Quizology.Online

Tag: poetry

  • Let Me Count the Days — Answers

    Here are the answers to the earlier questions.

    Bear Garden (left) and Globe Theatre (right), Southwark, London. Engraving, 1597.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Today’s selection of trivia is all related to the date, 29 June.

    One

    London’s Globe Theatre was destroyed by fire in 1613, which took hold during a performance of William Shakespeare’s Henry VIII. What caused the fire?

    Answer: Cannon fire.

    A theatrical cannon misfired during a performance, causing a fire in the wooden beams and thatching. Only one person was injured, with his burning breeches extinguished by ale. The building was rebuilt the next year with a tile roof, costing £1,400.

    Two

    Brazil won their first FIFA World Cup on this day. In what year was this victory, and who were their defeated opponents in the final?

    Answer: 1958; Sweden.

    The 1958 FIFA World Cup final in Sweden saw Brazil win their first title by defeating the hosts. The match, which was the first final between European and American teams, set records for goals, winning margin, and age of the youngest and oldest goal scorers. Pelé was only 17 years and 249 days old, while Nils Liedholm was 18 years and 15 days older than Pelé at 35 years and 263 days.

    Three

    In 1534, Canada’s Prince Edward Island was ‘discovered’ by Europeans. In 1908, a Canadian author wrote a children’s novel about an orphan sent to live at Avonlea, PEI. Who made the 1534 discovery; who was the author, and what was the title of the 1908 novel?

    Answer: Jacques Cartier; Lucy Maud Montgomery and Anne of Green Gables.

    Lucy Maud Montgomery, known as L. M. Montgomery, was a Canadian author famous for Anne of Green Gables (1908). She published 20 novels and over a thousand short stories and poems. Her work, set on Prince Edward Island, inspired adaptations and tourism.

    Four

    Born in 1978, Nicole Scherzinger played what role in the film Men in Black 3?

    Answer: Lilly Poison.

    Nicole Scherzinger is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She gained fame as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls and later pursued a successful solo career. Scherzinger has also served as a judge on various talent shows and has received numerous accolades for her work in music and theatre.

    Five

    On this day in 1861, in Florence, Italy, an English poet died at the age of 55. She was living in Florence with her English husband, also a poet. She is known for the line, ’How do I love thee? Let me count the ways’, which, in part, has been used in the title of several works of music and literature? Who is this poet?

    Answer: Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

    Elizabeth Barrett Browning, an English poet, is celebrated for Sonnets from the Portuguese and Aurora Leigh, an early feminist text. Despite a spinal injury at 15, she married Robert Browning in 1846, moved to Florence, and engaged in Italian politics. Her influential work advocated social reforms, impacting slavery and child labour laws.

  • Let Me Count the Days

    Bear Garden (left) and Globe Theatre (right), Southwark, London. Engraving, 1597.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Today’s selection of trivia is all related to the date, 29 June.

    One

    London’s Globe Theatre was destroyed by fire in 1613, which took hold during a performance of William Shakespeare’s Henry VIII. What caused the fire?

    Two

    Brazil won their first FIFA World Cup on this day. In what year was this victory, and who were their defeated opponents in the final?

    Three

    In 1534, Canada’s Prince Edward Island was ‘discovered’ by Europeans. In 1908, a Canadian author wrote a children’s novel about an orphan sent to live at Avonlea, PEI. Who made the 1534 discovery; who was the author, and what was the title of the 1908 novel?

    Four

    Born in 1978, Nicole Scherzinger played what role in the film Men in Black 3?

    Five

    On this day in 1861, in Florence, Italy, an English poet died at the age of 55. She was living in Florence with her English husband, also a poet. She is known for the line, ’How do I love thee? Let me count the ways’, which, in part, has been used in the title of several works of music and literature? Who is this poet?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Poetic Licence — Answers

    Here are the answers to today’s questions.

    H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor, theatrical poster.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    All of these questions are related to today’s date, May 25th.

    One

    What was the first X-rated film to win the Academy Award for best picture?

    Midnight Cowboy.

