QUIZ 103
1. In Latin this word means a female animal used for breeding. In Geology
it is the natural material surrounding a metal or gem. In Biology it is
the intercellular substance of a tissue. The commonest use of the word,
however, is in Mathematics. Also appearing in the title of a film with
superb special effects, which word?
Ans: Matrix
2. A famous example of classic Arabic literature is ‘The Book of One
Thousand and One Nights’. Part of the book is a collection of
travel-romances telling the story of a legendary sailor’s fantastic
voyages on the Indian Ocean. What was the name of that sailor?
Ans: Sinbad
3. The name of this African language comes from Arabic, meaning ‘coast’.
The syntax and grammar is Bantu but much of the vocabulary can be
associated with Arabs and Persians who moved to the East African coast.
There are approximately five million first-language speakers and 30 to
50 million second-language speakers. Which language?
Ans: Swahili
4. In 1927, a famous sports team was created by Abe Saperstein. Originally
known as the ‘Savoy Big Five’, they have played more than 20,000 games
under their current name, notably against the Washington Generals and
the New York Nationals. What is the name of the team?
Ans: Harlem Globetrotters
5. In Judo the highest levels, normally signified by a black belt, are
called Dan. What name is given to the lower levels that can be
represented by yellow, orange, green, blue or brown belts?
Ans: Kyu
6. What name is given to the simulation strategy game that became, in 2002,
the best-selling PC-game in history (with over 6 million copies sold)?
The aim of the game is to create people and help them attain their
personal goals. The player has to ensure the characters find a job, have
fun and keep healthy. Some add-ins were called ‘Hot Date’, ‘Vacation’,
‘House Party’ and ‘Superstar’.
Ans: SIMS
7. One particular month is known for its close connection to warfare and
tragedies. Events taking place in that month include: the outbreak of
the American Civil War and the Bosnian War, the Rwandan genocide; the
deaths of Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr. and Pope John Paul II;
the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the San Francisco earthquake, the first
use of poison gas in WWI and the sinking of the Titanic. Which month?
Ans: April
8. In order to fight the French, Native American tribes like Mohawk,
Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga and Seneca formed a confederacy. What was this
confederacy called?
Ans:Iroquois
9. In 1905, a patent clerk from Bern published a number of articles that
changed the world. The year 1905 was later called his ‘annus mirabilis’.
Who was this man?
Ans: Albert Einstein
10. What important source of protein in the cuisines of China, Japan, Korea
and South-East Asia, dating back to the Han dynasty, is made from dried
soybeans that are soaked in water, crushed and boiled? Its by-product
Okara is also eaten?
Ans: Tofu
