The Quiz Page
1. Sir John Randel and H.A.H. Bart of Birmingham
University invented the magnetron for use in Britain’s radar
system during WW II. It produced waves of 12
cm long frequency 2450 Hz. A company called Raytheon Inc.
patented the concept in 1945. What did it do
with the concept?
It Made microwave ovens.
2. This phrase originated from the name of a tax
levied on the Irish by the Danes in the 9th century. Those who did
not pay had this part of the body cut off. What
is the phrase?
To Pay through the nose. The nose of those who did not pay was cut off.
3. This artist declared "I am still a victim of
Chess. It has all the beauty of art - and much more. It cannot be
commercialised. Chess is much purer than art
in its social position." Another time he commented that "while all artists
are not chess players all chess players are artists.
HE gave up chess in the 1920s to pursue full time painting. Who?
Marcel Duchamp, who painted the 1911 painting ‘The Chess Players’.
4. In evolutionary theory parlance, what is this
phenomenon called - "All organisms are evolving at a furious pace just
to stay in the same balance"?
The Red Queen phenomenon. In Alice in Wonderland,
the red Queen tells Alice to run as fast as possible just to stay
where she is.
5. Since 1982, the English Department at San Jose
University has sponsored the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction contest,
encouraging writers to submit the worst possible
opening sentence for a novel. This is in honour of Edward
Bulwer-Lytton who had a famous line to open his
1830 novel ‘Paul Clifford’. What was the line?
It was a dark and stormy night.
6. What does a ‘u in a small circle ‘ on a food product signify?
That it is a Kosher food product. The u is a stamp
of approval from the union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of
America that the product is prepared for use
according to Jewish dietary laws.
7. When Sir Alec Bedser was knighted he remarked. " I suppose no bowler has been knighted since _____." Who?
Francis Drake.
8. Who wrote the following lines and what was
he referring to - "It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out
with it. It will be the greatest disappointment
of my life if I don’t go out with ____. The Almighty has said, no doubt:
Now here are these two unaccountable freaks;
they came in together, they must go out together."?
Mark Twain - Halley’s Comet. (1835-1910) He wrote this in 1909.
9. Sunil Gavaskar scored one century against Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy. What was strange about it?
He played left handed during the course of the innings because the wicket was turning.
10. Why are HAM actors called HAM actors?
Because in early days extras used Ham for make up while the costly make-up was reserved for the stars.
11. He holds the record for being Christchursh
College’s longest staying Dean. HE was co-author of the Scot Greek
dictionary and a revised version of Passawo’s
Greek German Dictionary. HE got into trouble later in his life when he
was forced to remove a Greek word meaning "to
thrust a radish up the fundament’. Which was a punishment for
adulterer’s in ancient Greece. Who?
John Liddell.
12. When the Skipper doll was introduced in the
market a major controversy followed because of a fad which caught
on called the "Skipper Salute’ What was it?
The doll was so designed that when you turned
her arms her waist became smaller and the breasts became larger and
the toy became taller and people began trying
this with their wife etc.
13. The first German colony in Transylvania was
said to have been established in the 1380s as a result of about 130
people migrating across the Koppellberg Hill
from a place in Westphalia. Who were these people?
Rattenfanger- Pied Piper of Hamelin. These were the children who were led away by him.
14. In the year 1775, Paul Revere made his historic
ride to Lexington. With him was a drummer boy who assisted
him at the age of 10. The boy later attained
international fame and was immortalised by the artist James Montgomery
Flagg. Who?
Sam Wilson - Uncle Sam.
15. Hengist desired to have a friendly meeting
with Vortigern who in turn fell upon him with his army and put to
death Hengist and his entire coterie of attendants.
Aurelius Ambrosious requested the Court Advisor to recommend a
memento for this event . What was the memento?
The Stonehenge.
16. The Abott of Glastonbury at the time of the
Dissolution of the monasteries sent the deeds of the mAnor of Mells
to King Henry VIII concealed. The steward carrying
the package knew of the contents extracted it and ended up
owning the manor. How is this event immortalised?
By the nursery rhyme Little Jack Horner. (He put in his thumb and pulled out a plum)
17. King Louis IX , later St. Louis was so upset
by the fact that people swore using the nam of God like ‘ pardieu’, etc
that he banned these words which resulted in
the introduction of a few more words in the language. Which words and
how?
They cursed using the name of Bleu (the King’s dog). Hence words like ‘sacre bleu’ came in to the language.
18. Henri Matisse’s ‘Le Bateau’ hung in New York’s
Museum of Modern Art for days in 1961. 116,000 people
watched and appreciated it and then on the 48th
day a major error was noticed. What?
It was hung upside down.
19. He was Jack Dempsey’s sparring partner. Later
in life Jack Dempsey in his autobiography confessed that the only
time he was knocked out was in an altercation
informally with him over a girl. Who is the person?
