Four Births and a Funeral—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

Five questions which consist of four births on this date, February 21st, and one death.

Robert Mugabe, 1995.
Image Wikimedia Commons

One

Born in 1924, Robert Mugabe served as the first prime minister of which African country from 1980 to 1987 and then as president from 1987 to 2017?

Answer: Zimbabwe

Robert Mugabe, a prominent Black nationalist leader, served as Zimbabwe’s prime minister (1980–87) and president (1987–2017). He resigned in 2017 after 37 years in power, facing pressure to prevent his wife from succeeding him.

Two

Born on this day, Barbara Jordan became the first African American woman to serve in the US House of Representatives from the South. In what year did she join the House?

Answer: 1972.

Barbara Jordan was a lawyer, educator and politician who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas. She was the first African American congresswoman from the South and gained national prominence during the Watergate scandal. After retiring from Congress, she taught at the University of Texas and remained influential in political affairs.

Three

Which poem by W. H. Auden, written in 1939 at the outbreak of World War II, famously opens with the line ‘I sit in one of the dives / On Fifty-second Street’?

Answer: September 1, 1939

Although it became one of his most quoted works—especially after major global crises—Auden later grew dissatisfied with the poem and even excluded it from some of his collected editions.

Four

Born in Linares, Spain in 1893, the Marquis of Salobreña was a celebrated musician and composer. What was his name and on which instrument was he renowned for his performances?

Answers: Andrés Segovia; Guitar.

Andrés Segovia, a Spanish classical guitarist, was a pivotal figure in the 20th century, known for re-establishing the guitar as a concert instrument. He significantly influenced the modern-romantic repertoire through commissions and transcriptions, and his expressive performances and distinctive style are highly remembered. Segovia’s career began in Granada in 1909, with notable performances in Madrid in 1912, Paris in 1924, and New York in 1928. His work inspired many composers to create specially composed pieces for the guitar.

and finally…

Five

In 2018, a prominent American Christian evangelist, born in North Carolina 99 years earlier, passed away in the same state. He organised annual crusades drawing huge crowds eager to hear his preaching. His website boasts live audiences of at least 210 million people across over 185 countries and territories. He was also known for rebuking a US president for profanity. Who was this evangelist and which US president did he rebuke?

Answer: Billy Graham; Richard Nixon.

Graham rebuked Nixon for his behaviour regarding Watergate and for his profanity as heard on the Watergate tapes. Billy Graham, a prominent American evangelist, gained international influence through his crusades and media presence. He advocated for racial integration, supported the Civil Rights Movement, and founded the Lausanne Movement.

Four Births and a Funeral

Five questions which consist of four births on this date, February 21st, and one death.

One

Born in 1924, Robert Mugabe served as the first prime minister of which African country from 1980 to 1987 and then as president from 1987 to 2017?

Two

Born on this day, Barbara Jordan became the first African American woman to serve in the US House of Representatives from the South. In what year did she join the House?

Three

Which poem by W. H. Auden, written in 1939 at the outbreak of World War II, famously opens with the line ‘I sit in one of the dives / On Fifty-second Street’?

Four

Born in Linares, Spain in 1893, the Marquis of Salobreña was a celebrated musician and composer. What was his name and on which instrument was he renowned for his performances?

and finally…

Five

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

Everybody’s Talkin’—Answers

Here are today’s answers.

Today’s questions all relate to the date 16th February.

Kiefer Sutherland and Sally Field in *Eye for an Eye* (1996), directed by John Schlesinger.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

One

Born in 1926, this director won the Academy Award for Best Director for Midnight Cowboy starring Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight. He also directed Eye for an Eye (1996) featuring Sally Field and Kiefer Sutherland. Who is he?

Answer: John Schlesinger.

John Schlesinger was an English director and actor, known for his work in the British New Wave and Hollywood. He gained recognition for his documentaries and feature films, including the Academy Award-winning Midnight Cowboy, and received numerous accolades throughout his career. He also served as associate director of the National Theatre. Fred Neil’s song Everybody’s Talkin’ became the theme for the film and won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Vocal Performance by Harry Nilsson.

