts since the charts began

1. "Here In My Heart" by Al Martino, became the first UK chart Christmas No. I in which year?

1952 (leeway - 2 years)

2. Whose 1993 novelty song denied Take That's hit "Babe" the Christmas No. I spot?

MR BLOBBY (Mr Blobby)

3. Who, in 1973, became the first band to reach No.I with a Christmas-themed song?

SLADE (Merry Xmas Everybody)

4. Who are the only act to have had a Christmas No. I on FOUR separate occasions?

THE BEATLES (IWant Hold Your Hand-1963;; I Feel Fine-1964;; Day Tripper/We Can Work It Out-1965;; Hello Goodbye-1967)

5. Which is the only record to have reached No.I at Christmas-time twice?

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY (1975 & re-released 1991)

6. In which year did Rage Against The Machine's 1992 single "Killing In The Name" reach No.I , becoming the first group to get a Christmas number 1 with a download-only single.

2009 - following a successful Facebook campaign to prevent Joe McEldery's X-Factor winner's song from reaching top spot (leeway - 1 year)

7. Who became the first act to claim the Christmas No.I spot after winning a reality TV contest?

GIRLS ALOUD (Sound Of The Underground - 2002)

8. Which song became both Christmas No. I & No.2 in 2008?

HALLELUJAH (Alexandra Burke- I;; Jeff Buckley-2)

(2008 UK X-Factor winner, Alexandra Burke, released a cover of "Hallelujah" with the intent to top the UK Singles Chart as the Christmas No.I single. Jeff Buckley fans countered this, launching a campaign with the aim of propelling Buckley's version to the top spot. The campaign picked up support through social networking websites and it soon spread to the mainstream media. Burke's version eventually reached Christmas Number 1 in the UK charts in December 2008. Buckley's version of the song entered the UK charts at No.49 on November 30th and by December 21st it had reached No.2, in spite of the fact that it had not been released in a physical format)

Supp 1. Cliff Richard has spent four Christmasses at number one; two as a solo act, one as part of Band Aid 2 and one with which group?

(THE SHADOWS - "I Love You" in 1960)

Supp 2. In 2012, The Justice Collective released a cover of "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother", as a fund-raiser for charities associated with what?

THE HILLSBOROUGH DISASTER

 

SCIENCE AND NATURE

1. Which scientist inaugurated the Christmas Lecture at The Royal Institution in 1825

MICHAEL FARADAY

2. Rangifer Taranoui is the scientific name for which animal associated with Christmas?

THE REINDEER

3. Nordestina, Pega and Paulista are breeds of which animal associated with the Christmas story

DONKEY

4. Which tree found in Britain has leaves which are 'oblong and tooted with a pointed tip, and feature around 20 pairs of prominent parallel veins'.

(SWEET) CHESTNUT

5. The main constituents of what are needle, column, plate and rime

SNOWFLAKES (ACCEPT ICE CRYSTALS)

6. Which root vegetable has varieties including Hollow Crown, All American and The Student?

PARSNIP

7. The Hellebore plant is more commonly called?

Christmas Rose

8. The Poinsettia originally comes from which country?

MEXICO

Supp 1. Salt is a mineral composed primarily of what compound? SODIUM CHLORIDE

Supp 2. French, Spanish and Coriscan are subspecies of which gamebird?

PARTRIDGE

SPORT

1. Who will Australia host in the Test Match set to start on 26th December 2016

Pakistan

2. Totalling 630 nautical miles where does the traditional Christmas yacht race from Sydney end

HOBART

3. The King George VI Chase takes place at which racecourse on Boxing Day

KEMPTON

4. Which former Football League club will Macclesfield Town play on December 26th this year

TRANMERE ROVERS

s. The Parliamentary tile of 'Chief Whip' refers to the role of the 'Whipper-in' in which sport

FOX-HUNTING

6. Christmas Day 1971, with a running time of 82 minutes and 40 seconds, saw the longest game of what completed in the United States

AMERICAN FOOTBALL

7. 1965 saw the last Christmas Day feature played in the English Football League, name either of the sides involved

BLACKPOOL, BLACKBURN ROVERS (Blackpool won 4-2)

8. Speed Skating was developed as a sport in the Seventeenth century, but in which European country

SCOTLAND (ACCEPT UK)

Supp 1. In which year did the 1st Winter Olympics take place at Chamonix in France

1924

Supp 2. Which winter sport is defined as being where 'the competitor rides head­ first and prone (lying face down) on a flat sled

SKELETON

GEOGRAPHY

l. Which main river on the Isle of Wight shares its name with an Asian city

MEDINA

2. 'Whip Ma Whop Ma Gate' is found in which English city

YORK

3. New Zealand and California are suburbs of which English city

DERBY

4. After Great Britain and the island of Ireland, which Scottish island is the third largest of the British Isles

LEWIS & HARRIS

s. Which English town is served by Mumps station

OLDHAM

6. Which capital is overlooked by the Elburz mountains

TEHRAN

7. Asmara is the capital of which African country

Eritrea

8. Arcuate, Cuspate and Bird 's Foot are types of which geographical feature

DELTA

Supp 1. Mount Redoubt is a volcanic peak found in which American state

ALASKA

Supp 2. On which island of the Phillipines is Manila

LUZON

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT - Xmas Films

1. Which film directed by Frank Capra tells the story of George Bailey

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

2. Which actor, better known for his horror film roles, provided the voice of the Grinch in the 1966 version of the story

BORIS KARLOFF

3. Which British actor played the title role in the 1951 version of Scrooge

ALIASTER SIM

4. Which Christmas film of 1988 was played out in and around the Nakatomi Plaza Building

DIE HARD

5. Jack Skellington is the main character in which Tim Burton movie

THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

6. Edmund Green played Kris Kringle opposite a nine year old Natalie Wood in which 1947 film

MIRACLE ON 34rn STREET

7. In which 1942 film was the song White Christmas first performed

HOLIDAY INN

8. In which film, starring Tim Allen, do the elves cut through prison bars using tinsel

THE SANTA CLAUSE

Supp1. Who played a drunken Santa in the 1983 comedy Trading Places

DAN AYKROYD

Supp 2. Will Ferrell plays the title role in which film

ELF

WHAT WE ALL WANTED FOR CHRISTMAS

1. In which year of the 1980s did the Cabbage Patch riots take place

1983

2. Which ongoing series of films and animated tv series comes from the must have Christmas toy of 1986 about robots which could change into trucks and cars

TRANSFORMERS

3. Which bear featured a cassette tape in its back and told stories and synchronised the audio with its moving lips

TEDDY RUXPIN

4. The Nintendo Gaine Boy trounced everything else as the must have, but in which year

1989

5. This talking purple dinosaur ruled the present lists in 1992, but what was its name

BARNEY

6. These colour coded fighting heroes made the grade in 1994 through a hit tv series, but what were they called

MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS

7. These collectible stuffed animals appeared in 1995 and at one point accounted for 10% of all sales on ebay, but what were they

BEANIE BABIES

8. This Sesame Street character made parents laugh and cry in 1996, but what was the full title of this must have toy

TICKLE ME ELMO

Supp 1. Appearing from Japan these digital pets needed constant attention to stay healthy and nourished, what were they called

TAMAGOTCHI

Supp 2. In 2002 this toy let you launch spinning tops and battle each other by smashing them into each other, but what were they called