    Released on this day in 1969, Midnight Cowboy, directed by John Schlesinger, stars Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight as New York hustlers. It won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and is the only X-rated film to do so. Ranked 36th and 43rd on AFI’s lists, it was preserved in the U.S. National Film Registry in 1994.
    X-certification has been renamed in some domains; for example, in the U.K., it is now an 18 certificate, which is suitable only for persons aged 18 years and over, and in the U.S., NC-17, No one 17 and under admitted.

    Two

    He did not wear his scarlet coat,
    For blood and wine are red,
    And blood and wine were on his hands
    When they found him with the dead,
    The poor dead woman whom he loved,
    And murdered in her bed.

    The above lines are the opening verse of an 1897 poem which was published under the pseudonym C.3.3. What is the poem, and who wrote it?

    Answer: The Ballad of Reading Gaol by Oscar Wilde.

    On 25 May 1895, Wilde had been convicted of ‘committing acts of gross indecency with certain male persons’, sentenced to two years’ hard labour; he served the majority of his sentence in Reading Gaol. His poem, The Ballad of Reading Gaol, which was written after his release from prison, narrates the execution of Charles Thomas Wooldridge. It highlights the brutalisation of punishment and Wilde’s identification with prisoners. Published in 1898, under the pseudonym C.3.3. — his prison identification by which he was addressed — it remained anonymous until Wilde’s identity as author was revealed in 1899. The poem, which sold well, provided Wilde with an income for life.

    Three

    The author who created the character Jason Bourne in a 1980 novel was born in 1927. Who was this author?

    Answer: Robert Ludlum.

    Robert Ludlum, an American author known for his spy thrillers, wrote best-sellers like The Bourne Identity and The Scarlatti Inheritance. Despite criticism of his plots and prose, his fast-paced espionage novels were immensely popular. He authored 27 thriller novels, including the Jason Bourne series, which have been published in 33 languages and sold an estimated 300-500 million copies.

    Four

    An actor, born in 1939, links the roles of John Profumo in 1989, Mithrandir (2001), and Leigh Teabing (2006). What actor?

    Answer: Ian McKellen.

    Ian McKellen, who was born in England on this day in 1939, played John Profumo in Scandal (1989). In 2001, he took on the role of Gandalf the Grey in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring — Mithrandir is how Gandalf is known by the Elves in their Sindarin language. He portrayed Sir Leigh Teabing in The Da Vinci Code (2006).

    Five

    …; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor, a comic opera, debuted in London in 1878. What has been omitted from the beginning of the opera’s title?

    Answer: H.M.S. Pinafore.

    H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor, a comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan, premiered in 1878, running for 571 performances. Set on a Royal Navy ship, it humorously critiques the British class system and authority. Its success led to other popular works, influencing modern musical theatre.

  • Poetic Licence

    …; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor, theatrical poster (cropped). See question five.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    All of these questions are related to today’s date, May 25th.

    One

    What was the first X-rated film to win the Academy Award for best picture?

    Two

    He did not wear his scarlet coat,
    For blood and wine are red,
    And blood and wine were on his hands
    When they found him with the dead,
    The poor dead woman whom he loved,
    And murdered in her bed.

    The above lines are the opening verse of an 1897 poem which was published under the pseudonym C.3.3. What is the poem, and who wrote it?

    Three

    The author who created the character Jason Bourne in a 1980 novel was born in 1927. Who was this author?

    Four

    An actor, born in 1939, links the roles of John Profumo in 1989, Mithrandir (2001), and Leigh Teabing (2006). What actor?

    Five

    …; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor, a comic opera, debuted in London in 1878. What has been omitted from the beginning of the opera’s title?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Seize the Hour — Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    British Summer Time.
    Image BBC

    Having finished our A to Z quizzes from the last few days, we now return to the date with questions about today, March 31st.

    One

    On this date Daylight Saving Time was introduced for the first time in the United States.

    1. In what year did this occur?
    2. True or false: Ancient Rome also adjusted their clocks to achieve similar results as daylight savings. 

    Answers

    1. 1918

    2. True

    In the U.S., it was seen as a wartime implementation and was abandoned after 1918. It was again used during World War II. It came into general annual use in the 1960s. Ancient Romans used water clocks with varying scales for different months, adjusting the length of hours based on the season. A specific hour which lasted 44 minutes at the winter solstice would be 75 minutes long at the summer solstice.

