Quizology.Online

Tag: history

  • Take Your Pick II — Answers

    Today’s answers are shown below.

    Hedge.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Here are some more multiple-choice which don’t have any specific theme.

    One

    Where in South Australia is a major opal producer?

    1. Andamooka
    2. OhWell
    3. Utapau 

    Answer: 1. Andamooka.

    Andamooka, a remote opal-mining town in South Australia, is known for its historic opal mining, semi-dugout housing, and astronomy tourism. The town is administered by the Outback Communities Authority and lies within the state electoral district of Giles and the federal Division of Grey. 

    Two

    What was a popular, long-running British film series?

    1. Carry Off
    2. Carry On
    3. Carry Out

    Answer: 2. Carry On.

    Carry On is a British comedy franchise with 31 films, the most of any British film franchise. The films, directed by Gerald Thomas and produced by Peter Rogers, were made between 1958 (Carry On Sergeant) and 1992 (Carry On Columbus), with a 14-year gap between the 30th and 31st entries. The series employed a regular ensemble cast and was known for its humour in the British comic tradition.

    Three

    The city now known as … developed to become one of the most significant cities in history. … was founded on the Sarayburnu promontory by Greek colonists, potentially in the seventh century BC.
    — Wikipedia 

    What cities are missing from the description from Wikipedia. The first is a modern city and the second is that cities original name?

    1. Ararat and Davalou
    2. Bosanska Kostajnica and Kostajnica
    3. Istanbul and Byzantium

    Answers: 3. Istanbul and Byzantium.

    Byzantium, an ancient Greek city founded in the 7th century BCE, later became Constantinople and is now Istanbul. It was a Greek-speaking city until its conquest by the Ottoman Empire in 1453 CE.

    Four

    In 1978, Herman Wouk wrote which classic?

    1. War And Remembrance
    2. The Brothers Karamazov
    3. The Mists of Avalon

    Answer: 1. War and Remembrance.

    War and Remembrance (1978), a sequel to The Winds of War (1971), follows the Henry and Jastrow families from December 1941 to August 1945.

    Five

    The seat of government of a European country is in a city named from a term meaning ‘hedge’? What country?

    1. Belgium
    2. Denmark 
    3. Netherlands

    Answer: 3. Netherlands.

    The Hague, the third-largest city in the Netherlands, is the country’s administrative centre and seat of government. The name Den Haag, meaning ‘hedge’ or ‘enclosure’, first appeared in 1242. The fuller form, ’s-Gravenhage, meaning ‘the count’s enclosure’, appeared in 1347.

  • Take Your Pick II

    Hedge.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Here are some more multiple-choice which don’t have any specific theme.

    One

    Where in South Australia is a major opal producer?

    1. Andamooka
    2. OhWell
    3. Utapau 

    Two

    What was a popular, long-running British film series?

    1. Carry Off
    2. Carry On
    3. Carry Out

    Three

    The city now known as … developed to become one of the most significant cities in history. … was founded on the Sarayburnu promontory by Greek colonists, potentially in the seventh century BC.
    — Wikipedia 

    What cities are missing from the description from Wikipedia. The first is a modern city and the second is that cities original name?

    1. Ararat and Davalou
    2. Bosanska Kostajnica and Kostajnica
    3. Istanbul and Byzantium

    Four

    In 1978, Herman Wouk wrote which classic?

    1. War And Remembrance
    2. The Brothers Karamazov
    3. The Mists of Avalon

    Five

    The seat of government of a European country is in a city named from a term meaning ‘hedge’? What country?

    1. Belgium
    2. Denmark 
    3. Netherlands

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Take Your Pick — Answers

    Here are today’s answers.

    Charles Darwin, c.1868.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions are multiple-choice and don’t have a specific theme.

    One

    … was one of the names commonly used for evolutionary ideas in the 19th century before Charles Darwin published On The Origin of Species (1859).
    — Wikipedia

    Which of these words is missing from the beginning of this quote from Wikipedia?

    1. Transactional
    2. Transmutation
    3. Transubstantiation

    Answer: 2. Transmutation.

