music – Page 7 – Quizology Online

The Wrong Sort of Bees—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions posed in my earlier post.

Today’s questions all relate to December 24th.

See question 5. Taken aboard Apollo 8 by Bill Anders, this iconic picture shows Earth peeking out from beyond the lunar surface as the first crewed spacecraft circumnavigated the Moon, with astronauts Anders, Frank Borman, and Jim Lovell aboard.
Image NASA

One

The Wrong Sort of Bees, published in London’s Evening News on 24 December 1925, introduced a fictional anthropomorphic character to children’s literature and entertainment. Who was this character, and who was the author?

Answer: Winnie-the-Pooh; AA Milne

Winnie-the-Pooh, a fictional teddy bear created by AA Milne and EH Shepard, first appeared in a 1925 children’s story. The character, inspired by Milne’s son’s toy and a bear at London Zoo, became the subject of several books and was later adapted into a successful Disney franchise.

Two

Kiritimati (pronounced Kir-is-Maas) part of the Republic of Kiribati was named by a British naval officer and explorer who visited in 1777. In what ocean is Kiritimati, and who named it?

Answer: Pacific Ocean; Captain James Cook

The name given to it by Captain Cook as he visited on Christmas Eve was Christmas Island. In Gilbertese, ‘Christmas’ is ‘Kiritimati’, the combination ‘ti’ is pronounced as ‘s’.

Three

In which year did the first Christmas truce of World War I occur?

Answer: 1914

The Christmas truce was a series of unofficial ceasefires along the Western Front during World War I.

Four

What armed forces invaded Afghanistan on this day in 1979?

Answer: Soviet Union

Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan in December 1979, supporting the communist government against anti-communist Muslim guerrillas until February 1989.

Five

In 1968, in a television broadcast from space the crew of Apollo 8 read the first ten verses of the Genesis creation narrative from the King James Bible. What specific feat did the Apollo 8 mission achieve?

Answer: The answer is any, or all, of the points listed below

Apollo 8 was the first crewed spacecraft to leave Earth’s gravitational sphere of influence.
It was also the first human spaceflight to reach the Moon.
The crew orbited the Moon ten times without landing.
The three astronauts, Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders, were the first humans to see and photograph the far side of the Moon.
They also witnessed and photographed an Earthrise (see image).

On Christmas Eve 1968, the Apollo 8 crew, the first humans to orbit the Moon, read from the Book of Genesis during a live television broadcast from lunar orbit. The reading, which was heard by an estimated one billion people worldwide, was a suggestion from Christine Laitin, the wife of one of those working on the project. Mrs Laitin had been a member of the French Resistance during World War II.

The Wrong Sort of Bees

Today’s questions all relate to December 24th.

One

Two

Kiritimati (pronounced Kir-is-Maas) part of the Republic of Kiribati was named by a British naval officer and explorer who visited in 1777. In what ocean is Kiritimati, and who named it?

Three

In which year did the first Christmas truce of World War I occur?

Four

What armed forces invaded Afghanistan on this day in 1979?

Five

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

Little Sparrow—Answers

Here are the answers to my earlier post.

See question 5. Artist pression of ESA’s *Gaia* satellite observing the Milky Way, with a background image of the sky compiled from data from more than 1.8 billion stars.
Image ESA via Wikipedia

One

… was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that.

Published for the first time on this date in 1843, what begins with the quote above and whose surname is missing from the start?

Answer: A Christmas Carol; Marley

A Christmas Carol, a novella by Charles Dickens, recounts the story of Ebenezer Scrooge’s transformation after visits from the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. The novella, published in 1843, was inspired by Dickens’s experiences and the Victorian revival of Christmas traditions. It has never been out of print and has been widely adapted.

Two

Born on this day in 1906, what Soviet leader, along with US President Jimmy Carter, signed the unsuccessful SALT II treaty in Vienna in 1979?

