Quizology.Online

Tag: literature

  • Down the Rabbit Hole—Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    All today’s questions relate to the date, March 12th.

    Down the Rabbit Hole.
    Image r/dalle2 on Reddit

    One

    On this day a proposal was submitted to The European Organization for Nuclear Research for an information management system which would subsequently develop in the World Wide Web. 

    1. Who submitted the proposal?
    2. What is The European Organization for Nuclear Research more commonly known as?

    Answers.

    1. Tim Berners-Lee
    2. CERN
      Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web in 1989 at CERN to facilitate information sharing among scientists. CERN released the web software into the public domain in 1993, enabling its widespread adoption. The acronym CERN relates to the original provisional council which was set up in 1952 — Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire (European Council for Nuclear Research).

    Two

    Urban II, elected Pope on this day, initiated the Crusades. In which century did he become Pope?

    Answer: 11th Century.

    Urban II, pope from 1088 to 1099, furthered ecclesiastical reforms, launched the Crusade movement, and strengthened the papacy’s political power.

    Three

    James Taylor was born on this day in 1948. The singer-songwriter’s breakthrough came in 1970 with the single Fire and Rain, which reached number three in the charts. The following year, he had his first number one hit with You’ve Got a Friend. Who wrote these two songs?

    Answers: James Taylor; Carole King.

    Fire and Rain by James Taylor, released in 1970, is about his friend’s suicide and his struggles with addiction and fame. You’ve Got a Friend is a 1971 song by Carole King, recorded for her album Tapestry. James Taylor’s version, featuring Joni Mitchell, reached number one in the United States on the Billboard Hot 100.

    Four

    André Le Nôtre, was born on this day, designed a 2,000-acre (800 ha) formal garden that now forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Which one?

    Answer: Palace and Park of Versailles.

    The Palace and Park of Versailles, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, served as the residence and seat of power for the French monarchy from Louis XIV to Louis XVI. The site, a masterpiece of French art and architecture, includes the Palace, Trianon châteaux, and gardens, all designed by renowned artists and architects. Despite the loss of its original function during the Revolution, the site’s integrity and authenticity have been preserved through conservation efforts and the reconstruction of interior spaces and furnishings.

    Five

    An English author who died on this day in 2015 created characters named Cheery Littlebottom, a dwarf and Detritus a troll who are both sergeants in a city’s police force. Who is the author?

    Answer: Terry Pratchett.

    The Ankh-Morpork City Watch, founded in 1561 UC, evolved from a small, ineffective force to a modern, multi-ethnic police department. Under the leadership of Sam Vimes and Carrot Ironfoundersson, the Watch was revitalised, merging the Day Watch, Night Watch and Palace Guard. The Watch now serves as a powerful deterrent to crime, with a focus on public service and a strong presence in the city. Cheery, the first female dwarf in the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, revolutionises dwarfish culture by openly identifying as female. Detritus, a troll, joined the Ankh-Morpork City Watch under Lord Vetinari’s hiring procedures. Despite being initially considered stupid, he became a natural sergeant, aided by a cooling helmet that improved his intelligence. He is known for his destructive crossbow, the Piecemaker, and his overprotective nature, earning him the respect of Commander Vimes.

    Down the Rabbit Hole

    In Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Alice falls into a rabbit hole and finds herself in Wonderland.  Today the phrase ‘down the rabbit hole’ is commonly used to describe endlessly clicking through online links or items.  As Collins Dictionary puts it, ‘The internet is a great research tool – but be warned you might end up down a rabbit hole.’

  • Down the Rabbit Hole

    All today’s questions relate to the date, March 12th.

    Down the Rabbit Hole.
    Image r/dalle2 on Reddit

    One

    On this day a proposal was submitted to The European Organization for Nuclear Research for an information management system which would subsequently develop in the World Wide Web. 

    Two

    Urban II, elected Pope on this day, initiated the Crusades. In which century did he become Pope?

    Three

    James Taylor was born on this day in 1948. The singer-songwriter’s breakthrough came in 1970 with the single Fire and Rain, which reached number three in the charts. The following year, he had his first number one hit with You’ve Got a Friend. Who wrote these two songs?

