Tag: geography

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.

Finders keepers

A few questions all of which simply feature either the word found or founder!

Brian Jones.
Image history.com
  1. Brian Jones, born 1942, was a guitarist and founder member of what band?
    • Fleetwood Mac
    • Rolling Stones
    • The Hollies
  2. Which of these are NOT found in the Andes?
    • Aconcagua
    • Cotopaxi
    • Shishapangma
  3. Which of these was explorer Ferdinand von Wrangel a founder of in 1845?
    • National Geographic Society
    • Russian Geographic Society
    • Swedish Geographic Society
  4. How many sides would be found on a polygon described as an icosagon?
    • 20
    • 25
    • 30
  5. The venomous snakes found on the Indian subcontinent that are responsible for causing the greatest number of medically significant snake bites on humans are known as the big four. Which of these is one of the big four?
    • Black mamba
    • Russell’s viper
    • Many-banded krait

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Down by the river | Answers


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

Volga Delta.
Image Wikipedia
  1. Europe’s largest river delta, the Volga River delta, is mostly in Russia, but part of it extends into which other country?
    • Kazakhstan—The Volga Delta, Europe’s largest river delta, is located in Russia’s Astrakhan Oblast, draining into the Caspian Sea. It spans the Caspian Depression, with its easternmost part extending into Kazakhstan.
      Mississippi River.
      Image Wikipedia
  2. How many US states does the Mississippi River border or pass through?
    • 10—The Mississippi River, originating in Minnesota, flows south for 2,340 miles through or bordering ten states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana. It eventually flows into the Gulf of Mexico. The river’s watershed drains 32 US states and two Canadian provinces.
      The steamships Aymoré and Sucre on the Madeira river.
      Image Wikipedia
  3. What river is the major tributary of the Amazon?
    • Madeira—The Madeira River, a major South American waterway, is the largest tributary of the Amazon, accounting for 15% of its water. It is estimated to be 1,450 km long, with the Madeira-Mamoré tributary extending to 3,250-3,380 km.
      River Nile, Cairo.
      Image Wikipedia
  4. The River Nile is formed when its two major tributaries, the Blue Nile and the White Nile, meet. In which country does this meeting occur?
    • Sudan—The Nile River has two major tributaries: the White Nile and the Blue Nile. The White Nile, being the longer river, is traditionally considered the headwaters stream. However, the Blue Nile actually contributes 80% of the water and silt below the confluence of the two rivers. The White Nile’s source is still being disputed d discussed. Traditionally, it rises in the Great Lakes region, beginning at Lake Victoria and flowing through Uganda and South Sudan. The Blue Nile begins at Lake Tana in Ethiopia and flows into Sudan from the southeast. The two rivers meet at the Sudanese capital of Khartoum.
      Yangtze River.
      Image Wikipedia
  5. Where is China’s Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydroelectric power station, located?
    • Yangtze River—The Yangtze River, the longest in Eurasia and third longest in the world, flows 6,300 kilometres from the Tibetan Plateau to the East China Sea.  Crucial to China’s history, culture, and economy, the Yangtze Delta generates 20% of China’s GDP. However, the river faces environmental challenges such as pollution, siltation, and habitat loss, impacting its diverse ecosystems and endangered species.  Notably, the Three Gorges Dam in China is the world’s largest hydroelectric power station, generating an impressive average of 95 TWh of electricity annually.

Down by the river

Here are a few questions to do with rivers.

Three Gorges dam locks and bridge.
Image Wikipedia
  1. Europe’s largest river delta, the Volga River delta, is mostly in Russia, but part of it extends into which other country?
    • Azerbaijan
    • Kazakhstan
    • Turkmenistan
  2. How many US states does the Mississippi River border or pass through?
    • 10
    • 16
    • 21
  3. What river is the major tributary of the Amazon?
    • Madeira
    • Madre de Dios
    • Marañón
  4. The River Nile is formed when its two major tributaries, the Blue Nile and the White Nile, meet. In which country does this meeting occur?
    • Egypt
    • Sudan
    • Uganda
  5. Where is China’s Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydroelectric power station, located?
    • Yangtze River
    • Yellow River
    • Yuan River