Answer: Leonid Brezhnev

Leonid Brezhnev, a Soviet statesman, led the Soviet Union for 18 years. He prioritised foreign and military affairs, implementing the Brezhnev Doctrine to justify Soviet intervention in Czechoslovakia and expanding the Soviet military-industrial complex. While achieving parity with the US in nuclear weapons and space programmes, Brezhnev’s focus on defence led to economic decline, impacting agriculture, consumer goods and healthcare.

Three

A singer born in Paris, France, on 19 December 1915, came to be known as ‘little sparrow’. Who was she?

Answer: Edith Piaf

Edith Piaf, a French singer and actress, gained international fame for her interpretation of the chanson. Her life, marked by tragedy and hardship, deeply influenced her music, which often reflected themes of loss and love. Despite her struggles with health and addiction, Piaf’s powerful voice and dramatic style captivated audiences, leaving a lasting legacy.

Four

On this day in 1606, Christopher Newport, in command of the Discovery, the Godspeed, and the Susan Constant, sailed from London, England. The following April, they entered a bay—the largest estuary in the United States—and went on to set up the first permanent English settlement in North America. What was the name of the bay and the colony?

Answer: Chesapeake Bay; Jamestown

Newport, a member of the colony’s governing body, led a total five voyages between Virginia and England, bringing supplies and settlers to the Jamestown colony between 1606 and 1611.

Five

In 2013, the European Space Agency launched a spacecraft that could be described as a space telescope or astronomical observatory. Named after the personification of Earth in Greek mythology, what was its name?

Answer: Gaia

Gaia, the Greek personification of Earth, is the mother of Uranus, Pontus, the Titans, Cyclopes and Giants.

From 27 July 2014 to 15 January 2025, Gaia has made more than three trillion observations of two billion stars and other objects throughout our Milky Way galaxy and beyond, mapping their motions, luminosity, temperature and composition. Gaia’s extraordinarily precise three-dimensional map will provide the data needed to tackle an enormous range of important questions related to the origin, structure and evolutionary history of our galaxy.

— European Space Agency

The Glimmer Twins—Answers

The Glimmer Twins. See question five.
Image Atlas Obscura

Today’s questions are all related to events that occurred on December 18th.

One

How many US presidents have been impeached, and who are they?

Answer: Three; Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump (twice)

On 18 December 2019 Donald Trump became the third US president to be impeached. He was impeached a second time in January 2021. Impeachment is a congressional check on presidential power, requiring a simple majority vote in the House and a two-thirds majority in the Senate for conviction and removal from office. Despite being impeached, none of these presidents were convicted or removed from office. In 1974, in a bid to avoid being impeached Richard Nixon, became the first president to resign.

Two

In 1892, Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker was first presented at which theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia

Answer: Mariinsky Theatre

The Nutcracker, Tchaikovsky’s final ballet, premiered in December 1892. Despite initial criticism of the choreography, scenery, and performance, it has become the most frequently performed ballet and a popular introduction to classical music. Though initially not as successful as the earlier Nutcracker Suite, it gained popularity and is now performed by many ballet companies, especially in North America.

Three

Born on this day in 1946, this director directed Richard Dreyfuss as Matt Hooper in a 1975 film and as Roy Neary in a 1977 one. Who is the director and what are the films?

Answer: Steven Spielberg; Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Steven Spielberg, the highest-grossing director of all time, is renowned for pioneering the modern blockbuster with films like Jaws and Schindler’s List. He co-founded Amblin Entertainment and DreamWorks Pictures, producing numerous successful films and TV series. Spielberg’s filmmaking journey began in childhood, leading to early successes. His breakthrough with Jaws (1975) established him as a leading director and created the summer blockbuster genre. He is also celebrated for diverse works, including Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

Four

The TV special How the Grinch Stole Christmas! premiered in 1966 and was an adaptation of a 1957 children’s book written under a pen name. Could you tell me what that pen name was and what is the author’s real name?