    Two

    Born in 1809, Edward FitzGerald, an English poet and writer who is best known for his 1859 translation of the work of ‘the Astronomer-Poet of Persia’. He published this in 1859 as the Rubáiyát of ——. What two word name is that of the Persian astronomer-poet which completes the title of FitzGerald’s 1859 translation?

    Answer: Omar Khayyám.

    Edward FitzGerald’s 1859 translation of the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám gained popularity in the 1860s and 1870s, becoming a cultural phenomenon in the English-speaking world. The work inspired numerous translations and became something of a cult in the later part of the 19th century. Omar Khayyam (1048–1131) was a Persian polymath who made significant contributions to mathematics, astronomy, philosophy and literature. 

    Three

    Born in 1984, Martins Dukurs, a Latvian sportsman, is a six-time world champion and double Olympic silver medallist. He holds the record for the most World Cup titles with 11. In which sport has Dukurs achieved this success?

    Answer: Skeleton.

    Martins Dukurs, born on 31 March 1984, is a former Latvian skeleton racer and current coach. Competing since 1998, he is a six-time world champion and double Olympic silver medallist (2010, 2014). Dukurs holds the record for the most World Cup titles, with 11, including eight consecutive from 2010 to 2017 and three from 2020 to 2022.

    Four

    Born in Scotland on this day in 1971, an actor links these two roles. The first is a character from a 1996 film also born in Scotland, in Leith, Edinburgh. The second is not Scottish but a character in a 2009 film who said ‘Have you come to make me a martyr?’. Who is the actor?

    Answer: Ewan McGregor.

    Ewan McGregor is a Scottish actor and filmmaker known for his roles in Trainspotting, Star Wars, and Moulin Rouge!. He has received numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy Award, and has also directed films and appeared in theatre productions.

    Five

    On this date, the U.S. Virgin Islands became American possessions. 

    1. By what name had they been known immediately prior to this?
    2. In what decade did this occur?

    Answers

    1. Danish West Indies

    2. 1910s

    The United States purchased the three islands from Denmark for $25 million in 1917, recognising their strategic importance in controlling the main passage through the Caribbean to the Panama Canal. Previously controlled by Denmark–Norway from 1754 to 1814 and then by the Kingdom of Denmark from 1814 to 1917, the islands were sold under the 1917 Treaty of the Danish West Indies. Adjusted for inflation, this amount would be $628 million in 2025. Since the purchase, the islands have been an organised, unincorporated U.S. territory. 

  • Seize the Hour

    British Summer Time.
    Image BBC

    Having finished our A to Z quizzes from the last few days, we now return to the date with questions about today, March 31st.

    One

    On this date Daylight Saving Time was introduced for the first time in the United States.

    1. In what year did this occur?
    2. True or false: Ancient Rome also adjusted their clocks to achieve similar results as daylight savings. 

    Two

    Born in 1809, Edward FitzGerald, an English poet and writer who is best known for his 1859 translation of the work of ‘the Astronomer-Poet of Persia’. He published this in 1859 as the Rubáiyát of ——. What two word name is that of the Persian astronomer-poet which completes the title of FitzGerald’s 1859 translation?

    Three

    Born in 1984, Martins Dukurs, a Latvian sportsman, is a six-time world champion and double Olympic silver medallist. He holds the record for the most World Cup titles with 11. In which sport has Dukurs achieved this success?

    Four

    Born in Scotland on this day in 1971, an actor links these two roles. The first is a character from a 1996 film also born in Scotland, in Leith, Edinburgh. The second is not Scottish but a character in a 2009 film who said ‘Have you come to make me a martyr?’. Who is the actor?

    Five

    On this date, the U.S. Virgin Islands became American possessions. 

    1. By what name had they been known immediately prior to this?
    2. In what decade did this occur?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • The Last Six: From Uniform to Zulu — Answers

    Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

    Kublai Khan, a posthumous painting executed shortly after his death in February of 1294.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Finishing the alphabetical theme with the remaining letters, so six questions today with answers beginning with the letters from U to Z, with each letter being used only once, but they are not in alphabetical order. If a question has more than one part it is only the first that conforms to the theme.