    Transmutation, a term used for evolutionary ideas before Darwin, was coined by Joseph Gottlieb Kölreuter to describe species changes through hybridisation. The term ‘evolution’ gained widespread use in the 1860s.

    Two

    Who was an American Formula 1 driver?

    1. Mario Andretti
    2. Mario Puzo
    3. Mario Lanza

    Answer: 1. Mario Andretti.

    Mario Andretti, an American former racing driver, competed in Formula One from 1968 to 1982 and IndyCar from 1964 to 1994. He won the Formula One World Drivers’ Championship in 1978 and achieved numerous victories in various racing disciplines, including the Indianapolis 500 and Daytona 500. Andretti’s legacy as a racing icon is cemented by his 111 official victories and his induction into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Mario Puzo, an American author, wrote The Godfather. Mario Lanza was an American tenor and actor.

    Three

    Which of these is a World Heritage Site described as ‘an area of approximately 40,000 interlocking basalt columns’?

    1. Skara Brae
    2. Giant’s Causeway
    3. Macgillycuddy’s Reeks

    Answer: 2. Giant’s Causeway.

    The Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, features 40,000 interlocking basalt columns formed by an ancient volcanic eruption. Owned by the National Trust, it is a popular tourist attraction, receiving nearly one million visitors annually.

    Four

    What noun means ‘a herd of wild swine’?

    1. Blunder 
    2. Pounder
    3. Sounder

    Answer: 3. Sounder.

    Sounder’s origin is described by the Oxford English Dictionary as

    – ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French sundre, sonre, of Germanic origin. — Oxford English Dictionary 

    Five

    What Hollywood actress was born with the surname FitzSimons, in Ranelagh, Dublin, Ireland on 17 August 1920.

    1. Carole Lombard 
    2. Maureen O’Hara 
    3. Rita Hayworth

    Answer: 2. Maureen O’Hara.

    Maureen O’Hara was an Irish-American actress known for her roles in Westerns and adventure films, particularly her collaborations with John Ford and John Wayne. She was nicknamed “the Queen of Technicolour” and starred in numerous successful films throughout the 1940s to 1960s. O’Hara retired in 1971 but returned to acting in 1991 and received an Honorary Academy Award in 2014.

  • Take Your Pick

    Charles Darwin, c.1868.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions are multiple-choice and don’t have a specific theme.

    One

    … was one of the names commonly used for evolutionary ideas in the 19th century before Charles Darwin published On The Origin of Species (1859).
    — Wikipedia

    Which of these words is missing from the beginning of this quote from Wikipedia?

    1. Transactional
    2. Transmutation
    3. Transubstantiation

    Two

    Who was an American Formula 1 driver?

    1. Mario Andretti
    2. Mario Puzo
    3. Mario Lanza

    Three

    Which of these is a World Heritage Site described as ‘an area of approximately 40,000 interlocking basalt columns’?

    1. Skara Brae
    2. Giant’s Causeway
    3. Macgillycuddy’s Reeks

    Four

    What noun means ‘a herd of wild swine’?

    1. Blunder 
    2. Pounder
    3. Sounder

    Five

    What Hollywood actress was born with the surname FitzSimons, in Ranelagh, Dublin, Ireland on 17 August 1920.

    1. Carole Lombard 
    2. Maureen O’Hara 
    3. Rita Hayworth

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Binary Choice — Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    Walrus pup.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions are all answered as either true or false. 

    One

    Is it true or false that adult male walruses are heavier than adult male polar bears.

    Answer: True.

    Male Pacific walruses weigh about 800 to 1,700 kg (1,764-3,748 lb.) while polar bear boars weigh about 350 to more than 650 kg (772-1,433 lb.). 

    Two

    Is it true or false that Olga Korbut was the first gymnast to achieve a ‘perfect ten’ at the Olympics?

    Answer: False.

    Nadia Comăneci, born November 12, 1961, is a retired Romanian gymnast and five-time Olympic gold medallist. At 14, she became the first gymnast to score a perfect 10.0 at the Olympics — Montreal, 1976, where she achieved seven perfect 10s: four on the uneven bars and three on the beam. Comăneci won nine Olympic medals and four World Championships. She defected to the U.S. in 1989 and married Bart Conner.