Answer: Dr. Seuss; Theodor Seuss Geisel

Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, was an American children’s author and illustrator. He wrote and illustrated over 60 books, including classics like The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham, selling over 600 million copies worldwide. His work has been adapted into numerous television specials, films, and a Broadway musical. His birthday, March 2nd, is marked annually as National Read Across America Day

Five

Born on this day in 1943, one half of ‘The Glimmer Twins’. This British musician and guitarist met a singer, his musical and songwriting ‘twin’ at a railway station in 1961. Their chance encounter ultimately led to their becoming key figures in the formation of a legendary rock band. Who was the musician born on this day?

Answer: Keith Richards

Born in Dartford, Kent, in 1943, Keith Richards is a celebrated British musician, guitarist, songwriter and record producer. His innovative chord-heavy playing style, influenced by early blues, has been a key factor in the Rolling Stones’ immense success. He is best known as a founding member and guitarist of the Rolling Stones, with a successful songwriting partnership with Mick Jagger. *Rolling Stones *magazine’s ‘500 Greatest Songs of All Time’ list included fourteen songs written by Richards and Jagger.

The Glimmer Twins

The post title refers to a name used by Keith Richards and Mick Jagger who have produced Stones’ albums under the pseudonym ‘The Glimmer Twins’ starting with It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (1974).

The Glimmer Twins

Today’s questions are all related to events that occurred on December 18th.

One

How many US presidents have been impeached, and who are they?

Two

In 1892, Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker was first presented at which theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia

Three

Born on this day in 1946, this director directed Richard Dreyfuss as Matt Hooper in a 1975 film and as Roy Neary in a 1977 one. Who is the director and what are the films?

Four

Five

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

100 Not Out—Answers

Caractacus Potts (Dick Van Dyke) *Chitty Chitty Bang Bang* (1968).

One

Born on this day in 1925, an actor portrayed Caractacus Potts in a 1968 film adaptation of an Ian Fleming story. Who is he and what was the film?

Answer: Dick Van Dyke; Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Happy Birthday! The post title refers to Dick Van Dyke being 100 today.

Dick Van Dyke, born in 1925, is an American actor and comedian renowned for his charm and physical comedy. He began his show business career after a failed advertising venture, performing in nightclubs and on television before making his Broadway debut in 1959. Van Dyke starred in the hit musical Bye Bye Birdie, winning a Tony Award, which led to his iconic role in The Dick Van Dyke Show, earning him three Emmys. He also starred in films like Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and returned to television with various shows and TV movies. His career highlights include roles in Dick Tracy, Diagnosis Murder, and Night at the Museum. Van Dyke received a Television Academy Hall of Fame induction in 1995 and a Kennedy Centre Honour in 2021.

Two

The first European to sight the South Island of New Zealand did so on this day. Who was he, and in what century did this sighting occur?

Answer: Abel Tasman; 17th century (1642)

Abel Janszoon Tasman, a Dutch explorer, was the first European to reach New Zealand and Tasmania. His 1642 expedition, commissioned by the Dutch East India Company, aimed to discover new trade routes and establish trade relations with native inhabitants. Despite a violent encounter with the Māori people, Tasman’s voyage paved the way for future colonisation.

Three

In 1956, the film Anastasia was released in America. This drama marked the Hollywood comeback of an actress following a scandal involving an extramarital affair. Her performance earned her the Best Actress Oscar. Who was she?

Answer: Ingrid Bergman

After years working exclusively in Europe following her highly publicised affair with Roberto Rossellini, this film marked a Hollywood comeback for Ingrid Bergman. Her performance earned her, among others, the Academy Award for Best Actress, the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture.

Four

The final moonwalk or EVA of the Apollo programme occurred on this day in 1972. Which Apollo mission was this and who were the two astronauts on the Moon?