    One

    What word links Shangdu, which was ruled by Kublai Khan and is mentioned in the first line of a Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem, with the title track of a 1980 musical of the same name? 

    Answer: Xanadu.

    Shangdu, the summer capital of Yuan dynasty ruled by Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan.
    A metaphor for opulence or an idyllic place, based upon Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s description of Shangdu in his 1816 poem Kubla Khan. Xanadu is the title song from the soundtrack of the 1980 musical film of the same name. Written by Jeff Lynne of the English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), the song is performed by British-Australian singer, songwriter and actress Olivia Newton John.

    Two

    What professional golfer won the U.S. Masters tournament in 2007, and 2015 Open Championship at St. Andrews?

    Answer: Zach Johnson.

    Zachary Harris Johnson, an American professional golfer, has won 12 PGA Tour events, including two majors. He captained the unsuccessful U.S. Ryder Cup team in 2023.

    Three

    1. The Macallan, Bunnahabhain and Laphroaig are three examples of what product from the United Kingdom?
    2. The last two mentioned, Bunnahabhain and Laphroaig, both come from what region which is well known for this product?

    Answers

    1. Whisky.
    2. Island of Islay.

    Scotch whisky, first mentioned in 1494, was originally made from malted barley. Single malt Scotch whisky, which the three examples mentioned are, must be distilled in one distillery using only water and malted barley. By 2024, Scotland boasted 151 distilleries, solidifying its reputation for this renowned spirit.

    Four

    Which name connects a character from a Charles Dickens’ 1850 novel to the 1972 studio album The Magician’s Birthday?

    Answer: Uriah Heap.

    Uriah Heep, a sycophantic character in Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, manipulates his employer, Mr. Wickfield, into making him a partner. He later faces exposure for his frauds and is imprisoned for bank fraud. Named after the Dickens’ character Uriah Heep, an English rock band formed in 1969, pioneered hard rock, heavy metal, and progressive rock. With over 40 million albums sold worldwide, they are known for hits like Lady in Black and maintain a strong following in Europe and Asia.

    Five

    In what film does Tom Hanks play Joe Fox?

    Answer: You’ve Got Mail.

    You’ve Got Mail is a 1998 romantic comedy starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, directed by Nora Ephron. The film, inspired by a Hungarian play, tells the story of two online romantics who are business rivals.

    Six

    This small fully independent nation-state’s independence was recognised by the Lateran Treaty of 1929. Which nation is it?

    Answer: Vatican City.

    Vatican City, the smallest independent nation-state, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church and home to the Pope. It has its own infrastructure and diplomatic relations, with a population of around 882 people.

  • The Last Six: From Uniform to Zulu

    Kublai Khan, a posthumous painting executed shortly after his death in February of 1294.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Finishing the alphabetical theme with the remaining letters, so six questions today with answers beginning with the letters from U to Z, with each letter being used only once, but they are not in alphabetical order. If a question has more than one part it is only the first that conforms to the theme.

    One

    What word links Shangdu, which was ruled by Kublai Khan and is mentioned in the first line of a Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem, with the title track of a 1980 musical of the same name? 

    Two

    What professional golfer won the U.S. Masters tournament in 2007, and 2015 Open Championship at St. Andrews?

    Three

    1. The Macallan, Bunnahabhain and Laphroaig are three examples of what product from the United Kingdom?
    2. The last two mentioned, Bunnahabhain and Laphroaig, both come from what region, an island which is well known for this product?

    Four

    Which name connects a character from a Charles Dickens’ 1850 novel to the 1972 studio album The Magician’s Birthday?

    Five

    In what film does Tom Hanks play Joe Fox?

    Six

    This small fully independent nation-state’s independence was recognised by the Lateran Treaty of 1929. Which nation is it?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Born and Raised—Answers

    The answers to my earlier questions are shown below.

    The following questions relate to people born on 18 March.

