Wednesday, October 30, 2013

29 October–The Questions

 

ALL QUESTIONS -SET BY THE KNOT KNOW-ALLS

ENTERTAINMENT

1. Who won Gareth Malone’s ‘Workplace Choir of 2012’? Answer: SEVERN TRENT WATER

2. Name the cult American sitcom starring (amongst others) room-mates Leonard and Sheldon. Answer: THE BIG BANG THEORY

3. Name the silent female scorer in the BBC Radio 4 comedy panel game “I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue”. Answer: (the lovely) SAMANTHA

4. Which actress, famous for her portrayal of Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, played the role of Solitaire in the James Bond film Live and Let Die? Answer: JANE SEYMOUR

5. Name the arch-enemy of the British comic book hero, Dan Dare. Answer: THE MEKON (of Mekonta)

6. Name the winner of The Apprentice 2013. Answer: Leah TOTTON

7. Which singer-songwriter, whose debut album topped the UK charts in 2012, was born Jake Edwin Kennedy. Answer: Jake BUGG

8. Identify the film from these actors and the date: Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, 2006. Answer: THE DA VINCI CODE

Supplementaries

Which Gibb brother died of heart failure in January 2003? Answer: MAURICE

What colour is Mr Nosey? Answer: GREEN

SCIENCE

1. What is seborrhoeic (pronounced SEB-OR -EE-IC) dermatitis better known as?

Answer: DANDRUFF

2. Apart from the moon, what is the brightest natural object in the night sky?

Answer: VENUS

3. Which planet spins fastest on its axis?

Answer: JUPITER (rotation period of 0.413 Earth days)

4. Why would sodium thiopental, pancuronium bromide and potassium chloride be used in that order? Answer: LETHAL INJECTION (used to execute prisoners in the US)

5. Which "Founding Father" was knocked unconscious while attempting to electrocute a turkey? Answer: Benjamin FRANKLIN

6. What is the 3D image created by laser beams called? Answer: HOLOGRAM

7. What is the antimatter equivalent of an electron? Answer: POSITRON

8. What word describes the process by which a substance changes from a solid to a gas without passing through a liquid phase? Answer: SUBLIMATION

Supplementaries

How often must you take your medication if your prescription reads "q.i.d."?

Answer: FOUR TIMES A DAY (quater in die)

The name of what mental disorder is derived from the Greek "without appetite"?

Answer: ANOREXIA

 

GEOGRAPHY

1. Unst is the northernmost, inhabited island of which UK group? Answer: SHETLANDS

2. Chisinau is the capital city of which country? Answer: MOLDOVA

3. Which country’s many islands include Hvar, Brac, Vis and Korkula? Answer: CROATIA

4. Which English resort was known as Poulton-le-Sands but later became better known by the name of the bay on which it stands? Answer: MORECAMBE

5. Which EU member state is bounded by the river Prut to the north-east, the river Danube to the south, and the Black Sea to the east? Answer: ROMANIA

6. Which landlocked African country is bordered by South Africa and Mozambique? Answer: SWAZILAND

7. What bridge in the Commonwealth connects Dawes Point with Milson’s Point?

Answer: SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE

8. Which English county comes last alphabetically? Answer: WILTSHIRE

Supplementaries

After Everest and K2, which Asian mountain is the third highest in the world?

Answer: KANGCHENJUNGA

Which Lancashire resort is built on the site of South Hawes, apparently being given its present name in the 1790s? Answer: SOUTHPORT

 

ART AND CULTURE

1. By what title is Tenzin Gyatso better known as? Answer: THE DALAI LAMA

2. In Greek Mythology, who were the dangerous beautiful creatures, who lured sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island? Answer: SIRENS

3. "Going to the Match", a painting by L S Lowry, depicts fans on the way to watch which football team at their home ground? Answer: BOLTON WANDERERS (at Burden Park)

4. "The Card Players," probably the most expensive painting ever sold, is by which artist? Answer: Paul CEZANNE

5. Who wrote the series of six novels known as "The Barchester Chronicles"? Answer: Anthony TROLLOPE

6. "Knitting" and "Still Knitting" are the titles of chapters from which classic novel? Answer: A TALE OF TWO CITIES

7. The fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square, which is famous for exhibiting temporary artworks, is currently supporting a sculpture by Katharina Fritsch. What sort of creature does it depict? Answer: [A blue] COCKEREL

8. An oil painting of Jonathon Buttall, the son of a wealthy merchant, by Thomas Gainsborough is more commonly known by what title? Answer: THE BLUE BOY

Supplementaries

In the eleventh labour of Hercules, he is required to fetch what from the Garden of the Hesperides? [Two word answer required] Answer: GOLDEN APPLES [don't accept 'apples']

"I'm Walking Backwards for Christmas", "Indian Boyhood", and "In the Land of the Bumbley Boo" are titles of songs and poems by who? Answer: Spike MILLIGAN

 

THE CABINET

You need to identify the surname of a member of The Cabinet (as of 16 October) from the clue. For example, "Malaysian area of high land. Answer: CAMERON".

N.B. Spellings of Cabinet members' surnames may differ slightly from question answers but sound exactly the same.

1. A brand of American beer. Answer: MILLER (Culture)

2. A freshwater fish of the salmon family. Answer: GRAYLING (Justice)

3. The scientist who discovered sodium and potassium. Answer: DAVEY (Energy)

4. A make of musical organ. Answer: HAMMOND (Defence)

5. A brand of whisky. Answer: HAGUE (Foreign Secretary)

6. A cocktail of gin, crème de cacao and cream. Answer: ALEXANDER (Treasury Secretary)

7. Hawthorn blossom. Answer: MAY (Home Secretary)

8. A unit of nautical measurement. Answer: CABLE (Business)

Supplementaries

Victoria and Albert’s family home. Answer: 0SBORNE (Chancellor)

The dog who found the stolen Jules Rimet trophy in 1966. Answer: PICKLES (Communities)

 

HISTORY

1. Which English king, following rebellions by the Welsh, built the castles of Beaumaris, Caernarfon, Conwy and Harlech? Answer: EDWARD I

2. In what year was the People's Republic of China established? Answer: 1949 (accept 1948 - 1950)

3. Which invaders overthrew the Byzantine Empire, which had stood for around 1000 years, in 1453? Answer: OTTOMANS

4. Name the first self-governing country to grant women the right to vote, in 1893. Answer: NEW ZEALAND

5. Who was the Italian inventor and businessman, often credited as the inventor of radio, who shared the Nobel prize for physics in 1909 (with Braun) for "their contributions to the development of wireless telegraphy". Answer: Guglielmo MARCONI

6. When Indian soldiers in the East India Company's army were asked to bite off the paper cartridges for their rifles, it became the flashpoint for the Indian Mutiny (Rebellion) of 1857. Why? Answer: They believed the cartridges were greased with animal fat (beef or pork) so it would be against Hindu and Muslim religions

7. Now a museum, what was the name of the estate in Buckinghamshire which was the World War 2 site of the Government's Code and Cypher School and where the German 'Enigma' cipher was broken? Answer: BLETCHLEY PARK

8. Which Greek scholar who lived from approximately 485 to 430 BCE is known as the father of history? Answer: HERODOTUS

Supplementaries

Which prominent figure in the British Agricultural Revolution invented a seed drill (1701) and also wrote "Horse Hoeing Husbandry" (1731)? Answer: Jethro TULL

Which UK city became known as Cottonopolis during the 19th Century? Answer: MANCHESTER

