Tag: geography

A is for… | Answers

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

The Admiral Benbow in Penzance, reportedly an inspiration for Stevenson’s Inn.
Image Wikipedia
  1. An inn featuring in the first chapter of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island is the…
    • Admiral Benbow—The narrator recounts the arrival of a mysterious seaman, the Captain, at the Admiral Benbow inn. The Captain, a silent and brooding figure, pays for a long stay and requests the narrator to keep watch for a one-legged seafarer. The narrator, haunted by dreams of this ominous figure, becomes entangled in the Captain’s web of secrecy and fear.
      The view of destroyed interior of briefing room in Hitler’s headquatter Wolfsschanze near Rastenburg (Ketrzyn) in East Prussia.
      (from left to right Heinz Linge, Martin Bormann, Julius Schaub, Hermann Göring, Bruno Loerzer, unknown.)
      Image Wikipedia
  2. In the film Valkyrie (2008) who do the German army officers plot to assassinate?
    • Adolf Hitler—During World War II, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise), disillusioned with Nazi Germany, joins the German Resistance. He proposes using Operation Valkyrie to seize power after assassinating Hitler, but the plan fails when Hitler survives the bomb attack. The plotters are arrested, and Stauffenberg, along with other leaders, is executed.
      Alain Prost, 1990, US Grand Prix, Phoenix.
      Image Wikipedia
  3. Who is missing from this chronological list of motor racing’s Formula 1 World Drivers’ Champions from the 1990s: Ayrton Senna, Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, …, Michael Schumacher, Michael Schumacher?
    • Alain Prost—nicknamed “the Professor”, is a French former racing driver who competed in Formula One from 1980 to 1993. He won four Formula One World Drivers’ Championship titles and held records for most wins, fastest laps and podium finishes at the time of his retirement. After retiring from Formula One, Prost competed in various racing series, including the FFSA GT Championship and the Andros Trophy, and was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1999.
      Uluru/Ayers Rock.
      Image Wikipedia
  4. In 1873, William Gosse became the first European to visit Uluru. What did he name it?
    • Ayers Rock—Uluru, a landmark in the Northern Territory, is known as Uluṟu by the local Aṉangu people. It was named Ayers Rock in 1873 after Sir Henry Ayers, but officially became Uluru/Ayers Rock in 1993 and Uluru/Ayers Rock in 2002.
      Theseus slaying the Minotaur by Bayre.
      Image Wikipedia
  5. In Greek myth, which daughter of King Minos helped Theseus escape the Labyrinth?
    • Ariadne—Ariadne, a Cretan princess, helped Theseus escape the Minotaur but was abandoned on Naxos. There, Dionysus fell in love with her, married her, and created the Corona Borealis constellation.

A is for…

Robert Louis Stevenson.
Image Wikipedia

A few questions where all the answers begin with ‘A’. As you know the starting letter there are no multiple-choice options.

  1. An inn featuring in the first chapter of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island is the…
  2. In the film Valkyrie (2008) who do the German army officers plot to assassinate?
  3. Who is missing from this chronological list of motor racing’s Formula 1 World Drivers’ Champions from the 1990s: Ayrton Senna, Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, …, Michael Schumacher, Michael Schumacher?
  4. In 1873, William Gosse became the first European to visit Uluru. What did he name it?
  5. In Greek myth, which daughter of King Minos helped Theseus escape the Labyrinth?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Hotchpotch II | Answers

Detail of Zephyrus with Aura
from
Sandro Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus.
Image Wikipedia

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

  1. In which of these national parks are zebra a native breed?
    • Kruger National Park—in South Africa spans 19,623 km2 across Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces. Established in 1926, it is South Africa’s first national park and part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere. It is home to 25,000 to 35,000 plains zebra (Equus quagga). Cairngorms National Park, Scotland, UK was established in 2003. It is the largest national park in the UK and covers the Cairngorms mountain range and surrounding hills. Goonengerry NP, New South Wales, Australia is within the Nightcap Range Important Bird Area, home to the largest population of Albert’s lyrebirds.
  2. A light or westerly wind which was also a large car (Ford of Britain) replaced by the Granada in 1972 is a…
    • Zephyr—In ancient Greek mythology and religion, the god Zephyrus was the personification of the west wind and the bringer of light spring and early summer breezes.
      Googol.
      Image
  3. How many zeroes follow the digit ‘1’ (one) when writing the number known as a googol?
    • 100—10100 or ten to the power of one hundred or ten duotrigintillion. The largest ‘named’ number, the term ‘Googol’ was coined in 1920 by 9-year-old Milton Sirotta, the nephew of American mathematician Edward Kasner. It’s possible that Sirotta was inspired by the contemporary comic strip character Barney Google.
      Romeo and Juliet.
      Image Wikipedia
  4. In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet how old is Juliet?
    • Thirteren—her mother indicates that she is not fourteen until Lammastide, which is two weeks away.
      1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Barker Sedanca de Ville
      Image Wikipedia
  5. A 1964 film staring Rex Harrison and Jeanne Moreau was…
    • The Yellow Rolls-Royce—the film follows the story of three very different owners of a yellow 1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom II. The owners include an English aristocrat, a Miami gangster and a wealthy American widow. The film is set in the years leading up to and including the start of World War II.

