Tag: literature

Numbers | Answers

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

Most of the Apollo astronauts gathered at the Johnson Space Center in Houston in 1978
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  1. 46 BCE was known as annus confusionis, the ‘Year of Confusion’, as its length was altered to align with the implementation of the Julian Calendar. Consequently 46 BCE consisted of how many days?
    • 445 days—In 45 BCE, Julius Caesar introduced the Julian calendar, adding leap months to the Roman calendar to align it with the solar year. This resulted in the preceding year, 46 BCE, becoming known as the ’Year of Confusion’, a 445-day year—— almost 80 days longer than the orbit of Earth around the Sun, the sidereal year.
  2. The Complete Deaths by Spymonkey is a play which includes all the onstage deaths in the works of William Shakespeare. Including one which may often be overlooked, how many deaths are there in total?
    • 75—Spymonkey perform all 74, 75 when the black ill-favoured fly killed in Titus Andronicus (Act III, scene 2) is counted, onstage deaths from Shakespeare’s works, ranging from stabbings to poisonings, in a humorous and moving tribute. Directed by Tim Crouch, the show has delighted audiences worldwide since its 2016 Brighton Festival debut.
  3. What number features in the title of the 1915 book which was the first of five novels featuring Richard Hannay?
    • 39—The Thirty-Nine Steps, a 1915 adventure novel by John Buchan, introduced Richard Hannay, a resourceful hero. The novel, serialised and published in 1915, has been adapted numerous times, including films and a stage play.
  4. The Summer and Winter Olympics were last held in the same year in …
    • 1992—The 1992 Albertville Olympic Games were the last Winter Games to be staged in the same year as the Summer Games.
  5. How many astronauts walked on the moon between 1969 and 1972?
    • 12—Twelve astronauts have landed on the Moon. This was achieved through six NASA missions, each with two pilot-astronauts flying a Lunar Module. The missions spanned 41 months, beginning on July 20, 1969, with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on Apollo 11, and ending on December 14, 1972, with Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt on Apollo 17. Cernan was the last man to step off the lunar surface. All Apollo lunar missions had a third crew member who remained on board the command module.

Numbers

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A few questions with various numbers as the answers.

  1. 46 BCE known as annus confusionis, the ‘Year of Confusion’, as its length was altered to align with the implementation of the Julian Calendar. Consequently, 46 BCE consisted of how many days?
    • 319 days
    • 386 days
    • 445 days
  2. The Complete Deaths by Spymonkey is a play which includes all the onstage deaths in the works of William Shakespeare. Including one which may often be overlooked, how many deaths are there in total?
    • 63
    • 69
    • 75
  3. What number features in the title of the 1915 book which was the first of five novels featuring Richard Hannay?
    • 10
    • 21
    • 39
  4. The Summer and Winter Olympics were last held in the same year in …
    • 1988
    • 1992
    • 1996
  5. How many astronauts walked on the moon between 1969 and 1972?
    • 8
    • 10
    • 12

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Hatches, matches and despatches | Answers

