General Knowledge Quiz - Thomas Vella-Zarb

Questions Randomly Collected by
Tom Vella-Zarb

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1. What archipelago lies in the Meditarranean south of Sicily?

Crete and Rhodes
The Pantalleria Isles
Malta, Gozo, Comino, Filfla

2. What flag has a Maple Leaf in it?

Japan
Canada
Sweden

3. Who founded Scouting?

Baden Gilwell
Baden Powell
Gilwell of Baden

4. The Capital of Canada is?

Ottawa
Toronto
Halifax

5. The first Scout camp took place on?

Manhattan Island
Isle of Wight
Brownsea Island

6. What is the cube root of 27?

7. Who or what is the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street?

The Tower of London
The Bank of England
The Union of Tailors

8. Who is the Bishop of Rome?

The Senior Cardinal
The Head of the College of Cardinals
The Pope

9. What do you fill a bucket with to make it lighter?

Helium
Holes
Dry Sand

10. What do you call a gadget that lets you see through walls?

Periscope
Infra-red telescope
Window

11. Name the colours of the rainbow in order?

Red, yellow, green, blue, indigo, orange, violet
Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet
Yellow, red, green, blue, violet, indigo, orange

12. How many legs does an insect have?

13. What prehistoric animals left their bones in some of New Mexico's big caverns?

Wooly elephants
Prehistoric cows and bulls
Saber tooth tigers and cave bears

14. How did caves help U. S. colonists beat the British in the war of 1812?

They found salt peter in caves and mined it to make gunpowder
They hid in the caves and ambushed them from behind
They hid their wives and kids in the caves and then proceeded to ambush them

15. What is a troglobite?

Animals with a triple jaw
Creatures that hang on to stalactites
Creatures that love living deep in caves

16. We live in a galaxy called the Milky Way. It is shaped approximately like a:

Round ball
Flat spiral
Pretzel

17. Unlike most other fish, sharks have no:

Teeth
Gills
Bones

18. The metal mercury is:

Liquid at room temperature
Highly radioactive
Extensively used in aviation

19. If you were to take a lump of coal and squeeze for a long time at very high temperatures, you would end up with:

Volcanic glass, also known as obsidian
A diamond
A smaller lump of coal

20. Dozens of versions of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol have been made for television and the cinema over the years. Which of the following films has NOT yet been made?

The Jetsons' Christmas Carol
Popeye's Christmas Carol
Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol

21. The general belief now is that dinosaurs became extinct because of:

A meteorite impact
A worldwide period of climatic cooling
Viral diseases

22. Which is the only European colonial power still to control part of mainland South America?

Spain
France
Portugal

23. The world is divided into seven continents - listed in order from largest to smallest, they are Asia, Africa, North America and South America ... correctly complete the list:

Europe, Oceania/Australia, Antarctica
Antarctica, Europe, Oceania/Australia
Europe, Antarctica, Oceania/Australia

24. With how many countries does China share a border?

25. An android is any robot that:

Looks and acts like a human
Has the ability to make decisions and formulate plans
Has more than one basic function

26. Sirius belongs to the constellation Canis Major (the Big Dog) What is special about it?

It emits staccato barking sounds which radio telescopes can detect
It always lies directly above the North Pole
It is the brightest star in the sky

27. The platypus and the echidna are monotremes, they are true mammals, and the only mammals that:

Lay eggs
Have green blood
Eat eucalyptus leaves

28. Kinetic energy is:

Life energy, possessed only by living organisms2
Energy of movement
A rare form of energy sometimes observed in deep space

29. What is the only country in the world that completely surrounds two other countries?

Italy
India
South Africa

30. Which country has the longest coastline?

United States
Australia
Canada

31. Where are the Straits of Magellan?

At the southern tip of South America
Between Alaska and Russia
Between the Rock of Gibraltar and northern Africa

32. Which was the last continent to be discovered by Europeans?

Oceania/Australia
Antarctica
South America

33. Charles Darwin began developing his theory of evolution while voyaging on a ship named:

The Santa Maria
The Enterprise
The Beagle

34. Exiguous means?

Small, scanty
Heavy, Burdensome
Exacting

35. In Scotland, the government appoints one person to be the "Scots Makar". This post honors the making of:

Whisky
Plaids and tartans
Poetry

36. Who would be likely to be trying to find the antechinus, the quoll, the devil and the dunnart?

A naturalist in Tasmania
A medieval history scholar in the Vatican
An archeologist in Scotland

37. What were the middle names of the late Winston Churchill?

James Quincey
Leonard Spencer
Kenneth Russell

38. What is the meaning of the adjective "lambent"?

Beautifully warm
Warmly soft
Softly radiant

39. Fibonacci, the great medieval mathematician produced a series of important works in the early 13th century. One important innovation in his writings was…

Using Arabic numeric notation instead of Roman
Using his native Italian instead of Latin or Greek
Failing to include a specifically religious preface

40. Each July, an athletic contest takes place in northern Pakistan between rival teams representing the Chitral and Gilgit districts. The game takes place high above the sea level. What sport do they play?

