Roamin’ in the Gloamin’

Some questions connected to today’s date, June 1st.

Map of Arctic Circle (shown in blue).
Image Wikipedia
  1. On 1 June 1831, British naval officer James Clark Ross made history as the first person to precisely locate the position of the Earth’s north magnetic pole. Using current locations, where was it discovered?
    • Boothia Peninsula, Nunavut, Canada
    • Ittoqqortoormiit, Sermersooq, Greenland
    • Nuvuk, Murchison Promontory, Alaska, USA
  2. Today in 1812, the US President asked Congress to declare war on the United Kingdom. Who was this president?
    • Thomas Jefferson
    • James Madison
    • James Monroe
  3. On this date, a monk recorded the first known batch of Scotch whisky. In which year was this record made?
    • 1009
    • 1243
    • 1495
  4. All celebrating birthdays today, but who was born the earliest?
    • Brandi Carlile, singer-songwriter
    • Heidi Klum, model
    • Jason Donovan, actor and singer
  5. On 1 June 1919, as one of its first acts after independence from the Russian Empire, Finland imposed which of these?
    • Conscription (Military draft)
    • Prohibition (Ban on alcohol)
    • Women’s suffrage (Right to vote)

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Exploring history | Answers

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

Sunset over the Strait of San Juan de Fuca, as seen from the town of Sekiu, Washington, USA.
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?
    • Canada and USA—The Strait of Juan de Fuca, named after Greek navigator Juan de Fuca, is the Salish Sea’s main outlet to the Pacific Ocean. Its existence was confirmed by Charles Barkley in 1787, though John Meares later attempted to claim credit. The strait was further explored between 1789 and 1791 by Spanish explorers including Manuel Quimper.
      HMS Warspite and Malaya on 31 May 1916 during the battle of Jutland.
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  2. On this day in 1916, the largest naval battle of the First World War took place. What is it known as?
    • Battle of Jutland—The Battle of Jutland, known by the Germans as Skagerrakschlacht (Battle of the Skagerrak), fought between the British and German navies in 1916, was the largest naval battle of World War I. The outcome denied the German surface fleet access to the North Sea and Atlantic for the remainder of the war.
      Painting of the Pont Neuf project as approved by King Henry III in 1578. The bridge was completed in 1607 with a less ornate design.
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  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 Neuf (New Bridge)—The Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris, spans the Seine and connects the left and right banks to the Île de la Cité. It was named Pont Neuf, meaning New Bridge, to distinguish it from older bridges lined with houses.
      A Japanese Ko-hyoteki class midget submarine, believed to be the vessel known as Midget No. 14, is raised from the bed of Sydney Harbour. The night before the picture was taken, the submarine’s two crew members were part of a raid on shipping in Sydney Harbour. (Photo 1 June 1942)
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  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?
    • Midget submarines—Between 31 May and 8 June 1942, three Japanese midget submarines launched a series of attacks on Sydney Harbour. Two submarines were detected and sunk, while the third sank a converted ferry, resulting in the loss of 21 sailors.
      Genghis Khan.
      Image Wikipedia
  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?
    • Ukraine—The Battle of the Kalka River in 1223, on the Kalka River, in present-day Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, was a decisive Mongol victory against a coalition of Rus’ principalities and Cumans.

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 Michelangelo—Teenage 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.
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  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?
    • Connecticut—A 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.