Category: Pursuit of the Trivial

  • Exploring history

    A few questions related to today’s date, May 31st.

    Pont Neuf.
    Image Wikipedia
    1. Manuel Quimper explored the Strait of Juan de Fuca on this day in 1790. What international boundary runs down the centre of the strait? Argentina and Chile—Burma (Myanmar) and Thailand—Canada and USA
    2. On this day in 1916, the largest naval battle of the First World War took place. What is it known as? Battle of the Baltic Sea—Battle of Jutland—Battle of Scapa Flow
    3. Today in 1578, France’s King Henry III laid the first stone for what is now Paris’s oldest bridge. What is its name? Pont Jeanne-d’Arc (Joan of Arc Bridge)—Pont Neuf (New Bridge)—Pont Nord (North Bridge)
    4. On this day in 1942, the Imperial Japanese Navy launched a series of attacks on Sydney, Australia. What was used to in these attacks? Dive bombers—Midget submarines—Ninja sleepers
    5. On 31st May 1223, Genghis Khan’s armies emerged victorious at the Battle of the Kalka River. In which modern-day country was this battle fought? Georgia—Kazakhstan—Ukraine

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • From sewers to Easter eggs | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the question simply for your information.

    The original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
    Image Pinterest https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e1/b2/c5/e1b2c5a680091ded3db244f81704b73b.png
    1. Who were the four anthropomorphic turtle brothers who first appeared in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book stories, co-created by Kevin Eastman, who was born today in 1962?
      • Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and MichelangeloTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American media franchise about four anthropomorphic turtle brothers trained in ninjutsu. Created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird the franchise began as a comic book in 1984 and expanded to include television series, films, video games and merchandise.
    2. Born on 30th May 1908, the voice actor who voiced Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Tweety was who?
      • Mel Blanc—Melvin Jerome Blanc was an American voice actor and radio personality known for his work in the Golden Age of American Animation, voicing characters like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. He also voiced characters for Hanna-Barbera’s television cartoons, including Barney Rubble and Mr. Spacely.
        Jane Seymour, Henry VIII’s third wife.
        Image Google Art Project/Wikipedia
    3. Today marks the anniversary of England’s King Henry VIII’s third marriage. Who was his third wife?
      • Jane Seymour—Jane Seymour, Henry VIII’s third wife, died of postnatal complications after giving birth to Edward VI. She was the only wife of Henry VIII to receive a queen’s funeral.
    4. The Kharan Desert was the location of an underground test of a nuclear device on this day in 1998. Which country carried out this test?
      • Pakistan—The Kharan Desert is a sandy and mountainous desert located in Balochistan, Pakistan which was the site of Pakistan’s second nuclear test, Chagai-II.
        Bouquet of Lilies Clock, made in 1899 by Fabergé for Alexandra Feodorovna as a gift from her husband, Czar Nicholas II.
        Image Wikipedia
    5. Born on this day in 1846, a goldsmith and jeweller was known for his Easter eggs made from precious metals and gems. Who was he?
      • Peter Carl Fabergé—Peter Carl Fabergé and his brother Agathon transformed their father’s jewellery business into an international phenomenon. Their success, driven by design-led artistry and a focus on colour, included the creation of deluxe objets like the Imperial Easter Eggs, renowned for their craftsmanship.
    Mel Blanc’s Gravestone.
    Image Wikipedia
  • From sewers to Easter eggs


    Here are a few questions which are related to today, May 30th. Just straight questions today with no multiple-choice options.

    Image Pinterest
    1. Who were the four anthropomorphic turtle brothers who first appeared in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book stories, co-created by Kevin Eastman, who was born today in 1962?
    2. Born on 30th May 1908, the voice actor who voiced Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Tweety was who?
    3. Today marks the anniversary of England’s King Henry VIII’s third marriage. Who was his third wife?
    4. The Kharan Desert was the location of an underground test of a nuclear device on this day in 1998. Which country carried out this test?
    5. Born on this day in 1846, a goldsmith and jeweller who was known for his Easter eggs which were made from precious metals and gems. Who was he?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Odd one out II | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the question simply for your information.

    Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
    Image Pinterest
    1. Two of these were written by the same author and one was not. Which is the odd one out?
      • George’s Marvellous Medicine—was written by Ronald Dahl. Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang: The Magical Car and the James Bond novel From Russia with Love were both written by Ian Fleming
        Harpy eagle.
        Image Wikipedia
    2. Two of these creatures are semi-aquatic reptiles, while the third is a completely different kind of animal. Which one is the odd one out?
      • Harpy—is one of two species of eagle: the American harpy and the Papuan harpy. Nile and saltwater are both species of crocodile.
        Crew of Apollo 12.
        Left to right they are: Commander, Charles “Pete” Conrad Jr.; Command Module pilot, Richard F. Gordon Jr.; and Lunar Module pilot, Alan L. Bean.
        Image Wikipedia
    3. The three men listed comprised the crew of Apollo 12. With regard to the Moon which of them was the odd one out?
      • Richard Gordon—was the command pilot who stayed in Lunar orbit while Conrad and Bean landed on the Moon and carried out surface activity for about 31 hours.
        The Salvation Army crest.
        Image The Salvation Army.
    4. Two of these are mottos of military organisations. Which one is the odd one out?
      • Blood and Fire—is the ‘War Cry’ of the Salvation Army; it refers to the blood of Christ and fire of the Holy Spirit. Semper fidelis (“Always faithful”) is the motto of the US Marine Corps while Who Dares Wins is the motto of the UK’s SAS (Special Air Service)
        Aryna Sabalenka, 2024.
        Image Wikipedia
    5. In sporting terms, which of these women is the odd one out?
      • Aryna Sabalenka—currently ranked world No. 1 in women’s tennis, has won three major championships: the 2023 and 2024 Australian Opens and the 2024 US Open. Additionally, she has won doubles titles at two majors, partnering with Elise Mertens, at the 2019 US Open and the 2021 Australian Open. Catriona Matthew (Europe) and Stacy Lewis (USA) are both golfers who captained their respective teams to victory in the Solheim Cup.
  • Odd one out II

    Moon.
    Image Wikipedia

    A few questions where you have to identify the odd one out.

    1. Two of these were written by the same author and one was not. Which is the odd one out?
      • Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang: The Magical Car
      • George’s Marvellous Medicine
      • From Russia with Love
    2. Two of these creatures are semi-aquatic reptiles, while the third is a completely different kind of animal. Which one is the odd one out?
      • Harpy
      • Nile
      • Saltwater
    3. The three men listed comprised the crew of Apollo 12. With regard to the Moon which of them was the odd one out?
      • Alan Bean
      • Pete Conrad
      • Richard Gordon
    4. Two of these are the mottos of military organisations while one is not. Which one is the odd one out?
      • Blood and Fire
      • Semper fidelis (“Always faithful”)
      • Who Dares Wins
    5. In sporting terms, which of these women is the odd one out?
      • Aryna Sabalenka
      • Catriona Matthew
      • Stacy Lewis

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • ABC | Answers

    Chinchilla (See question 5).
    Image Wikipedia

    The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the question simply for your information.