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

Josephine Baker, 1940.
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  1. Born in St Louis, Missouri, on 3 June 1926, this singer and dancer was a resistance member and spy in occupied France during World War II. Who was she?
    • Josephine Baker—born in St. Louis, Missouri, was an American-born French dancer, singer and actress. She renounced her US citizenship and became a French national in 1937. Baker aided the French Resistance during World War II, working with the British and US Secret Services. After the war, she received French honours. Baker was inducted into the Panthéon in Paris in 2021, the first black woman to receive this honour.
      Rafael Nadal, 2009.
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  2. Tennis player Rafael Nadal was born on this day in 1986. He won his first Grand Slam singles title in 2005 at the …
    • French Open—Rafael Nadal, a former Spanish professional tennis player, won 92 ATP Tour-level singles titles, including 22 major titles and an Olympic gold medal. He holds the record for the longest single-surface win streak in the Open Era.
      Château de Candé, Monts, Indre-et-Loire, France, 2007.
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  3. On this day in 1937, the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII, married Wallis Simpson, the woman for whom he had abdicated the British throne. Where were they married?
    • Château de Candé, Tours, France—The Dukedom of Windsor was created in 1937 for Edward VIII after his abdication to marry Wallis Simpson. The title, derived from Windsor Castle, became extinct upon Edward’s death in 1972 as he died without issue. They were married in France where he lived in exile, no members of his family attended the wedding.
      Anthony Quinn in Barabbas (1961)
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  4. An actor who died today in 2001 had played the following roles during a long career. In 1961, he was Andrea Stavros in The Guns of Navarone; the same year, he took the title role in Barrabas and the following year, he was the Bedouin sheikh Auda Abu Tayi in Lawrence of Arabia (1962). Who was he?
    • Anthony Quinn—Anthony Quinn, born in Mexico and raised in the US, was a two-time Academy Award-winning actor known for his passionate roles in over 100 films, television shows and stage productions. He was also a civil rights activist, painter and author.
      Frank Kafka, 1923.
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  5. An author and lawyer who died on this day in 1924 has an adjective named after him. The adjective is defined as ‘characteristic or reminiscent of the oppressive or nightmarish qualities of …’s fictional world’. What name is omitted from this definition?
    • Frank Kafka—the adjective is kafkaesque. Kafka was a Jewish, Austrian and Czech writer from Prague, known for exploring alienation and absurdity. His best-known works include The Metamorphosis, The Trial and The Castle. Despite being prolific, he burned much of his work due to self-doubt and was relatively unknown until his influence spread globally after World War II, two decades after his death.

Hatches, matches and despatches

A few questions related to people who were born, got married or died on today’s date, June 3.

King Edward VIII, 1936.
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  1. Born in St Louis, Missouri, on 3 June 1926, this singer and dancer was a resistance member and spy in occupied France during World War II. Who was she?
    • Josephine Baker
    • Mata Hari
    • Edith Cavell
  2. Tennis player Rafael Nadal was born on this day in 1986. He won his first Grand Slam singles title in 2005 at the …
    • Australian Open
    • French Open
    • US Open
  3. On this day in 1937, the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII, married Wallis Simpson, the woman for whom he had abdicated the British throne. Where were they married?
    • Chapel Royal, Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh, Scotland
    • Château de Candé, Tours, France
    • Crathie Kirk, Balmoral, Scotland
  4. An actor who died today in 2001 had played the following roles during a long career. In 1961, he was Andrea Stavros in The Guns of Navarone; the same year, he took the title role in Barrabas and the following year, he was the Bedouin sheikh Auda Abu Tayi in Lawrence of Arabia (1962). Who was he?
    • Anthony Daniels
    • Anthony Perkins
    • Anthony Quinn
  5. An author and lawyer who died on this day in 1924 has an adjective named after him. The adjective is defined as ‘characteristic or reminiscent of the oppressive or nightmarish qualities of …’s fictional world’. What name is omitted from this definition?
    • Lewis Carroll
    • Frank Kafka
    • Bram Stoker

