Answers to Another Quiz
Months ago I posted some questions from a quiz I conducted in Pune. I forgot all about it until recently when a reader mailed me demanding I post the answers. So here are the answers. Sorry, but I won't be able to tally everyone's responses and declare who "won". But you are all winners anyway. I am the loser for sitting on the answers so long. So here goes.
1. Martin Speckter, the head of an advertising agency and an advocate of precision in communication, put forth the idea for this punctuation in an article in 1962. It was supposed to convey in print an attitude of curiosity and wonder. The Wall Street journal in an editorial in the same year called the idea exactly right for a statement like "Who forgot to put gas in the car". What name did Speckter give this punctuation?
Interrobang. This question was a reference to the BCQC's quiz blog.
2. What is Hebrew for "one to whom the commandments apply"?
Bar Mitzvah, which is also the name of the Jewish ceremony for coming of age for boys.
3. Who was Jon Stewart talking about when he said - "His first name rhymes with Iraq. His last name rhymes with Osama. And his middle name, believe it or not, is Hussein."
Barack Hussain Obama.
4. While Farhan Akhtar's Don was a badly made and entirely forgettable film in this QM's opinion, it had one nice touch that trivia buffs will like. In the scene where Don goes into his vault, we see a painting on the wall. There is a reason for this specific painting being there, which makes it a nice touch. Which painting is it? Artist and name please.
Edward Munch's 'The Scream'. The painting had been stolen at the time that the film was being shot, though it was recovered a couple of months before the film's release. Akhtar implying that Don stole the painting was a rather nice touch.
5. In the 1984 Lok Sabha election whose campaign catch phrase was “Mere anganay mein tumhara kya kaam hai?”
Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna, who was Amitabh Bachchan's opponent.
6. Staying with the 1984 Lok Sabha elections, fearing a complete rout(which did happen), the BJP made a pre-electoral alliance with Charan Singh's Lok Dal. What name did Vajpayee give this alliance?
National Democratic Alliance, a name he later re-used for his ruling coalition.
7. In the 19th century, African-Americans created a satirical mimicking of white ballroom dancing. Couples formed a square with the men on the inside, and strutted around the square to music. Whichever couple was adjudged as the best won a certain food item, giving this dance its name. The name of this dance has given rise to several idioms and phrases. What name?
Cakewalk.
8. Which movie is this a poster of? (Text blanked out, obviously)
Lord of the Rings, the 1978 animated version.
9. What is the claim to fame of this man?
He was apparently the inspiration of the old man in Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea. You can even see Hemingway's picture on the wall behind him.
10. This is from a page of a graphic novel. Which painting and artist is this panel a tribute to??
Edward Hopper's Nighthawks.
11. What is this?
#FF9933
#FFFFFF with a little bit of #000080
#138808
The html colour code for the Indian flag.
12. X&Y had in mind a sitcom that would essentially parody the banal formula of the 70s and 80s sitcom. The central character was to be decided on the basis of something that would happen towards the end of 2000, but X&Y were very certain of what would happen so they tentatively titled it "Everybody Loves Al". They were proven wrong, and had to name it "That's My ________". The sitcom's first season had 8 episodes which were telecast in 2001. Though it received critical acclaim and decent ratings, the channel cancelled the show towards the end of 2001. Identify X, Y and fill in the blank.
Trey Parker, Matt Stone, "That's My Bush". Hilarious little series. Get the DVD if you can.
13. A few minutes into the film we are on the sets of Seema Productions' "Pehra". In the scene being shot, Gopal and his girlfriend are meeting in a garden. Gopal says that he wants them to be together, even though he is poor and she is rich, and asks her to come to his arms. She talks about how the society won't let them be together. Gopal disagrees and asks her again to come to his arms. The director shouts "cut" and asks the actor to hold the actress closer. Which film?
Andaz Apna Apna. Remember Govinda saying to Juhi, "aa gale jag jaa" as Aamir fumes on the sidelines.
14. Connect
The only 5 officially communist countries in the world right now.