    1. Founded in the 1990s, WestJet is the second-largest airline in which Commonwealth country?
      • Canada—WestJet, founded in 1994 and headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, is Canada’s second-largest airline. It operates scheduled, charter and cargo air service to over 100 destinations across North America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and Central America. WestJet is not a member of any major airline alliances but utilises codeshare and interline agreements.
    2. The first geological period of the Paleozoic Era has a Latin name connected to Wales. What is it?
      • Cambrian—The term Cambrian is derived from the Latin version of Cymru, the Welsh name for Wales, where rocks of this age were first studied. Adam Sedgwick named it in 1835. The Cambrian is the first geological period of the Paleozoic Era, lasting 51.95 million years. It witnessed the Cambrian explosion, producing the first representatives of most modern animal phyla. The Cambrian is characterised by the assembly of Gondwana and the development of new plate boundaries.
        Frontispiece, 1889 edition A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court
        Image Wikipedia
    3. In Mark Twain’s novel, Hank Morgan is the titular Yankee. What word is missing from the title: A … Yankee in King Arthur’s Court?
      • ConnecticutA Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court is a satirical novel by Mark Twain. The story follows Hank Morgan, a Yankee engineer transported back in time to King Arthur’s court, where he uses his knowledge to modernise the past and challenge feudalism and monarchy.
        Achilles.
        Image Wikipedia
    4. Which of these was a mythical hero whom Thetis dressed as a girl and hid with King Lycomedes of Skyros?
      • Achilles—To protect Achilles from the war, Thetis hid him disguised as a princess at the court of Lycomedes. Odysseus, disguised as a pedlar, discovered Achilles’ true identity and convinced him to join the Greek campaign against Troy.
    5. What animal is pictured at the top of this post?
      • Chinchilla—native to the Andes mountains in South America, are known for their dense fur and are related to viscachas and chinchilla rats. Historically hunted for their fur, most chinchillas today are farm-raised for the fur industry, while domestic chinchillas are sometimes kept as pets.
  • ABC

    Image Wikipedia

    Today’s questions have answers which begin with A, B or C.

    1. Established in the 1990s, WestJet is the second-largest airline in which Commonwealth country?
      • Australia
      • Barbados
      • Canada
    2. The first geological period of the Paleozoic Era has a Latin name connected to Wales. What is it?
      • Aquitanian
      • Burdigalian
      • Cambrian
    3. In Mark Twain’s novel, Hank Morgan is the titular Yankee. What word is missing from the title: A … Yankee in King Arthur’s Court?
      • Appalachian
      • Baltimore
      • Connecticut
    4. Which of these was a mythical hero whom Thetis dressed as a girl and hid with King Lycomedes of Skyros?
      • Achilles
      • Basilisk
      • Chiron
    5. What animal is pictured at the top of this post?
      • Agouti
      • Bushbaby
      • Chinchilla

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Finders keepers | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the question simply for your information.

    Image

    The Rolling Stones, 1965.
    Left to Right: Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, Keith Richards
    Image Wikipedia
    1. Brian Jones, born 1942, was a guitarist and founder member of what band?
      • Rolling Stones—Brian Jones, founder of the Rolling Stones, initially played slide guitar and later sang backing vocals and played various instruments. After developing alcohol and drug problems, his role in the band diminished, leading to his dismissal in 1969 and subsequent drowning at age 27.
        Shishapangma, Tibet.
        Image Wikipedia
    2. Which of these is NOT found in the Andes?
      • Shishapangma—aka Shishasbangma or Xixiabangma, is the 14th highest mountain in the world, standing at 26,335 feet (8,027 metres) above sea level. It is the lowest 8,000-metre peak and is entirely situated within the Tibetan Plateau. Notably, Shishapangma was the final eight-thousander to be conquered in 1964. Aconcagua and Cotopaxi are both in the Andes; Aconcagua is the highest mountain that is not in Asia, while Cotopaxi is a stratovolcano.
        Ferdinand von Wrangel.
        Image Wikipedia
    3. Of which of these was explorer Ferdinand von Wrangel founder?
      • Russian Geographic Society—Baron Ferdinand Friedrich Georg Ludwig von Wrangel was a Russian-German explorer and officer in the Imperial Russian Navy. He is known as the chief manager of the Russian-American Company and governor of Russian settlements in present-day Alaska.
        Icosagon.
        Image Wikipedia
    4. How many sides would be found on a polygon described as an icosagon?
      • 20—In geometry, an icosagon, or twenty-sided polygon, has a sum of 3240 degrees in its interior angles.
        Russell viper.
        Image Wikipedia
    5. The big four venomous snakes found on the Indian subcontinent are those responsible for causing the greatest number of medically significant snake bites on humans. Which of these is one of the big four?
      • Russell’s viper—The Big Four venomous snakes—Russell’s viper, common krait, Indian cobra and Indian saw-scaled viper—are responsible for the majority of medically significant snakebites on the Indian subcontinent. A 2020 study found Russell’s viper accounted for 43% of snakebites in India, followed by kraits (18%), cobras (12%), and other species. In 2023, the World Health Organisation published worldwide estimates showing that each year, 5.4 million people are bitten by snakes, resulting in 1.8 to 2.7 million envenomings and 81,410 to 137,880 deaths.
  • Finders keepers

    A few questions all of which simply feature either the word found or founder!

