2016–17 Season: Week 17 – 14 March 2017
Specialist Rounds
Round 1: Geography
1 |
What is the state capital of Kentucky? |
|
Frankfort |
2 |
What is the highest dam in the USA? It was in the news last month when 130,000 people were evacuated over fears that
it would collapse. |
|
The Oroville dam (California) |
3 |
What is the longest river flowing entirely within one country? |
|
The Yangtze (the Nile and the Amazon are longer, but have watersheds
in more than one country) |
4 |
Which country was the world's largest copper producer in 2016? |
|
Chile |
5 |
After Great Britain and Ireland, what is the largest island in the British Isles? |
|
|
Lewis and Harris (confusing, but this is a single island in the
Outer Hebrides) |
6 |
What is the world's largest landlocked country by area? |
|
Kazakhstan |
7 |
The Trans–Siberian Railway has connected Moscow with which Pacific port since 1916? |
|
Vladivostok |
8 |
How many of Canada's Provinces or Territories have a border with any of the Great Lakes? |
|
One (Ontario) |
Supplementaries
S1 |
What is the name of the rail tunnel through the Alps in Switzerland which opened in 2016? It is the world's longest
and deepest traffic tunnel. |
|
The Gotthard Base Tunnel |
S2 |
What is the capital of the Scilly Isles? |
|
Hugh Town |
Round 2: Arts and Entertainment
'It's all black or white'. Either the question or the answer will contain the word 'black' or white'. As an answer,
'black' or 'white' may be part of a longer word.
1 |
Which jazz dance gained popularity around 1907 with African Americans in the south
of the USA, becoming a national craze through the 1920's? |
|
The Black Bottom |
2 |
Marvel Comics' Natasha Romanova is better known as which superhero? |
|
Black Widow |
3 |
In the BBC sitcom Chef, which aired from 1993 to 1996, what was the name of the lead character, a tyrranical
chef played by Lenny Henry? |
|
Gareth Blackstock |
4 |
White Linen perfume is produced by which cosmetics manufacturer? |
|
Estée Lauder |
5 |
Who was the first woman to win the Turner Prize? |
|
Rachel Whiteread |
6 |
Which novel by Zadie Smith, published in 2000, focuses on the lives of two wartime friends, Archie Jones and the
Bangladeshi Samad Iqbal? |
|
White Teeth |
7 |
What is the title of Susan Hill's
gothic-style novella of 1983, which was adapted successfully for stage and screen? |
|
The Woman in Black |
8 |
Which act released the single Ride a White Swan in 1970? |
|
T. Rex (accept Marc Bolan) |
Supplementaries
S1 |
Another Way to Die is the theme tune to Quantum of Solace. Who collaborated with Alicia Keys on
what was the first Bond music duet? |
|
Jack White (full name required) |
S2 |
Which current US drama series is set in Litchfield Penitentiary, New York? |
|
Orange is the New Black |
Round 3: Sport
1 |
Chimene Mary Alcott (Chemmy Alcott) was five–times Senior British National Champion in what sport? |
|
Skiing |
2 |
The first English manager to lead a team to a FIFA World Cup final was George Raynor in 1958. Which country's
team did he manage? |
|
Sweden (the host nation, who were beaten by Brazil) |
3 |
In the 1970s, the World Snooker Championship was twice held in a country outside the UK. Which country? |
|
|
Australia (Sydney 1971, and Melbourne 1975) |
4 |
Name the largest sports stadium in Europe. |
|
|
Nou Camp (Barcelona) |
5 |
Which team won the men's Rugby Union Champions Cup in 2016, beating the French team Racing 92? |
|
Saracens |
6 |
What is the location of the last Greyhound Racing track in London? |
|
Wimbledon |
7 |
Where will the next Winter Olympics be held (in February 2018)? |
|
|
Pyeongchang, South Korea (Careful! Not Pyongyang) |
8 |
Which is the host country for this year's Women's Euro Football tournament? |
|
Netherlands |
Supplementaries
S1 |
In which school was the game of squash invented? |
|
Harrow |
S2 |
Jade Clarke of England has recently won a record 130th cap in which sport? |
|
Netball |
Round 4: Science
1 |
The rich, brown pigment sepia is obtained from the ink sac of which sea creature? |
|
Cuttlefish |
2 |
For what essential activity does an insect use its spiracles? |
|
Breathing (intake or output of air, or gas exchange) |
3 |
