literature – Page 8 – Quizology Online

Mothers—Answers

Here are the answers for the questions I posted earlier.

*Sylvia’s Mother*, Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show.
Image CD and LP

One

Mrs Avery is the title character in which 1972 song by Dr. Hook; and what was the full name of the band at the time of the original release?

Answer: Sylvia’s Mother and Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show

Sylvia’s Mother, written by Shel Silverstein and originally performed by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show, was their first hit. It reached number five on the Billboard singles chart and topped charts in several countries. The band kept this name until 1975 when they shortened it to Dr. Hook.

*Thetis Dipping the Infant Achilles into the River Styx* by Peter Paul Rubens (c. 1625);
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam.
Image Wikipedia

Two

Achilles was dipped into which river by his mother to make him invulnerable?

Answer: Styx

Legend claims Achilles was invulnerable except for his heel, which his mother held while dipping him in the River Styx. Achilles heel, a term derived from this, signifies a vulnerable point despite overall strength. The Achilles tendon is also named after this legend.

*Adolf Hitler: My Part in his Downfall* by Spike Milligan.
Image Libris

Three

September 3rd, 1939. The last minutes of peace ticking away. Father and I were watching Mother digging our air-raid shelter.

The opening lines of a novel first published in 1971 are quoted above. Can you name the novel and its author?

Answer: Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall by Spike Milligan

Spike Milligan’s war memoir, Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall, recounts his experiences from Britain’s declaration of war to the Allied liberation of Africa. The book, the first of seven volumes, blends anecdotes, photographs and sketches.

Alyson Hannigan as Lily Aldrin.
Image Alchetron

Four

Who plays Lily on television’s How I Met Your Mother?

Answer: Alyson Hannigan

Lily Aldrin, portrayed by Alyson Hannigan, is a fictional character in How I Met Your Mother. She is a kindergarten teacher, amateur painter, and later becomes an art consultant.

Statue of Helena in the Musei Capitolini, Rome.
Image Wikipedia

Five

Evelyn Waugh’s 1950 novel Helena is about the mother of which 4th-century Roman emperor?

Answer: Constantine I or Constantine the Great

Flavia Julia Helena, also known as Saint Helena, was a Roman Augusta and mother of Emperor Constantine the Great. Revered as a saint, she is believed to have discovered the True Cross during a religious tour.

Statue of Constantine I in York, England.
Near the spot where he was proclaimed Augustus in 306 CE.
Image Wikipedia

Mothers

All of today’s questions are related to Mothers in one way or another.

See question 2. *Thetis Dipping the Infant Achilles into the ——* by Peter Paul Rubens c. 1625; Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam.
Image Wikipedia

One

Mrs Avery is the title character in which 1972 song by Dr. Hook; and what was the full name of the band at the time of the original release?

Two

Achilles was dipped into which river by his mother to make him invulnerable?

Three

September 3rd, 1939. The last minutes of peace ticking away. Father and I were watching Mother digging our air-raid shelter.

The opening lines of a novel first published in 1971 are quoted above. What novel and who was the author?

Four

Who plays Lily on television’s How I Met Your Mother?

Five

Evelyn Waugh’s 1950 novel Helena is about the mother of which 4th-century Roman emperor?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later today.

Birthdays—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

Harry Potter, question 3.
Image Movieweb Images

Today is my one hundred and eleventh birthday: I am — today!

At the start of The Lord of the Rings, Bilbo Baggins is celebrating his 111th birthday. What two-word, hyphenated term, omitted above, does he use to describe his birthday?

Answer: Eleventy-one

See comment below next answer

Two

Bilbo’s nephew Frodo’s birthday was also the 22 September and that year it marked his ‘coming of age’. How old was Frodo that day?

Answer: 33

Hobbits, a fictional race in J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels, are about half the height of humans. They have tough, hairy feet and live in underground homes. Known as halflings, they first appeared in The Hobbit (1937), featuring Bilbo Baggins. In The Lord of the Rings, hobbits Frodo Baggins, Sam Gamgee, Pippin Took and Merry Brandybuck are central to saving Middle-earth. Hobbits reside in Hobbiton, part of the Shire and Bree-land. The name’s origins are debated, although Tolkien emphatically rejected any link to ‘rabbit’. Hobbits bridge the modern and ancient worlds, featuring modern items like umbrellas and clocks unlike the race’s of men in Rohan and Gondor.

Three

Harry Potter’s birthday is 31 July, but in what year?

Answer: 1980

Harry Potter, the titular character of J.K. Rowling’s series, is an orphan who discovers he is a wizard on his eleventh birthday. The series of seven novels and subsequent film adaptations follows his journey at Hogwarts and his quest to defeat the Dark wizard Lord Voldemort.

Casino Royale, first published 13 April 1953.
Image James Bond Fandom

Four

When the Bond film series received a reboot with the 2006 film Casino Royale, the title character was given a birthday: 13 April 1968. What was significant about that date and that year?

Answer: Casino Royale first publication plus Daniel Craig’s birth year

13 April 1953, was the date of publication of Casino Royale, Fleming’s first novel. The year chosen was that of Daniel Craig’s own birth year 1968 (March 2nd).

