Quizology.Online

Tag: fantasy

  • Stage Struck—Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    These questions all have a connection to today’s date, March 11th.

    Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus).
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    Born in 1952, Douglas Adams is known for writing a ’trilogy in five parts’. One of these parts mentions creatures in its title. What creatures?

    Answer: Fish

    So Long and Thanks for All the Fish (1984) is the fourth part in that well-known trilogy, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. This instalment’s title refers to a message left by the dolphins when they departed planet Earth just before it was demolished in the building of a hyperspace bypass.

    Two

    In what city was media mogul Rupert Murdoch born in 1931?

    Answer: Melbourne.

    Born in Melbourne, Australia, Rupert Murdoch, an Australian-American media mogul, built a global media empire through News Corp, owning newspapers, book publishers, and television channels like Fox News and Sky News. His influence and wealth have been significant, leading to accusations of right-wing bias and political influence. In 2023, Murdoch announced his retirement as chairman of Fox Corp and News Corp.

    Lillian and Dorothy Gish.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Three

    Born in 1898, Miss Gish, pictured on the right with her sister, who both became major movie stars during the silent era. What were the sisters’ names?

    Answers: Dorothy and Lillian Gish

    Dorothy Gish, an American stage and screen actress, was a major movie star of the silent era alongside her sister Lillian. Born in Dayton, Ohio, Dorothy made her stage debut at age four and later, with Lillian, was introduced to director D.W. Griffith by Mary Pickford.

    Four

    In 1995, Russian athlete Yolanda Chen, appearing at the World Indoor Championships in Barcelona, Spain, set a new world indoor record of 15.03 metres and won the gold medal. In what event was Ms Chen competing?

    Answer: Triple jump.

    Yolanda Chen, a retired Russian athlete, specialised in long jump and later triple jump—hop, skip and jump—achieving a personal best of 14.97 metres in 1993. She won gold at the World Indoor Championships in 1995 with a world indoor record of 15.03 metres.

    Five

    The Daily Courant was Britain’s first national daily newspaper. In what decade was it published?

    Answer: 1700s.

    Elizabeth Mallet founded Britain’s first daily newspaper, The Daily Courant, on 11 March 1702, at her premises near the King’s Arms tavern at Fleet Bridge, London. Despite her pioneering efforts, Mallet received little recognition and sold the paper after just 40 days. The single-page newspaper, with advertisements on the reverse, featured only foreign news, as Mallet believed her readers could reflect for themselves. She sold The Daily Courant to Samuel Buckley, who later became the publisher of The Spectator. The Daily Courant continued until 1735, when it merged with the Daily Gazetteer.

    Stage Struck

    The post is named after the 1917 American silent drama film starring Dorothy Gish (see question three). A copy survives in the Library of Congress.

  • Stage Struck

    These questions all have a connection to today’s date, March 11th.

    Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus).
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    Born in 1952, Douglas Adams is known for writing a ’trilogy in five parts’. One of these parts mentions creatures in its title. What creatures?

    Two

    In what city was media mogul Rupert Murdoch born in 1931?

    Ms Gish & Ms Gish.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Three

    Born in 1898, Miss Gish, pictured on the right with her sister, who both became major movie stars during the silent era. What were the sisters’ names?

    Four

    In 1995, Russian athlete Yolanda Chen, appearing at the World Indoor Championships in Barcelona, Spain, set a new world indoor record of 15.03 metres and won the gold medal. In what event was Ms Chen competing?

    Five

    The Daily Courant was Britain’s first national daily newspaper. In what decade was it published?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Mongibel—Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier posted questions.

    Another random selection of trivia today.

    Mount Etna. Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    An otherworld castle from Arthurian Romance is located at the same spot as the Oxford English Dictionary identifies as Europe’s highest active volcano?

    Answer: Mount Etna

    Mount Etna, is an active stratovolcano in eastern Sicily, Italy, standing at 3,323 meters (10,902 feet). It is the highest and most active volcano in Europe. Its fertile volcanic soils support agriculture, and its historical activity has earned it the designation of a Decade Volcano and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In various stories, Mongibel is associated with the legendary figure Morgan le Fay, depicted as her magical stronghold linked to Avalon.

    Two

    Svetlana Savitskaya on 25 July 1984; Kathryn D. Sullivan, 11 October 1984; and Wang Yaping, 8 November 2021 all achieved a first. What common milestone do these dates mark??

