Today’s Answers

No theme, simply five diverse questions.

One

The World Heritage Site L’Anse aux Meadows is an archaeological site of a … settlement dating to roughly 1,000 years ago. Which noun describing the inhabitants has been omitted from the preceding sentence, and where is this World Heritage Site located?

Answers: Norse; Newfoundland, Canada.

L’Anse aux Meadows is an archaeological site in North America linked to Leif Erikson and Norse sagas. It served as a base camp for exploration and includes the remains of eight sod-and-wood buildings. Over 800 Norse artifacts have been unearthed there, along with evidence of iron production. The site was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1968 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.

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Two

What surname is shared by two Bond villains: one portrayed by Adolfo Celi in a 1965 film and the other, played by Klaus Maria Brandauer, in an ‘unofficial’ 1983 production; and what were the two films?

Answers: Largo; Thunderball; and Never Say Never Again.

Emilio Largo is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the 1961 James Bond novel Thunderball and its 1965 film adaptation, where he is portrayed by Italian actor Adolfo Celi. He also appears as the main antagonist in the 1983 unofficial James Bond film Never Say Never Again, a remake of Thunderball, where his name was changed to Maximillian Largo and he was played by Austrian actor Klaus Maria Brandauer.

Three

What ancient city which is still occupied is home to the Sycamore Tree of Zacchaeus? To the nearest 1,000 years how old is the city?

Answers: Jericho; (either) 10,000 or 11,000 years old.

Jericho is roughly 10,000 to 11,000 years old, with human settlement and activity at the site dating back to around 9000 BCE.

Four

This fish, when improperly prepared as a Japanese dish, can be fatal. What is the English name of the fish, and the Japanese name of the fish and the dish?

Answers: Pufferfish; fugu.

Fugu (pufferfish) is a highly celebrated delicacy in Japanese, Korean, and Chinese cuisine, often served as sashimi or in hot pots. However, it is strictly regulated due to its extreme toxicity. Only chefs with three or more years of rigorous training are legally allowed to prepare it. While the liver was traditionally considered the most flavourful part, serving it was banned in Japan in 1984 because it is highly poisonous, and domestic preparation of the fish still occasionally leads to accidental death.

Five

Which poet composed The Rime of the Ancient Mariner? At the opening, a man is halted by the title figure, who then recounts a story. Where was the man heading when interrupted?

Answers: Samuel Taylor Coleridge; a wedding.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner describes how the mariner stops a wedding guest to share his story, shifting the guest’s mood from amusement to fascination. The poem is noted for its use of personification and repetition to create varying atmospheres, and it is considered a key work in the start of British Romantic literature.

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