    Three

    Is it true or false that a genipap is a small fish related to the trout?

    Answer: False.

    It is a fruit. Genipa americana (genip tree) is a species of trees in the family Rubiaceae which is cultivated for its edible fruits. In English, the tree is known as the genip and the fruit as genipap. It is native to the tropical forests of North and South America, as well as the Caribbean. The fruits are eaten in preserves or made into drinks, jelly or ice cream. The unripe fruit yields a liquid used as a deep purple dye for tattoos, skin painting, insect repellent and food.

    Four

    Is it true or false that the 1975 novel Shōgun was written by James Clavell?

    Answer: True.

    Shōgun, a 1975 novel by James Clavell, depicts the transition from Japan’s Azuchi-Momoyama to Edo period. It explores European influences and internal Japanese conflicts leading to the Shogunate restoration, drawing loosely on historical events and figures. By 1980, Shōgun sold six million copies globally. It inspired two TV series (1980, 2024), a musical, a board game, and three video games. Despite its historical setting, it is the third book in Clavell’s Asian Saga series, with six books in total.

    Five

    Is it true or false that Agent Orange, widely used by the US military in the Vietnam War, had an early form of digitalised artificial intelligence?

    Answer: False.

    Agent Orange, a herbicide used in the Vietnam War, caused severe health and environmental damage. It exposed millions, leading to illnesses and birth defects. It is estimated that The U.S. military used 19 million US gallons (72,000 m3) of defoliants and herbicides in Operation Ranch Hand from 1962-1971. Legal actions followed, but its classification as a chemical weapon remains debated.

  • Binary Choice

    Walrus pup.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions are all answered as either true or false. 

    One

    Is it true or false that adult male walruses are heavier than adult male polar bears.

    Two

    Is it true or false that Olga Korbut was the first gymnast to achieve a ‘perfect ten’ at the Olympics?

    Three

    Is it true or false that a genipap is a small fish related to the trout?

    Four

    Is it true or false that the 1975 novel Shōgun was written by James Clavell?

    Five

    Is it true or false that Agent Orange, widely used by the US military in the Vietnam War, had an early form of digitalised artificial intelligence?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Water, water, every where, / Nor any drop to drink — Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    2026 Chinese GP – Mercedes – Kimi Antonelli – Qualifying.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s first question concerns the date May 5th. Each subsequent question builds on the previous one.

    One

    In Shangdu on 5 May 1260 Kublai was unanimously elected khan. An English poet later wrote a poem featuring Kublai Khan in which he changed Shangdu’s name to what?

    Answer: Xanadu.

    Kublai Khan, a Mongolian general and statesman, was the grandson and greatest successor of Genghis Khan. As the fifth emperor of the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty, he reigned from 1260 to 1294. He succeeded his brother Möngke after the Toluid Civil War and expanded the empire, claiming orthodox succession from Chinese dynasties. In 1279, he completed the conquest of China initiated by his grandfather and became the first Yuan ruler to govern the entire country.

    Two

    Water, water, every where,
    And all the boards did shrink; 
    Water, water, every where,
    Nor any drop to drink.

    The poet who wrote the poem mentioned in question one wrote another which includes the lines quoted above. Who was the poet, and what poem does the quote come from? 

    Answer: Samuel Taylor Coleridge; The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

    The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in 1797–98 and published in 1798 in Lyrical Ballads, is a seven-part poem recounting a sailor’s tale. The mariner stops a wedding guest to share his story of killing an albatross, his crew’s death, and his redemption. The narrative uses techniques like personification and repetition, marking a shift to modern poetry and British Romantic literature. The mariner’s penance is to share his story.

    Three

    A song released by a British American rock band in November 1968 has a creature from the poem mentioned in question two as its title. In January 1969, this instrumental track provided the band with its only UK number one hit in their more than fifty years of performing. Name the song and the band? 

    Answers: Albatross; Fleetwood Mac.