Two

In 1923, the burial chamber of King Tutankhamun was unsealed. Who was the archaeologist responsible for this discovery?

Answer: Howard Carter.

Tutankhamen, an Egyptian pharaoh, ruled in the 14th century BC and restored traditional religion. His tomb, discovered in 1922, contained treasures that made him renowned, despite his early death and limited achievements. The opening of the tomb was soon followed by stories that it was cursed. One of these relates that shortly after opening the tomb, Carter’s messenger found a cobra in Carter’s house, having killed Carter’s canary. This fuelled rumours of a curse, as the cobra was a symbol of the Egyptian monarchy.

Flag of Lithuania.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

Three

In 1918, this country declared independence and two months later adopted this flag which is again the national flag today. Which country?

Answer: Lithuania.

The Act of Independence of Lithuania, signed on 16 February 1918, proclaimed Lithuania’s independence from Russia and established a democratic state with Vilnius as its capital. Although initially hindered by German occupation, Lithuania gained control over its territory after Germany’s defeat in World War I. The Act remains the legal basis for modern Lithuania’s existence. The national flag of Lithuania was adopted in April 1918 during this first period of independence (1918–1940). It was re-adopted in 1988, approximately one and a half years before Lithuania’s independence was re-established and almost three years before the Soviet Union’s collapse.

Four

Born in 1964, this English actor portrayed the ninth incarnation of The Doctor in BBC’s time-travelling series Doctor Who. As The Doctor, he was accompanied by Rose Tyler and inspired Charles Dickens. Who is this actor?

Answer: Christopher Eccleston.

Christopher Eccleston is an English actor known for his work in British social realist dramas and for playing the ninth Doctor in Doctor Who. He has received numerous award nominations and accolades for his performances in television, film and theatre.

Five

Born in 1973, this athlete made history in 2000 as the first Australian Aboriginal person to win an individual Olympic gold medal. Who is this athlete?

Answer: Cathy Freeman.

Cathy Freeman, an Australian sprinter, made history as the first Aboriginal person to win an individual Olympic gold medal in the 400-metres at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. She achieved numerous victories, including Commonwealth Games gold medals and a world championship title, and was a symbol of Aboriginal reconciliation. Freeman retired from competition in 2003 and established the Cathy Freeman Foundation to support Indigenous children.

Everybody’s Talkin’

Today’s questions all relate to the date 16th February.

Kiefer Sutherland and Sally Field in *Eye for an Eye* (1996).
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

One

Two

In 1923, the burial chamber of King Tutankhamun was unsealed. Who was the archaeologist responsible for this discovery?

Three

In 1918, this country declared independence and two months later adopted this flag which is again the national flag today. Which country?

Four

Five

Born in 1973, this athlete made history in 2000 as the first Australian Aboriginal person to win an individual Olympic gold medal. Who is this athlete?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

When—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions i posted earlier.

These questions all relate to today’s date, February 5th. Each question has a year or decade as the first part of the answer, followed by a supplementary question.

Cartoon depicting Leopold II and other imperial powers at the Berlin Conference of 1884.
Image Wikimedia Commons

One

In what decade did a European monarch establish the Congo Free State in West Africa? Who was the monarch, and what was the European country?

Answer: 1880s; Leopold II and Belgium

Belgian King Leopold II established the Congo Free State in 1885, seizing the land as his personal possession. His brutal reign, characterised by forced labour and widespread atrocities, led to international condemnation and the eventual transfer of control to Belgium in 1908.

Two

On this day in what year did Apollo 14 land on the Moon, and name any one of the three astronauts who flew on that mission or all three if you can?

Answer: 1971; Alan B. Shepard Jr., Stuart A. Roosa or Edgar D. Mitchell

Apollo 14, the third lunar landing, successfully landed in the Fra Mauro formation after overcoming malfunctions. Shepard and Mitchell collected Moon rocks and deployed experiments, while Roosa orbited the Moon.

Three

On this day, the New Hermitage Museum opened in Russia. In what decade did it open, and what—at that time—was the name of the city it is located in?