BEYBLADES

IT'S IN THE BIBLE - IT MUST BE TRUE

1. Which city did Joseph originate from

BETHLEHEM

2. What is a manger

A FEEDING TROUGH FOR ANIMALS

3. Who did Mary go to see after her visit from the angel Gabriel ELIZABETH

4. Who were the first to hear of Jesus' birth

SHEPHERDS

s. Which gift given to Jesus represented the idea of Deity FRANKINCENSE

6. Which two of the Gospels tell the story of the birth of Jesus (Both required)

MATTHEW AND LUKE

7. Which Old Testament prophet foretold the coming of Jesus and is mentioned in Matthew's Gospel

ISAIAH

8. Which Roman Emperor is mentioned at the beginning of this particular story

CAESAR AUGUSTUS

Supp 1. Who ordered the killing of all children under the age of two HEROD

Supp 2. To which country did Mary and Joseph take Jesus to escape the killing

EGYPT

 

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE QUESTIONS

 

Set by

The Pack Horse Bowling Club

1. The world's first Ice Hotel was built in which country?

a. Sweden

2. What would you do with a rambutan?

a. Eat it, it's a fruit.

3. Off the coast of which country did the Battle of Trafalgar take place?

a. Spain

4. Where in the body would you find the pituitary gland?

a. The brain (at its base)

5. In which African country is the Nubian Dessert?

a. Sudan.

6. The opening sequence of which American TV series showed the silhouette of a falling businessman against a backdrop of posters from the 1960s?

a. Mad Men

7. The first Paralympic Games which was not open solely for war veterans was held in Rome in which year?

a. 1960

8. Where is the plaque which reads "We came in peace for all mankind."

a. The Moon

9. In cricket the fielding position Backward Point is now usually called what?

a. The Gully

10. If High Tide is at mid-day,to the nearest half hour when will the next high tide be?

a. 12.30a m (approx 12 hours 25 minutes later)

11. In the year 2000, composer Colin Matthews added "Pluto" to which famous piece of music?

a. The Planets by Gustav Holst.

12. The world's largest public beer festival is held in Munich each autumn. What is it called?

a. Oktoberfest

13. Who wrote the opera from which comes the melody commonly known as Here Comes The Bride?

a. Wagner

14. The books Out of Africa and Born Free are both set in which country?

a. Kenya

15. The Saffir-Simpson scale measures the severity of damage caused by what?

a. Hurricanes

16. Which Spanish artist designed the dream sequences in Alfred Hitchcock's film Spellbound?

a. Salvador Dali

17. The largest museum complex in the world is in Washington DC. What is it called?

a. The Smithsonian (Institution)

18. Most of the world's caviar comes from Russia and which other country?

a. Iran

19. Which character was played by Helena Bonham Carter in Tim Burton's 2010 version of Alice in Wonderland?

a. The Red Queen or The Queen of Hearts

20. In 2004, who became the first black woman to win a Best Actress Oscar?

a. Halle Berry

21. Which word for a low pressure belt of surface winds at the equator can also describe a bout of emotional depression?

a. Doldrums

22. Which British politician won the 1959 general election with the slogan "You've never had it so good"?

a. Harold Macmillan

23. What was returned to Piccadilly Circus in 1947 after being kept hidden during WW2?

a. The statue of Eros

24. The name of which percussion instrument is derived from the Greek words for wood and sound?

a. Xylophone

25. If your soil has a pH of 4,what colour are your hydrangeas likely to be?

a. Blue (acidic soil)

26. Lara's Theme was the title music from which 1965 film?

a. Doctor Zhivago

27. In which year did regular live TV broadcasts from the House of Commons begin?

a. 1989 (accept 88 to90)

28. On which river is Baghdad located?

a. The Tigris

29. The game of Polo is divided into eight periods called what?

a. Chukkas

30. Which actor was in both the Magnificent Seven and the Dirty Dozen Films?

a. Charles Bronson

31. Which monarch was the intended victim of the Gunpowder Plot?

a. James 1

32. Which rock bands 4th album was untitled save for 4 symbols?

a. Led Zeppelin

33. Which celebrity TV chef set up the Fifteen charity?

a. Jamie Oliver

34. Chert is a type of what?

a. Rock (a type of Flint)

35. Which indoor game was invented by British army officers in India in 1875?

a. Snooker

36. What would you do with an Epilator?

a. Remove unsightly hair, (by the roots!)

37. By what name is the Nepalese philosopher Prince Gautama Siddhartha better known to the world?

a. Buddha

38. Which former sprinter claimed to start running "on the B of bang"?

a. Linford Christie.

39. What is the highest score attainable with the final 3 darts in a game of 501?

a. 170 (T20, T20, Bull)

40. What is unusual about the trains on the London Docklands Light Railway?

a. They are computer operated and have no drivers.

41. What sporting event is sometimes referred to as The October Classic?

a. The Baseball World series.

42. Name either of the independent candidates who stood in the recent US Presidential election?

a. Jill Stein or Gary Johnson.

43. What is the Collins dictionary word of the year for 2016?

a. Brexit.

44. Which UKIP politician accompanied Nigel Farage when they met Donald Trump in November?

a. Raheem Kassam.

45. Which famous 17th century event was said to have taken place at Woolsthorpe Manor, Lincolnshire.

a. Isaac Newton observing the apple dropping from the tree.

46. Often referred to as the most influential scientist you've never heard of, name the British physicist whose 1928 equation predicted the existence of anti­ matter.

a. Paul Dirac.

47. The character Robert Langdon has been played by Tom Hanks on 3 occasions; he is the main protagonist of novels by which author?

a. Dan Brown.

48. In the comic strip "Calvin and Hobbes" what type of animal is Hobbes?

a, A Tiger.

49. What is the name of Prince Harry's new girlfriend, (who looks uncannily like a composite of Kate and Pippa Middleton.)?

a. Meghan Markle.

50. Which South American mammal is the world's largest rodent?

a. The Capybara.

51. What is the name of Whitney Houston's older and equally famous cousin?

a. Dionne Warwick.

52. The start of the 2005 Grand National was delayed by 25 minutes because of which event?

a. The marriage of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles.

53. For what purpose is an Aldis lamp used?

a. Signalling morse code optically at sea.

54. Which bacillus infection causes Typhoid fever?

a. Salmonella Typhi

55. Which river enters the ocean at Montevideo?

a. The River Plate

56. What type of fuel is used in jet engines?

a. Paraffin (Jet Al)

57. In which TV show did Matt Lucas play George Dawes?

a. Shooting Stars.

58. What is parsimony?

a. Meaness

59. . Which strip cartoon began life as Li'I Folks?

a. Peanuts.

60. Which "space-rock" band led by Dave Brock celebrated 45 years in the business in 2014.

a. Hawkwind.

61. Australian cricketer Shane Warne played for which county between 2000 and 2007?

a, Hampshire.

62. What collective nickname, relating to their hair,was given to young RAF officers during WW2?

a. The Brylcreem Boys.

63. Which Anglo-Saxon King of England was canonised in the 12th century and remains the patron saint of the Royal Family?

a. Edward the Confessor

64. The river Rhone meets the river Saone in which French city?

a. Lyon

65. Which small, quiet war time aircraft was used to land & pickup agents in France?

a. The Westland Lysander.