Five

Which regular character from Scooby_Doo has their birthday confirmed as being on Christmas Day in In Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!?

Answer: Daphne

The Scooby-Doo gang visits the town of Rockwellville in search of a Christmas mystery, but all they find is a pterodactyl who seems to have nothing to do with Christmas. Meanwhile, Daphne, who is tired of having her December 25th birthday overshadowed year after year, tries to convince the gang to celebrate her birthday instead of Christmas.
In Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! ‘Scary Christmas’ First broadcast 10 December 2015 — Wikipedia

Birthdays

The first and second questions are about two fictional characters’ birthdays on September 22nd. The remaining questions also revolve around fictional characters’ birthdays.

Bilbo’s Party.
Image Livia Prima via Tolkien Gateway

One

Today is my one hundred and eleventh birthday: I am — today!

At the start of The Lord of the Rings, Bilbo Baggins is celebrating his 111th birthday. What two-word, hyphenated term, omitted above, does he use to describe his birthday?

Two

Bilbo’s nephew Frodo’s birthday was also the 22nd September and that year it marked his ‘coming of age’. How old was Frodo that day?

Three

Harry Potter’s birthday is 31 July, but in what year?

Four

When the Bond film series received a reboot with the 2006 film Casino Royale, the title character was given a birthday: 13 April 1968. What was significant about that date and that year?

Five

Which regular character from Scooby_Doo has their birthday confirmed as being on Christmas Day in In Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

An Unexpected Party—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions from my earlier post.

An Unexpected Party.
Image Tea With Bilbo

One

The opening chapter of a book, first published on 21 September 1937, is titled ‘An Unexpected Party’. Before the party begins, the householder is unexpectedly visited by a group of dwarfs. How many dwarfs are there?

Answers: Thirteen

The book is The Hobbit. Bilbo Baggins lives in the house. Gandalf, without Bilbo’s knowledge, organises a party. The dwarves arrive either singly or in groups:

Dwalin
Balin
Kili and Fili
Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin and Gloin
Bifur, Bofur and Bombur
Thorin Oakenshield

Two

The Grammy-winning album American Idiot was released on 21 September 2004 by which band?

Answer: Green Day

American Idiot, Green Day’s seventh studio album, is a concept album that follows the story of Jesus of Suburbia. The album, which marked a return to the band’s punk rock sound, was a critical and commercial success, selling over 23 million copies worldwide and winning several awards.

Three

According to the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, on the night of September 21, 1823, Joseph Smith prayed to know God’s further will. A light steadily grew, “as though the house was filled with consuming and unquenchable fire.” …, a messenger sent from God stood before him. Who was this messenger?

Answer: Moroni

Moroni, son of Mormon, was a Nephite prophet, historian and military commander. He completed the Nephite record, buried the plates, and later became the Angel Moroni in Latter Day Saint belief.

Four

On this day in 1957, a mystery series based on Erle Stanley Gardner’s books debuted on American television. What was the TV series?

Answer: Perry Mason

Perry Mason, a long-running American legal drama series, aired on CBS from 1957 to 1966. The show, based on Erle Stanley Gardner’s detective fiction, starred Raymond Burr as the titular lawyer and received numerous awards and accolades.

Janis Joplin photographed by Jim Marshall about one year before her death.
Image Wikipedia

Five

Born on 21 September 1934, a singer-songwriter released an album titled New Skin for the Old Ceremony in 1974. This album included the song Chelsea Hotel No. 2, which Encyclopædia Britannica describes as a ‘frank recollection of a brief sexual encounter with Janis Joplin’. Who is this singer-songwriter?

Answer: Leonard Cohen

Chelsea Hotel #2 recounts a sexual encounter at the Chelsea Hotel with Janis Joplin. Cohen later regretted revealing the song’s inspiration and the explicit details of their relationship. In 1994, on the BBC, Cohen said it was “an indiscretion for which I’m very sorry. If there is some way of apologising to the ghost, I want to apologise now for having committed that indiscretion.”
Good luck! I’ll post the answers later today.

An Unexpected Party

Five questions related to today, September 21st.

One

Two

The Grammy-winning album American Idiot was released on 21 September 2004 by which band?

Three

Four

On this day in 1957, a mystery series based on Erle Stanley Gardner’s books debuted on American television. What was the TV series?

Five

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later today.

Initially FIVES—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions from my earlier post.

Enable and Frankie Dettori at the 2018 Breeders’ Cup.
Image Wikipedia

One

In 2018, which jockey won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for the second year in a row riding Enable?

Frankie Dettori

Italian jockey Lanfranco ‘Frankie’ Dettori, based in England for over 35 years, achieved significant success, including riding all seven winners at Ascot on 28 September 1996. He was British flat racing Champion Jockey three times and rode 287 Group 1 race winners. After a long career with Godolphin Racing and Al Shaqab Racing, he announced his retirement from professional riding in 2023.

Two

What ‘I’ are animals that have no backbones?

Answer: Invertebrates

Invertebrates are animals that lack a backbone, or spine. They include arthropods (such as insects and spiders), molluscs (like snails and clams), annelids (e.g. earthworms), echinoderms (like starfish and sea urchins), flatworms, cnidarians (such as jellyfish and corals), and sponges.