    According to Peter Green, inspiration for Albatross was drawn from Santo & Johnny’s Sleep Walk and Eric Clapton’s The Last Meal. Green was reading The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and took the title from it. Fleetwood Mac recorded it over two days in October 1968, initially without plans for a single release. Albatross, which was by Fleetwood Mac’s original line-up, is featured on their “greatest hits” compilations. George Harrison noted in 1987 that Albatross served as a starting point for the Beatles on two of their tracks; it inspired the songs: Sun King and Don’t Let Me Down.

    Four

    A track by the above-mentioned band, which is from their Rumours album, is the only one written by all five band members at that time. It has been used on the BBC since 1978 as a theme tune for a sports programme. That sport is now covered in the UK by Channel 4, but they have kept the same theme. What is both the relevant track and sport?

    Answer: The Chain; Formula One.

    The Chain by Fleetwood Mac, from their 1977 album Rumours, is the only song credited to all five members. It was crafted from rejected materials by Buckingham, Nicks, and McVie, manually spliced at the Record Plant in Sausalito, California, with engineers Ken Caillat and Richard Dashut. A staple of the band’s live shows, The Chain opens The Dance(1997) and appears on greatest hits compilations. It’s their second most streamed Spotify track with over 1.5 billion streams. In the UK, its instrumental is used for BBC and Channel 4’s Formula One coverage.

    Five

    Following on from above a question about Formula One. In the 2026 F1 World Championship two races were cancelled during April because of the international situation. What circuits, and where are these circuits, were effected by these cancellations?

    Answers: The Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain; and the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

    The 2026 Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prixes, part of the Formula One World Championship, were set for 12 and 19 April at the Bahrain International Circuit and Jeddah Corniche Circuit, respectively. Scheduled as the fourth and fifth rounds, both races were cancelled on 14 March due to the outbreak of the 2026 Iran war.

    Water, water, every where,  / Nor any drop to drink.

    The post title is from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner as referenced in question two. The full text can be found at the Poetry Foundation website The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

  • Water, water, every where, / Nor any drop to drink

    2026 Chinese GP – Mercedes – Kimi Antonelli – Qualifying.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s first question concerns the date May 5th. Each subsequent question builds on the previous one.

    One

    In Shangdu on 5 May 1260 Kublai was unanimously elected khan. An English poet later wrote a poem featuring Kublai Khan in which he changed Shangdu’s name to what?

    Two

    Water, water, every where,
    And all the boards did shrink; 
    Water, water, every where,
    Nor any drop to drink.

    The poet who wrote the poem mentioned in question one wrote another which includes the lines quoted above. Who was the poet, and what poem does the quote come from? 

    Three

    A song released by a British American rock band in November 1968 has a creature from the poem mentioned in question two as its title. In January 1969, this instrumental track provided the band with its only UK number one hit in their more than fifty years of performing. Name the song and the band? 

    Four

    A track by the above-mentioned band, which is from their Rumours album, is the only one written by all five band members at that time. It has been used on the BBC since 1978 as a theme tune for a sports programme. That sport is now covered in the UK by Channel 4, but they have kept the same theme. What is both the relevant track and sport?

    Five

    Following on from above a question about Formula One. In the 2026 F1 World Championship two races were cancelled during April because of the international situation. What circuits, and where are these circuits, were effected by these cancellations?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • May the Fourth Be With You — Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    See Question Three. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, 1974.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The first question concerns today, May 4th. The rest follow a theme related to the first. 

    One

    On 4 May, Napoleon landed on an island to begin his first exile. What island and in what year?

    Answers: Elba; 1814.

    Napoleon escaped Elba in February 1815 and embarked on his ‘Hundred Days’ before ultimately being defeated at Waterloo and exiled to Saint Helena.

    The first question related to ‘exile’ so we will continue with that theme for the remainder.

    Two

    Which band released the double album Exile on Main St on this day in 1972?

    The Rolling Stones.

    This double album was the band’s tenth studio album and was recorded at various locations including Mick Jagger’s country house in England and a villa in the south of France, which was rented by Keith Richards.

    Three

    After eight years in a labour camp and a year of internal exile, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was finally permitted to receive cancer treatment in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in 1954. Which 1966 Solzhenitsyn novel specifically depicts this period?

    Answer: Cancer Ward.