66. Which was the first sport to be covered live on radio in 1927?

a. Rugby Union.

67. Who was the only British monarch of the house of Saxe-Coburg Gotha ?

a. EdwardVII

68. The Drakensberg Mountains are in 2 countries, name either?

a. South Africa or Lesotho.

69. 4 C's are used to grade diamonds. Colour, Clarity and Carat are 3, what is the 4th?

a. Cut.

70. Which London area based tourist attraction has a large Red Pagoda in its extensive grounds?

a. Kew Gardens.

71. Which English town has an area famous for antique dealers called The Lanes?

a. Brighton.

72. Which hallmark symbol is used only by the London Assay Office?

a. The Leopard's Head

73. Which flowering plant is carved on the capitals (tops) of Corinthian columns?

a. Acanthus.

74. Italy was united under which king in 1870?

a. Victor Emmanuel.

75. What in the human body is regulated by circadian rhythms?

a. The sleeping/waking cycle, the body clock.

76. Which US president is portrayed on a one dollar bill?

a. George Washington.

77. Who won the 2016 "I'm a celebrity get me out of here"?

a. Scarlette Moffatt

78. Which annual event was first held in Islington in1886, moved to Olympia, then Earls Court and is now held at the NEC Birmingham?

a. Crufts dog show.

79. Which state ceremony in London marks the Queen's official birthday?

a. The trooping of the Colour.

80. In which year did the Queen and President Mitterrand open the Channel Tunnel?

a. 1994

81. The Grand Union Canal connects London to which other English city?

a. Birmingham.

82. Othello and Falstaff were late-period operas by which composer?

a. Giuseppe Verdi.

83 In which craft is a "Gob" collected on a metal tube known as a "Punty"?

a. Glass-blowing.

84. Which social reformer is commemorated by the statue of Eros in London's Piccadilly Circus?

a. Lord Shaftesbury.

85. In which African country did the Hutu and Tutsi tribes fight a civil war in the 1990's?

a. Rwanda

86. Which lake forms part of the border between Germany, Austria and Switzerland?

a. Lake Constance.

87. Which historica l figure was played by Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett in 1998 and Helen Mirren in 2005?

a. Queen Elizabeth I.

88. What do 00, HO and N have in common?

a. They are model railway gauges.

89. Which Bohemian prince commanded the royalist cavalry in the English civil war?

a. Prince Rupert of the Rhine.

90. Who sued the Marques of Queensbury for libel in 1895, but lost the action at great cost to himself?

a. Oscar Wilde.

91. What instrument has Mick Jagger played on several Rolling Stone recordings?

a. The Harmonica (mouth organ, gob iron etc)

92. Which bird makes the nests used in the Chinese dish Birds Nest Soup?

a. The swift.

93. Which gas is produced by the action of ultraviolet radiation on Oxygen?

a. Ozone.

94. Who, in children's fiction, had a special friend called Peter the goatherd?

a. Heidi.

95. What was Paul O'Grady's stage name for his one-time female impersonation character?

a. Lily Savage.

96. In which country were the Carnatic Wars fought in the 18th century?

a. India (fought between the French and British East India companies among others.)

Supl. Which royal dynasty ruled England from 1154 to 1485?

a. The Plantagenet's.

Sup2. Which electrical device in a car is located between the coil and the spark plugs?

a. The distributer.

Sup3. How was singer Tony Bennett officially associated with the 2001 Kentucky Derby?

a. As its official artist. (he is a talented painter)

Sup4/ Which scientist discovered vaccination and used cowpox injections to cure smallpox?

a. Edward Jenner.

Wednesday, December 07, 2016

6th December–The Qu4estions

 

Specialist Questions set by

PLOUGH TAVERNERS

 

Subjects are:

· History

· Geography

· As simple as ABC

· Arts and Entertainment

· Science

· "Americans and British are one people separated by a common language."

· Assassins

· Sport

clip_image002

History

Q1  Who was Richard the Lionheart’s father?

A1   Henry II

Q2  Which of Henry VIII’s wives is buried next to him in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle?

A2  Jane Seymour

Q3  In which year was the Battle of Little Bighorn?

A3  1876 (accept 1874 – 1878)

Q4  Suleiman the Magnificent was the ruler of which Empire?

A4  The Ottoman Empire (accept Turkish)

Q5  The Bevin Boys were conscripted during the Second World War to do what kind of work?

A5  Mining

Q6 How many children did Queen Victoria have?

A6  Nine

Q7  Against whom did Rome fight the Punic Wars?

A7  Carthage

Q8 Which politician was assassinated on 21 May 1991 by a female suicide bomber? First name and family name required.

A8  Rajiv Ghandi

Supp 1  Guy Fawkes enlisted in the army of which European country in 1593?

SA1  Spain

Supp 2  Who was the Iron Chancellor who united Germany?

SA2  Otto von Bismarck

Supp 3  Who became Prime Minister of Great Britain on 7 December 1916?

SA3  David Lloyd George

Supp 4  Which famous battle was fought at Senlac Hill?

SA4  The Battle of Hastings

Geography

Q1 In which country is Cox’s Bazar Beach – probably the longest unbroken sandy beach in the world?

A1  Bangladesh

Q2  Which city is the state capital of Minnesota?

A2  Saint Paul

Q3  Brazil has had three capital cities – Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro are two – what is the third?

A3 Salvador

Q4  In which English county is most of the Forest of Dean?

A4  Gloucestershire

Q5  What is the most northern capital city in Europe?

A5  Reykjavik, Iceland

Q6 Which river rises on Mount Hermon and flows into the Dead Sea?

A6  The River Jordan

Q7 Which is the highest mountain of the Canary Isles?

A7  Teide (On Tenerife)

Q8 What is the name of the industrial city on Honshu island in Japan, which is associated with the manufacture of motor bikes?

A8  Kawasaki

Supp 1 What is the name of the straits between South East Ireland and South West Wales?

SA1  St George’s Channel

Supp 2  In which country is the Albert Canal?

SA2  Belgium

Supp 3  To which group of islands does Corfu belong?

SA3  The Ionian Islands

Supp 4 What is the name of the world’s largest sand island north-east of Brisbane?

SA4  Fraser Island

AS SIMPLE AS ABC

The answers to each question is a word that begins with 3 sequential alphabetic characters

e.g. To win a victory over – DEFEAT

Q1 Northern Hemisphere marine fish, valued as a source of caviar

A1 Sturgeon

Q2 To rob a vehicle by stopping it in transit

A2  Hijack

Q3 The amount by which a sum of money falls short of an expected amount

A3 Deficit

Q4 A professional guide and servant for sportsmen

A4 Ghillie

Q5 Country of the South-West Pacific consisting of nine islands

A5 Tuvalu

Q6 No longer operative, effective or respected

A6 Defunct

Q7 Headgear traditionally worn by Muslim women in the presence of adult males outside of their immediate family

A7  Hijab

Q8 The workroom of an artist or photographer

A8  Studio

Supp 1 To spoil or mar the surface or appearance

SA1  Deface

Supp 2  Substantially built

SA2  Sturdy

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Q1 “Life, don’t talk to me about life.” Which character in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy said this?

A1 Marvin the Paranoid Android

Q2 Screened in 1979, what was the first of David Attenborough’s blockbuster series with the Natural History Unit?