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

From sewers to Easter eggs | Answers

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

The original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Image Pinterest https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e1/b2/c5/e1b2c5a680091ded3db244f81704b73b.png
  1. Who were the four anthropomorphic turtle brothers who first appeared in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book stories, co-created by Kevin Eastman, who was born today in 1962?
    • Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo—Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American media franchise about four anthropomorphic turtle brothers trained in ninjutsu. Created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird the franchise began as a comic book in 1984 and expanded to include television series, films, video games and merchandise.
  2. Born on 30th May 1908, the voice actor who voiced Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Tweety was who?
    • Mel Blanc—Melvin Jerome Blanc was an American voice actor and radio personality known for his work in the Golden Age of American Animation, voicing characters like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. He also voiced characters for Hanna-Barbera’s television cartoons, including Barney Rubble and Mr. Spacely.
      Jane Seymour, Henry VIII’s third wife.
      Image Google Art Project/Wikipedia
  3. Today marks the anniversary of England’s King Henry VIII’s third marriage. Who was his third wife?
    • Jane Seymour—Jane Seymour, Henry VIII’s third wife, died of postnatal complications after giving birth to Edward VI. She was the only wife of Henry VIII to receive a queen’s funeral.
  4. The Kharan Desert was the location of an underground test of a nuclear device on this day in 1998. Which country carried out this test?
    • Pakistan—The Kharan Desert is a sandy and mountainous desert located in Balochistan, Pakistan which was the site of Pakistan’s second nuclear test, Chagai-II.
      Bouquet of Lilies Clock, made in 1899 by Fabergé for Alexandra Feodorovna as a gift from her husband, Czar Nicholas II.
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  5. Born on this day in 1846, a goldsmith and jeweller was known for his Easter eggs made from precious metals and gems. Who was he?
    • Peter Carl Fabergé—Peter Carl Fabergé and his brother Agathon transformed their father’s jewellery business into an international phenomenon. Their success, driven by design-led artistry and a focus on colour, included the creation of deluxe objets like the Imperial Easter Eggs, renowned for their craftsmanship.
Mel Blanc’s Gravestone.
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From sewers to Easter eggs


Here are a few questions which are related to today, May 30th. Just straight questions today with no multiple-choice options.

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  1. Who were the four anthropomorphic turtle brothers who first appeared in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book stories, co-created by Kevin Eastman, who was born today in 1962?
  2. Born on 30th May 1908, the voice actor who voiced Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Tweety was who?
  3. Today marks the anniversary of England’s King Henry VIII’s third marriage. Who was his third wife?
  4. The Kharan Desert was the location of an underground test of a nuclear device on this day in 1998. Which country carried out this test?
  5. Born on this day in 1846, a goldsmith and jeweller who was known for his Easter eggs which were made from precious metals and gems. Who was he?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Odd one out II | Answers

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

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
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  1. Two of these were written by the same author and one was not. Which is the odd one out?
    • George’s Marvellous Medicine—was written by Ronald Dahl. Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang: The Magical Car and the James Bond novel From Russia with Love were both written by Ian Fleming
      Harpy eagle.
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  2. Two of these creatures are semi-aquatic reptiles, while the third is a completely different kind of animal. Which one is the odd one out?
    • Harpy—is one of two species of eagle: the American harpy and the Papuan harpy. Nile and saltwater are both species of crocodile.
      Crew of Apollo 12.
      Left to right they are: Commander, Charles “Pete” Conrad Jr.; Command Module pilot, Richard F. Gordon Jr.; and Lunar Module pilot, Alan L. Bean.
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  3. The three men listed comprised the crew of Apollo 12. With regard to the Moon which of them was the odd one out?
    • Richard Gordon—was the command pilot who stayed in Lunar orbit while Conrad and Bean landed on the Moon and carried out surface activity for about 31 hours.
      The Salvation Army crest.
      Image The Salvation Army.
  4. Two of these are mottos of military organisations. Which one is the odd one out?
    • Blood and Fire—is the ‘War Cry’ of the Salvation Army; it refers to the blood of Christ and fire of the Holy Spirit. Semper fidelis (“Always faithful”) is the motto of the US Marine Corps while Who Dares Wins is the motto of the UK’s SAS (Special Air Service)
      Aryna Sabalenka, 2024.
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  5. In sporting terms, which of these women is the odd one out?
    • Aryna Sabalenka—currently ranked world No. 1 in women’s tennis, has won three major championships: the 2023 and 2024 Australian Opens and the 2024 US Open. Additionally, she has won doubles titles at two majors, partnering with Elise Mertens, at the 2019 US Open and the 2021 Australian Open. Catriona Matthew (Europe) and Stacy Lewis (USA) are both golfers who captained their respective teams to victory in the Solheim Cup.