Which part of the human body is known as the calcaneus (cal–KAIN–e–us)? |
|
Heel bone |
4 |
What is the SI base unit for temperature? |
|
Kelvin |
5 |
Which astronomer discovered four of the moons of Jupiter in 1610? |
|
Galileo |
6 |
Which noble gas element gets its name from a Greek word meaning stranger? |
|
Xenon |
7 |
What do humans have 52 of in a lifetime? |
|
|
Teeth (20 milk plus 32 adult) |
8 |
Name the element common to all acids. |
|
Hydrogen |
Supplementaries
S1 |
What structures of the human body, consisting of three muscles (biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus)
are responsible for bending the knee? |
|
|
The hamstrings |
S2 |
What is the brightest star in the northern hemisphere? |
|
|
Sirius |
Round 5: History
1 |
What was the nickname of WW2 German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel? |
|
The Desert Fox |
2 |
The Jacobites raised a toast to "the little gentleman in the black velvet waistcoat". But who or what was he,
who caused William the Third's fall from horse and his subsequent death? |
|
|
Mole (the horse tripped on a mole hill) |
3 |
Founded in 1411, which is the UK's third oldest university (after Oxford and Cambridge)? |
|
St. Andrews |
4 |
Starting in York, the Pilgrimage of Grace was a popular uprising against the religious policies and actions of
which English king? |
|
Henry VIII |
5 |
Still remembered in the well–known song, John Brown's Body, John Brown was a political agitator
in what cause? |
|
The abolition of slavery (in the USA) |
6 |
Dating to around 400 to 250 BC and probably the oldest Iron Age gold work ever found in Britain, the discovery of
three neck rings and a bracelet near Leek was publicly announced last month. The treasure is now known as the Leekfrith what? |
|
Torcs |
7 |
In what year did the Roman Empire finally withdraw from Britain, when Roman Law ceased to apply? |
|
|
410 AD (or CE) (allow 400 to 420) |
8 |
Give the surname of the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany). He held the post from
1949 to 1963 and his first name was Konrad. |
|
Adenaur |
Supplementaries
S1 |
What is the UK's oldest distillery? |
|
|
Bushmills (Antrim, founded in 1608) |
S2 |
Richard the Second was buried in Westminster Abbey in 1400. In 1776, a Westminster School pupil stole what part of
his body from his tomb? |
|
|
Jawbone |
Round 6: Rambling On
1 |
Ordnance Survey triangulation pillars (trig points) are found on UK mountains and hills. In which decade were the
first ones installed? |
|
1930s (to assist in the accurate retriangulation of Britain;
the first trig points were installed in 1935) |
2 |
One end of the Pennine Way is at Edale. Where is the other? |
|
Kirk Yetholm (just over the Scottish Border) |
3 |
Cheryl Strayed was the first woman to walk the Pacific Crest Trail (Mexico to Canada) alone. Which well–known
US actress was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for playing her in the 2014 film
Wild? |
|
Reese Witherspoon |
4 |
A 2010 film describes the ordeal of Aron Ralston whose arm was trapped by a boulder when he was hiking and canyoneering
in Utah. What was the film called? |
|
127 Hours |
5 |
Which iconic 26 mile mountain trail, walked by thousands of visitors each year, finishes at the Sun Gate? |
|
The Inca Trail (the Sun Gate is the entrance to Macchu Picchu) |
6 |
Name one of the three hills which are climbed during the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge? |
|
Ingleborough, Pen–y–Ghent, or
Whernside |
7 |
The average walking speed is 3 mph. To the nearest whole number of miles per hour, what was the average speed of the
winner of the 50 km long–distance walking Gold Medal in the 2016 Olympics? |
|
8 mph (Matej Toth of Slovenia achieved an average of 8.45 mph) |
8 |
On current plans, when will the full England Coastal Path be completed? |
|
2020 (two thousand and twenty – no leeway) |
Supplementaries
S1 |
Which UK brand of hiking boots and shoes is named after a 1956 Olympic Gold Medal winner? |
|
Chris Brasher (winner of the 3000 metres steeplechase, Melbourne 1956) |
S2 |
In simple terms, what distinguishes walking from running? |
|
When walking, only one foot may be off the ground at any one time.