A2 Life on Earth

Q3 The Beatles song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”, on the Sgt Pepper album, was banned by the BBC due to its alleged references to drugs. Which other track on the same album was also banned for the same reason.?

A3 A Day in the Life

Q4 In which of the arts was Frederick Ashton a significant British figure in the 20th century?

A4 Ballet

Q5 In which town is Coronation Street set?

A5 Weatherfield

Q6 What is the cinematic connection between Singapore, Zanzibar, Morocco, Utopia, Rio, Bali and Hong Kong?

A6 The ‘Road’ movies

Q7 The Rostovs are a central family in which famous novel?

A7 War and Peace

Q8 Which series of concerts is held in late summer at the Royal Albert Hall?

A8 The Proms

Supp 1 Which dance band leader disappeared during World War II?

SA1 Glenn Miller

Supp 2 A balalaika originates from which country?

SA2 Russia

Science

Q1  Whose law may be expressed as V=I x R ?

A1  Ohm’s Law

Q2   What is the more scientific name for the God Particle?

A2 The Higgs Boson

Q3 Which gas smells like rotten eggs?

A3 Hydrogen Sulphide

Q4 What is produced by a Wimshurst Machine?

A4 High voltage static electricity

Q5 Betz cells are found in which part of the body?

A5 The brain

Q6  In biology, what is the process called when water passes from a dilute solution to a less dilute solution through a semipermeable membrane?

A6  Osmosis

Q7  In the laboratory, what might be generated in a Kipps Apparatus?

A7  A gas

Q8 In mathematics, what is the name given to a quantity which has both magnitude and direction?

A8 A vector

Supp 1 What is the term for a positive electrode?

SA1 Anode

Supp 2  In electronics, what is the name given to a component which allows current to flow in one direction but not in the reverse direction?

SA2 A Diode

"Americans and British are one people separated by a common language."

Q1  What do Americans call the silencer of a car?

A1  A Muffler

Q2  What is played on a gridiron?

A2 American Football also accept NFL or AFL

Q3 If an American male was using suspenders, what would we say he was using?

A3 Braces

Q4  What would Americans be doing if they were “Shooting the breeze”?

A4 Chatting to each other

Q5 What do the British call a buzz saw?

A5  A circular saw. (Not a chain saw)

Q6  What do teamsters do for a living?

A6  Drive trucks

Q7 What is played on a ballpark?

A7 Baseball

Q8  Who would use a nightstick?

A8  A Policeman – it’s a form of truncheon.

Supp 1  What might you be doing if you were in the bleachers?

SA1  Watching an event, usually sporting

Supp 2  Jelly Roll Morton was an influential jazz pianist, but what do we call a Jelly Roll?

SA2  A swiss roll or jam roll

Assassins

All the questions and/or answers in this round are related to assassins / assassinations.

Q1  Who was assassinated on The Ides of March?

A1 Julius Caesar (15th of March, 44 BC)

Q2 In the novel “The Day of the Jackal” who is the target of The Jackal’s assassination attempt?

A2 Charles de Gaulle

Q3 How old   as John Lennon when he was shot dead in December 1980?

A3 40 (Accept 39 to 41)

Q4 what was used to assassinate Leon Trotsky assassinated in August 1940?

A4 An Ice-axe (accept ice-pick)

Q5 Who was assassinated on January 30th 1948 by Nathuram Godse?

First name and family name required.

A5 Mahatma (or Mohandras) Gandhi

Q6 In which decade was Abraham Lincoln assassinated?

A6 1860’s (1865)

Q7 Edward Oxford attempted to assassinate which monarch in June 1840?

A7 Queen Victoria

Q8 Which US President survived 2 assassination attempts within 3 weeks of each other in September 1975?

A8 Gerald Ford

Supp 1 Who shot Ronald Reagan on March 30th, 1981?

SA1 John Hinckley (Jr)

Supp 2 “Assassing” was a 1984 single for which rock band ?

SA2 Marillion

Sport

Q1 Rugby Union: On 05th November 2016 Ireland beat New Zealand for the first time ever. In which country did the match take place?

A1 USA (Chicago). Score was 40-29.

Q2 In October 2016 Freddy Tylicki was left paralysed after an accident in which sport?

A2 Horse Racing

Q3 According to the official rules of Badminton, how many feathers are used to make the cone of a Shuttlecock?

A3 Sixteen

Q4 Which sportsman has recently published a crime novel inspired by his early life entitled “Framed”?

A4 Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Q5 Cricket: Name any of the 3 current First Class counties that have never won the County Championship

A5 Somerset, Northamptonshire, or Gloucestershire

Q6 Blue, White, Yellow, and Double Yellow balls (differentiated by small coloured dots) may be used in which sport?

A6 Squash

Q7 Golf: Name either Gold Medal winner (men’s or women’s) at the Rio Olympics?

A7 Men: Justin Rose (Great Britain), Women: Inbee Park (South Korea)

Q8 Formula 1: Name any of the countries that hosted the first 3 races in the 2016 calendar.

A8 , Bahrain, Australia or China

Supp 1 Which baseball team has recently won the World Series for the first time since 1908?

SA1 Chicago Cubs

Supp 2 Which city hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics?

SA2 Atlanta, USA

 

GENERAL KNOWLEDEGE

Set by Harrington B

1. Which English comedy actor has had great success with his own American chat show and also provides the voice of "Biggie" in the latest Dreamworks film Trolls?

JAMES CORDEN

2. Which British paralympian won Gold Medals in both athletics and cycling in Rio?

KADEENA COX

3. What sort of bird is a Kea?

PARROT (from New Zealand)

4. In the world of horticulture what are Sungold and Gardeners Delight varieties of?

TOMATOES

5. Which is Britain’s newest National Park, established in 2009 and becoming fully operational in 2011?

THE SOUTH DOWNS

6. After dwindling sales of its normal products and filing for bankruptcy in 2012, which large U.S. Company launched its first smartphone the IM5 in 2015?

KODAK

7. Sam Allardyce resigned from his job as England football manager after being filmed talking to undercover reporters from which newspaper?

DAILY TELEGRAPH

8. In which Scottish town does football team Queen of the South play its home games?

DUMFRIES

9. Which South American country is the only one to have English as its official language?

GUYANA

10. In 1967 Louis Washansky found fame in the world of medicine. Why?

HE WAS THE FIRST HEART TRANSPLANT PATIENT

11. How many times has Brazil won the football World Cup?

FIVE

12. Which large, wealthy country has no cinemas as they’ve been banned for over 30 years?

SAUDI ARABIA

13. Which Middle Eastern country has compulsory military service for women?

ISRAEL

14. How many funnels did the Titanic have?

FOUR

15. What are the tiny sacs in the lungs where oxygen is transferred from the bronchioles to the blood vessels (or capillaries)