SPORT

1. In the 2010 Winter Olympics, Great Britain won a gold medal in the womens' 'skeleton' competition. Prior to that, in what discipline did Great Britain last win a Winter Olympics gold medal? Answer: Womens' CURLING (Salt Lake City, 2002)

2. Which company currently sponsors English football's Championship, League One and League Two? Answer: SKYBET

3. What team sport was first played at Madame Ostenburg’s College, England in 1895 and was included in the Commonwealth Games in 1998? Answer: NETBALL

4. Who was the overall winner of the 2013 Tour de France? Answer: Chris FROOME

5. Where will the final of the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, hosted by England and Wales, be held? Answer: OLD TRAFFORD

6. Which Welshman was the top points scorer in the 2013 Rugby Union 'Six Nations' competition, also won by Wales? Answer: Lee HALFPENNY

7. Gaelic football is one of the two main sports played at the 33,000 capacity Casement Park stadium in Belfast. Name the other. Answer: HURLING

8. Where is the oldest racecourse (for horses) still in use in England? Answer: CHESTER

Supplementaries

Sochi, venue for the Winter Olympics 2014, lies on what body of water? Answer: BLACK SEA

Which book of 1653 described the fishing in the River Wye in Derbyshire? Answer: THE COMPLEAT ANGLER (by Isaac Walton)

The Human Body

The answers to all the following questions contain something found in the human body.

E.g., "Who presents the TV game show Pointless? Answer: ALEXANDER ARMSTRONG".

1. For which film did Daniel Day Lewis win his second Best Actor Oscar? Answer: THERE WILL BE BLOOD

2. In which prison drama film, starring Paul Newman, does his character famously eat 50 hard-boiled eggs in 1 hour? Answer: COOL HAND LUKE

3. Name the 2008 Mercury Prize winning band, which includes band members Guy Garvey and Richard Jupp? Answer: ELBOW

4. Which organ is the title of the debut album by Florence and the Machine, which reached number 1 in 2010? Answer: LUNGS

5. Home to Britain's largest Anglican cathedral and the fifth largest in the world? Answer: LIVERPOOL

6. The highest prize awarded at the Cannes film festival?

Answer: PALME D'OR or GOLDEN PALM

7. Both the name of a musical and a film set in small-town America, where dancing and rock music have been banned by the local minister? Answer: FOOTLOOSE

8. In the 1933 film, what is the legendary home of King Kong? Answer: SKULL ISLAND

Supplementaries

1970's group based in West Germany, with band members Bobby Farrel and Liz Mitchell? Answer: BONEY M

Name the hill and country park, and former quarry, to the east of Macclesfield? Answer: TEGG'S NOSE

 

 

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

1. What is the smallest and most densely populated country in the EU? Answer: MALTA

2. Clare Valley and Hunter Valley are wine regions of which country? Answer: AUSTRALIA

3. In which century did the Battle of Marathon between the Persians and Athenians take place? Answer: 5TH CENTURY BCE [490 BCE]

4. What is the name of the "fight or flight hormone? Answer: ADRENALINE

5. Who created Rip Van Winkle in the short story of the same name? Answer: Washington IRVING

6. What African word for okra is the name of a Creole stew containing okra, tomatoes, onions, shellfish and chicken, etc? Answer: GUMBO

7. Other than eggs, what is the main ingredient of an "omelette Arnold Bennett" created for the writer at The Savoy? Answer: SMOKED HADDOCK

8. What is the name of the ex-Liberian President, guilty of war crimes , who is to serve his 50-year sentence in the UK? Answer: Charles TAYLOR

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9. Which UKIP MEP was suspended in September, for joking that a group of female activists were "sluts"? Answer: Godfrey BLOOM

10. In the sitcom "Yes Minister", what is the name of the character played by Nigel Hawthorne? Answer: Sir Humphrey APPLEBY

11. Who is the mother of Angelo James Konecki? Answer: ADELE

12. What is the cost of an NHS prescription currently? Answer: £7.85

13. Where in Britain is home to the elite "Special Boat Service"? Answer: POOLE HARBOUR

14. Give one of David Cameron's middle names? Answer: WILLIAM or DONALD

15. Give one of Tony Blair's middle names? Answer: CHARLES or LYNTON

16. Early in September, Cheryl Cole revealed she had paid Nikko Hurtado £14,000 for 55 hours of work on what? Answer: Huge TATTOO OF ROSES on her lower back and bottom -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

17. What 6-letter word can denote a wheel that automatically aligns itself to the direction from which it is pushed, and an acrid-tasting oil used as a purgative and lubricant? Answer: CASTOR

18. Who is the pie-shop owner and partner in crime of Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street, who disposes of his victims by baking them in her pies? Answer: Mrs LOVETT

19. Which adjective containing all the vowels once only, means ‘insecure’ or ‘perilous’. Answer: PRECARIOUS

20. Who in 1800, patented "The High Pressure Steam Engine" and in 1804 created the first working steam locomotive, its first journey being at Penydarren Ironworks , Merthyr Tydfil? Answer: Richard TREVITHICK

21. Which element of the periodic table was the Ancient Greek name for the planet Venus, and has a name which in Greek means "bringing light"? Answer: PHOSPHORUS

22. "Out, damned spot! Out, I say!" is a quote by which Shakespearian character? Answer: LADY MACBETH

23. What South American capital has a name which is shortened from "Our Lady of Peace" in Spanish? Answer: LA PAZ [capital of Bolivia]

24. As used in a website address, in the letters 'http' what does the second "t" stand for? Answer: TRANSFER [hyper text transfer protocol]

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25. What character does Christopher Lee play in the "Star Wars " films? Answer: Count DOOKU (accept DARTH TYRANUS)

26. What was the name of the first fully operational commercial nuclear power station in Britain and the world? Answer: CALDERHALL at WINDSCALE [accept either], 1956

27. "The Sea Cook" was the original title of which classic novel published in 1883? Answer: TREASURE ISLAND

28. The "Antoinette Perry Award for Exellence" is more commonly and informally known as what? Answer: TONY Award (theatre)

29. Mendelssohn's concert overture The Hebrides (Opus 26) is also known as what? Answer: Fingal's Cave

30. James Taylor, Mick Jagger and Warren Beatty have all been suggested as the subject of which song by Carly Simon? Answer: YOU’RE SO VAIN

31. Who in 2009, at the age of 92, became the oldest living artist to top the UK album charts? Answer: Dame Vera LYNN

32. George R.R. Martin's series of books, A Song of Ice and Fire, forms the basis for which TV series? Answer: GAME OF THRONES

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33. Who is the newest presenter on the ‘Today’ programme on Radio 4? Answer: MISHAL HUSAIN

34. In what position does a netball player wearing a bib lettered GA play? Answer: GOAL ATTACK

35. How many hurdles are there in a men’s 400 metres hurdles race? Answer: TEN

36. Which US state has the orange blossom as its official flower? Answer: FLORIDA

37. Who presents the ITV quiz show The Chase? Answer: Bradley WALSH

38. How is a battle site represented on an Ordnance Survey map? Answer: BY CROSSED SWORDS

39. What famous children’s storybook character lives under the name of Sanders? Answer: WINNIE THE POOH

40. What sport is played on a surface 42 inches wide and 60 feet long? Answer: TEN PIN BOWLING

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41. How many letter ‘U’s are there in a game of Scrabble? Answer: FOUR

42. What was the only thing left inside Pandora’s box after all the evils had been let out? Answer: HOPE

43. What is the term used in bread making, which refers to the resting periods during the process of fermentation when the dough is allowed to rise? Answer: PROOFING/PROVING