If both feet leave the ground simultaneously, you're deemed to be running. |
Round 7: Let's Be Frank About This ...
All questions or answers relate to the name Frank or similar.
1 |
Who was the frontman of the US band featured in the hit Broadway and West End musical Jersey Boys, who
became famous in his own right? |
|
Frankie Valli (and the Four Seasons) |
2 |
Singer Francesca 'Frankie' Bridge, born in 1989, made it to the Strictly Come Dancing final in 2014.
Of which girl band was she a member? |
|
The Saturdays |
3 |
What was the name of Frank and Betty Spencer's daughter in the 1970s sitcom Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em? |
|
Jessica |
4 |
Which English radio and television personality, born in 1920, had a long–standing partnership with Denis Norden,
and frequently sported a crisply knotted pink bow–tie? |
|
Frank Muir |
5 |
Which Canadian–born architect's best–known works include the titanium–clad Guggenheim Museum
in Bilbao and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles? |
|
Frank Gehry |
6 |
Which Irish–American teacher and writer won a Pulitzer Prize for his book Angela's Ashes, a memoir of the
misery and squalor of his childhood? A further memoir called 'Tis followed. |
|
|
Frank McCourt |
7 |
Which American film director, famous for his dark, gothic, eccentric and quirky fantasy films, directed
Frankenweenie
in 2012? |
|
Tim Burton |
8 |
Which retired sportsman and children's author, reported by Mensa in 2009 to have an unusually high IQ score, is
married to the television presenter Christine Bleakley? |
|
Frank Lampard |
Supplementaries
S1 |
What was the second single released by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, in May 1984, following the massive success of
Relax? |
|
Two Tribes (Go to War) |
S2 |
Which character's famous words "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn" were in response to the
question "Where shall I go?"? |
|
Rhett Butler |
Round 8: Food and Drink (fact and fiction)
1 |
Who is Sweeney Todd's partner in crime who bakes the flesh of his victims into her pies? |
|
Mrs. Lovett |
2 |
Which distinctly flavoured food ingredient has its own annual festival on the Isle of Wight? |
|
Garlic |
3 |
What is the name of the sweet and salty Chinese sauce consisting of soy beans, chillies, garlic, vinegar, five spice
and sugar? |
|
Hoisin |
4 |
Which fictional character subsists on the foul–tasting snozzcumber? |
|
Roald Dahl's BFG or Big Friendly Giant |
5 |
What is Homer Simpson's favourite beer? |
|
Duff |
6 |
In Enid Blyton's Famous Five books, what is their favourite drink? |
|
|
Ginger beer |
7 |
In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which irresistable treat does the Snow Queen tempt Edmund to eat,
thus enslaving him to her? |
|
Turkish delight |
8 |
Which cocktail consists of rye whisky, sweet vermouth and angostura bitters? |
|
Manhattan |
Supplementaries
S1 |
Which English cheese was invented by Alan & Jenny Gray? |
|
|
Yarg (from Cornwall. Yarg is Gray backwards) |
S2 |
Napa is a variety of which vegetable? |
|
Cabbage (a type of Chinese cabbage, sold commonly in the UK) |
General Knowledge
1 |
Who wrote The History of Mr Polly and The Shape of Things to Come? |
|
H. G. Wells |
2 |
What prestigious UK Prize was won in 2016 by Damien Hirst's Newport Street Gallery in London? |
|
Stirling Prize for Architecture |
3 |
Which region of south–west France gives its name to the country's second generic brandy? |
|
Armagnac |
4 |
Which of Canada's provinces and territories is the largest by land area? |
|
Nunavut |
5 |
The early 19th Century emigration of Boers from Cape Colony in protest against British policies was known as 'The Great ...' what? |
|
Trek |
6 |
Mr Cellophane and We Both Reached for the Gun are songs from which successful musical, that later became a film? |
|
Chicago |
7 |
What is the oldest comic strip in a British newspaper? It first appeared in 1920. |
|
Rupert Bear (Daily Express) |
8 |