15. Give the last two names in this series - Aadam, Idris, Nuh, Hud, Saleh, Ibrahim, Lut,...................., ______________ and ______________
Isa and Muhammad. these are Islam's prophets in that order.
16. Though this 9-word phrase must have been around in various forms since before that, it is credited to sci-fi writer Robert Heinlein for use in his 1966 novel 'The Moon is a Harsh Mistress'. The name of a student-run snack bar in the University of Chicago is the acronym for this phrase.
There ain't no such thing as a free lunch
17. Which band connects these three visuals?
Coldplay. The first viual is the book whose title they got their name from. The second is the x and y chromosome. Third is a picture of parachutes. These are references to their album names.
18. In 1391, the Byzantine Emperor Manuel II had a dialog with a Persian scholar which he then recorded in a book as 'Twenty-six Dialogues with a Persian'. What was the emperor's last name and why is this important?
Paleologus. Pope Benedict quoted this dude and caused a furore in the Islamic world last year.
19. Which film is this map relevant to?
Red Dawn, starring Patrick Swayze. the cult favourite in which the Russians land on the American mainland.
20. Connect these 4 films. There is a single funda connecting all four -
You Only Live Twice, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Four Rooms
Roald Dahl. He wrote the screenplays for the first 3, and the last story in Four Rooms, 'The man from Hollywood' is based on a Dahl story.
21. Rusi Dinshaw, Duncan Sharpe, Wallis Mathias and Antao D'souza were the first four names in this list. This list used to have 7 names, but quite unexpectedly, in 2005 it came down to 6. The remaining names are of two people who are related to each other. What list is this?
Non-muslims to play cricket for Pakistan. The remainign two names are Anil Dalpath and his nephew Danish Kaneria. Yousuf Youhana of course, ceased to exist and became Mohammad Yousuf, even the records changed to reflect his new identity.
22. This song, composed and sung by S D Burman was once mentioned by Lata Mangeshkar as the toughest song to sing. In the movie X, for which SDB himself gave music, there is a couplet in the middle of a song which parodies this famous song, right down to imitating SD's nasal twang. The parody couplet became very popular and was later made into a full song by RD Burman for the movie Y. Name the movies X and Y as well as the song and its parody.
the song - Dheere se jaana bagiyan mein, re bhavra dheere se jaana bagiyan mein
X - Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi
Y - Badhti Ka Naam Daadhi
parody song - Dheere se jaana khatiyan mein, re khatmal, dheere se jaan khatiyan mein
23. Connect –
- If equilateral triangles are constructed on the sides of any triangle, either all outward, or all inward, the centroids of those equilateral triangles themselves form an equilateral triangle
- Professor Moriarty
- Elvis Costello
- Joseph Stalin in literature.
Napoleon. First is the Napoleon Theorem. Moriarty was called the Napoleon of crime. Elvis Costello's once used the nickname Napoleon Dynamite. And Stalin in George Orwell's Animal Farm was a pig called Napoleon.
24. John O'Brien's first novel, like most first novel, was semi-autobiographical in nature, and was about an alcoholic writer who loses everything because of his addiction. The book is about the alcoholic writer's relationship with a prostitute, and in the end he dies. O'Brien shocked everyone by making the book a little too autobiographical by committing suicide two weeks after it was announced that the book would be made into a film. The producers considered abandoning the project but went ahead with it, as a memorial to O'Brien. It was a critical as well as commercial success and the lead won the Best Actor Oscar. Name the book/movie.
Leaving Las Vegas
25. As Asterix and the Black Gold was dedicated to him, it was but natural that he would play a ‘cameo’ in it. The character Saul Ben Ephishul, a Jew who guides Asterix and Obelix through the desert was thus modeled on him. Name him.
Goscinny himself. This book was written and drawn by uderzo after Goscinny's death and was dedicated to him.
26. X was an iconic horror film star of the silent era, well known for his portrayal of Dracula, though his arch rival Boris Karloff is more well known, something he was very resentful about. X fell on bad times later on and had to act in B grade films, mostly directed by Y with whom he shared a special relationship. X and Y are like most has-beens would have sunk into oblivion if not for a dubious list that was compiled by a magazine, and a movie. This movie, shot completely in black and white and named after Y was a great critical and commercial success and won Martin Landau an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his moving portrayal of X.