Cricket
Soccer
Polo

41. It is important to distinguish a red nun from a green can when practising?

Seamanship
Stock-car racing
Rock-climbing

42. One of the best-known knights of King Arthur's court was King Lot's son Sir Gawain, whose three brothers were also knights. Which of these was not Gawain's brother?

Agravain
Gaheris
Gingalin

43. A map of the "New World" produced in 1507 had the name "America" on it. What was the source of the name?

Columbus's daughter
An Italian explorer
The Carib Indian word for prosperity

44. Which is the world's smallest ocean?

Indian
Antarctic
Arctic

45. In 1972, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) established the World Heritage List to help protect important sites embodying the world's cultural and natural heritage. What is the largest World Heritage Area?

The Great Barrier Reef (Australia)
Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas (China)
The Virgin Komi Forest (Russia)

46. Kallikantzaroi are malicious creatures in Greek legend, sometimes play troublesome pranks at Christmas time. How does one get rid of them?

Placate them with gifts of rice pudding
Throw one's sandals at them
Burn either salt or an old shoe

47. The jólasveinar, or "yule lads", are a traditional part of an Icelandic Christmas. What are they?

The best male singers from each village
The village Woodcutters
A band of thirteen gift-giving goblins

48. George Frederick Handel's great Christmas oratorio, The Messiah, was first performed in 1742. Where?

Dublin
Vienna
London

49. The poinsettia is a traditional Christmas flower. Where did it originally grow?

China
Spain
Mexico

50. The tradition of hiding a coin or trinket in the Christmas pudding may have originated in the ancient custom, in Rome and elsewhere, of concealing a particular object in food. What was it?

A dried bean
A key
A piece of parchment with a fortune written on it

51. What important contribution to Christmas customs was made by Louis Prang, who came to the USA from Germany in the 19th century?

Popularizing the sending of printed Christmas cards
Being first to use an image of Santa Claus in an advertisement
Printing the first special Christmas edition of a major magazine

52. In 1932 King George V started the annual tradition of a broadcast to the people on Christmas day. Who wrote the speech?

The king himself
Rudyard Kipling
Children's author Enid Blyton

53. In many Italian households, the "Urn of Fate" is part of the Christmas celebrations. What is it?

A jar full of fortunes
A special decoration that recalls the fragility of life
An actual urn containing presents

54. In Lithuania, if Kaledu Senelis, or Grandfather Christmas, appears to the children on Christmas Eve to hand out presents, the recipient must:

Perform a song or poem before receiving the gift
Guess what the gift is, or pay a forfeit
Find the gift while blindfolded

55. In Sweden, a common Christmas decoration is the Julbukk, a small figurine of a goat. Of what material is it usually made?

Fir wood
Straw
Candy

56. What is the Irish custom of "feeding the wren" or "hunting the wren" on December 26?

Taking one's in-laws out to dinner
Carrying a wren door to door, to collect money for charity
Putting out suet and seeds for the wild birds

57. In Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Nutcracker", who is the nutcracker's main enemy?

A girl called Clara
The King of the Mice
Drosselmeyer the magician

58. At lavish Christmas feasts in the Middle Ages, swans and peacocks were sometimes served "endored". What does that mean?

The guests knelt in adoration as the birds were brought in
The flesh was painted with saffron dissolved in melted butter
The feet and beaks were coated with gold

59. Throughout the Christmas season in old England, "lambswool" could be found in the houses of the well-to-do. What was it?

A fluffy confection made from almonds and sugar
A brew of hot ale with roast apples floating in it
Imitation snow used in decorations

60. The ancient game of Snapdragon has been part of English Christmases for over 300 years. Players are egged on by a chant, part of which goes, "Take care you don't take too much, Be not greedy in your clutch, Snip, snap, dragon!" What is "the dragon" in this game?

The oldest male in the room
Flames of burning brandy
A "snapper" made from fireplace tongs

61. In Victorian times, most Londoners would have been familiar with the "goose club". What was it?

A pantomime troupe specializing in slapstick
A stout stick used for slaughtering geese
A method of saving to buy a goose for Christmas

62. After Scrooge has reformed his life at the end of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, he invites Bob Cratchit to join him for some "smoking bishop". What did he mean?