Hotchpotch II

A mixture of questions for you to peruse.

Plains zebra (Equus quagga).
Image Wikipedia
  1. In which of these national parks are zebra a native breed?
    • Cairngorm National Park
    • Goonengerry National Park
    • Kruger National Park
  2. A light or westerly wind which was also a large car (Ford of Britain) replaced by the Granada in 1972, is a…
    • Chinook
    • Sirocco
    • Zephyr
  3. How many zeroes follow the digit ‘1’ (one) when writing the number known as a googol?
    • 10
    • 100
    • 1,000
  4. In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet how old is Juliet?
    • Thirteen
    • Sixteen
    • Nineteen
  5. A 1964 film staring Rex Harrison and Jeanne Moreau was…
    • My Little Red Corvette
    • Ozzy, the Orange VW Camper
    • The Yellow Rolls-Royce

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Hotchpotch | Answers

The Carpenters.
Image Wikipedia

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

  1. Since 2011, Algeria has been the largest country in Africa by area. What is the second largest?
    • Democratic Republic of Congo—is a Central African country, the second largest in Africa and the most populous Francophone country in the world. It is bordered by several countries and the South Atlantic Ocean, with terrain ranging from dense rainforests to mountains.
  2. Which Carpenters song begins by asking: “Why do birds suddenly appear/Every time you are near?”?
    • (They Long to Be) Close to You—The Carpenters, an American vocal and instrumental duo consisting of siblings Karen and Richard Carpenter, achieved major success with hit singles like (They Long to Be) Close to You and We’ve Only Just Begun. Their melodic pop produced a record-breaking run of hit recordings on the American Top 40 and Adult Contemporary charts. Karen’s death from heart failure in 1983, due to complications from anorexia, ended the duo.
      A page from Thomas Blount’s Glossographia (publ. 1661)
      Image Wikipedia
  3. Thomas Blount’s Glossographia, published in 1656, was what?
    • English Dictionary—Blount’s Glossographia, published in 1656, was the largest English dictionary of its time, defining 11,000 hard words. It was the first dictionary to include illustrations, etymologies, and source citations, and many of its words were not included in later dictionaries.
  4. Prior to colliding with the ice berg, where had been RMS Titanic’s last port of call?
    • Queenstown, Ireland—Titanic’s maiden voyage began on 10 April 1912, with passengers boarding in Southampton, Cherbourg and Queenstown, Ireland from where the ship set sail for New York City. It was carrying a total of 2,224 passengers and crew of which some 1,500 died.
      Dan Brown.
      Image Wikipedia
  5. What 1998 thriller was the first to carry Dan Brown’s name?
    • Digital Fortress—was published in 1998. (Angels & Demons, 2000 and Deception Point, 2001) and is a techno-thriller novel by Dan Brown, exploring government surveillance and its ethical implications. The story follows the NSA’s struggle to crack a revolutionary code, Digital Fortress, created by Ensei Tankado, who died mysteriously. Amidst a web of deceit and murder, the NSA’s head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher, uncovers the truth behind Tankado’s death and the code’s creator, ultimately preventing a catastrophic data breach.

Hotchpotch

Today’s questions are a hotchpotch.

RMS Titanic departing Southampton on 10 April 1912.
Image Wikipedia
  1. Since 2011, Algeria has been the largest country in Africa by area. What is the second largest?
    • Democratic Republic of Congo
    • State of Libya
    • Republic of the Sudan
  2. Which Carpenters song begins by asking: “Why do birds suddenly appear/Every time you are near?”?
    • Bless the Beasts and Children
    • The Rainbow Connection—
    • (They Long to Be) Close to You
  3. Thomas Blount’s Glossographia, published in 1656, was what?
    • Atlas in colour
    • Bible in English
    • English Dictionary
  4. Prior to colliding with the ice berg, where had been RMS Titanic’s last port of call?
    • Cherbourg, France
    • Queenstown, Ireland
    • Southampton, England
  5. What 1998 thriller was the first to carry Dan Brown’s name?
    • Angels & Demons
    • Deception Point
    • Digital Fortress