44. What line is depicted by dark blue on a London underground map? Answer: PICCADILLY

45. How many different letters are used in Roman numerals? Answer: SEVEN (M, D, C, L, X, V and I)

46. What large carnivore derived its name from the Spanish words meaning ’the lizard’? Answer: ALLIGATOR (el lagarto)

47. What denotes a public house on an Ordnance Survey map? Answer: PH

48. What is the childhood disease varicella more commonly called? Answer: CHICKEN POX

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49. Detroit is in which US state? Answer: MICHIGAN

50. How many ‘O’s are there in a game of Scrabble? Answer: EIGHT

51. What is the common name for finches of the genus Loxia (including the Scottish Loxia scotia) that have an unusual beak shape which enables them to extract seeds from pine cones? Answer: CROSSBILLS

52. How many strokes is an eagle on a par five hole? Answer: THREE

53. What is the parent company of Jaguar Landrover? Answer: TATA (Indian)

54. Which US comedy series featured a character called Ernie "Coach" Pantusso? Answer: CHEERS

55. Which television series is filmed in a marquee at Harptree Court Country House in Somerset, near Bristol? Answer: THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE-OFF

56. In BBC's The Great British Bake-Off, contestants have to complete three challenges. One is called the Technical Challenge. Name either of the other two. Answer: SIGNATURE or SHOWSTOPPER

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57. Who famously said "Live life as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever?" Answer: Mahatma GANDHI

58. Who is the reigning British and Commonwealth heavyweight boxing champion? Answer: David PRICE

59. What is the name of the infamous Yorkshire Ripper? Answer: Peter SUTCLIFFE

60. Roy Barraclough and Les Dawson formed a classic comedy double act as northern housewives "Cissie and" who? Answer: ADA

61. Name Alton Towers' newest, record-breaking rollercoaster? Answer: SMILER

62. In what sport would you encounter 'boils' and 'haystacks'? Answer: CANOEING/KAYAKING

63. In heraldry, what colour is sable? Answer: BLACK

64. What is the final book in 'The Chronicles of Narnia'? Answer: THE LAST BATTLE

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65. Who, earlier this year, was the first woman conductor to conduct the Last Night of the Proms? Answer: Marin ALSOP

66. Which of the Mitford sisters became Duchess of Devonshire in 1941? Answer: DEBORAH

67. Toubkal is the highest mountain in which mountain range? Answer: ATLAS

68. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport serves which capital city? Answer: NAIROBI

69. Which adjective, derived from the name of a planet, means active, sprightly, ready-witted, quick and changeable in temperament? Answer: MERCURIAL

70. Which word can mean a woman’s short hairstyle in which the hair tapers to the nape of the neck, a rectangular wooden roof tile, and a mass of small rounded pebbles along a shoreline? Answer: SHINGLE

71. What simple invention was patented in the US in 1948 by Walter Hunt, despite similar examples being around for centuries before? Answer: SAFETY PIN

72.What single-seeded drupe was the first fruit to be eaten on the moon? Answer: PEACH

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73. What was the name of the mission station and British supply garrison successfully defended against the Zulus in 1879? Answer: RORKE'S DRIFT

74. Which King of England reputedly rode towards the rebels during the Peasants' Revolt shouting "You shall have no captain but me"? Answer: RICHARD II

75. Who wrote the lyrics to the musical West Side Story? Answer: Stephen SONDHEIM

76. What event in the decathlon is the last event to take place on the first day? Answer: 400 METRES

77. Who was the architect of the Guggenheim Museum, New York? Answer: FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT

78. Who was born in 1931, a foremost exponent of 'op art', whose early work consisted mainly of black and white geometric patterns and who produced works which were said to give viewers sensations of sea sickness or skydiving? Answer: Bridget RILEY

79. Who was the first wife of Earl Winfield Spencer Junior? She was portrayed in 'W. E'., the 2011 film directed and co-written by Madonna? Answer: Wallace SIMPSON

80. A 'snakebite' is a drink of lager or beer, together with what? Answer: CIDER

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81. What is the explosive ingredient of dynamite? Answer: NITROGLYCERINE

82. Meaning 'The Youth' in Arabic, what is the name of the terrorist group responsible for the massacre at the Westgate Shopping Mall in Nairobi? Answer: AL SHABAAB

83. What colour would a light bulb filled with pure neon produce? Answer: RED

84. "Orecchiette" [pronounced oreckyetty] is a pasta which translates into Italian as Little what? Answer: EARS

85. In which country did ZANU and ZAPU fight for their country's independence during the 1960's and 1970's? Answer: ZIMBABWE [accept Rhodesia and Southern Rhodesia]

86. What nocturnal animal has a name which originates from the Afrikaans word for 'earth pig'? Answer: AARDVARK

87. Who preceded Neil Kinnock as Labour leader? Answer: Michael FOOT

88. On October 23rd, Julia Samuel, William van Cutsem and Emilia Jardin-Paterson [and 4 others] took on new roles as what? Answer: GODPARENTS TO PRINCE GEORGE [at his Christening]

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89. What is the name for a young or baby oyster? Answer: SPAT

90. Sundews and pitchers are examples of what types of plants? Answer: CARNIVOROUS

91. What flower is considered sacred in both Buddhist and Hindu religions? Answer: LOTUS

92. Who picked a fine time to leave Kenny Rogers in one of his songs? Answer: LUCILLE

93. What is the fastest living thing in the world, a plant which releases its pollen at over half the speed of sound? Answer: WHITE MULBERRY TREE (accept Mulberry)

94. Name the Joseph Conrad novella set in the Congo, but the inspiration for a 1979 cult war film set in Asia? Answer: HEART OF DARKNESS

95. Which TV quiz programme saw the contestant Clive James make his TV debut? Answer: UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE

96. What recently coined word, first used in the BBC political satire The Thick of It, was formally added to the Oxford English Dictionary in August 2013? Answer: OMNISHAMBLES

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Supplementaries

1. What is the only field ball game in which the players’ feet do not touch the ground? Answer: POLO

2. Also the name of a bird, what was the name of the organisation which The Man from UNCLE fought against? Answer: THRUSH

3. Who was the first person to appear on Channel 4? Answer: Richard WHITELEY[Countdown]

4. Name the habitable moon in James Cameron’s film Avatar where humans are mining a precious mineral called unobtanium. Answer: PANDORA

5. What line follows "Cecilia, you’re breaking my heart" in Simon and Garfunkel’s song? Answer: YOU’RE SHAKING MY CONFIDENCE DAILY (accept if close)

6. What essential biomolecule do plants make which requires them to absorb magnesium from the soil? Answer: CHLOROPHYLL

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

October 22nd–The Questions

 

 

SPECIALIST QUESTIONS

SET BY THE HARRINGTON B,

ARTS & CULTURE

Q1. A string quartet consists of two violins, a cello and which other instrument?

A. A VIOLA

Q2. In which Gilbert & Sullivan operetta does the jester Jack Point appear?

A. THE YEOMAN OF THE GUARD

Q3. Antigonus is devoured by which animal in Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale?

A. A BEAR

Q4. In which ballet does the Snow Queen live in an enchanted forest?

A. THE NUTCRACKER

Q5. Which wars are taking place in the book “War and Peace”?

A. THE NAPOLEONIC WARS

Q6. In which city would you find the Hermitage Museum?

A. ST PETERSBURG (ACCEPT LENINGRAD)

Q7. Who designed the Albert Memorial opposite the Royal Albert Hall?

A. SIR GEORGE GILBERT-SCOTT

Q8. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”, is the first line of which novel?

A. A TALE OF TWO CITIES

Supplementary Questions

Q1. Who wrote the Brother Cadfael series of books?