Hinkley Point C, the UK nuclear reactor given the construction go–ahead in 2016, is in which county? |
|
Somerset |
9 |
King Camp were the first names of which innovator who developed a best–selling safety razor? |
|
Gillette |
10 |
Who succeeded Donald Trump as host of The Apprentice USA? He has subsequently resigned. |
|
Arnold Schwarzenegger |
11 |
In 1923, Austrian author Felix Salten wrote a book subtitled A Life in the Woods. It was adapted into which famous,
animated, feature–length film? |
|
Bambi |
12 |
Professor Alexis Jay is the current chairperson of which major, long–running Government enquiry that has faced many
difficulties? |
|
Historic child sexual abuse |
13 |
Give the name of the coarse sacking fabric made from jute or hemp fibre. |
|
Hessian |
14 |
Which territory in mainland South America is part of the European Union? |
|
French Guiana |
15 |
Who is the current, highly controversial President of The Philippines? He supported the killing of hundreds of drug
dealers and criminals without trial. |
|
Rodrigo Duterte |
16 |
Taboo the musical is based on the songs of which musician? |
|
Boy George |
17 |
In legend, St. Patrick is said to have banished which creatures from Ireland? |
|
Snakes |
18 |
What is the name of the pigment that determines skin and eye colour in humans? |
|
Melanin |
19 |
Which UK bookmaker sponsors the Sports Book of the Year Award? |
|
William Hill |
20 |
What was the most popular car, in terms of quantity, bought new in the UK in 2016? |
|
|
Ford Fiesta |
21 |
Name one of the three current presenters of Blue Peter. |
|
Barney Harwood, Lindsey Russell, or Radzi
Chinyanganya |
22 |
What is the pomegranate juice syrup that is commonly used as a mixer in cocktails? |
|
Grenadine |
23 |
The Volga, the longest river in Europe, flows into which sea? |
|
Caspian |
24 |
What is the capital and chief port of the Bahamas? |
|
Nassau |
25 |
Eugene Poubelle introduced la poubelle to Paris in 1884. What is a poubelle? |
|
Dustbin |
26 |
In the popular 1960s song Little Boxes by Pete Seeger, what were the boxes? |
|
Houses |
27 |
In the Christian calendar, which special day falls on 25th March? It is also a Quarter Day. |
|
Lady Day (the assumed anniversary of the Annunciation) |
28 |
The medical term 'myoclonic jerk' can describe what common, repetitive affliction? |
|
|
Hiccup |
29 |
For sponsorship purposes, what is the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff now called? |
|
Principality Stadium (sponsored by the Principality Building Society) |
30 |
In a criminal trial under Scottish Law, 'guilty' and 'not guilty' are possible verdicts by a jury.
What is the third? |
|
Not proven |
31 |
The 'droogs' – Alex, Dim, Georgie and Pete – are characters in which famous novel, subsequently
filmed? (Note to QM: spell 'droogs') |
|
A Clockwork Orange |
32 |
Who scored the winning goal at the 2016 Men's Euro Football tournament? |
|
Eder (Ederzito Lopes) |
33 |
Dorset dumplings are made from suet and which fruit? |
|
|
Apple |
34 |
A vaporetto is a form of transport found in which Italian city? |
|
Venice (it's a water bus or water taxi) |
35 |
Cecil Chubb donated which site to the UK nation in 1918? |
|
|
Stonehenge |
36 |
Which British composer and conductor, who died in 2016, wrote Farewell to Stromness? He was Master of the
Queen's Music from 2004 to 2010. |
|
|
Peter Maxwell Davies |
37 |
The Ten Commandments are in which book of the Bible? |
|
|
Exodus |
38 |
What is the scientific name for the hard upper shell of a crab, turtle or tortoise? |
|
Carapace |
39 |
In the acronym WADA, relating to an organisation and cited regularly in the news in recent months, what does the D
stand for? |
|
Doping (World Anti Doping Agency) |
40 |
Donald Trump has had three wives. The first was Czech and the third Slovenian. What nationality was his second wife? |
|
|
United States (her first name was Marla) |
41 |
What is the UK's smallest bat? |
|
|
Pipistrelle |
42 |
Before Donald Trump, who was the only US President to have been divorced? |
|
Ronald Reagan |
43 |