J.Paul Getty.
20. He was cited to play the role that Nirmal
Pandey finally played in Bandit Queen , and then was relegated to play
the role of Man Singh. His favourite author is
Shakespeare as he shares his birthday with him .Who?
Manoj Bajpai
21. Its now considered a path breaking concept
in humour psychology. Its called the Stephen Hawking syndrome. Its
making great news in Britain and every psychologist
presents his patient with a poster of Hawking at the beginning of
the treatment. What is it all about?
Impotent people are given Stephen Hawking’s poster
cause he has 5 children inspite of his disabilities and if he could
do it you can do it kind of inspiration.
22. The Jain Dilwara temples at Mt.Abu are incomparable
in detail and ornamentation . But this is supposed to have
been the side result of a unique idea of the
Maharaja . What?
The rule was that payment in Silver would be equal
to the weight of marble filed and cut out. Hence the workers chose
to file instead of carve sice they could make
more silver that way.
23. One pf the current managemant acronyms in
vogue amongst B-school graduates is FIB or Fire in Belly referrring
to young, raring to go managers. What is FIPB?
Fire in Pot Belly for fat, middle aged managers
24. Amrita devi, a member of the Bishnoi tribe
was killed by the soldiers of the Maharaja of Jodhpur. What was she
doing at the time of her death and what did It
trigger?
She was hugging a tree preventing it from being cut and it started the Chipko movement..
25. King Janamejaya once conducted a Snake Sacrifice
at the city of Taxila in order to ward of a curse on his
Grandfather Pareekshit. What event of great significance
occurred here?
It was here that the Mahabharata was recited for the first time ever to man by Vaishampayana pupil of Veda Vyasa.
26. The inventor of this concept was Francis Bacon.
He called it the biliteral cipher. How has it been immortalised
now?
It originally was used to assist the secret service of the queen. The Binary system
27. In 1987, the Low Pay Unit of Britain instituted
this award. In the I year a Wiltshire stable owner who paid a
qualified groom only 28 pounds a week and runners
up was a doctor who paid his telephonist only 30p. Name the
award?
The Scrooge Prize.
28. This person’s first foray into show business
was in a popular wild west show where she demonstrated her sharp
shooting skills to Annie Oakley. Buffalo Bill
who was the organiser offered this 16 year old a job. Who?
Florenze Ziegfield.
29. This word has its origin from Hungarian from
the fact that the Hungarian King Crathias Corvinus used to enlist
one horseman from every 20 houses. which word?
Hussars from Hungarian for 20.
30. This person went into debt and was sued by
the Theological Society in the late 1700s for maligning a household
name. He fought back and lost and his house ,
tools and workplace were confiscated. Who is this guy?
Johann Gutenberg
31. In corporate jargon who are referred to as ‘Whistle blowers’?
Those who reveal company secrets.
32. Directed by Martin Scorcese it was part inspired
by the life of Edmund Perry gifted Black Graduate of Philips
Exater Academy whose violet death revealed a
violent and troubled existence?
BAD the video.
33. ‘Modern Times ‘ was the remake of a French
Movie ‘A nous la liberte’ by Rene Clair. Since it was made under a
German banner J Goebbels wanted to sue Chaplin
but couldn’t as Rene Clair refused to support him. Why?
Rene Clair refused saying that he was honoured to have inspired Chaplin.
34. At the Karnidevi Temple in Rajasthan they
are worshipped as the deity’s descendants. They are referred to as
Kabas (Marwari for children). This temple was
ordered to be closed during the plague? Why?
Because the prasad at the temple is given only after the rats have tasted it.
35. During the Ayodhya riots, many solutions were
put across in Parliament to solve the crisis. But one of the unique
ones was from a MP from Up who suggested that
a sweet shop be built on the disputed land selling only one product.
What?
Rabri - Ra, Bri (rama and Babri)
36. One of the earliest use of the beep to censor
was when a US television Network presented a live telecast of the
trials of the Nazi judges who had allowed the
atrocities during the WW II What was being censored?
American National Gas tried to censor the word gas since they were the sponsors.
37. This person was the inventor of the first
Alarm Clock. When the time was reached a bell would peal and a lighted
lamp would come out. He was decorated for his
application of electricity to docks by the French Govt. in 1855. Who?
Jean Eugene Houdin after whom Houdini takes his name.
38. In the early1860s a New York firm offered
a prize of $10,000 for a satisfactory substitute of making billiards
balls. It was won by John Wellessley Hayack.
What did he invent? T
he first synthetic plastic - celluloid.
39. The Matshushita company is the pioneer of
the worker control room. Seeing the rise in popularity most Japanese
companies have adopted it. What is this concept?
Dummies of foremen are hit by workers to give vent to their frustration on Friday evenings.
© 1998 Gopal Srinivasan <mailgops@iname.com>