A. ELLIS PETERS

Q2. Complete this list of women from “Little Women”. Jo, Beth, Amy and…

A. MEG

Q3. Who wrote Candide?

A. VOLTAIRE

ENTERTAINMENT

Q1. How is Marvin Lee Aday better known?

A. MEATLOAF

Q2. What is the name of the house where Beatrix Potter wrote most of her works?

A. HILLTOP FARM

Q3. Barwick Green is the signature tune of which long-running programme?

A. THE ARCHERS

Q4. What is the name of the Mastermind signature tune?

A. APPROACHING MENACE

Q5. What colour is “art & literature” in Trivial Pursuit?

A. BROWN

Q6. What was Roger Moore’s first Bond film?

A. LIVE AND LET DIE

Q7. Which US landmark is featured in Hitchcock’s North by Northwest?

A. MOUNT RUSHMORE

Q8. Which musical featured the song “You’ll never walk alone”

A. CAROUSEL

Supplementary Questions

Q1. Which book begins “I was born in 1632, in the city of York”

A. ROBINSON CRUSOE

Q2. Released in 1963, what is the title of The Beatle’s second album?

A. WITH THE BEATLES

Q3. Whose catchphrase was “Wakey Wakey”?

A. Billy Cotton (The Billy Cotton Band Show)

Q4. In the film The Wizard of Oz, where did the wizard live?

A. THE EMERALD CITY

GEOGRAPHY

Q1. Which body of water separates Papua New Guinea and Australia?

A. THE TORRES STRAIT.

Q2. Prior to independence, the African republic of Mali was a colony of which country?

A. FRANCE

Q3. What is notable about Cape Roca in Portugal?

A. IT IS THE MOST WESTERLY POINT OF MAINLAND EUROPE

Q4. Name the warm, dry wind that blows off North America’s Rocky Mountains.

A. THE CHINOOK

Q5. Which peninsula makes up the greater part of Denmark?

A. JUTLAND

Q6. Which island in the West Indies is shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic?

A. HISPANIOLA

Q7. Egypt has land borders with Sudan, Israel and which other country?

A. LIBYA

Q8. How is Lake Tiberius better known?

A. THE SEA OF GALILEE

Supplementary Questions

Q1. What is the highest point on Bodmin Moor?

A. BROWN WILLY

Q2. On which river does Belfast stand?

A. RIVER LAGAN

Q3. Which famous peninsula juts into the Black Sea?

A. CRIMEA

HISTORY

Q1. Who pretended to be Richard, the younger of the Princes in the Tower, during the reign of Henry VII?

A. PERKIN WARBECK

Q2. In which year did the Irish Free State come into being?

A. 1922

Q3. During the Battle of Britain, who was the head of RAF Fighter Command?

A. AIR CHIEF MARSHAL SIR HUGH DOWDING

Q4. Adelaide, capital of South Australia was named after the wife of which British King?

A WILLIAM IV

Q5. What name did the Romans give to Ireland?

A. HIBERNIA

Q6. Which explorer first reached Newfoundland in 1497?

A. JOHN CABOT

Q7. Which American President was the main author of the Declaration of Independence?

A. THOMAS JEFFERSON

Q8. The storming of the Bastille took place in which year?

A. 1789

Supplementary Questions

Q1. Whose claim to have discovered the source of the Nile was disputed at the time, but later proved to be correct?

A. JOHN HANNING SPEKE

Q2. Which war was ended by the Battle of Bosworth field?

A. WAR OF THE ROSES

Q3. Against whom did Rome fight the Punic Wars between 264 and 146 BC?

A. CARTHAGE

NATURAL HISTORY

Q1. Which common British tree has the latin name Fraxinus?

A. ASH

Q2. Which common bird has the latin name Turdus Philomelos?

A. SONG THRUSH

Q3. What collective term is used to describe a group of rhinoceroses?

A. A CRASH

Q4. Similarly, what name for a group of kangaroos?

A. A MOB OR A TROOP

Q5. A leatherjacket is the grub of which insect?

A. THE CRANEFLY

Q6. What is a Capuchin?

A. SPECIES OF MONKEY

Q7. Which bird is known as the “stormcock”

A. MISTLETHRUSH

Q8. What is Britain’s largest reptile?

A. THE GRASS SNAKE (up to 2 metres long)

Supplementary Questions

Q1. What name is given to a young pigeon?

A. A SQUAB

Q2. What is a Cassowary?

A A LARGE FLIGHTLESS BIRD

Q3. What name is given to the short tail of the rabbit, often seen disappearing in the distance?

A. A SCUT

SCIENCE

Q1. What is a lymphocyte?

A. A WHITE BLOOD CELL

Q2. What is the junction between two nerve cells called?

A. A SYNAPSE

Q3. For which disease did Jonas Salk produce an effective remedy?

A. POLIO

Q4. What name is given to a quadrilateral with all sides equal but with no right angle?

A. RHOMBUS

Q5. What is the group of medicines known as “anti-tussives” used to treat?

A. COUGHS

Q6. What is the S.I unit of illumination?

A. LUX

Q7. Who in London, in 1921, opened Britain’s first birth control clinic?

A. MARIE STOPES

Q8. What is the name of the nerve which carries sensation of smell from the nose to the brain?

A. OLFACTORY NERVE

Supplementary Questions

Q1. Rosehip syrup is rich in which vitamin?

A. VITAMIN C

Q2. What name is given to the first cervical vertebra which supports the skull?

A. ATLAS

Q3. A chemical reaction which releases a sudden amount of energy is known as what?

A. EXOTHERMIC

SPORT (WITH A TWIST)

Q1. What other sport than tennis is played at Wimbledon’s All England Club?

A. CROQUET

Q2. Kent Walton was the voice of which Saturday afternoon TV sport?

A. WRESTLING

Q3. Name any of the sportsmen to win Strictly Come Dancing?

A. LOUIS SMITH, MARK RAMPRAKASH or DARREN GOUGH

Q4. Which soccer team used to play at Ayresome Park?

A. MIDDLESBOROUGH

Q5. Which Test cricket ground has a Radcliffe Road end?

A. TRENT BRIDGE

Q6. Name the only sportsman to have won I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here?

A. PHIL TUFFNELL

Q7. Dorian Williams was well-known for commentating on which sport?

A. SHOWJUMPING

Q8. Other than the Grand National, what major sporting event has been held at Aintree racecourse?

A. THE FORMULA 1 BRITISH GRAND PRIX (1955, 57, 59, 61, 62)

Supplementary Questions

Q1. Which Olympic sport has been reinstated for the 2020 Games?

A. WRESTLING

Q2. How are the 11th, 12th and 13th holes of Augusta National Golf Club better known?

A. AMEN CORNER

Q3. Which tennis commentator, famous for the phrase “I say”, died in 1992?

A. DAN MASKELL

UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE

Q1. In which city is Napier University?

A. EDINBURGH

Q2. In which year did Polytechnics become Universities?

A. 1992 (accept 1991-93)

Q3. In September’s QS World University Rankings, which US University came top?

A. MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (MIT)

Q4. In the same Rankings, which was the highest ranked non-Oxbridge UK University?

A. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON (UCL), ranked 4th

Q5. According to Guinness World Records, in which country is the world’s oldest University?

A. MOROCCO (University of al-Karaouine in Fez)

Q6. Where is Robert Gordon University?

A. ABERDEEN

Q7. Which year saw the first ever broadcast of University Challenge?

A. 1962 (accept 1961-63)

Q8. In which year did the BBC first broadcast University Challenge?

A. 1994 (accept 1993-95)

Supplementary Questions

Q1. According to 2011-2012 statistics, which UK University has most students?