    Four

    André Le Nôtre, was born on this day, designed a 2,000-acre (800 ha) formal garden that now forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Which one?

    Five

    An English author who died on this day in 2015 created characters named Cheery Littlebottom, a dwarf and Detritus a troll who are both sergeants in a city’s police force. Who is the author?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • 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.

  • A Pear-fect Fit—Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    Today we have a mixed orchard supplying a variety of questions.

     

    Pear tree.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    What is the alcoholic drink that is made from the fermented juice of pears?

    Answer: Perry.

    noun (plural perries) [mass noun] an alcoholic drink made from the fermented juice of pears. 
    origin Middle English: from Old French pere, from an alteration of Latin pirum ‘pear’.
    — Oxford English Dictionary 

    Two

    Which Avril Lavigne album cover features her with a red ‘X’ on her sleeve?

    Answer: Under My Skin.

    Avril Lavigne’s second studio album, Under My Skin, was released in 2004 and debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart and US Billboard 200. The album, produced by Raine Maida, Don Gilmore and Butch Walker, received mixed to positive reviews and is considered a classic that defined pop-punk in the early 2000s.

    Three

    —— was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, ‘and what is the use of a book’, thought —— ‘without pictures or conversation?’

    What name is missing twice from, and what book opens with, the above quote?

    Answers: Alice; Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

    Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, a children’s novel by Lewis Carroll, follows a girl named Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world. The novel, known for its literary nonsense genre, has had a lasting influence on popular culture and literature.

    Four

    List all the countries and their capital cities where that city stands on the River Danube.

    Answers: Vienna, Austria; Bratislava, Slovakia; Budapest, Hungary and Belgrade, Serbia.

    The Danube, Europe’s second-longest river, flows through Central and Southeastern Europe, connecting ten countries and serving as a vital trade route. Flowing from the Black Forest to the Black Sea, it is navigable for 2,415 km and supports various fish species, including carp and sturgeon.

    Five

    How many playing squares does a Scrabble board have?

    Answer: 225.

    Alfred Mosher Butts invented Scrabble in 1931. It is a word game played on a 15×15 grid of 225 squares. It is produced by Hasbro in the US and Canada—Mattel elsewhere—with 150 million sets sold worldwide.

  • A Pear-fect Fit

    Today we have a mixed orchard supplying a variety of questions.

     

    Pear tree.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    What is the alcoholic drink that is made from the fermented juice of pears?

    Two

    Which Avril Lavigne album cover features her with a red ‘X’ on her sleeve?

    Three

    —— was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, ‘and what is the use of a book’, thought —— ‘without pictures or conversation?’

    What name is missing twice from, and what book opens with, the above quote?

    Four

    List all the countries and their capital cities where that city stands on the River Danube.

    Five

    How many playing squares does a Scrabble board have?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Mr Watson—come here—I want you — Answers

    Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

    Today’s questions all relate to the date, March 7th.

    Alexander Graham Bell.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    On 7 March 1876, Alexander Graham Bell secured a patent for his invention, the telephone. Once the first transcontinental telephone line was laid across the United States, a ceremonial first transcontinental call was made. Which decade did this happen in?

    Answer: 1910s.

    On 25 January 1915, Alexander Graham Bell made the ceremonial first transcontinental call. From New York City, he called his assistant, Thomas Watson, in San Francisco using the same words he’d used when he first successfully called Watson in a neighbouring room: ‘Mr Watson—come here—I want you.’ This time, Watson replied, ‘It will take me five days to get there now!’ The call also involved Woodrow Wilson, the US president, in Washington D.C. and Theodore Vail, AT&T president, on Jekyll Island, Georgia. 

    First transcontinental telephone call.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Two

    Rob Roy MacGregor, a Scottish outlaw, was the subject of the 1817 novel Rob Roy. Who was the author of this work?

    Answer: Sir Walter Scott.