Three

Which Hogarth Press co-founder published their third novel, Jacob’s Room, in 1922?

Answer: Virginia Woolf

Virginia Woolf’s third novel, Jacob’s Room, centres on the life of Jacob Flanders, presented through the impressions of other characters. The novel explores themes of emptiness and absence, portraying Jacob as a series of perceptions rather than a concrete reality.

Four

The writer of the song Always Look on the Bright Side of Life is described by Wikipedia as a ‘actor, comedian, songwriter, musician, screenwriter and playwright’. Who is he?

Answer: Eric Idle

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life is a comedy song by Eric Idle, featured in Monty Python’s Life of Brian. It became a popular singalong and reached No. 3 on the UK singles chart in 1991. In 2014, it was shown to be the most popular song choice for Britons to have played at their funerals.

Scapa Flow during World War II, 1942.
Image Wikipedia

Five

The Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet was based at which anchorage in the Orkney Islands during the First World War?

Answer: Scapa Flow

Scapa Flow, a sheltered body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, has been significant for travel, trade and conflict throughout history. It served as the UK’s chief naval base during both World Wars before closing in 1956. On 21 June 1919, the interned Imperial German Navy’s High Seas Fleet was scuttled by its sailors in Scapa Flow with 52 of the 74 vessels sank.

FIVES

The post-title FIVES provided the initial letters F-I-V-E-S for each answer in order, with a prompt at number 2—What ‘I’—to hopefully help you on the road.

Initially FIVES

Here are five random questions today, unrelated to the date, but with a clue in the title.

One

In 2018, which jockey won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for the second year in a row riding Enable?

Two

What ‘I’ are animals that have no backbones?

Three

Which Hogarth Press co-founder published a third novel, Jacob’s Room, in 1922?

Four

The writer of the song Always Look on the Bright Side of Life is described by Wikipedia as an ‘actor, comedian, songwriter, musician, screenwriter and playwright’. Who is he?

Five

The Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet was based at which anchorage in the Orkney Islands during the First World War?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later today.

All in a Day—Answers

One

On 18 September 1905, the actress Greta Garbo was born. In which capital city was she born?

Answer: Stockholm

Greta Garbo, was born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, in Stockholm, Sweden. The Swedish-American actress was a prominent figure in Hollywood’s silent and early golden eras. Known for her melancholic screen persona and subtle performances, she achieved international stardom with films like Flesh and the Devil and A Woman of Affairs. Despite her success, Garbo retired from acting in 1941, shunning publicity and leading a private life until her death in 1990.

Two

A Dictionary of the English Language, published 1755, was considered the most famous work of which English writer, poet, playwright and lexicographer who was born 18 September 1709?

Answer: Samuel Johnson

Samuel Johnson, an English writer, made significant contributions to literature as a poet, playwright, essayist, and lexicographer. His most famous work, A Dictionary of the English Language, was published in 1755 and remained influential for 150 years. Johnson’s friendship with James Boswell resulted in the renowned biography, Life of Samuel Johnson.

Three

Dylan Kwabena Mills, born today in 1984, is known professionally as whom?

Answer: Dizzee Rascal

Dizzee Rascal, a British rapper, is credited with pioneering British hip hop and grime music. His work, incorporating elements of UK garage, bassline, and R&B, brought UK rap into the mainstream and achieved international recognition.

Four

John G. Diefenbaker, who was born on this day in 1895, was the prime minister of which country from 1957 to 1963?

Answer: Canada

John G. Diefenbaker, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, served as Canada’s prime minister from 1957 to 1963, ending 22 years of Liberal rule. His government faced challenges, including a crisis over nuclear weapons, leading to his defeat in the 1963 election.

Five

American police officer J.D. Tippit was born on 18 September 1924. When he was 39 years of age he was shot and killed while on duty by a suspect he was questioning regarding an earlier shooting. Who was he shot by?

Answer: Lee Harvey Oswald

After the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas at 1230 on 22 November 1963, bullet casings were found on the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository, where a rifle owned by Lee Harvey Oswald was discovered. Two employees were missing: one outside watching the motorcade and Oswald, who had been working there for a month. Oswald was seen on the sixth floor before the shooting and encountered by the building superintendent and a policeman afterward. Law enforcement circulated his description. Oswald returned to his boardinghouse, and then left again. At 1:15 pm he was confronted by Dallas policeman J.D. Tippit, whom he shot and killed. Witnesses saw Oswald enter the Texas Theatre, where he was apprehended by police at 1:50 PM.

All in a Day

These questions all relate to people born on September 18th.

One

On 18 September 1905, the actress Greta Garbo was born. In which capital city was she born?

Two

A Dictionary of the English Language, published 1755, was considered the most famous work of which English writer, poet, playwright and lexicographer who was born 18 September 1709?

Three

Dylan Kwabena Mills, born today in 1984, is known professionally as whom?

Four

John G. Diefenbaker, who was born on this day in 1895, was the prime minister of which country from 1957 to 1963?

Five

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.