A. THE OPEN UNIVERSITY (201, 270)

Q2. Which is the oldest non-Oxbridge University in the UK?

A. UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS (SCOTLAND)

Q3. Name either of the teams that has won University Challenge four times?

A. MAGDALEN COLLEGE OXFORD or MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY

 

 

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE QUESTIONS

– SET BY WATERS GREEN RAMS,

VETTED BY HARRINGTON B AND BRITISH FLAG

1. Which is the oldest of the British horse-racing classics?

ST LEGER (first run in 1776)

2. Which country will host the 2014 Winter Olympic Games?

RUSSIA (in Sochi)

3. During September and October 2013, what was the connection between Glasgow, Brighton & Manchester?

VENUES FOR POLITICAL PARTY CONFERENCES (respectively: LibDems, Labour, Conservatives)

4. What 3-word phrase was the Conservative party’s motto at its annual conference in October 2013?

FOR HARDWORKING PEOPLE

5. Who won Celebrity Big Brother in September 2013?

CHARLOTTE CROSBY

6. Which company, founded in 2005, uses the slogan “Broadcast Yourself”?

YOUTUBE

7. Besides Texas and New Mexico, name one of the other 2 US states that have borders with Mexico.

ARIZONA OR CALIFORNIA

8. Who won Celebrity Masterchef in September 2013?

ADE EDMONDSON

9. At which London rail terminus would you find a statue of Sir John Betjeman?

ST PANCRAS

10. Which flower shares its name with the Greek goddess of the rainbow?

IRIS

11. Which company uses the motto “To fly. To serve”?

BRITISH AIRWAYS

12. Who is the Speaker of the House Of Commons?

JOHN BERCOW

13. What is the 2nd largest country in South America?

ARGENTINA

14. The Blue Harbour menswear range is sold by which retailer?

MARKS & SPENCER

15. What colour are the flowers of the laburnum tree?

YELLOW

16. At which London rail terminus would you find a statue of Isambard Kingdom Brunel?

PADDINGTON

17. Which composer’s symphonies include The Resurrection and Symphony Of A Thousand?

GUSTAV MAHLER

18. What nationality, by birth, was the composer of The Planets suite?

BRITISH OR ENGLISH (Gustav Holst was born in Cheltenham)

19. In which English town was Oliver Cromwell born?

HUNTINGDON

20. Who is the prime minister of New Zealand?

JOHN KEY

21. Which British Monarch was referred to by the French as “The wisest fool in Christendom”?

JAMES I

22. According to the Bible, who left his job as a fisherman to join his brother Simon Peter as an apostle of Jesus?

ANDREW

23. What six-letter word was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in August 2013, defined as 'a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically taken with a Smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website'?

SELFIE

24. What 2-word phrase, first used in 2003, is described by the OED as “A large group of people organized by means of the Internet, or mobile phones or other wireless devices, who assemble in public to perform a prearranged action together and then quickly disperse”.

FLASH MOB

25. In which Martin Scorcese-directed film of 1983 did Robert De Niro play the character Rupert Pupkin?

THE KING OF COMEDY

26. David Lean earned the 2nd of his Best Director Academy Award nominations for which 1946 film, an adaptation of a Charles Dickens novel?

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

27. Which rank in the Royal Air Force comes above squadron leader and below group captain?

WING COMMANDER

28. Who is this? He was born with the forenames Clarence Linden. After winning a swimming gold medal in the 1932 Olympics, he starred in a number of popular films in the 1930s and 1940s, playing such roles as Tarzan and Flash Gordon.

BUSTER CRABBE

29. Football. Of the 10 players to have made 500 or more appearances in the Premier League, who is the only England-born player to have made them all for one club?

JAMIE CARRAGHER

30.Odette is a character in which ballet?

SWAN LAKE

31. Which instrument takes its name from the French for high, or loud wood?

OBOE

32. Who was the first Secretary-General of the United Nations?

TRYGVE LIE (Norway)

33. An echidna is what type of animal?

(SPINY) ANTEATER

34. Which Irish-born poet was Poet Laureate from 1968 to 1972?

CECIL DAY-LEWIS

35. Which sporting event in 1967 was the BBC’s first colour transmission?

WIMBLEDON TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

36. What is the name of the main protein in cow’s milk?

CASSEIN

37. Which instrument was played by the jazz musician Art Blakey?

DRUMS

38. In which county is the steeltown of Scunthorpe?

LINCOLNSHIRE

39. Which comedian/presenter launched the clothes range Made By Dave in 2013, a range named after his dog?

MICHAEL BARRYMORE

40. During which year were women first allowed to vote in a UK general election?

1918 (This applied to women of 30 or over. The age limit was lowered to 21 in 1928)

41. Pauline Collins played which middle-aged housewife who talked to a wall in a successful 1989 film based on a one-character play by Willy Russell?

SHIRLEY VALENTINE

42. During which decade of the 20th century was Algeria granted independence from France?

1960s

43. Which river forms much of the border between Devon and Cornwall?

TAMAR

44. St Mary’s, St Martin’s and Tresco are all islands in which group?

SCILLY ISLES

45. The Chihuahua dog takes its name from a state in which country?

MEXICO

46. The busiest airport in Paris is named after whom?

CHARLES DE GAULLE

47. How is a regular hexahedron usually known?

CUBE

48. Who followed Carol McGiffin and preceded golfer Natasha Shishmanian?

BILLIE PIPER (Wives of radio/TV presenter Chris Evans)

49. In the lyrics of the 1960s hit A Whiter Shade Of Pale, how many vestal virgins “are leaving for the coast”?

SIXTEEN

50. Miss You Nights was a number 3 hit in 2003 for which band?

WESTLIFE

51. What is the 7-letter name of the hooked staff carried by a bishop?

CROZIER

52. Give either of the forenames of the author GK Chesterton.

GILBERT OR KEITH

53. Galena is an ore of which metal?

LEAD

54. With the symbol Na, what is element number 11 on the periodic table?

SODIUM

55. In the TV series Father Ted, what is the name of the housekeeper?

MRS DOYLE

56. What is the capital city of Australia’s Northern Territory?

DARWIN

57. Which country, in 1916, became the first to introduce Daylight Saving Time?

GERMANY

58. Besides Britain and France, which other country signed the Triple Entente in 1907?

RUSSIA

59. The word algebra is taken from which language, where it means “restoration”?

ARABIC

60. Name one of the 3 towns that were granted city status in 2012 to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

CHELMSFORD, PERTH OR ST ASAPH

61. Give a year in the life of the composer Sergei Prokofiev.

1891-1953

62. William Frederick Cody, born 1846, was known by which 2-word nickname?

BUFFALO BILL

63. What was launched on 7th October 1986 with the slogan “It is. Are you?”?

THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER

64. The Prince of the Asturias is a name given to the heir apparent of which European nation?

SPAIN

65. Which title character of 3 action films of the 1970s/1980s has the surname Rockatansky?

MAD MAX

66. How many prime ministers did the UK have in the 20th century? (Leeway)

20 (Accept 19-21)

67. In which city are the headquarters of the European Central Bank?

FRANKFURT

68. Of which US state is Harrisburg the capital?

PENNSYLVANIA

69. In a famous sitcom scene, what line follows – “Your name will also go on the list. What is it?”?

DON’T TELL HIM, PIKE (from Dad’s Army)