    Brian Jones.
    Image history.com
    1. Brian Jones, born 1942, was a guitarist and founder member of what band?
      • Fleetwood Mac
      • Rolling Stones
      • The Hollies
    2. Which of these are NOT found in the Andes?
      • Aconcagua
      • Cotopaxi
      • Shishapangma
    3. Which of these was explorer Ferdinand von Wrangel a founder of in 1845?
      • National Geographic Society
      • Russian Geographic Society
      • Swedish Geographic Society
    4. How many sides would be found on a polygon described as an icosagon?
      • 20
      • 25
      • 30
    5. The venomous snakes found on the Indian subcontinent that are responsible for causing the greatest number of medically significant snake bites on humans are known as the big four. Which of these is one of the big four?
      • Black mamba
      • Russell’s viper
      • Many-banded krait

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • “Only one man in a thousand is a leader of men — the other 999 follow women.” | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the question simply for your information.

    George III of Great Britain.
    Image Google Art Project/Wikipedia
    1. The American colonies gained independence during the reign of which British king?
      • George III—George III’s reign (1760–1820) saw the British Empire expand during the Seven Years’ War but shrink with the loss of the American colonies. The Napoleonic Wars solidified Britain’s position as a European power.
        Charles De Gaulle, 1942.
        Image Wikipedia
    2. Who was the Chairman of the French National Committee from June 1940 until June 1944 during World War II?
      • Charles De Gaulle—Charles de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces against Nazi Germany in World War II. He later founded the Fifth Republic, served as its first President, and pursued a policy of “national independence” that included withdrawing from NATO and developing an independent nuclear force. De Gaulle also advocated for a Europe of sovereign nations and opposed US intervention in Vietnam.
        Ptolemaic Kingdom in the 3rd–2nd centuries BCE.
        Image Wikipedia
    3. The Ptolemaic dynasty ruled Ancient Egypt from 305 BC until 30 BC. Where served as the Ptolemy’s capital city?
      • Alexandria—Alexandria had been founded by Alexander the Great. After Alexander’s death, Ptolemy Lagides took control of Egypt, executed Cleomenes, and declared himself Pharaoh in 305 BC, moving the capital to Alexandria.
        Leif Erikson, modern statue, Duluth.
        Image Wikipedia
    4. A Norse chieftain is thought to have been the first European to set foot on continental America, who is he?
      • Leif Erikson—Leif Erikson, a Norse explorer, is believed to have been the first European to reach continental America, establishing a settlement in Vinland (possibly Newfoundland, Canada). He later became chief of the Greenland settlement after his father’s death.
    5. Arrange these three assassins in chronological order based on the date of their infamous assassinations (earliest first).
      • John Bellingham (1812), Charles Julius Guiteau (1881) and Nathuram Vinayak Godse (1948)—
        • Bellingham assassinated Spencer Perceval, a British statesman and barrister who served as Prime Minister from 1809 until his assassination in 1812. He is the only British prime minister to have been assassinated.
        • Guiteau assassinated James Garfield, the 20th US president, who served from March to his death in September 1881. Garfield had a diverse background, having served as a preacher, lawyer, Civil War general, and nine terms in the House of Representatives.
        • Godse assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, an Indian lawyer and anti-colonial nationalist, in 1948. Gandhi led India’s independence movement through nonviolent resistance and championed civil rights, religious pluralism, and self-sufficiency, inspiring global movements. Godse, a Hindu nationalist, opposed Gandhi’s support for Muslims and shot him.