ALVEOLI

16. What is the most common non-contagious disease in the world?

TOOTH DECAY

17. What is the name of the National Trust Garden at Over Alderley in Cheshire?

HARE HILL

18. What is the smallest class of vessel considered to be a warship?

CORVETTE

19. Name the actor who played the character Arnold Rimmer in the Red Dwarf TV series.

CHRIS BARRIE

20. What part of a church is at right angles to the nave?

THE TRANSEPT

21. In which American state is Fort Knox?

KENTUCKY

22. Where is Admiral Lord Nelson Buried?

ST PAUL’S CATHEDRAL

23. Which car maker produces the Duster model?

DACIA

24. What is the county town and Administrative centre of Buckinghamshire?

AYLESBURY

25. In Greek mythology, who was the God of Sleep?

HYPNOS

26. Who was Theresa May’s final opponent in the elections to succeed David Cameron?

ANDREA LEADSOM

27. Keith Vaz, much in the news in the last 3 months, is the MP for which constituency?

LEICESTER (East)

28. In India, what is a Dhoti?

A LONG LOINCLOTH WORN BY MEN

29. What name is used for the colour blue in heraldry?

AZURE

30. In what film is Holly Golightly the main female character?

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANYS

31. In which sport did Joe Clark win a Gold Medal in Rio for Team GB?

CANOEING (Men’s K1 Kayak)

32. How was Mossack Fonseca in the news 6 month ago?

PANAMA-BASED LAWYERS NAMED IN TAX EVASION SCANDAL

33. Who currently presents ‘The Apprentice: You’re Fired’?

RHOD GILBERT

34. How do you spell Sapphire, i.e. the gemstone?

SAPPHIRE

35. Which Yorkshire football club is known as the Terriers?

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN

36. What is England’s most northerly town?

BERWICK-UPON-TWEED (accept Berwick)

37. How do you spell poignant, i.e. deeply moving?

POIGNANT

38. Which London football club is known as the Lions?

MILLWALL

39. England were well set to win this year’s World T20 cricket competition until Carlos Braithwaite hit 4 sixes off the last over to give West Indies victory. Who was our unfortunate bowler for that last over?

BEN STOKES

40. Serendip is the old Persian name for which country? Its present name translates as `Resplendent Island’?

SRI LANKA

41. How is the cockchafer beetle better known?

THE MAY BUG

42. Who is the Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government?

SAJID JAVID

43. Who is the Secretary of State for Work & Pensions?

DAMIAN GREEN

44. In the American TV series, what does the ‘N’ in NCIS stand for?

NAVAL (accept NAVY) (Naval Criminal Investigative Service)

45. Who wrote the Adrian Mole books?

SUE TOWNSEND

46. What, amongst big cats, is unique about a cheetah’s claws?

THEY CAN’T BE FULLY RETRACTED (to aid traction when running)

47. What is the capital of Barbados?

BRIDGETOWN

48. What is the capital of Mauritius?

PORT LOUIS

49. We have all heard of ATOL through our holiday bookings. What does the O in ATOL stand for?

AIR TRAVEL ORGANISER’S LICENCE

50. In the term Paralympics, what is `Para’ short for?

PARALLEL OLYMPICS

51. What local position is held by Gareth Tidman?

EDITOR OF MACCLESFIELD EXPRESS (also accept editor of Rossendale Free Press and Accrington Observer)

52. Which family occupied Errwood Hall prior to its demolition for the construction of Errwood Reservoir?

THE GRIMSHAWES

53. What is the name of Sir Philip Green’s latest superyacht?

LIONHEART

54. In which county is Sports Direct’s headquarters and massive warehouse situated?

DERBYSHIRE (Shirebrook)

55. What other sport is played at Wimbledon’s All England Club?

CROQUET

56. What is the home ground of Warwickshire County Cricket Club?

EDGBASTON

57. The River Sheaf flows through which city?

SHEFFIELD

58. Who scored England’s winner (the first for his country) against Slovakia in Sam Allardyce’s only game in charge?

ADAM LALLANA

59. What local sporting triumph did Ian Stannard achieve in September?

HE WON THE TOUR OF BRITAIN STAGE WHICH PASSED THROUGH CHESHIRE EAST ON 6th SEPTEMBER

60. Name the Wallasey MP who was the first to mount a challenge against Jeremy Corbyn in July.

ANGELA EAGLE

61. Who won Team GB’s first gold medal at the Rio Olympics?

SWIMMER ADAM PEATY

62. According to the UN’s World Population Day report in 2014, what is the world’s most populated city?

TOKYO (over 38million)

63. What is the most southerly state in the USA?

HAWAII

64. Name the keyboard player with 70s prog rock group Genesis.

TONY BANKS

65. Who was the lead singer with rock legends AC/DC before Brian Johnson?

BON SCOTT

66. In motor racing, which F1 circuit made its first appearance on the 2016 calendar?

BAKU (accept AZERBAIJAN) – as the European Grand Prix

67. F1 driver Nico Rosberg and his father Keke have both now been World Champions. Who are the only other father and son to have become champions?

GRAHAM AND DAMON HILL

68. Give a year in the life of composer Johann Sebastian Bach.

1685 to 1750

69. Give a year in the life of artist Thomas Gainsborough.

1727 to 1788

70. In Africa, what is a ‘kudu’?

A TYPE OF ANTELOPE (accept DEER)

71. In music, what are splash, crash and ride types of?

CYMBALS

72. Which country has land borders with Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina?

PARAGUAY

73. Which country has land borders with Western Sahara, Algeria, Mali and Senegal?

MAURITANIA

74. Which winning act from the X Factor recently released an album called ‘Glory Days’?

LITTLE MIX

75. Who sang this year’s Children in Need song?

CRAIG DAVID

76. The only pub in Britain with two Michelin stars is the Hand & Flowers in Marlow, Bucks. Which celebrity chef owns it?

TOM KERRIDGE

77. ‘Britain’s Best Restaurant’, according to the Good Food Guide, is L’Enclume in Cartmel in the Lake District. Which celebrity chef owns it?

SIMON ROGAN

78. What’s the second largest stringed instrument in an orchestra?

CELLO

79. Which film won the Best Picture Oscar in 2015?

BIRDMAN (starring Michael Keaton)

80. What type of pastry is used for profiteroles?

CHOUX

81. What name is given to an omelette that contains smoked haddock, parmesan cheese and cream?

AN ARNOLD BENNETT

82. Name the Hollywood music composer, responsible for the Titanic and Avatar scores, who was tragically killed in an air crash in 2015?

JAMES HORNER

83. Where in the human body is the only bone that doesn’t articulate with another bone?

THE THROAT (the HYOID bone, which supports the tongue)

84. In South Africa, what does the term ‘Braai’ (pronounced ‘bry’) refer to?

Note to QM: please spell BRAAI

A BARBECUE

85. Which supermarket’s 2016 Christmas commercials feature a carrot called Kevin?

ALDI

86. In which gland of the human body is the hormone cortisol produced?

THE ADRENAL GLAND

87. In November, the first named storm of the 2016/17 season hit the South coast of the UK. What was it called?

STORM ANGUS

88. Which author wrote the novel ‘Cannery Row’?

JOHN STEINBECK

89. Which book by DH Lawrence was named after a meteorological phenomenon?

THE RAINBOW

90. Who was the last British king born outside of the UK?

GEORGE II

91. Which old name for Britain derives from the Latin word for white?

ALBION

92. Ben Miller and Ruth Jones star in commercials for which retailer?

TESCO

93. Which is Britain’s largest cathedral?

LIVERPOOL’S ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL

94. How many hearts has an octopus?

THREE

95. Which is the hottest planet in the solar system?

VENUS

96. Which car manufacturer produces the F-Pace model?

JAGUAR (accept JAGUAR LAND ROVER)

Supplementaries

Which is the only rock to float in water?