70. Which UK outdoor clothing and equipment manufacturer takes its name from the German for “Mountain House”?

BERGHAUS

71. Which North American Indian Chief (1720-1769) gives his name to a rebellion, a city in Michigan and a make of car?

PONTIAC

72. Which national daily newspaper, founded in 1903 by Alfred Harmsworth, was originally intended for women?

DAILY MIRROR

73. Which 1990s film was the last to win all 5 “major” Oscars – Best Actor, Actress, Director, Film and Writer?

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

74. Which Best Picture Oscar-winning film of the 1970s had Ted and Joanna as the title characters?

KRAMER VS KRAMER

75. In which athletics event did Mary Peters win an Olympic gold medal in 1972?

PENTATHLON

76. Of the six so-called World Marathon Majors, three are outside the USA. They are London, Berlin and which other?

TOKYO

77. Which 50 miles long river runs through Nantwich and Northwich?

WEAVER

78. Which Yorkshire band had their first UK number one hit in 2007 with Ruby?

KAISER CHIEFS

79. Which pop duo, formed in 1988, comprised Siobhan (pron. Shi-vaun) Fahey and Marcella Detroit?

SHAKESPEARS SISTER

80. Wallace Carothers is credited with inventing what in 1935?

NYLON

81. Which symbol, found on a computer keyboard, is sometimes known as an octothorpe?

HASH (#)

82. Who became acting leader of the British Labour party after the sudden death of John Smith?

MARGARET BECKETT

83. Sometimes called a neo-Nazi or fascist party, in which European country was the Golden Dawn political party declared a criminal organisation in October 2013?

GREECE

84. Jimmy Porter is the central character in which 1956 play, later a film starring Richard Burton?

LOOK BACK IN ANGER

85. Which 2 words fill the blanks in this famous quote from Edmund Burke – “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that (blank, blank) do nothing”?

GOOD MEN

86. What is the nearest railway station to the Jodrell Bank Telescope?

GOOSTREY

87. In the 18th century John Cleland wrote an infamous novel which was subtitled Memoirs Of A Woman Of Pleasure. Who is the central character of the novel?

FANNY HILL

88. In the scene of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel painted by Michelangelo, God’s hand extends towards that of which biblical figure?

ADAM

89. The existence of Area 51, the centre of many conspiracy theories and mentioned within UFO folklore, has been acknowledged by the US Government. In which state does it lie?

NEVADA

90. The sockeye is a species of which fish?

SALMON

91. Of which state was Frederick the Great (1712-86) king?

PRUSSIA

92. Female writer George Sand had a 10 year long relationship with which famous composer?

FREDERIC CHOPIN

93. With a fat content of about 75%, thus the fattiest known nut, which nut is named after an Australian botanist?

MACADAMIA (named after John Macadam)

94. The first race of the American Triple Crown, in which city is the Kentucky Derby run?

LOUISVILLE

95. The writer Rudyard Kipling was born in the same year and died in the same year as which British monarch?

GEORGE V (1865-1936)

96. Which company, founded in Seattle in 1971 and now with over 15,000 stores worldwide, takes its name from a character in the 1851 novel Moby Dick?

STARBUCK’S

SUPPLEMENTARIES

S1. Which Scottish town has the most northerly railway station in the UK?

THURSO

S2. How many boroughs are there in New York City?

FIVE

S3. Whose operatic works include Nabucco and Rigoletto?

GIUSEPPE VERDI

S4.What colour is a United States (non-Diplomatic) passport?

BLUE (a Diplomat’s passport may be black)

S5. What is the name of the salesman in Arthur Miller’s 1949 play Death Of A Salesman?

WILLY LOMAN

S6. Irvine Welsh’s 1993 novel Trainspotting is set in which city?

EDINBURGH

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

October 15th–the Questions

 

Specialist Questions

1. Art and Culture

2. Geography

3. History

4. Blockbusters

5. Sport

6. Science

7. Entertainment

8. Born in the USA Manchester

Set by: Ox-fford

Art and Culture

1

Who wrote the poem 'The Owl and the Pussycat'?

Edward Lear

2

Written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, which poem starts with the lines `On either side of the river lie, Long fields of barley and of rye`?

The Lady of Shalott

3

In Greek mythology, what was the fluid that flowed like blood through the veins of the gods?

Ichor

4

By what Latin phrase is the Canticle of Simeon (from Luke 2:29) better known?

Nunc Dimittis

5

In Christianity, what is the first day of Holy Week known as?

Palm Sunday

6

In what religion is a temple or place of worship often referred to as a Mandir?

Hinduism

7

Which Elizabethan explorer and buccaneer mounted two unsuccessful expeditions (in 1595-6 and 1617) to South America in a quest to find El Dorado, the supposed source of Spanish gold?

Walter Raleigh

8

Thomas Hardy`s heart is buried in his native Dorset, but where in London is his body buried?

Poet’s Corner in Westminster Abbey

S1

In George Orwell`s Animal Farm, what type of animals were Clover, Mollie and Boxer?

Horses

S2

According to Shakespeare, whose horse was called White Surrey?

Richard III

Geography

1

In which city is the official seat of the European Parliament?

Strasbourg

(Also sits in Brussels and Luxembourg)

2

What is the largest fresh water lake in North America?

Lake Superior

3

Known as the Rio Grande in the USA, what is it called in Mexico

Rio Bravo

4

Mount Kosciusko is the highest mountain in which country?

Australia

5

Which shipping forecast area is directly to the north of Ireland and south of Hebrides?

Malin

6

Winnipeg is the capital of which Canadian province?

Manitoba

7

In which European country would you find the Troodos mountain range?

Cyprus

8

What is the modern-day name for the country formerly known as the Republic of Upper Volta?

Burkina Faso

S1

What is the highest mountain that is not in a mountain range?

Kilimanjaro

S2

What country has the largest coastline?

Canada

History

1

Which King of England was crowned on Christmas Day?

William I (the Conqueror) in 1066

2

Who overthrew King Idris in 1969?

Colonel Gaddafi

(in Libya)

3

Who was assassinated by Nathuram Godse in 1948?

Mahatma Gandhi

4

In a competition in 1829, what beat Cycloped, Novelty, Perseverance and Sans Pareil?

Stephenson’s Rocket (in the Rainhill Trials)

5

Who was British Prime Minister on V-J Day on the 15th of August 1945?

Clement Attlee

(Having won the Election on 5 July 1945)

6

During World War II, how was William Joyce better known?

Lord Haw Haw

7

The 1812 Overture was written to celebrate the defeat of Napoleon in which city?

Moscow

8

The Royal Air Force was formed during the first World War from the amalgamation of two other bodies. Name either.

Royal Flying Corps or

Royal Naval Air Service

S1

Which rebellion was defeated at the Battle of Sedgemoor in 1685?

The Monmouth Rebellion

S2

Between them, the six wives of Henry VIII were of three different nationalities. English, Spanish and what other?

German

(Anne of Cleves)


Blockbusters

As the name suggests, each question’s correct answer begins with the letter given in the clue.

1

What 'F' describes the ability of certain substances to glow under ultraviolet light?

Fluorescence

2

What 'T' is the mountain range in Southern Turkey parallel to the Mediterranean Sea?

Taurus

3

In biology, what 'O' is the name of the process for the diffusion of solvent molecules through any membrane or porous barrier - as in dialysis?

Osmosis

4

Belts, bags and jewellery worn to complete an outfit, are known collectively as what 'A'?

Accessories

5

What 'P' is an Oriental temple in the form of a sacred tower with roofs over the individual storeys?

Pagoda

6

What 'M' is a self-contained section of a symphony?

Movement

7

What 'D' is the technique used to purify liquids by the processes of evaporation and then condensation?