Answer: Apollo 17; Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt

Apollo 17, the final Apollo mission, launched on 7 December 1972 and concluded on 19 December 1972. Commander Eugene Cernan and Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt were the last humans to walk on the Moon, landing in the Taurus-Littrow Valley. They conducted experiments, collected samples, and travelled 19 miles in their lunar rover before returning to Earth. Cernan, the last person to date to stand on the Moon, said before returning to the lunar module, ‘We shall return, with peace and hope for all mankind. Godspeed the crew of Apollo 17’.

Taylor Swift at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards.
Image iHeartRadioCA via Wikipedia

Five

What singer-songwriter was born in West Reading, Pennsylvania on this day in 1989?

Answer: Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift, a renowned American singer-songwriter known for her autobiographical songwriting and artistic reinventions, made history in 2024 by becoming the first artist to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year four times and breaking the record for the highest-grossing concert tour. She is the highest-grossing live music artist and one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having won numerous awards, including 14 Grammys, and is the first individual from the arts to be named Time Person of the Year.

100 Not Out

One

Born on this day in 1925, an actor portrayed Caractacus Potts in a 1968 film adaptation of an Ian Fleming story. Who is he and what was the film?

Two

The first European to sight the South Island of New Zealand did so on this day. Who was he, and in what century did this sighting occur?

Three

Four

The final moonwalk or EVA of the Apollo programme occurred on this day in 1972. Which Apollo mission was this and who were the two astronauts on the Moon?

Five

What singer-songwriter was born in West Reading, Pennsylvania on this day in 1989?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

In My Life—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

Although spread over several centuries these questions are all related to today’s date, December 8th.

One

John Lennon was murdered in 1980. What song did Paul McCartney write as a tribute to John Lennon after his death. The song was released on his album, Tug of War (1982).

Answer: Here Today

Composed as a heartfelt tribute to John Lennon, this song expresses the emotions Paul felt he couldn’t fully convey to him during their time together. It’s structured as an imagined conversation exploring their affection, regret and complex friendship. McCartney performs it frequently at concerts as a dedicated moment for Lennon. McCartney featured on George Harrison’s tribute song All Those Years Ago (1981) alongside Ringo Starr on drums. McCartney, Linda and Denny Laine provided backing vocals.
The post title In My Life is a Beatles song from their 1965 album Rubber Soul.

Two

The first woman to appear on a public stage in England did so on this date, in what decade did this occur?

Answer: 1660s (1660)

Margaret Hughes, also known as Peg Hughes, is widely regarded as the first professional actress to appear on the English stage. She made theatre history on 8 December 1660 when she played Desdemona in Othello, a landmark moment that signalled a major shift in Restoration-era drama, as women began performing publicly for the first time. Anne Marshall, another pioneer, is also sometimes credited with being the actress to appear on this date.

Three

Mary, Queen of Scots, was born on this day, and six days later she became queen of Scotland. In what decade did this occur?

Answer: 1540s (1542)

Mary, Queen of Scots, ascended to the throne at six days old. After marrying Francis, Dauphin of France, she became queen consort of France until his death. Returning to Scotland, her reign was marked by religious and political turmoil, culminating in her forced abdication and imprisonment. Seeking refuge in England, she was perceived as a threat to Elizabeth I and executed after being found guilty of plotting against her.

Four

In 1991, after the Soviet Union’s breakup, which three former Soviet republics formed the Commonwealth of Independent States?

Answer: Russia, Ukraine and Belarus

The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was formed in 1991 by Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, replacing the USSR. There were eventually twelve former Soviet republics as members, including the Central Asian republics: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan; and the Transcaucasian republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia; and Moldova. Notably, the former Soviet republics in the Baltic area—Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania—declined to join the CIS.

Five

…an emotionally shattering look at the effects of the Vietnam War on the young American men sent to fight in it, the movie later won an Oscar for best picture

—Encyclopædia Britannica https://www.britannica.com/on-this-day/December-8

Which 1978 Oscar-winning film directed by Michael Cimino is described in the above Encyclopædia Britannica quote?