A Christmas pudding, soaked in brandy and set alight
A fast variation of chess popular in Victorian London
A hot spiced drink

63. In Victorian England, turkeys were popular for Christmas dinners. Some of the birds were raised in Norfolk, and taken to market in London. To get them to London, the turkeys:

Rode in huge wagons called "turkey-vans"
Were supplied with boots made of sacking or leather
Were herded by sheep dogs

64. The "Lewis Chessmen"…

Were discovered on the Isle of Lewis in 1831
Is a famous brain-teaser involving three knights and a bishop
Were a popular British concert band of the 1950s

65. On a sea-going vessel, it is good to have a keel because:

It helps to fend off sharks
It keeps the vessel from being blown sideways
It will warn you of shallow water

66. Which of the following instruments is NOT used for navigation?

Theodolite
Astrolabe
Sextant

67. According to legend, St. Brendan and a group of monks sailed from Ireland to the Bahamas in the sixth century. The boat they used would have been of the type called a:

Canoe
Galley
Coracle

68. Ferdinand Magellan is generally known as the first person to circumnavigate the globe. However, he:

Took two separate voyages to do it
Abandoned the voyage when he reached Tahiti
Was beaten to it by ninth-century Vikings

69. The first European to reach Australia was probably:

Daniel Defoe, author of "Robinson Crusoe"
William Jansz, a Dutch navigator
Sir Francis Drake, an English explorer

70. The earliest known European settlement in the Americas is:

Navidad, Hispaniola (now Haiti)
Machu Pichu, Peru
L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland

71. In the 980s, the Norseman, Erik the Red, discovered rich fertile land in Greenland, and persuaded settlers to come from Iceland. The colony flourished, partly because:

The friendly natives helped the settlers
The weather was unusually warm at that time
The forests provided good building material

72. In 1947, Thor Heyerdahl invented a new type of exploration when he sailed his raft Kon-Tiki to Polynesia. Heyerdahl was trying to prove that ancient peoples could have crossed the ocean to Polynesia from:

Egypt
South America
Hawaii

73. Which early explorer's journeys would not have been so well known to us if he had not been imprisoned a few years after his travels?

Marco Polo
Christopher Columbus
Erik the Red

74. Before Europeans explored the Indian Ocean and the coasts of Africa, the Chinese had explored the east coast of Africa and perhaps even doubled the Cape of Good Hope. However, China's period of exploration ended abruptly when:

An oracle counseled against it
They lost a series of battles to the Portuguese
Ming emperors prohibited foreign trade

75. On August 21, 1959 Hawaii became the 50th State - "Admission Day" is celebrated yearly on:

On August 21
The third Friday in August
The Last Sunday in August

76. The "Old Glory" had 24 stars and was named by:

George Washington
The signers of the Constitution
Captain William Driver

77. Who or what is The Land of the Rising Sun?

Ethiopia
Japan
Alaska

78. In the flag of the United States the stars are:

5 pointed and have one point pointing upwards
6 pointed and randomly placed
8 pointed and have one point towards the left

79. The stripes of the U.S. Flag alternate red and white:

12 in number and start with red on top
13 in number and start with white on top
13 in number and start with red on top

80. The first official U.S.A. stars and stripes flag made by Betsy Ross had:

12 stars in circle
13 stars in circle
14 stars in circle

81. The flag of the European Union consists of a field of blue covered with:

3 Rows of 4 Stars
4 Rows of 3 Stars
12 Stars in a Circle

82. The stylized Maple Leaf on the Canadian Flag has the following number of points:

83. The Union Jack is made of three flags of Saints:

George, Stephen, Patrick
George, Patrick, Andrew
Andrew, Stephen, Patrick

84. The end of the flag furthest from the flagpole is known as the:

Fly
Pennant
Bungee

85. The rope used to raise a flag is called the:

Halyard
Guyrope
Lanyard

86. What is the second largest island in the Channel Islands?

Lihou
Jersey
Guernsey

87. The government that owns Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, Herm, Lihou, Brecqou and Jethou is called:

The Bailiwick of Guernsey
The Government of Jersey
The Bailiwick of Jersey

88. Orville Wright made the first controlled flight in a heavier than air machine in:

1900
1903
1910

89. Which came first:

The Kidney Machine
The Quartz Wristwatch
The home Microwave

90. The firt bikini appeared on the beaches of:

U.S.A.
France
Italy

91. In 1967 the first cash dispensing machine made its appearance in:

U.S.A.
Japan
England

92. Sir Alexander Fleming from Scotland discovered the first Antibiotic, Penicillin in:

1918
1928
1938

93. The first charge card to appear in 1950 was the:

Mastercard
Diners Club
Visa

94. In 1952 the first Velcro was manufactured in:

Hungary
U.S.A.
Switzerland

95. You know that Mount Everest is the highest in the world. Of these high Mountains which is the highest:

Mount Logan
Mount Ararat
Mount McKinley

96. The following countries were under Britain for quite a while. Which one left the British Empire first:

Malta
Barbados
Kenya

97. Santa Claus is known in Germany by a word which means "Christmas man":

Christkindle
Weihnachtsmann
Sinterklaas

98. In Southen Germany Santa Claus is known by a word which means "Christ Child":

Kris Kringle
Sinter Claus
Joulupukki

99. In Denmark Santa Claus is known as the "Christmas Man":

Babouschka
Sant Nikolaas
Julemanden

100. In many Spanish speaking countries Santa Claus is known as:

Pere Noel
Befana
Papa Noel

How did you make out?

Score =

Correct answers:

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