Distillation

8

What 'S' were an ancient people who inhabited parts of central and northern Germany from Roman times then conquered and settled in southern England in the 5th and 6th centuries?

Saxons

S1

What 'N' is the state of supreme bliss in Buddhism and Hinduism?

Nirvana

S2

What 'A' is the medical term for a graze or a minor skin wound?

Abrasion

Sport

1

How many players make up an Australian Rules Football team?

18

2

Horse Racing: At which racecourse are the 1000 Guineas and the 2000 Guineas both run?

Newmarket

3

After which track and field athlete was Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton named?

Carl Lewis

4

Which US city is home to sporting teams known as the Browns, the Cavaliers and the Indians?

Cleveland

(NFL, NBA and MLB teams)

5

What official number Olympiad were London’s Olympic Games in 2012?

XXX (30th)

(sequentially numbered every 4 years since 1896 – whether cancelled or not)

6

Golf: What is the maximum number of golf clubs a player is allowed to carry in competitions played under R & A rules?

14

7

How many successive pots must a snooker player make to score a 147 break?

36

8

How many points is a try worth in Rugby League?

4 points

S1

Which flower is the middle name of footballer turned TV presenter Bob Wilson?

Primrose

S2

Why is Cardiff the only Welsh football team to have triangular corner flags?

They are the only Welsh team to have won the FA Cup

Science

1

What is the lightest metal under standard conditions?

Lithium

2

How many surfaces does a Mobius strip have?

One

3

What sort of creature is a cassowary?

A (flightless) bird

4

In the animal kingdom, the Percheron, Clydesdale, and Arabian are all breeds of which large animal?

Horse

5

What is the more common name for the medical condition of periorbital hematoma?

A Black Eye

6

Which vitamin is produced by the action of ultraviolet light on the skin?

Vitamin D

7

In the periodic table, which element is listed first?

Hydrogen

8

What is the name for a large stellar explosion that produces an extremely bright object in the sky and then slowly fades?

Supernova

S1

Where in the human body would you find the Islets of Langerhans?

Pancreas

S2

Where in the human body would you find the scaphoid bone?

The wrist


Entertainment

1

In which American TV comedy would you find the cartoon characters Kenny, Kyle, Stan and Eric?

South Park

2

Who played Mikael Blomkvist in the 2011 English language film 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo'?

Daniel Craig

3

Which Cole Porter musical was based on Shakespeare's 'The Taming of the Shrew'?

Kiss Me Kate

4

In the 1994 film 'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,' who or what was Priscilla?

A Bus

(used for transport by the main characters)

5

In 'Happy Days', the 1974-1984 American TV sitcom, what was the first name of the character known as Fonzie?

Arthur

6

'The Magnificent Two' was a 1967 film starring which comedy double act?

Morecambe and Wise

7

Which British actress played the part of Sybil in the comedy series 'Fawlty Towers'?

Prunella Scales

8

In the 2001 film 'Mike Bassett: England Manager,' which actor plays the eponymous England Manager?

Ricky Tomlinson

S1

Which group had a hit with the theme song 'I'll Be There for You' from 'Friends'?

The Rembrandts

S2

In the Disney animated film, which poisoned fruit did the Wicked Queen give to Snow White?

Apple

Born in the USA Manchester

A simple picture round. You will be shown a picture of someone who was…born in Manchester! You simply have to say who it is!

1.

Q1

 

2.

Q2

3.

 

Q3

 

4.

Q4

5.

Q5

6.

Q6

7.

Q7

8.

Q8

S1.

S1

S2.

S2

 

(Note to QMs: there are 2 substitute questions about people born in Manchester at the end for use if there are any visually impaired Quizzers)

1

John Thaw (born in Longsight)

2

Mick Hucknall (born in Denton)

3

Anthony Burgess (born in Harpurhey)

4

David Lloyd George (born in Chorlton-on-Medlock)

5

Howard Jacobson (born in Prestwich)

6

L. S. Lowry (born in Stretford)

7

Marc Riley (A.K.A. Lard – born in the city centre)

8

Karl Pilkington (born in Sale)

S1

Liam Gallagher (born in Burnage)

S2

Emmeline Pankhurst (born in Moss Side)

Visually impaired Q1

Who is currently the Joint-Assistant Manager of Manchester City alongside fellow assistant Rubén Cousillas?

Answer: Brian Kidd (born in Collyhurst)

Visually impaired Q2

Which historian and broadcaster presented numerous television documentary series, including Great Railway Journeys, In Search of the Trojan War, Art of the Western World and Conquistadors?

Answer: Michael Wood (born in Moss Side)

General Knowledge

 

1

The Royal Mint has announced the issue of Commemorative coins, priced at between £13 for the cheapest and £50,000 for the most expensive, to celebrate what event?

 

The christening of Prince George

2

Which Edinburgh University professor was joint winner of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics?

 

Peter Higgs

3

In the first pages of new Bridget Jones book 'Mad About The Boy', it is revealed that which character died 5 years previously?

 

Mark Darcy

4

Which former Fleetwood Mac singer joined the band on stage to perform 'Don't Stop' at London's O2 arena on 26th September?

 

Christine McVie

5

This Christmas will see a one-off return of which TV sitcom, with David Jason reprising his role as Granville, who in 2013 is the owner of a corner shop?

 

Open All Hours

6

David Graham is the only original cast member to return in 'Thunderbirds Are Go!' which will air on ITV in 2015 - he will once again voice which character?

 

Parker

7

One of the world's richest men, which American thriller writer died at the age of 66 on 1st October 2013?

 

Tom Clancy

8

Labour leader Ed Miliband has accused the Daily Mail newspaper of lying about his father, after it headlined an article about him as "the man who hated Britain" Who is the Editor of the Daily Mail?

 

Paul Dacre

 

   

9

At which stadium was the final of Euro'96 played?

 

Wembley

10

Which country was included in the 1990s to make The Five Nations rugby tournament become Six?

 

Italy

11

In the film 'Smokey And The Bandit', which actor played the bandit?

 

Burt Reynolds

12

La Paz is the capital city of which South American country?

 

Bolivia

13

What unit of measurement is used for measuring electrical resistance?

 

Ohm

14

On the 24th of February 1989, the funeral of which Japanese Emperor took place in Tokyo?

 

Hirohito

15

Which budget clothing retailer opened its first store in 1969 in Mary Street, Dublin?

 

Primark

16

Which twentieth century British Prime Minister was the youngest to hold the office since William Pitt?

 

Tony Blair

 

   

17

Which singer's second U.K. number one was 'It's Over' in 1964?

 

Roy Orbison

18

Which goalkeeper was the first British player to play in 1000 first class matches?

 

Pat Jennings

19

Which actress' father wrote the scripts for 'The Magic Roundabout' in the U.K.?

 

Emma Thompson

20

In which African country was Queen Elizabeth II when she heard the news of her father's death and her consequent accession to the throne?

 

Kenya

21

In which London Park are the Serpentine, Rotten Row and Speaker's Corner?

 

Hyde Park

22

What type of creature is a Funnel Web?

 

Spider

23

Who created the hero Biggles?

 

W.E. Johns

24

What is the name of the Russian soup made principally from beetroot?

 

Borscht

 

   

25

What was the name of the model village built by W.H. Lever on Merseyside?

 

Port Sunlight

26

Whose first single, 'Mr. Tambourine Man', topped the U.K. charts in 1965?

 

The Byrds

27

What trophy, competed for in Rugby Union between England and Scotland, is made from melted down rupees?

 

The Calcutta Cup

28

Which American actor played the deceased Sam Wheat in the 1990 film 'Ghost'?