PUMICE

What has the chemical formula H2O2?

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE

Which Canadian territory forms most of the border with Alaska?

YUKON

What was scientist Friedrich Miescher the first to identify in 1869?

DNA (accept NUCLEIC ACIDS)

Which train did Casey Jones drive?

CANNONBALL EXPRESS

On an Indian menu, what does a dish whose name includes ‘Sag’ contain?

SPINACH

Who, in November, was re-elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives in the US?

PAUL RYAN

For which club side does England Rugby Union Captain Dylan Hartley play?

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

For which king was Brighton Pavilion built?

GEORGE IV

Thursday, December 01, 2016

Questions for 29th November, 2016

 

 

Set by

The Dolphin Dragons

And vetted by

The Nag’s Head and the Sutton Mutton.

Specialist Rounds:

· Geography

· History

· Katherines etc

· Festivals

· Food (and drink)

· Arts and Entertainment

· Science (and Natural Science)

· Sport


Round 1: Geography

Q1.which capital city stands on the river Tagus?

A1. Lisbon

Q2. What is a fumerole?

A2. A vent in the side of, or near, a volcano (which emits steam and other gases)

Q3. What is the capital of Slovenia?

A3. Ljubljana

Q4.Perth (W Australia) stands on which river?

A4. The Swan

Q5. Which desert is found in Chile?

A5. The Atacama

Q6. What is the capital of Croatia?

A6. Zagreb

Q7. What does a meander become when it is cut off from the river?

A8. Ox-bow lake.

Q8. The Negev Desert is found in which country?

A8. Israel

Supplementaries

Sup 1. What is an erratic?

A rock which has no connection with the rocks beneath it (having been carried there by glaciation)

Sup 2. What is a levee?

A raised embankment alongside a river (it can be natural or man-made and helps prevent flooding)

Round 2: History

Q1. Which conflict was responsible for the Lancashire Cotton Famine of the 1860’s?

A1. The American Civil War

Q2. Who succeeded Augustus as Roman Emperor?

A2. Tiberius

Q3. What is the former city of Christiania now called?

A3. Oslo

Q4. Who is the only US President to serve 4 terms of office as President?

A4. F.D. Roosevelt

Q5. Against which city did Rome fight the Punic Wars?

A5. Carthage

Q6. Queen Adelaide was the queen consort of which British king?

A6. William IV

Q7. John, Duke of Lancaster, son of Edward III, is better known as?

A7. John of Gaunt

Q8. What is the third Battle of Ypres also called?

A8. Passchaendale

Supplementaries

Sup 1.Richard III was buried for the second time in which city?

Leicester

Sup 2. Which city did William Wilberforce represent in parliament?

(Kingston-upon) Hull

Round 3: Katherines etc

(All the questions/answers involve a Catherine/Katie/Kathy etc)

Q1. Who lit the Olympic flame at the 2000 Sydney Olympics?

A2. Cathy Freeman

Q2. Catherine Moorland is the heroine of which Jane Austen book?

A2. Northanger Abbey

Q3. Katherine Howard was cousin to which other wife of Henry VIII?

A3. Anne Boleyn

Q4. Which Italian born TV personality introduced several Eurovision Song Contests in the 60s and 70s?

A4. Katie Boyle

Q5. Which American singer has albums entitled Teenage Dream and Prism, and has a fan in Geoffrey Boycott?

A5. Katy Perry

Q6. Which British king was married to Catherine of Braganza?

A6. Charles II

Q7. What was the original surname of Heathcliffe’s Cathy?

A7. Earnshaw

Q8. Name the British Olympic rower who has 2 silver & 1 gold medal.

A8. Katherine Grainger

Supplementaries

Sup1.Which TV play of the 1960s gave a boost to the launch of the charity Shelter just a few days later?

Cathy Come Home

Sup 2. Who played Kathy Beale on Eastenders?

Gillian Taylforth


Round 4: Festivals

Q1. The name of which festival translates literally into English as Farewell to Meat?

A1. Carnival

Q2. Which is the Hindu Festival of Lights, celebrated in the autumn (Northern Hemisphere)?

A2 .Diwali

Q3. At which Somerset farm does the annual Glastonbury Festival take place?

A3. Worthy Farm

Q4. The Festival of Remembrance is held on the Saturday before Remembrance Sunday at which place in London?

A4. Royal Albert Hall

Q5. Name the Jewish Festival of light, which occurs every year in late November/ early December.

A5. Hannukah

Q6. What is the other, church, name for Twelfth Night?

A6. Epiphany

Q7. Which town in the Welsh marches hosts a world famous festival of literature and the arts every year in early summer?

A7. Hay on Wye

Q8. What is the name of the festival that takes place in Lerwick, Shetland, on the last Tuesday in January every year?

A8. Up Helly Aa

Supplementaries

Sup 1. Which German city hosts the annual Oktoberfest (the world’s largest beer festival)?

Munich

 
Sup 2. Why is the Macclesfield Festival of Barnaby so called?

It is held on and around the Feast of St Barnabas (June 11th)

Round 5: Food (and Drink).


Q1. If you ordered grenouilles (pronounced gron wee) in a French restaurant, what would you be eating?

A1. Frog's legs

 

Q2. Named after a J.M Barrie play which confectionery assortment contains toffee penny, orange chocolate crunch & the green triangle?

A2. Quality Street

Q3. On which Scottish Island is the Talisker whisky distillery?

A3. Skye

Q4. What is the American term for grilling food?

A4. Broiling

Q5. What is Yarg cheese wrapped in?

A5. Nettles

Q6. What colour is the food colour annatto?

A6. Orange / Red (Accept either)

Q7. What is pancetta?

A7. A form of Italian bacon / cured pork…(you get the idea!)

Q8. What gives Windsor red cheese its colour and flavour?

A8. Red Wine or Port (either acceptable)

Supplementaries

Sup 1. What is a Beef Wellington?

Beef cooked wrapped in pastry

Sup 2. What is cous cous made from?

Semolina

Sup 3. Which fruit is distilled to make Calvados?

Apples
Round 6: Arts and Entertainment

 

Q1. Which Painter was the main character in the book, and then the film, The Girl with a Pearl Earring?

A1. Vermeer

Q2. Who wrote "The Liar", a semi autobiographical first novel published in 1991?

A2. Stephen Fry

Q3. The writing of which famous poem was supposedly interrupted by the arrival of “a person from Porlock?”

A3. Kubla Kahn (by Coleridge)

Q4. In architecture, Lancel, Oriel and Sash, are types of what?

A4. Windows

Q5. According to Monty Python, among which organisation's weaponry are 

"fear, surprise, & ruthless efficiency?"

A5. The Spanish Inquisition

Q6.Which actor is the only remaining living member of the Dad’s Army platoon?

A6. Ian Lavender
 

Q7. What was the first solo Number 1 single by a member of the Beatles?

A7. "My Sweet Lord" (by George Harrison)

Q8. The Hippopotamus, The Gnu & The Rhinoceros were among the comic songs of which duo? 

A8. Flanders & Swann

Supplementaries

Sup 1. The Birth of Venus & Primavera are notable works of which Florentine Renaissance artist, born Alessandro Filipepi? 