Bela Lugosi and Ed Wood. Do watch the Tim Burton movie, starring Johnny Depp. It's amazing.
27. Give the missing name
31 Robert Karlsson
32 Joe Durant
33 Yang Yong-Eun
34 Ian Poulter
35 Darren Clarke
36 Carl Pettersson
37 _______________
38 Lucas Glover
39 Rory Sabbatini
40 Brett Wetterich
Jeev Milkha Singh. Ranked 37th in the world at the end of 2006.
28. Screenshot from a film. Identify the film, this man, and for no extra points, the man who has been whited out.
Film - Sin City
Man - Frank Miller, who played the role of the priest
Whited out - Micky Rourke who played Marv
29. Connect these visuals
Diogenes, Drones, Ganymede.... names of fictional clubs. First from Sherlock Holmes, the last 2 from Jeeves and Wooster.
30. Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804) founded the American federalist Party. He was the first ever Secretary of Treasury, and was avowedly pro-British in his outlook. He is most well-known for his extremely acrimonious disagreement with Aaron Burr
Harry Whittington (1947 - ) is a lawyer from Texas. He is the current chairman of the Texas Funeral Service Commission. He shot to fame in early 2006.
What unique distinction do these two gentlemen share?
Shot by US vice Presidents. :)
31. Connect.
- “A rabbit is the same as a sphere since neither has a hole”
- A Frenchman described as “The Last Universalist” in mathematics who implied the above
- The illustrious company of Pasternak, Brando, Tagore etc
Perelman, who refused the Fields' medal. he was awarded it for proving the poincare Conjecture.
32. X was touring violence-infested regions of the state, holding meetings and trying to find a solution. The victims had a demand which the government was neither able nor willing to meet. At one such evening meeting, X wondered out aloud that if the government was not ready to help the people, isn’t there any other way out. That is when Ram Chandra Reddy got up and surprised everyone by making an announcement. What did this start? Also identify X.
Bhoodan movement. X is Vinoba Bhave.
1. Martin Speckter, the head of an advertising agency and an advocate of precision in communication, put forth the idea for this punctuation in an article in 1962. It was supposed to convey in print an attitude of curiosity and wonder. The Wall Street journal in an editorial in the same year called the idea exactly right for a statement like "Who forgot to put gas in the car". What name did Speckter give this punctuation?
Interrobang. This question was a reference to the BCQC's quiz blog.
2. What is Hebrew for "one to whom the commandments apply"?
Bar Mitzvah, which is also the name of the Jewish ceremony for coming of age for boys.
3. Who was Jon Stewart talking about when he said - "His first name rhymes with Iraq. His last name rhymes with Osama. And his middle name, believe it or not, is Hussein."
Barack Hussain Obama.
4. While Farhan Akhtar's Don was a badly made and entirely forgettable film in this QM's opinion, it had one nice touch that trivia buffs will like. In the scene where Don goes into his vault, we see a painting on the wall. There is a reason for this specific painting being there, which makes it a nice touch. Which painting is it? Artist and name please.
Edward Munch's 'The Scream'. The painting had been stolen at the time that the film was being shot, though it was recovered a couple of months before the film's release. Akhtar implying that Don stole the painting was a rather nice touch.
5. In the 1984 Lok Sabha election whose campaign catch phrase was “Mere anganay mein tumhara kya kaam hai?”
Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna, who was Amitabh Bachchan's opponent.
6. Staying with the 1984 Lok Sabha elections, fearing a complete rout(which did happen), the BJP made a pre-electoral alliance with Charan Singh's Lok Dal. What name did Vajpayee give this alliance?
National Democratic Alliance, a name he later re-used for his ruling coalition.
7. In the 19th century, African-Americans created a satirical mimicking of white ballroom dancing. Couples formed a square with the men on the inside, and strutted around the square to music. Whichever couple was adjudged as the best won a certain food item, giving this dance its name. The name of this dance has given rise to several idioms and phrases. What name?