 

Patrick Swayze

29

Which former president of Haiti created a local militia, notorious for its brutality, known as the Tonton Macoutes?

 

Francois 'Papa Doc' Duvalier (Accept Papa Doc)

30

Name either of the two countries that have land borders with Lebanon?

 

Israel or Syria

31

The flower myosotis is more commonly known as what?

 

Forget-Me-Not

32

Which illustrator was famous for detailed drawings of weird and wonderful mechanical inventions?

 

Heath Robinson

 

   

33

Who was the pilot of the American U2 spy plane shot down over the U.S.S.R. on May 1st 1960?

 

Gary Powers

34

Which famous actress was 'captured' by King Kong in the 1933 film?

 

Fay Wray

35

Jools Holland and Chris Difford were members of which group?

 

Squeeze

36

David Shepherd died in 2009 at the age of 68 - in which sport did he achieve fame?

 

Cricket

37

Which Disney film does the song 'Circle of Life' come from?

 

The Lion King

38

Which atoll in the Marshall Islands, used by the U.S. as a nuclear test site in the 1950s, gave its name to an item of clothing?

 

Bikini Atoll

39

Which city in West Yorkshire stands on the River Aire?

 

Leeds

40

In human biology, in which part of the body would you find the adrenal glands?

 

Kidneys

 

   

41

Name either of the two seas joined by the Kiel Canal.

 

North Sea or the Baltic Sea

42

The Babbington plot of 1586 was hatched to assassinate which monarch?

 

Elizabeth I

43

In a game of Scrabble how many bonus points are awarded to a player who uses all their seven letters in one go?

 

50

44

Amy Winehouse, Brian Jones, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain all died at what age?

 

27

45

In metres what is the length of an Olympic swimming pool?

 

50 metres

46

Which of Shakespeare's plays features the character Oberon?

 

A Midsummer Night's Dream

47

In which city was Dick Turpin hanged?

 

York

48

In which Indian city would you find the 'Golden Temple'?

 

Amritsar

 

   

49

In medicine, a Sphygmomanometer measures what?

 

Blood Pressure

50

Located in Virginia, The Pentagon is the headquarters of which U.S. department?

 

Defence (or Defense, as they spell it…)

51

Which London Underground line was officially opened on 30th April 1979?

 

Jubilee Line

52

Name the large statue, by Anthony Gormley, which can be seen for many miles, around the Tyneside area.

 

Angel of the North

53

"I am the egg man" is a line in which Beatles song?

 

I am the Walrus

54

Who, in 1961, moved from Manchester City to Torino for £110,000 making him Britain's first £100,000 player?

 

Dennis Law

   

55

In which TV science-fiction series is Dave Lister the only human member of the four man crew?

 

Red Dwarf

56

What was the name of the heiress killed by Donald Neilson in Kidsgrove in 1975?

 

Lesley Whittle

 

   

57

Who wrote the poem 'Tam O' Shanter,' where Tam is chased by a witch?

 

Robert Burns

58

Charon is a moon of which celestial body in our solar system?

 

Pluto

59

In which country would you find the River Po?

 

Italy

60

The berries from which tree are used to flavour gin?

 

Juniper

61

Which useful material is produced by heating limestone?

 

Quicklime

62

Live Aid concerts in aid of African famine relief were held on 13th July 1985 in London and in which U.S. city?

 

Philadelphia

63

In what sport do teams compete in the Hong Kong Sevens?

 

Rugby Union

64

On TV, which comedy series was set on Craggy Island?

 

Father Ted

 

   

65

What's the main alcoholic ingredient in a margarita cocktail?

 

Tequila

66

Which Irish playwright wrote 'Waiting for Godot'?

 

Samuel Beckett

67

The tiger is native to which continent?

 

Asia

68

What is the better known name of the landmark the Flavian Amphitheatre?

 

The Colosseum

69

Name the Jamaican cottage in which Ian Fleming once wrote his famous James Bond novels.

 

Goldeneye

70

With which fruit is maraschino liqueur flavoured?

 

Cherries

71

From which English city do both Massive Attack and Portishead come?

 

Bristol

72

Which Australian sprinter lit the flame at the start of the Sydney Olympics?

 

Cathy Freeman

 

   

73

By which Japanese name is bean curd better known?

 

Tofu

74

What is the main ingredient of the Irish dish colcannon?

 

Potatoes

75

Part of the series 'The Frieze of Life', in which he explored the themes of life, love, fear, and death, what is Norwegian Symbolist painter Edvard Munch's best known painting?

 

The Scream

76

The clavicle is better known as which part of your body?

 

Collarbone

77

Which Russian playwright wrote 'The Three Sisters' and 'The Seagull'?

 

Anton Chekhov

78

Born in 1898, Henry Moore was a noted exponent of which field of the arts?

 

Sculpture

79

Vindaloo is spicy due to the amount of what in its ingredients?

 

Chillies

80

Who sang of the 'Summer of '69' and 'Run To You'?

 

Bryan Adams

 

   

81

In which Commonwealth country was Dame Kiri Te Kanawa born?

 

New Zealand

82

Which American actor played dance teacher Johnny Castle in the 1987 film 'Dirty Dancing'?

 

Patrick Swayze

83

Which famous British horror actor appeared in the 1965 film 'Doctor Who and the Daleks'?

 

Peter Cushing

84

In literature, the book 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep' by Philip Dick, set in 21st century Los Angeles, was adapted into which film?

 

Blade Runner

85

Sunshine on Leith is a 2013 British musical film, an adaptation of the stage musical of the same name, featuring songs by which band?

 

The Proclaimers

86

The explorer Marco Polo was born in which country?

 

Italy

87

Who directed Jack Lemmon in what was perhaps his most famous film, 'Some Like It Hot'?

 

Billy Wilder

88

What was the papal name adopted by Nicholas Breakspear, the only English-born Pope who died in 1159?

 

Adrian (the Fourth)

 

   

89

Which cult British horror movie of 1973, starring Edward Woodward, was remade and released in 2006 with Nicholas Cage in the central role?

 

The Wicker Man

90

Who is the famous father of Fifi Trixibelle, Peaches Honeyblossom and Little Pixie?

 

Bob Geldof

91

Which film was advertised with the slogan 'An adventure 65 million years in the making'?

 

Jurassic Park

92

Which iconic board game did unemployed American Charles Darrow invent in 1934, during the height of the Great Depression?

 

Monopoly

93

Which U.S. newspaper was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for its investigation of the Watergate Scandal?

 

Washington Post

94

What was the name of the dog that advertised Minced Morsels with Clement Freud?

 

Henry

95

Ole Kirk Christiansen, a carpenter from Denmark, was responsible for creating which famous toy company?

 

Lego

96

Which Mediterranean island was awarded the George Cross during WWII?

 

Malta

   

Supplementaries

   

S1

Which science fiction film recently opened in America giving both George Clooney and Sandra Bullock their best highest grossing weekend ever?

 

Gravity

S2

What is normally kept in a humidor?

 

Cigars

S3

What was Madness's only number one single?

 

House of Fun

S4

With his 1983 U.S. Masters win at the age of 23, Seve Ballesteros became the youngest winner of the tournament. Who took this record from him?

 

Tiger Woods

S5

On which sea does the Russian city of Odessa lie?

 

Black Sea

S6

The name of which semi-aquatic mammal found on the African continent was immortalised in song by Flanders and Swan?

 

Hippopotamus

S7

On British TV, who was the first woman to present 'Points Of View' on a regular basis?

 

Anne Robinson

S8

Despite his death on 31st March 2011, whose name could still be seen on British motorways every day?

 

Eddie Stobart Jnr's