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Miscellany II | Answers

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea)
Image Wikipedia
Peanuts.
Image Wikipedia
  1. US President Jimmy Carter was a farmer, what type of farming was he involved in?
    • Peanut—Jimmy Carter, the first US president born in a hospital, grew up in Plains, Georgia, and later Archery. He attended the US Naval Academy, graduating in 1946, and served in the Navy until 1953, including a stint in the nuclear submarine programme. After his father’s death, Carter returned to Georgia to take over the family peanut business, facing challenges but eventually becoming successful.
      Amazon, which has the greatest discharge of any river, discharging into the Atlantic Ocean.
      Image NASA/Wikipedia
  2. What the second-largest river on earth by discharge?
    • Ganges—is second at 43,950 m$^3$/s following the Amazon’s 224,000| m$^3$/s. The Yangtze comes fifth with 31,900 m$^3$/s and the Mississippi tenth at 21,300 m$^3$/s.
      Tomb of Merlin, Forest of Paimpont (Brocéliande).
      Image Wikipedia
  3. Brittany’s Brocéliande Forest (aka Paimpont Forest) is the site of the tomb of which legendary magical figure?
    • Merlin—The forest of Brocéliande, first mentioned in Chrétien de Troyes’s Arthurian romance, is associated with Merlin and Morgan le Fay in later works. Its exact location is debated, with theories placing it in Brittany, specifically near Quintin or in Paimpont forest, with the latter being considered most likely.
      Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11, on Lunar Surface wearing an Omega Speedmaster.
      Image Wikipedia
  4. In 1969, the first wrist watch to be worn on the Moon was manufactured by…
    • Omega—Buzz Aldrin became the first person to wear a watch on the Moon, wearing the Omega Speedmaster Professional Chronograph. Although Neil Armstrong was the first to set foot on the Moon, he left his 105.012 Speedmaster inside the Lunar Module Eagle as a backup because the LM’s electronic timer had malfunctioned. Aldrin wore his Speedmaster, making it the first watch ever worn on the Moon.
      Marionette, is a puppet worked by strings.
      Image Pinterest.
  5. A person who’s actions are controlled by another could be described as a …
    • Quockerwodger—which is best described as follows:

      The term quockerwodger, although referring to a wooden toy figure which jerks its limbs about when pulled by a string, has been supplemented with a political meaning. A pseudo-politician, one whose strings of action are pulled by somebody else, is now often termed a quockerwodger.
      — John Camden Hotten. A Dictionary of Modern Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Words (1859)

Miscellany II

Full Moon
Image Wikipedia

Here are a few questions which have no connections they are simply miscellany.

  1. US President Jimmy Carter was a farmer, what type of farming was he involved in?
    • Avocado
    • Peanut
    • Zucchini
  2. What the second-largest river on earth by discharge?
    • Ganges
    • Mississippi
    • Yangtze
  3. Brittany’s Brocéliande Forest (aka Paimpont Forest) is the site of the tomb of which legendary magical figure?
    • Circe
    • Merlin
    • Witch of Endor
  4. In 1969, the first wrist watch to be worn on the Moon was manufactured by…
    • Bulova
    • Omega
    • Rolex
  5. A person who’s actions are controlled by another could be described as a …
    • Quaalude
    • Quillaja
    • Quockerwodger
Ancient Greek Terracotta dolls.
National Archaeological Museum in Athens/Wikipedia

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Miscellany | Answers

Here are the answers to the questions posted earlier today. The answers are shown in bold below.

Bikini Atoll.
Image Wikipedia
  1. Bikini Atoll is in which island group?
    • Marshall Islands—Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands was used by the United States for atomic bomb testing from 1946 to 1958, contaminating the atoll and forcing the relocation of its 166 native inhabitants. Despite cleanup efforts, radiation levels remain too high for resettlement, though tourism is permitted.
      Bluetooth logo
      Image Wikipedia
  2. Which king is credited with the unification of Denmark?
    • Harald Bluetooth—ruled Denmark from c. 958 to c. 986, during which time he unified the various tribes, introduced Christianity and consolidated his power. His rule in Norway was brief, likely lasting only a few years in the 970s. The Bluetooth wireless specification would unite devices and so was named after Harald, who united the tribes of Denmark. The Bluetooth logo incorporates his initials, H and B, in Younger Futhark bind runes.
  3. The word “Pundit” comes from which language where it means “learned man”?
    • Sanskrit—A pundit is an expert who offers authoritative opinions on a particular subject area, typically through the mass media. The term originates from the Sanskrit word “pandit,” meaning “learned man,” and has historical roots in India, referring to scholars and advisors to the king.
      One of Princess Anne’s Reliant Scimitar GTE’s— she had eight apparently!
      Classicyorkshire.co.uk
  4. A Scimitar GTE sports car was given to Princess Anne by her parents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, as a 20th birthday present in 1970. Which British car manufacturer launched this model in 1968?
    • Reliant—a British company commonly known for their three-wheeled Robin produced this sports car from 1964 to 1986, during which time it evolved from a coupe to a sports estate and convertible. It featured a fibreglass body on a steel chassis and Ford engines. The Reliant Scimitar SE5, a sports estate hatchback, was designed in under a year and featured a new chassis, suspension, and fuel system. It was powered by a 3.0-litre Ford Essex engine and could reach over 120 mph. The SE5 was a success, with 4,311 units produced, and Princess Anne received one as a birthday present and reportedly owned eight or nine in total.
      Pipe-weed.
      Image lots.fandom.com
  5. Two of these are real plants and one fictional, what is the fictional one?
    • Pipe-weed—is a fictional strain of tobacco from JRR Tolkien’s Middle Earth, with varieties such as Longbottom Leaf, Old Toby, Southern Star and Southlinch. In contrast, Polecat weed, also known as Symplocarpus foetidus or skunk cabbage, is a real low-growing plant found in eastern North American wetlands, characterised by its bruised leaves that emit a skunk-like odour. Additionally, Colic weed encompasses species like Aletris, Corydalis flavula and Dicentra.
Merry and Pippin smoking pipe-weed.
Image Pinterest

Miscellany

Here are some questions with no link to anything other than general miscellany.

