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One
Jonathan Swift, author and clergyman, died on this date in 1745. The Wikipedia quote below describes a fictional race from his most famous work but what descriptive word is missing, and what’s the title of the work which has also been removed?
Houyhnhnms are a fictional race of intelligent … described in the last part of … by Jonathan Swift.
— Wikipedia
Answers: Horses and Gulliver’s Travels
Gulliver’s Travels, a 1726 prose satire by Jonathan Swift, satirises human nature and the “travellers’ tales” genre. It popularised the fictional island of Lilliput and is considered a classic of English literature. Houyhnhnms, rational equine beings, contrast with the savage Yahoos, representing the worst of humanity. Gulliver prefers the Houyhnhnms’ company despite their biological differences.
Two
The Unseen University is located in what fictional city, and as a result of a transformation, the university’s librarian became what?
Answers: Ankh-Morpork and an orang-utan
This is from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series of novels. Ankh-Morpork, a fictional city, draws inspiration from real-world cities like Tallinn, Prague, London, Seattle and New York City. Pratchett aimed for consistency between the city’s descriptions and its map to enhance visualisation. The Unseen University, a school of wizardry in the Discworld series, is situated in Ankh-Morpork and staffed by inept wizards.
Three
Mos Eisley is a city in which science fiction franchise, and on which planet is it situated?
Answers: Star Wars and Tatooine
Tatooine, a fictional desert planet in the Star Wars universe, is where Luke and Anakin Skywalker reside. Known for its iconic binary sunset, Mos Eisley, the planet’s largest city, is a bustling spaceport with a thriving criminal underworld. Chalmun’s Cantina, a popular saloon frequented by diverse alien species, is located there.
Four
In a trilogy published in the early 1950s, a series of short stories explores the decline of a galactic empire, drawing parallels to the fall of the Western Roman Empire. The story centres on Hari Seldon, a mathematician and psychologist, who develops psychohistory, a new science. What is the title of the trilogy and its author?
Answers: The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series, inspired by Gibbon’s The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, explores the concept of psychohistory, a method for predicting societal behaviour. The series follows the Foundation, established by Hari Seldon on Terminus, as it navigates challenges and strives to shorten the impending age of barbarism following the Galactic Empire’s collapse. The original trilogy, comprising Foundation, Foundation and Empire, and Second Foundation, was published between 1951 and 1953.
Five
Arthur Dent, a human, embarks on a journey with Ford Prefect, an alien, after Earth’s destruction. He discovers Earth was a supercomputer designed to uncover the ‘Ultimate Question of Life the Universe and Everything’ and his mind holds the answer. What is the six-word title of this work, and in what medium was it first published?
Answers: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy; Radio series
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a comedy science fiction franchise created by Douglas Adams, follows Arthur Dent’s adventures after Earth’s destruction. The franchise includes radio, novels, comics, TV, film and a 40th-anniversary celebration.
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