    Rob Roy, a Highland outlaw known for his red hair and exploits against the Duke of Montrose, was often compared to Robin Hood. However, his life was marked by brigandage, debt, and a complex relationship with the Jacobite cause. Born in 1671, Robert Roy MacGregor was a Scottish outlaw and Jacobite hero who initially became a cattleman and later a respected figure. His life took a turn when he defaulted on a loan and was branded an outlaw. Despite this status, he gained fame, and his story was immortalised in literature and film and his letters reveal that he was well educated, suggesting that the view of him as a mere brutish highwayman does not do him justice. 

    Three

    Born in 1875 in Cibourne, France, this composer’s work would be used by skaters Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean in their gold medal winning performance at the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics. Who was this composer and what was the piece of music?

    Answers: Maurice Ravel; Boléro.

    Performing their free dance to Boléro, British ice dancers Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean triumphed at the Sarajevo 1984 Winter Olympics, securing gold and setting a new record for the highest score ever achieved in a single figure skating programme.

    Four

    On this date in 2024, which Northern European country joined NATO as its 32nd member?

    Answer: Sweden.

    The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine prompted a significant reinforcement of NATO’s eastern flank.  Consequently, Sweden, previously neutral, decided to abandon that neutrality and join the alliance.

    Tableau I, Piet Mondrian.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Five

    Born in 1872, this Dutch artist became famous for a style featuring black grid lines and blocks of primary colours such as red, blue, and yellow. The style became known as Neoplasticism or De Stijl. Who was the artist?

    Answer: Piet Mondrian.

    Piet Mondrian, a Dutch painter and art theoretician, was a pioneer of 20th-century abstract art. He co-founded the De Stijl art movement and developed Neoplasticism, a non-representational form using primary colours, values, and directions.

  • 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.

  • Flotsam and Jetsam—Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    These questions are a mixed bag that must have been floating about somewhere in my head.

    Sydney Harbour.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    This harbour is an inlet of which sea?

    Answer: Tasman Sea

    Port Jackson, also known as Sydney Harbour, is a natural harbour in an inlet of the Tasman Sea—a marginal sea of the South Pacific Ocean. It is home to landmarks like the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge and a hub for recreational events and is managed by Transport for NSW, with parts protected by Sydney Harbour National Park.

    Two

    In December 2000, Madonna and Guy Ritchie were married at Skibo Castle. In what country is Skibo Castle?

    Answer: Scotland (or either Great Britain or U.K.)

    Rocco, Madonna and Guy Ritchie’s four-month-old son, was christened in December 2000 at Dornoch Cathedral in Scotland. The couple then married the following day at nearby Skibo Castle.

    Three

    At a restaurant, an Ameglian Major Cow approached a table and introduced itself as the ‘Dish of the Day’. It then proceeded to describe its body parts, suggesting to the diners which parts they might enjoy eating. In which restaurant and in which book series did this take place?

    Answers: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe; The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

    A large dairy animal approached Zaphod Beeblebrox’s table, a large fat meaty quadruped of the bovine type with large watery eyes, small horns and what might almost have been an ingratiating smile on its lips.

    ‘Good evening,’ it lowed and sat back heavily on its haunches, ‘I am the main Dish of the Day. May I interest you in parts of my body?’ It harrumphed and gurgled a bit, wriggled its hind quarters into a more comfortable position and gazed peacefully at them.
    — Excerpt from ‘The Restaurant at the End of the Universe’ Chapter 17 Page 273, The Ultimate Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Terry Pratchett

    Four

    William E. Carter was the owner of a 1912 Renault motor car. In what 1997 film was a replica of his car used as the setting for a love scene?

    Answer: Titanic

    Carter, an American millionaire, purchased the Renault Type CB Coupé de Ville and arranged to transport it on the RMS Titanic. Carter survived the sinking but no trace of his car has been found. In the 1997 film Titanic a replica of the car was used for Jack and Rose’s love scene in the ship’s hold.

    Five

    What martial art has a Japanese name literally meaning,  ‘way of adapting the spirit’?

    Answer: Aikido

    Aikido, a Japanese martial art, emphasises mental calm and control to subdue attackers using twisting and throwing techniques. Originating in the 14th century, it was modernised by Ueshiba Morihei in the early 20th century and later adapted for competition by Tomiki Kenji.