Answer: 1850s; Saint Petersburg

The New Hermitage Museum, part of the larger Hermitage Museum complex in St. Petersburg, was reconstructed between 1840 and 1852 and opened to the public in 1852. The museum is housed within five interconnected buildings, including the Winter Palace and the Small, Old and New Hermitages. The city was founded by Peter the Great in 1703 and named St. Petersburg, which it stayed until 1914 when it became Petrograd to reflect Russian patriotism during World War I by avoiding the German-sounding ‘Petersburg’. In 1924, the name changed to Leningrad in honour of Vladimir Lenin after his death, which it was until 1991 when the city’s population voted to return to the original name.

Four

United Artists, the American film production company, was founded on this day in what decade? Secondly, name any two of the four founders?

Answer: 1910s; Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D. W. Griffith.

United Artists, founded in 1919, was established to allow actors more control over their own affairs. It was acquired by MGM in 1981 and later revived as United Artists Releasing in 2019. However, Amazon, MGM’s parent company, folded UAR into MGM in 2023. On 26 July 2024, Amazon MGM Studios announced the company’s revival.

Five

The creation of the first synthetic plastic was announced on this date. In what decade was this announcement made, and what was the name of this synthetic plastic?

Answer: 1900s; Bakelite

Leo Hendrik Baekeland, a Belgian chemist, invented Velox photographic paper and Bakelite, a versatile plastic, earning him the title ‘The Father of the Plastics Industry’. Bakelite, developed in 1907, became a commercial success due to its mouldability, heat resistance, and electrical nonconductivity. Its creation revolutionised the chemical industry and inspired the development of other synthetic plastics.

When

These questions all relate to today’s date, February 5th. Each question has a year or decade as the first part of the answer, followed by a supplementary question.

Contemporary cartoon.
Image Wikimedia Commons

One

In what decade did a European monarch establish the Congo Free State in West Africa? Who was the monarch, and what was the European country?

Two

On this day in what year did Apollo 14 land on the Moon, and name any one of the three astronauts who flew on that mission or all three if you can?

Three

On this day, the New Hermitage Museum opened in Russia. In what decade did it open, and what—at that time—was the name of the city it is located in?

Four

United Artists, the American film production company, was founded on this day in what decade? Secondly, name any two of the four founders?

Five

The creation of the first synthetic plastic was announced on this date. In what decade was this announcement made, and what was the name of this synthetic plastic?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

Gallimaufry IV | Answers

Here are the answers to the questions from my earlier post.

Today, more gallimaufry — ‘a confused jumble or medley of things’.

Dobby, see question two.
Image Harry Potter Fandom

One

In July 1985, Live Aid was held simultaneously at two venues on either side of the Atlantic. What were the venues?

Answer: Wembley Stadium, London and JFK Stadium, Philadelphia

Live Aid, a benefit concert held simultaneously at Wembley Stadium in London and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia on July 13, 1985, was organised by Boomtown Rats frontman Bob Geldof and Ultravox vocalist Midge Ure. The event attracted an estimated 1.5 billion television viewers and raised millions of dollars for famine relief in Ethiopia.

Two

Dobby, the house-elf from Harry Potter, was in the news a couple of years ago when the National Trust asked fans not to leave memorabilia at the site of his grave at Freshwater West Beach, Pembrokeshire, Wales. What one item associated with Dobby and Harry Potter have fans been leaving?

Answer: Sock

Many fans have been leaving a sock for Dobby, referencing the fact that it was a sock Harry Potter used to trick Lucius Malfoy to set the house-elf free. Freshwater West, a ‘Site of Special Scientific Interest’, is home to large grey seals, harbour porpoises, and some of the world’s largest seabird populations. The National Trust asks visitors to leave no trace – no socks included.

Three

What creature, from Greek mythology, is being described here: ‘a creature with the head, arms, and torso of a man and the body and legs of a horse’?

Answer: Centaur

Centaurs, creatures from Greek mythology with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a horse, were known for their wild nature and inhabited various regions in Thessaly and beyond. They also appear in Roman mythology and medieval bestiaries. In modern fiction, centaurs appear in C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia and J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter.