Sandro Botticelli

Sup 2. Which writer created "The Gruffalo"?

Julia Donaldson

Round 7: Science & Nature

Q1. What conversion would you be doing if you multiplied by nine over five 

& added 32?

A1. Degrees Celsius (centigrade) to degrees Fahrenheit

Q2. How many digits (or equivalents) are used in a hexadecimal system?

A2. Sixteen

Q3. The meteor shower, the Orionids (visible at the end of last month) is composed of debris from what?

A3. Halley’s Comet

Q4. Which mammal comes in two-toed & three-toed varieties?

A4. Sloth

Q5. In geometry, what name is given to a 10-sided figure?

A5. Decagon

Q6. The adjective costal refers to which part of the human body?

A6. Ribs

Q7. What type of crab has an enlarged claw, which it holds in the manner of someone playing a violin?

A7. Fiddler crab

Q8. If the positive electrode of an electrolyte cell is called an anode, what name is given to the negative electrode?

A8. Cathode

Supplementaries

Sup 1. The disease beri-beri is caused by a lack of vitamin B1. What is this vitamin also called?

Thiamine

Sup 2. What is the defining characteristic of a scalene triangle?

No side (and/or angle) is the same length/size

Round 8: Sport

Q1. Dressage & show jumping are two of the three disciplines in equestrian three day eventing. The other is?

A1. Cross country

Q2. The modern pentathlon consists of riding, running, shooting, swimming & which other discipline?

A2. Fencing

Q3. Four UK men retained their individual Olympic gold medals in Rio. Mo Farah was one. Name one of the others.

A3. Jason Kenny, Alistair Brownlee, Andy Murray.

Q4. Similarly, four UK women also retained their individual Olympic gold medals in Rio. Laura Trott (now Kenny) was one. Name one of the others.

A4. Jade Jones, Nicola Adams, Charlotte Dujardin

Q5. Name one of the 5 European golfers in this year’s Ryder cup, who are not UK citizens,

A5. Henrik Stenson (Sweden), Sergio Garcia (Spain), Rafa Cabrera Bello (Spain), Martin Kaymer (Germany), Thomas Pieters (Belgium)

Q6. Who, with 14 Paralympic golds has now overtaken Tanni Grey-Thompson’s record for the UK’s most successful female paralympian?

A5. Sarah Storey.

Q7. Which team defeated Wales in the semi-final of the Football European Championship this summer?

A7. Portugal

Q8. Which was the only team England defeated in the same championship?

A8. Wales

Supplementaries

Sup1. In cricket what is signalled by the umpire holding out one arm horizontally?

No ball

Sup 2. In baseball what term is given to the fielder who is positioned behind the batter?

Catcher

Sup 3. Who was appointed the English Women’s Cricket Captain, to succeed Charlotte Edwards in June 2016?

Heather Knight

 

General Knowledge

1

Q

For the coronation of which monarch was Zadok the Priest written, by Handel in the eighteenth century?

A

George II

   

2

Q

Who is Jenson Button’s “stable mate” at McLaren this season?

A

Fernando Alonso

   

3

Q

Who left this year’s Strictly come Dancing for unspecified personal reasons in October?

A

Will Young

   

4

Q

Ruth Langsford is married to which TV Broadcaster from Ireland?

A

Eamonn Holmes

   

5

Q

What is the name of the political party founded by the Rev. Ian Paisley?

A

The Democratic Unionist

   

6

Q

What is the architectural term for the generally triangular portion of an end wall which supports a pitched roof?

A

Gable

   

7

Q

This October, playing against Bangladesh, which English bowler scored a “fifer”, (ie took 5 wickets ) on his first appearance for his country in an ODI?

A

Jake Ball (the first Englishman to achieve this)

   

8

Q

What was the name of the Holiday camp in the Sitcom Hi-Di-Hi?

A

Maplin's (holiday camp)

   

9

Q

Which canal accounts for Wigan having a pier?

A

The Leeds and Liverpool

   

10

Q

Hector E. Bonzo was the last captain of which ship which sank in 1982?

A

The General Belgrano

   

11

Q

Rogue trader Nick Leeson brought down which bank?

A

Baring Brothers (allow Barings Bank)

   

12

Q

St Johnstown (or St Johnstoun) was once the capital city of Scotland. By what name is St Johnstown now known?

A

Perth

   

13

Q

Bryony Page, from Crewe, won an unexpected silver medal in which discipline at the Olympics?

A

Trampolining

   

14

Q

Patience, by Gilbert and Sullivan contains the character Bunthorne who “Walks down Piccadilly with a poppy or a lily in his medieval hand? Of which real life person was this meant as a take-off?

A

Oscar Wilde

   

15

Q

The Gulf of Venice lies at the northern end of which sea?

A

Adriatic

   

16

Q

What word can mean either the SI Unit for measuring the mass of atoms, molecules etc, or a small mammal, found in Britain (and elsewhere)?

A

Mole (It is also a breakwater on the shore…)

   

17

Q

Who defeated Great Britain in the 2016 Davis Cup at the semi-final stage?

A

Argentina

   

18

Q

In which African country is the Nubian Desert to be found?

A

Sudan

   

19

Q

What was the name of the maidens who carried dead Viking warriors to feast in Valhalla?

A

The Valkyries

   

20

Q

Which bird appears in the title of a Ralph Vaughan Williams composition of 1914 (revised in 1920)?

A

Lark (The Lark Ascending)

   

21

Q

In 1685 the Duke of Monmouth led a rebellion against which King, his uncle?

A

James II (James VII of Scotland)

   

22

Q

Who is the recently impeached President of Brazil?

A

Dilma Rousseff

   

23

Q

What is the name of the layer between the earth's crust and its core?

A

The Mantle

   

24

Q

How old was the dancing queen in Abba's song?

A

Seventeen

   

25

Q

Margaret Thatcher represented which constituency?

A

Finchley

   

26

Q

Which author created the blue-blooded sleuth Albert Campion?

A

Margery Allingham

   

27

Q

Which song’s lyric contains these words “I love the colourful clothes she wears. And the way the sunlight plays upon her hair.”

A

Good Vibrations (Beach Boys)

   

28

Q

In Greek myth, which princess helped Jason obtain the Golden Fleece?

A

Medea

   

29

Q

The RRS Sir David Attenborough is designed to operate in which maritime regions?

A

Polar

   

30

Q

In Scotland, every January, many women have a celebration in honour of Jean Armour. She was the wife of which famous Scot?

A

Robbie Burns

   

31

Q

Portia Simpson Miller is the current prime minister of which Caribbean island

A

Jamaica

   

32

Q

Who was the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Artemis?

A

Diana

   

33

Q

In which Shakespeare play does the title character get annoyed when the French send him a gift of tennis balls?

A

Henry V

   

34

Q

While walking through woods in 1941, George de Mestral was inspired, by the burrs that clung to his clothes, to invent what product?

A

Velcro

   

35

Q

Who is the only person in UK history to hold all 4 major offices of state (PM, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Home & Foreign secretary)?

A

James Callaghan

   

36

Q

The legend of King Alfred burning cakes is said to have taken place on which so called "island"?

A

Athelney

   

37

Q

Who was the Greek God of War?

A

Ares

   

38

Q

Manchester United lost 3 games on the trot this September: name one of the three teams that beat them.