    Cancer Ward, a semi-autobiographical novel by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, explores the moral responsibility of those implicated in Stalin’s Great Purge. The story, set in a Tashkent hospital in 1955, follows a group of patients, including the protagonist Oleg Kostoglotov, who reflect on their roles and the lasting impact of Stalinism. Kostoglotov ultimately realises that healing after Stalin is impossible, likening the situation to cancer. Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn (1918–2008) was a Soviet and Russian author and dissident renowned for exposing Soviet political repression, particularly the Gulag system. Awarded the 1970 Nobel Prize in Literature, his work The Gulag Archipelago challenged the Soviet state and sold millions. Born into a devout Orthodox family, he initially embraced atheism and Marxism–Leninism. Arrested during WWII for criticising Stalin, he served eight years in the Gulag, leading to his conversion to Orthodox Christianity. Released during the Khrushchev Thaw, he published One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich in 1962. Exiled in 1974, he settled in the U.S. before returning to Russia in 1994.

    Four

    Dante Alighieri, known as Dante, poet, writer and philosopher who was the author of Divine Comedy was, in the early 14th century, exiled from his native city for life. What was that city?

    Answer: Florence.

    Dante Alighieri, while serving as Florence’s city prior in 1300, was accused of corruption by the Black Guelphs. Still in Rome in 1302, he was considered an absconder by Florence. Dante refused to pay the fine, believing in his innocence and having his assets seized. Condemned to perpetual exile, he risked execution if he returned. In 2008, Florence rescinded his sentence.

    Five

    Five music questions spread over the past fifty years?

    1. King Crimson’s song Exiles was featured on their 1973 album …’ Tongues in Aspic. What word completes the album title?
    2. Irish singer Enya’s song Exile was from her 1988 album Water…. What four letters complete the album’s one-word title?
    3. Exile, a track from the 1997 album also titled Exile, was performed by a man considered a pioneer of electronic music. Who was this singer?
    4. Exile featured on Slayer’s 2001 album … Hates Us All. What word is missing from the start of the album name? 
    5. In 2020, Bon Iver featured on whose song Exile?

    Answers

    1. Larks. Larks’ Tongues in Aspic was the full title of King Crimson’s 1973 album.
    2. Mark. Watermark was the 1988 album by Enya.
    3. Gary Numan. Numan was the 1997 exile who was a pioneer of electronic music.
    4. God. Slayer’s Exile came from God Hates Us All (2001).
    5. Taylor Swift. The Exile featuring Bon Iver was by none other than Ms Swift, who Wikipedia describes as ‘the highest-grossing live music artist, the wealthiest female musician, and one of the best-selling music artists of all time’.

    May the Fourth Be With You

    Star Wars Day is celebrated annually on May 4, originating from the pun ‘May the Fourth be with you’. Though not officially declared by Lucasfilm, it began in 1977 and has since been embraced by fans, Lucasfilm and Disney as a celebration of the Star Wars franchise.

  • May the Fourth Be With You

    See Question Three. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, 1974.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The first question concerns today, May 4th. The rest follow a theme related to the first. 

    One

    On 4 May, Napoleon landed on an island to begin his first exile. What island and in what year?

    The first question related to ‘exile’ so we will continue with that theme for the remainder.

    Two

    Which band released the double album Exile on Main St on this day in 1972?

    Three

    After eight years in a labour camp and a year of internal exile, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was finally permitted to receive cancer treatment in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in 1954. Which 1966 Solzhenitsyn novel specifically depicts this period?

    Four

    Dante Alighieri, known as Dante, poet, writer and philosopher who was the author of Divine Comedy was, in the early 14th century, exiled from his native city for life. What was that city?

    Five

    Five music questions spread over the past fifty years?

    1. King Crimson’s song Exiles was featured on their 1973 album …’ Tongues in Aspic. What word completes the album title?
    2. Irish singer Enya’s song Exile was from her 1988 album Water…. What four letters complete the album’s one-word title?
    3. Exile, a track from the 1997 album also titled Exile, was performed by a man considered a pioneer of electronic music. Who was this singer?
    4. Exile featured on Slayer’s 2001 album … Hates Us All. What word is missing from the start of the album name? 
    5. In 2020, Bon Iver featured on whose song Exile?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.