Cakewalk.
8. Which movie is this a poster of? (Text blanked out, obviously)
Lord of the Rings, the 1978 animated version.
9. What is the claim to fame of this man?
He was apparently the inspiration of the old man in Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea. You can even see Hemingway's picture on the wall behind him.
10. This is from a page of a graphic novel. Which painting and artist is this panel a tribute to??
Edward Hopper's Nighthawks.
11. What is this?
#FF9933
#FFFFFF with a little bit of #000080
#138808
The html colour code for the Indian flag.
12. X&Y had in mind a sitcom that would essentially parody the banal formula of the 70s and 80s sitcom. The central character was to be decided on the basis of something that would happen towards the end of 2000, but X&Y were very certain of what would happen so they tentatively titled it "Everybody Loves Al". They were proven wrong, and had to name it "That's My ________". The sitcom's first season had 8 episodes which were telecast in 2001. Though it received critical acclaim and decent ratings, the channel cancelled the show towards the end of 2001. Identify X, Y and fill in the blank.
Trey Parker, Matt Stone, "That's My Bush". Hilarious little series. Get the DVD if you can.
13. A few minutes into the film we are on the sets of Seema Productions' "Pehra". In the scene being shot, Gopal and his girlfriend are meeting in a garden. Gopal says that he wants them to be together, even though he is poor and she is rich, and asks her to come to his arms. She talks about how the society won't let them be together. Gopal disagrees and asks her again to come to his arms. The director shouts "cut" and asks the actor to hold the actress closer. Which film?
Andaz Apna Apna. Remember Govinda saying to Juhi, "aa gale jag jaa" as Aamir fumes on the sidelines.
14. Connect
The only 5 officially communist countries in the world right now.
15. Give the last two names in this series - Aadam, Idris, Nuh, Hud, Saleh, Ibrahim, Lut,...................., ______________ and ______________
Isa and Muhammad. these are Islam's prophets in that order.
16. Though this 9-word phrase must have been around in various forms since before that, it is credited to sci-fi writer Robert Heinlein for use in his 1966 novel 'The Moon is a Harsh Mistress'. The name of a student-run snack bar in the University of Chicago is the acronym for this phrase.
There ain't no such thing as a free lunch
17. Which band connects these three visuals?
Coldplay. The first viual is the book whose title they got their name from. The second is the x and y chromosome. Third is a picture of parachutes. These are references to their album names.
18. In 1391, the Byzantine Emperor Manuel II had a dialog with a Persian scholar which he then recorded in a book as 'Twenty-six Dialogues with a Persian'. What was the emperor's last name and why is this important?
Paleologus. Pope Benedict quoted this dude and caused a furore in the Islamic world last year.
19. Which film is this map relevant to?
Red Dawn, starring Patrick Swayze. the cult favourite in which the Russians land on the American mainland.
20. Connect these 4 films. There is a single funda connecting all four -
You Only Live Twice, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Four Rooms
Roald Dahl. He wrote the screenplays for the first 3, and the last story in Four Rooms, 'The man from Hollywood' is based on a Dahl story.
21. Rusi Dinshaw, Duncan Sharpe, Wallis Mathias and Antao D'souza were the first four names in this list. This list used to have 7 names, but quite unexpectedly, in 2005 it came down to 6. The remaining names are of two people who are related to each other. What list is this?
Non-muslims to play cricket for Pakistan. The remainign two names are Anil Dalpath and his nephew Danish Kaneria. Yousuf Youhana of course, ceased to exist and became Mohammad Yousuf, even the records changed to reflect his new identity.