    Answer: They were the first females of their nationalities and for their space programs to perform extravehicular activity (EVA) or spacewalk

    Specifically, they were the first females of their nationalities and space programs to perform EVAs. EVAs.
    The first woman to perform an extravehicular activity (EVA) was Soviet Svetlana Savitskaya on 25 July 1984, while aboard the Salyut 7 space station. Her EVA lasted 3 hours and 35 minutes. The first American woman to perform an EVA was Kathryn D. Sullivan on 11 October 1984, during the STS-41-G mission. The first female Asian and Chinese woman to perform an EVA was Wang Yaping on 8 November 2021, outside the Chinese Tiangong space station.

    Three

    The University of St Andrews, Scotland, was founded in what century?

    Answer: 15th century.

    The University of St Andrews, founded in 1413, is the oldest university in Scotland and the third-oldest in the English-speaking world — after Oxford and Cambridge. Located in St Andrews, Scotland, it is part of the ancient universities of Scotland and played a role in the Scottish Enlightenment. The university consists of three colleges and 18 academic schools across four faculties, with a diverse student body representing over 145 nationalities. It is known for its selective undergraduate admissions and traditional student customs. Notable alumni include Alex Salmond, Chris Hoy, and the Prince and Princess of Wales, with five Nobel laureates among its graduates and staff.

    Four

    The cave system with the world’s longest known length, Mammoth Cave is in which US state and, according to the U.S. National Park Service, what length is it at present (March 2026) to the nearest 25 miles/40 km?

    Answer: Kentucky; 425 miles or 680 km.

    Mammoth Cave is currently mapped and explored at 426 miles (686 km), but that is just what has been discovered to date. — U.S. National Park Service.

    Mammoth Cave, currently mapped at 426 miles (686 km), is the longest known cave system in the world. Early explorers, including Stephen Bishop and the Hanson and Hunt families, significantly contributed to its discovery. The 1972 connection between the Flint Ridge and Mammoth Cave systems, achieved by a team of six explorers, solidified its status as the longest cave system.

    Five

    NOUN
    the scientific study of old age, the process of ageing, and the particular problems of old people.
    — Oxford English Dictionary.

    What word, an –ology, is defined above?

    Answer: Gerontology.

    Gerontology, a multidisciplinary field, aims to understand the ageing process to minimise age-related disabilities. While geriatrics focuses on treating diseases in older adults, gerontology encompasses a broader study of ageing.

    Post title — Mongibel

    The name Mongibel, associated with Morgan le Fay and King Arthur, originates from Arthurian Romance and is linked to Etna (Mongibello). Welsh conceptions of a Celtic underworld were adapted and transplanted to Sicily by Bretons.

  • Mongibel

    Another random selection of trivia today.

    Mount Etna. Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    An otherworld castle from Arthurian Romance is located at the same spot as the Oxford English Dictionary identifies as Europe’s highest active volcano?

    Two

    Svetlana Savitskaya on 25 July 1984; Kathryn D. Sullivan, 11 October 1984; and Wang Yaping, 8 November 2021 all achieved a first. What common milestone do these dates mark?

    Three

    The University of St Andrews, Scotland, was founded in what century?

    Four

    The cave system with the world’s longest known length, Mammoth Cave is in which US state and, according to the U.S. National Park Service, what length is it at present (March 2026) to the nearest 25 miles/40 km?

    Five

    NOUN
    the scientific study of old age, the process of ageing, and the particular problems of old people.
    — Oxford English Dictionary.

    What word, an –ology, is defined above?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • The World of Imagination is Boundless—Answers

    Houyhnhnms driving a herd of Yahoos.
    Image Metropolitan Museum of Art/Wikipedia

    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.

  • The World of Imagination is Boundless

    The world of reality has its limits;
    the world of imagination is boundless.
    — Jean-Jacques Rousseau

    Today the first question is related to today’s date, October 19th, setting a theme for the remainder. There are two answers required for each question.

    Jonathan Swift.
    Image Wikipedia

    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

    Two

    The Unseen University is located in what fictional city, and as a result of a transformation, the university’s librarian became what?

    Three

    Mos Eisley is a city in which science fiction franchise, and on which planet is it situated?

    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?

    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?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.