Four

What song opens ‘We’re caught in a trap, I can’t walk out’?

Answer: Suspicious Minds

Mark James’s 1968 song Suspicious Minds initially failed to chart, but Elvis Presley later recorded it, transforming it into a number one hit and earning it a Grammy Hall of Fame induction.

Five

An African dictator who was in office as the President between January 1971 and April 1979 declared himself the uncrowned King of Scotland. Who was this dictator, and what country did he rule?

Answer: Idi Amin; Uganda

Idi Amin, a Ugandan military officer, ruled as a dictator from 1971 to 1979 after overthrowing President Milton Obote. His regime was marked by human rights abuses, economic collapse, and international isolation. Amin, who had become known as ‘The Butcher of Uganda’, was ousted by Tanzanian forces in 1979 and lived in exile until his death in 2003.

Gallimaufry IV

Today, more gallimaufry — ‘a confused jumble or medley of things’.

One

In July 1985, Live Aid was held simultaneously at two venues on either side of the Atlantic. What were the venues?

Two

Three

What creature, from Greek mythology, is being described here: ‘a creature with the head, arms, and torso of a man and the body and legs of a horse’?

Four

What song opens ‘We’re caught in a trap, I can’t walk out’?

Five

An African dictator who was in office as the President between January 1971 and April 1979 declared himself the uncrowned King of Scotland. Who was this dictator, and what country did he rule?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

Around the World—Answers

Five geographic questions.

Confluence of Blue Nile and White Nile at Khartoum, Sudan.
Image Pinterest

One

On mainland South America what countries do NOT border Brazil?

Answer: Chile and Ecuador

Brazil borders ten South American countries, namely Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela, and French Guiana, which is an overseas region of France.

Two

Europe: what seven-letter word gives a name to both an Irish province and a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany?

Answer: Munster

Munster is the largest province in Ireland, situated in the southwest, with a population of 1,373,346 in 2022. It serves as a provincial subdivision of the state without an official local government function. Münster is a major city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, renowned for its bicycle culture and historical importance, notably the Anabaptist rebellion and the Treaties of Westphalia.

Three

In Asia, what is the capital of Mongolia?

Answer: Ulaanbaatar

Mongolia, a landlocked country in East Asia, is the world’s most sparsely populated sovereign state. It has a rich history, having been ruled by various nomadic empires and later becoming a satellite state of the Soviet Union. Today, Mongolia is a democratic country with a nomadic culture and a majority Buddhist population.

Four

This quote from Wikipedia refers to what Australian city?

The city has been almost entirely rebuilt four times, following devastation caused by a cyclone in 1897, another one in 1937, Japanese air raids during World War II, and Cyclone Tracy in 1974

— Wikipedia

Answer: Darwin

Darwin, the capital of Australia’s Northern Territory, is the smallest, wettest, and most northerly capital city. With a population of 139,902, it serves as a key link to Southeast Asia and has a tropical climate with a wet and dry season.

Five

Of the two major tributaries of Africa’s River Nile, which is the longer?

Answer: White Nile

The Nile has two major tributaries: the 3,700-kilometre White Nile and the 1,450-kilometre Blue Nile. Traditionally, the longer White Nile is considered the headwaters, but the Blue Nile, which supplies 80% of the water and silt downstream, is actually the main source. The White Nile begins at Lake Victoria and flows through Uganda and South Sudan. The Blue Nile originates at Lake Tana in Ethiopia and flows southeast into Sudan. The two rivers converge in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital.

Around the World

Five geographic questions.

Confluence of Nile at Khartoum, Sudan.
Image Pinterest

One

On mainland South America what countries do NOT border Brazil?

Two

Europe: what seven-letter word gives a name to both an Irish province and a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany?

Three

In Asia, what is the capital of Mongolia?

Four

This quote from Wikipedia refers to what Australian city?

The city has been almost entirely rebuilt four times, following devastation caused by a cyclone in 1897, another one in 1937, Japanese air raids during World War II, and Cyclone Tracy in 1974

— Wikipedia

Five

Of the two major tributaries of Africa’s River Nile, which is the longer?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.