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Number soup | Answers

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

Aerial view of Iwo Jima, 2014.
Image Wikipedia
  1. What number is represented by these Roman numerals: MCMLXXV?
    • 75—
  2. The name of the Japanese Island Iwo Jima literally means …
    • Sulfur Island—Iwo Jima, a volcanic island in the Ogasawara Archipelago, is administered by Tokyo despite its 1,200 km distance. The island, known for its strategic importance during World War II, was the site of a pivotal battle and is now home to a Self-Defence Force base. Its area has increased due to ongoing volcanic activity.
      Cate Blanchett, 2024.
      Image Wikipedia
  3. Who is the only actress in Oscar history to be nominated twice for playing the same role in two films?
    • Cate Blanchett—was nominated twice for playing the same role in two films, namely Elizabeth I in Elizabeth (1998) and Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007).
      Khnum.
      Image Wikipedia
  4. The deity Khnum was originally associated with the…
    • Cataracts of the Nile—Khnum, an ancient Egyptian deity, was revered as the creator of human bodies and the life force. He was believed to shape them from clay on a potter’s wheel. Khnum’s worship spanned from the First Dynasty to the Greco-Roman period. He was typically depicted with ram horns, representing fertility and rebirth, and later evolved to feature the down-turned horns of Ammon.
      Gerhard Schroeder, 2005.
      Image Wikipedia
  5. In 2000, Angela Merkel succeeded who as Chancellor of of Germany?
    • Gerhard Schröder—
      Angela Merkel won the CDU/CSU nomination to challenge Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in the 2005 federal elections. After a close election, Merkel formed a grand coalition with the SPD, becoming Chancellor on 22 November 2005, with a focus on reducing unemployment.

Number soup

A five course cornucopia.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, 2019.
Image Wikipedia
  1. What number is represented by these Roman numerals: MCMLXXV?
    • 1565
    • 1975
    • 1885
  2. The name of the Japanese Island Iwo Jima literally means …
    • Seaweed Island
    • Spirit Island
    • Sulfur Island
  3. Who is the only actress in Oscar history to be nominated twice for playing the same role in two films?
    • Annette Bening
    • Anne Hathaway
    • Cate Blanchett
  4. The deity Khnum was originally associated with the…
      • Cataracts of the Nile
      • Confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates
      • Source of the Rhine
    • In 2000, Angela Merkel succeeded who as Chancellor of of Germany?
      • Christian Wulff
      • Helmut Kohl
      • Gerhard Schröder

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

    Americana | Answers

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

    Jacques Cartier by Theophile Hamel, 1844.
    Image Wikipedia
    1. The first European to describe and map North America’s Saint Lawrence River was Jacques Cartier. He sailed into the river for the first time on 9 June 1534. Who was he?
      • Jacques Cartier—Jacques Cartier, commissioned by King Francis I of France, sailed into the St. Lawrence River in 1534 in search of gold, spices and a northern passage to Asia. He made contact with the Iroquois nation on Prince Edward Island and believed he had discovered a new seaway to Asia.
        Michael J. Fox, 2020.
        Image Wikipedia
    2. Michael J. Fox was born 9 June 1961, what role did he play in Spin City?
      • Mike Flaherty—Michael J. Fox, a Canadian-American actor and activist, rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s through roles in Family Ties, Back to the Future and Spin City. After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991, he became an advocate for finding a cure, founding The Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000. Fox officially retired from acting in 2020 due to declining health.
        Lyndon. B Johnson, 1964.
        Image Wikipedia
    3. On this date, a US President declared a national day of mourning following the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Which US president made this decision?
      • Lyndon B. Johnson—On 5 June 1968, Robert F. Kennedy, a US senator and presidential candidate, was shot and fatally wounded by Sirhan Sirhan at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Kennedy died on 6 June. Sirhan, a Palestinian Christian with anti-Zionist beliefs, was convicted and sentenced to death, later commuted to life in prison.
        Patricia Cornwall, 2016
        Image Wikipedia
    4. Best known for her Kay Scarpetta novels, which author was born today in 1956?
      • Patricia Cornwell—Kay Scarpetta, a fictional character inspired by Marcella Farinelli Fierro, is the protagonist in Patricia Cornwell’s crime novels. The name Scarpetta means ‘Little Shoe’ and is a pun on Caligula, meaning ‘Little Boot’.
        The US Navy ballistic missile submarine USS George Washington (SSBN-598) underway, circa in the 1970s. Image Wikipedia
    5. On 9 June 1959, the world’s first nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine was launched. Which of these was it?
      • USS George Washington (United States)—The world’s first functioning nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) was the USS George Washington, armed with 16 Polaris A-1 missiles. The Soviets, although having several SSBs, followed suit as part of the arms race, in developing a Soviet SSBN.

    Americana

    Here are a few questions which are related to today’s date, June 9th.

    Grande Hermine with cameos of Jacques Cartier & Francis I, King of France in margins.
    Image US Library of Congress
    1. The first European to describe and map North America’s Saint Lawrence River sailed into the river for the first time on 9 June 1534. Who was he?
      • Jacques Cartier
      • Jacques Chirac
      • Jacques Cousteau
    2. Michael J. Fox was born 9 June 1961, what role did he play in Spin City?
      • Frank Bannister
      • Mike Flaherty
      • Ben Stone
    3. On this date, a US President declared a national day of mourning following the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Which US president made this decision?
      • Gerald Ford
      • Lyndon B. Johnson
      • Richard Nixon
    4. Best known for her Kay Scarpetta novels, which author was born today in 1956?
      • Jane Adams
      • Patricia Cornwell
      • Sandra Brown
    5. On 9 June 1959, the world’s first nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine was launched. Which of these was it?
      • K-19 (Soviet Union)
      • HMS Resolution (United Kingdom)
      • USS George Washington (United States)

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.