22. This song, composed and sung by S D Burman was once mentioned by Lata Mangeshkar as the toughest song to sing. In the movie X, for which SDB himself gave music, there is a couplet in the middle of a song which parodies this famous song, right down to imitating SD's nasal twang. The parody couplet became very popular and was later made into a full song by RD Burman for the movie Y. Name the movies X and Y as well as the song and its parody.
the song - Dheere se jaana bagiyan mein, re bhavra dheere se jaana bagiyan mein
X - Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi
Y - Badhti Ka Naam Daadhi
parody song - Dheere se jaana khatiyan mein, re khatmal, dheere se jaan khatiyan mein
23. Connect –
- If equilateral triangles are constructed on the sides of any triangle, either all outward, or all inward, the centroids of those equilateral triangles themselves form an equilateral triangle
- Professor Moriarty
- Elvis Costello
- Joseph Stalin in literature.
Napoleon. First is the Napoleon Theorem. Moriarty was called the Napoleon of crime. Elvis Costello's once used the nickname Napoleon Dynamite. And Stalin in George Orwell's Animal Farm was a pig called Napoleon.
24. John O'Brien's first novel, like most first novel, was semi-autobiographical in nature, and was about an alcoholic writer who loses everything because of his addiction. The book is about the alcoholic writer's relationship with a prostitute, and in the end he dies. O'Brien shocked everyone by making the book a little too autobiographical by committing suicide two weeks after it was announced that the book would be made into a film. The producers considered abandoning the project but went ahead with it, as a memorial to O'Brien. It was a critical as well as commercial success and the lead won the Best Actor Oscar. Name the book/movie.
Leaving Las Vegas
25. As Asterix and the Black Gold was dedicated to him, it was but natural that he would play a ‘cameo’ in it. The character Saul Ben Ephishul, a Jew who guides Asterix and Obelix through the desert was thus modeled on him. Name him.
Goscinny himself. This book was written and drawn by uderzo after Goscinny's death and was dedicated to him.
26. X was an iconic horror film star of the silent era, well known for his portrayal of Dracula, though his arch rival Boris Karloff is more well known, something he was very resentful about. X fell on bad times later on and had to act in B grade films, mostly directed by Y with whom he shared a special relationship. X and Y are like most has-beens would have sunk into oblivion if not for a dubious list that was compiled by a magazine, and a movie. This movie, shot completely in black and white and named after Y was a great critical and commercial success and won Martin Landau an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his moving portrayal of X.
Bela Lugosi and Ed Wood. Do watch the Tim Burton movie, starring Johnny Depp. It's amazing.
27. Give the missing name
31 Robert Karlsson
32 Joe Durant
33 Yang Yong-Eun
34 Ian Poulter
35 Darren Clarke
36 Carl Pettersson
37 _______________
38 Lucas Glover
39 Rory Sabbatini
40 Brett Wetterich
Jeev Milkha Singh. Ranked 37th in the world at the end of 2006.
28. Screenshot from a film. Identify the film, this man, and for no extra points, the man who has been whited out.
Film - Sin City
Man - Frank Miller, who played the role of the priest
Whited out - Micky Rourke who played Marv
29. Connect these visuals
Diogenes, Drones, Ganymede.... names of fictional clubs. First from Sherlock Holmes, the last 2 from Jeeves and Wooster.
30. Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804) founded the American federalist Party. He was the first ever Secretary of Treasury, and was avowedly pro-British in his outlook. He is most well-known for his extremely acrimonious disagreement with Aaron Burr
Harry Whittington (1947 - ) is a lawyer from Texas. He is the current chairman of the Texas Funeral Service Commission. He shot to fame in early 2006.
What unique distinction do these two gentlemen share?
Shot by US vice Presidents. :)
31. Connect.
- “A rabbit is the same as a sphere since neither has a hole”
- A Frenchman described as “The Last Universalist” in mathematics who implied the above
- The illustrious company of Pasternak, Brando, Tagore etc
Perelman, who refused the Fields' medal. he was awarded it for proving the poincare Conjecture.
32. X was touring violence-infested regions of the state, holding meetings and trying to find a solution. The victims had a demand which the government was neither able nor willing to meet. At one such evening meeting, X wondered out aloud that if the government was not ready to help the people, isn’t there any other way out. That is when Ram Chandra Reddy got up and surprised everyone by making an announcement. What did this start? Also identify X.
Bhoodan movement. X is Vinoba Bhave.
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