    Grover Cleveland.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    Born 1980. Actress who links the following roles: Penelope (in 2004), Isolde (2006), Erika (2003 and 2006), Darcy (2014) and Freya (2008). Who is she? 

    1. Rose Keegan
    2. Sophia Myles
    3. Lucy Russell

    Answer: 2. Sophia Myles.

    Sophia Myles, an English actress, who portrayed the following characters in the associated film. Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward in Thunderbirds(2004), Isolde in Tristan & Isolde(2006), Darcy in Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014), Erika in Underworld(2003) and Underworld: Evolution (2006), and Freya in Outlander (2008)”

    Two

    Born 1837, Grover Cleveland, served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Where was he born? 

    1. Amherst, New Hampshire 
    2. Brighton, New York 
    3. Caldwell, New Jersey

    Answer: 3. Caldwell, New Jersey.

    Stephen Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th President of the United States, was the first Democrat elected after the Civil War and the first president to serve non-consecutive terms. A Bourbon Democrat, he championed political reform, fiscal conservatism and classical liberalism. His presidency was marked by significant legislation like the Interstate Commerce Act and the Dawes Act, as well as challenges like the Panic of 1893 and the Pullman Strike.

    Three

    Anthem for Doomed Youth was written by a war poet born this day in 1893. Who was he? 

    1. Rupert Brook 
    2. Wilfred Owen 
    3. Siegfried Sassoon

    Answer: 2. Wilfred Owen.

    Wilfred Owen, an English poet and soldier, expressed anger at war’s cruelty and waste through his poetry. Based on his World War I experiences, his war poetry was about the horrors of trenches and gas warfare. At only 25 years of age, he was killed in action at the Battle of the Sambre on 4 November 1918, exactly a week before the war’s end. His best-known works— most of which were published posthumously— are Anthem for Doomed Youth, Dulce et Decorum est, Futility, and Spring Offensive. 

    Four

    Who is Dana Elaine Owens, born 18 March 1970, a musician and actress, better known as?

    1. Lauryn Hill
    2. Missy Elliott
    3. Queen Latifah 

    Answer: 3. Queen Latifah.

    An American musician and actress, Queen Latifah rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album, All Hail the Queen, which blended diverse styles and feminist themes. The name Latifah is Arabic for ‘delicate’ or ‘sensitive’.

    Five

    Born today in 1869, this British prime minister returned from Germany with a ‘piece of paper’ promising to ‘have brought you back peace — but a peace I hope with honour’. Who was he? 

    1. Stanley Baldwin  
    2. Neville Chamberlain 
    3. Winston Churchill 

    Answer: 2. Neville Chamberlain.

    Prime Minister of the UK from 1937 to 1940 Neville Chamberlain is known for his policy of appeasement towards Hitler’s Germany. He served in various government positions, including Chancellor of the Exchequer, before becoming Prime Minister. Despite signing the Munich Agreement with Hitler in 1938, Chamberlain declared war on Germany less than a year later following the Nazi invasion of Poland.

  • Born and Raised

    The following questions relate to people born on 18 March.

    Grover Cleveland.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    Born 1980. Actress who links the following roles: Penelope (in 2004), Isolde (2006), Erika (2003 and 2006), Darcy (2014) and Freya (2008). Who is she? 

    1. Rose Keegan
    2. Sophia Myles
    3. Lucy Russell

    Two

    Born 1837, Grover Cleveland, served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Where was he born? 

    1. Amherst, New Hampshire 
    2. Brighton, New York 
    3. Caldwell, New Jersey

    Three

    Anthem for Doomed Youth was written by a war poet born this day in 1893. Who was he? 

    1. Rupert Brook 
    2. Wilfred Owen 
    3. Siegfried Sassoon

    Four

    Who is Dana Elaine Owens, born 18 March 1970, a musician and actress, better known as?

    1. Lauryn Hill
    2. Missy Elliott
    3. Queen Latifah 

    Five

    Born today in 1869, this British prime minister returned from Germany with a ‘piece of paper’ promising to ‘have brought you back peace — but a peace I hope with honour’. Who was he? 

    1. Stanley Baldwin  
    2. Neville Chamberlain 
    3. Winston Churchill 

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.