Answer: The Deer Hunter

The Deer Hunter is a 1978 American war drama film about three Slavic-American steelworkers whose lives are changed by the Vietnam War. The film, directed by Michael Cimino, received critical acclaim and won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

In My Life

Although spread over several centuries these questions are all related to today’s date, December 8th.

One

John Lennon was murdered in 1980. What song did Paul McCartney write as a tribute to John Lennon after his death. The song was released on his album, Tug of War (1982).

Two

The first woman to appear on a public stage in England did so on this date, in what decade did this occur?

Three

Mary, Queen of Scots, was born on this day, and six days later she became queen of Scotland. In what decade did this occur?

Four

In 1991, after the Soviet Union’s breakup, which three former Soviet republics formed the Commonwealth of Independent States?

Five

…an emotionally shattering look at the effects of the Vietnam War on the young American men sent to fight in it, the movie later won an Oscar for best picture

—Encyclopædia Britannica

Which 1978 Oscar-winning film directed by Michael Cimino is described in the above Encyclopædia Britannica quote?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

December 6th—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions which were posted earlier.

All of these questions are related to today, December 6th.

One

In 1998, Hugo Chávez was victorious in presidential elections in what country?

Answer: Venezuela

Hugo Chávez was a Venezuelan politician and revolutionary who served as president from 1999 until his death in 2013. He founded the Fifth Republic Movement and later the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, implementing social reforms and nationalising industries as part of the Bolivarian Revolution. While his policies initially improved poverty and social welfare, they also led to economic instability and shortages.

1897 Bersey Electrical Cab, British Motor Museum, Gaydon.
Image Wikipedia

Two

In 1897, which capital city became the first in the world to host licensed self-propelled motorised taxicabs?

Answer: London, United Kingdom

The first of these motorised cabs were electric-powered vehicles, nicknamed ‘Hummingbirds’ due to the quiet sound of their electric motors. A fleet of these cabs, designed by Walter C. Bersey, was introduced on 19 August 1897, and officially licensed by 6 December of the same year. However, London had a system for licensed horse-drawn carriages (known as “hackney carriages”) much earlier, with the first official licences issued in 1662. The 1897 date specifically marks the introduction and licensing of motorised, rather than horse-drawn, cabs.

Three

In 1969, the ill-fated Altamont festival, a free one-day rock festival, at the Altamont Speedway, Livermore, California, United States, was put on by an act as a thank-you gesture to their fans? The haphazardly organised festival was put on by what act?

Answer: The Rolling Stones

The Altamont Speedway Free Festival in California was a counterculture rock concert intended as a thank-you to fans by The Rolling Stones. However, the event turned deadly when a security guard, a member of the Hell’s Angels, fatally stabbed Meredith Hunter. Marred by violence and three accidental deaths, the festival is often remembered as a dark ending to the 1960s counterculture.

Four

In 1912, a bust of a queen of Egypt was discovered during excavations at Tell el-Amarna, Egypt. Who was this queen from the 14th century BCE?

Answer: Nefertiti

Nefertiti, queen of Egypt and wife of King Akhenaton, played a prominent role in the cult of the sun god Aton. She bore six daughters, two of whom became queens, and is depicted in early images accompanying her husband and later usurping kingly privileges in religious rituals. The sculpture later went on display in a Berlin museum, and it became a source of controversy as an alleged plundered artefact.

Five

On this day in 1933, a US Federal judge declared a book featuring Stephen Dedalus, Leopold and Molly Bloom not obscene. Can you name the book and its author?

Answer: Ulysses by James Joyce

Ulysses, a modernist novel by James Joyce, parallels Homer’s Odyssey and chronicles the experiences of three Dubliners—Stephen Dedalus, Leopold Bloom and Molly Bloom—on 16 June 1904, representing Telemachus, Odysseus and Penelope. Published in Paris in 1922, the novel is considered a classic of modernist literature, known for its experimental style, rich characterisation, and exploration of themes like antisemitism, human sexuality and Irish nationalism.