Scimitar GTE.
Image Wikipedia
  1. Bikini Atoll is in which island group?
    • Marshall Islands
    • Solomon Islands
    • Wallis and Futuna Islands
  2. Which king is credited with the unification of Denmark?
    • Harald Greycloak
    • Harald Bluetooth
    • Sweyn Forkbeard
  3. The word “Pundit” comes from which language where it means “learned man”?
    • Mesopotamian
    • Egyptian
    • Sanskrit
  4. A Scimitar GTE sports car was given to Princess Anne by her parents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, as a 20th birthday present in 1970. Which British car manufacturer had launched this model in 1968 ?
    • Jaguar
    • Lotus
    • Reliant
  5. Two of these are real plants and one fictional, what is the fictional one?
    • Pipe-weed
    • Colic weed
    • Polecat weed

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Here, there and everywhere | Answers

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

View SE from the top level of the Eiffel Tower: the Champ de Mars, with Montparnasse Tower in the distance. The École Militaire is one third down from the top of the picture.
Image Wikipedia (Mattgirling)
  1. On 6 May 1889, the Eiffel Tower is officially opened to the public at the Universal Exposition, on the…
    • Champs de Mars, Paris—The Champ de Mars, a large public park in Paris, was originally a military parade ground. It hosted significant events during the French Revolution and later became a site for national expositions and world’s fairs.
      Coat of arms of Moravia.
      Image Wikipedia
  2. Sigmund Freud, a neurologist and psychoanalyst, was born in Freiberg in Mähren (now Příbor) on this day in 1856. His birthplace was in …
    • Moravia—Moravia, a historical region in the Czech Republic, was the centre of the medieval Great Moravian kingdom before becoming part of Bohemia in the 11th century. It later was part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire and then became part of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic.
      Puente Nuevo de Ronda.
      Image Wikipedia
  3. Actor Orson Welles was born today in 1915. He passed away in Los Angeles, California, in 1985, and two years later his ashes were interred at the home of his long-time friend, bullfighter Antonio Ordóñez, in Ronda…
    • Spain—Ronda, a municipality in Málaga, Andalusia, is known for its cliffside location and deep canyon. It has a population of about 35,000 and is part of the Sierra de las Nieves National Park.
      The Grand Palace, Bangkok.
      Image Wikipedia
  4. Today in 1782, at the command of King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke, construction began on the Grand Palace, the royal residence of the King of Siam. The palace was built in…
    • Bangkok—The Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, is a complex of buildings built in 1782 as the official residence of the Thai kings. It covers 2.4 million square feet and includes over 100 buildings, the most notable being the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
      Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland.
      Image Wikipedia
  5. Tony Blair, British prime minister from 1997 to 2007, was born 6 May 1953, in the city of …
    • Edinburgh, Scotland—Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is a city known for its historic Old Town and Neoclassical New Town, both designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city’s complex character, blending reserved exterior with warmth and gaiety, is reflected in its rich history, including religious conflicts, riots and the influence of its intellectual elite during the Neoclassical period of the 18th and 19th centuries. Edinburgh remains a major centre for finance, law, tourism, education and cultural affairs.

Here, there and everywhere

Eiffel Tower
Image Wikipedia

Here are a few questions which are related to today’s date, 6 May.

  1. On 6 May 1889, the Eiffel Tower is officially opened to the public at the Universal Exposition, on the…
    • Champs de Mars, Paris
    • Champs de Neptune, Paris
    • Champs de Venus, Paris
  2. Sigmund Freud, a neurologist and psychoanalyst, was born in Freiberg in Mähren (now Příbor) on this day in 1856. His birthplace was in …
    • Carinthia
    • Galicia
    • Moravia
  3. Actor Orson Welles was born today in 1915. He passed away in Los Angeles, California, in 1985, and two years later his ashes were interred at the home of his long-time friend, bullfighter Antonio Ordóñez, in Ronda…
    • Ecuador
    • Mexico
    • Spain
  4. Today in 1782, at the command of King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke, construction began on the Grand Palace, the royal residence of the King of Siam. The palace was built in…
    • Amman
    • Bangkok
    • Colombo
  5. Tony Blair, British prime minister from 1997 to 2007, was born 6 May 1953, in the city of …
    • Cardiff, Wales
    • Edinburgh, Scotland
    • London, England

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.