Odd one out II

Moon.
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A few questions where you have to identify the odd one out.

  1. Two of these were written by the same author and one was not. Which is the odd one out?
    • Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang: The Magical Car
    • George’s Marvellous Medicine
    • From Russia with Love
  2. Two of these creatures are semi-aquatic reptiles, while the third is a completely different kind of animal. Which one is the odd one out?
    • Harpy
    • Nile
    • Saltwater
  3. The three men listed comprised the crew of Apollo 12. With regard to the Moon which of them was the odd one out?
    • Alan Bean
    • Pete Conrad
    • Richard Gordon
  4. Two of these are the mottos of military organisations while one is not. Which one is the odd one out?
    • Blood and Fire
    • Semper fidelis (“Always faithful”)
    • Who Dares Wins
  5. In sporting terms, which of these women is the odd one out?
    • Aryna Sabalenka
    • Catriona Matthew
    • Stacy Lewis

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

ABC | Answers

Chinchilla (See question 5).
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The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the question simply for your information.

  1. Founded in the 1990s, WestJet is the second-largest airline in which Commonwealth country?
    • Canada—WestJet, founded in 1994 and headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, is Canada’s second-largest airline. It operates scheduled, charter and cargo air service to over 100 destinations across North America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and Central America. WestJet is not a member of any major airline alliances but utilises codeshare and interline agreements.
  2. The first geological period of the Paleozoic Era has a Latin name connected to Wales. What is it?
    • Cambrian—The term Cambrian is derived from the Latin version of Cymru, the Welsh name for Wales, where rocks of this age were first studied. Adam Sedgwick named it in 1835. The Cambrian is the first geological period of the Paleozoic Era, lasting 51.95 million years. It witnessed the Cambrian explosion, producing the first representatives of most modern animal phyla. The Cambrian is characterised by the assembly of Gondwana and the development of new plate boundaries.
      Frontispiece, 1889 edition A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court
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  3. In Mark Twain’s novel, Hank Morgan is the titular Yankee. What word is missing from the title: A … Yankee in King Arthur’s Court?
    • Connecticut—A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court is a satirical novel by Mark Twain. The story follows Hank Morgan, a Yankee engineer transported back in time to King Arthur’s court, where he uses his knowledge to modernise the past and challenge feudalism and monarchy.
      Achilles.
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  4. Which of these was a mythical hero whom Thetis dressed as a girl and hid with King Lycomedes of Skyros?
    • Achilles—To protect Achilles from the war, Thetis hid him disguised as a princess at the court of Lycomedes. Odysseus, disguised as a pedlar, discovered Achilles’ true identity and convinced him to join the Greek campaign against Troy.
  5. What animal is pictured at the top of this post?
    • Chinchilla—native to the Andes mountains in South America, are known for their dense fur and are related to viscachas and chinchilla rats. Historically hunted for their fur, most chinchillas today are farm-raised for the fur industry, while domestic chinchillas are sometimes kept as pets.

ABC

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Today’s questions have answers which begin with A, B or C.

  1. Established in the 1990s, WestJet is the second-largest airline in which Commonwealth country?
    • Australia
    • Barbados
    • Canada
  2. The first geological period of the Paleozoic Era has a Latin name connected to Wales. What is it?
    • Aquitanian
    • Burdigalian
    • Cambrian
  3. In Mark Twain’s novel, Hank Morgan is the titular Yankee. What word is missing from the title: A … Yankee in King Arthur’s Court?
    • Appalachian
    • Baltimore
    • Connecticut
  4. Which of these was a mythical hero whom Thetis dressed as a girl and hid with King Lycomedes of Skyros?
    • Achilles
    • Basilisk
    • Chiron
  5. What animal is pictured at the top of this post?
    • Agouti
    • Bushbaby
    • Chinchilla

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.