A

Feyenoord, Watford and Manchester City

   

39

Q

"Dave, this conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye" is a line from which 1968 film?

A

2001: A Space Odyssey

   

40

Q

What is Jeremy Corbyn’s constituency?

A

Islington North (the North is essential!)

   

41

Q

Which perennial herb, scientific name Foeniculum vulgare has seeds that taste of aniseed?

A

Fennel

   

42

Q

For which film did Mark Rylance win the Oscar for best supporting actor this year?

A

Bridge of Spies

   

43

Q

Honiton (Devon) & Nottingham are traditional centres for the production of which material?

A

Lace

   

44

Q

Maddie Hinch starred in which GB gold-winning team at the Rio Olympics?

A

Ladies Hockey – she was the keeper who kept out all those penalties

   

45

Q

On which river was Handel's 'Water Music' first performed?

A

The Thames

   

46

Q

The brambling, crossbill & linnet are species of which bird?

A

Finch

   

47

Q

Elon Musk is the CEO of which American Aerospace company?

A

SpaceX

   

48

Q

What type of clothing was a Bicorne?

A

Hat (Aka A Cocked Hat)

   

49

Q

Actress Pearl Mackie has been chosen to play which high profile TV role?

A

The Doctor’s new companion (Bill) on Dr Who

   

50

Q

Who took hostage various oil ministers at an OPEC meeting in Vienna in 1975?

A

Carlos the Jackal (accept Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, his real name, of course!)

   

51

Q

Which is the 3rd type of rock, along with igneous and sedimentary?

A

Metamorphic

   

52

Q

As of November 9th,which political party has Leanne Wood as its leader?

A

Plaid Cymru (accept, if you must, Welsh Nationalist)

   

53

Q

What type of animal has a name that literally translates as river horse?

A

Hippopotamus

   

54

Q

Who did Clementine Ogilvy Hozier marry in 1908?

A

Winston Churchill

   

55

Q

Which railway handbook of 1863 became an unusual bestseller after a 2012 reissue?

A

Bradshaw's

   

56

Q

Which series of films is set in the island & township of Amity?

A

Jaws

   

57

Q

Who is the canal loving wife of actor Timothy West?

A

Prunella Scales

   

58

Q

The Thinker & The Kiss are notable sculptures by whom?

A

Auguste Rodin

   

59

Q

Who won 2 individual gold medals for Britain within hours of each other at the Rio Olympics?

A

Max Whitlock

   

60

Q

The Freemantle Doctor & Cape Doctor are types of what?

A

They are Winds, (presumed to be beneficial)

   

61

Q

What bird of the crow family has the Latin name pica pica?

A

Magpie

   

62

Q

Which big cat is the symbol for Peugeot cars?

A

Lion

   

63

Q

Pissaro is classified as belonging to which school of painting?

A

Impressionist

64

Q

Which famous, recently renovated, railway engine was seen in the Crewe area in June this year?

A

The Flying Scotsman.

   

65

Q

What type of clothing is an Ulster?

A

Overcoat

   

66

Q

Who was elected to lead the Conservative party immediately after John Major?

A

William Hague

   

67

Q

What title was held by Robert Devereux, executed after leading a rebellion against Queen Elizabeth I in 1601?

A

The Earl of Essex

   

68

Q

In which partly autobiographical novel by Charles Dickens do the Murdstones and the Peggotys appear?

A

David Copperfield

   

69

Q

The musical "Half a Sixpence" was based on a novel by which writer?

A

HG Wells (Kipps)

   

70

Q

The world's largest man made lake by volume lies between Zambia & Zimbabwe. What is its name?

A

Lake Kariba

   

71

Q

Which Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera is subtitled the Peer and the Peri?

A

Iolanthe

   

72

Q

"Squire Trelawney, Dr Livesey, and the rest of these gentlemen" is the opening to which adventure novel?

A

Treasure Island (Robert Louis Stevenson)

   

73

Q

In which city is Venice Beach?

A

Los Angeles.

   

74

Q

Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills & Bill Berry were the members of which rock band?

A

REM

   

75

Q

In which establishment is the Lutine Bell located?

A

Lloyds of London

   

76

Q

Which famous building is found on the Ile de la Cite in Paris?

A

(The Cathedral of) Notre Dame

   

77

Q

Who wrote the plays Blithe Spirit, Private Lives & Hay Fever amongst others?

A

Noel Coward

   

78

Q

The Society of West End Theatre Awards were renamed after which actor in 1984?

A

Laurence Olivier

   

79

Q

Who was the first suspect to be arrested with the aid of wireless telegraphy?

A

Crippen

   

80

Q

Mount Tyree (15,918 feet) is the second highest peak on which continent?

A

Antarctica

   

81

Q

What is the post at the bottom (and top) of a banister called?

A

A newel post

   

82

Q

What animal has the Scientific name Pongo?

A

The Orangutan

   

83

Q

The region of Patagonia is located in two countries. Name either.

A

Argentina or Chile

   

84

Q

Who presents the ITV quiz show, The Chase?

A

Bradley Walsh

   

85

Q

From which island does the cha-cha-cha ballroom dance originate?

A

Cuba

   

86

Q

In "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" what was the name of the paranoid android?

A

Marvin

   

87

Q

Who was the first Minister for the Arts (appointed by Harold Wilson)?

A

Jennie Lee (Wife of Nye Bevan. She was elected to parliament when she was 24 - too young to vote in the 1920's when she was elected!)

   

88

Q

When the Tour of Britain came to Cheshire, on 6 Sept, in what park did the stage finish?

A

Tatton

   

89

Q

Graham Nash (Crosby, Stills & Nash fame) was formerly a singer/songwriter with which English pop group?

A

The Hollies

   

90

Q

Clove hitch, sheepshank, Turk's head & Granny are among types of what?

A

Knot

   

91

Q

Which Poet Laureate wrote crime fiction under the pseudonym of Nicholas Blake?

A

Cecil Day-Lewis

   

92

Q

What name is given to the science of cultivating plants without putting them in soil but using mineral solutions in water?

A

Hydroponics

   

93

Q

The ancient cities of Chichen Itza, Palenque & Calakmul are World Heritage sites in which country?

A

Mexico

   

94

Q

What is the name of the company wishing to explore the viability of fracking around Little Plumpton and Roseacre Wood in Lancashire?

A

Cuadrilla

   

95

Q

Who wrote the Sword of Honour trilogy (Men at Arms, Officers & Gentlemen & Unconditional Surrender

A

Evelyn Waugh

   

96

Q

In which century was the Taj Mahal built?

A

Seventeenth (completed in 1653, after 22 years)

   

   

Supplementary Questions:

   

1

Q

Which famous American object was cast in a Whitechapel foundry in 1752?

A

The Liberty Bell

   

2

Q

Who is current ( as of Nov 9) ladies tennis number 1 in the world, despite losing the 2016 Wimbledon final to Serena Williams?

A

Angelique Kerber

   

3

Q

Born in Barbados in 1988 singer, songwriter, model & actress Robyn Fenty is better known by her middle name. Which is?

A

Rihanna

   

4

Q

In which Indian city is the historic Red Fort complex?

A

Delhi

   

5

Q

Who won this year’s cricket county championship?

A

Middlesex

   

6

Q

What was the first man-made object to move faster than the speed of sound?

A

A Whip