Singing hinnies are cakes, named after the hissing sound made by the dough when dropped onto a hot griddle. With which
English county are they associated? |
|
Northumberland |
44 |
What name is given to the vast areas of unforested plains in Siberia? |
|
|
Steppes |
45 |
On which Hawaiian island does the Pearl Harbor naval base lie? |
|
Oahu |
46 |
Which famous guitarist recently brought out his memoir, entitled Set the Boy Free? |
|
Johnny Marr (formerly of The Smiths) |
47 |
In the theology of Hinduism, who is the ruler of the gods whose domain is the heavens? |
|
Indra |
48 |
Where on the human body are the Dimples of Venus? |
|
|
Lower back |
49 |
Which racecourse is home to the Saint Leger? |
|
Doncaster |
50 |
What is is the UK's oldest registered trademark? It was the first trademark to be registered under the Trademark
Registration Act 1875. |
|
|
The Bass red triangle logo (for ale) |
51 |
Amazon Prime's petrol–head programme, starring Clarkson, Hammond and May (a rival to BBC's Top Gear)
is called what? |
|
Grand Tour |
52 |
Which UK politician wrote the recent memoir Politics – Between the Extremes? |
|
Nick Clegg |
53 |
Who is the male presenter of the recent BBC Saturday evening boy–band talent show, Let It Shine, organised by
Gary Barlow? |
|
|
Graham Norton |
54 |
What is the British name for the Greek island which the Greeks themselves call Thira or Thera? |
|
|
Santorini |
55 |
Winston Churchill was born in which stately home? |
|
Blenheim Palace |
56 |
Name either the song or the band that made
the UK Christmas number 1 single in 2016. |
|
Rockabye, by Clean Bandit |
57 |
What is the Roman equivalent of Eos, the Greek goddess of the dawn? |
|
Aurora |
58 |
Lathyrus is the Latin name for which common garden flower? |
|
Sweet pea |
59 |
In American Football, which NFL team has won the most Super Bowls with six championships? |
|
Pittsburgh Steelers (full name required) |
60 |
American Ray Tomlinson, who died in 2016, invented what now–common form of communication? |
|
Email |
61 |
Which English novelist, who died last year, wrote Shardik and The Plague Dogs, as well as a
famous book about bunnies? |
|
Richard Adams |
62 |
Relating to costume, historically (especially in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries) what was a peruke? (Note to
QM: spell peruke) |
|
Wig |
63 |
Used to remove dry skin from feet, what is the only rock that floats on water? |
|
Pumice |
64 |
What enduring type of clock did Dutchman Christiaan Huygens invent in 1657? |
|
The
pendulum clock |
65 |
Which sea lies between Italy and Croatia? |
|
The Adriatic |
66 |
Who is the current Prime Minister of Japan? |
|
Shinzo Abe |
67 |
The iconic Yucca brevifolia, particularly associated with the Mojave Desert in the USA, is more commonly
known by what name? |
|
Joshua tree |
68 |
In the long–running Radio 4 serial The Archers, at which farm do central characters David and Ruth Archer live? |
|
Brookfield |
69 |
What UK eco–botanical endeavour was the brainchild of Tim Smit? |
|
|
The Eden Project |
70 |
Which 1977 film was based on the Allies' unsuccessful Operation Market Garden, which was supposed to end World
War Two by Christmas 1944? |
|
A Bridge Too Far |
71 |
All the members of the UK's Supreme Court sat recently to decide a major Brexit case. How many judges are there
in total? |
|
|
Eleven |
72 |
Which Shipping Forecast area lies immediately to the north of Thames? |
|
Humber |
73 |
Which well–known celebrity once declared, when still an unknown, "I want to be as famous as Persil Automatic"? |
|
Victoria Adams (accept Beckham) |
74 |
The name of which popular 1990s ITV television series is found in William Shakespeare's Sonnet 18, Shall I
compare thee to a summer's day? |
|
The Darling Buds of May |
75 |
Tony Hadley and Gary Kemp were members of which New Romantic group? |
|
Spandau Ballet |
76 |
Digitalis, used in the treatment of heart conditions since 1775, is extracted from the dried leaves of which common UK plant? |
|
Foxglove |
77 |
Which well–known, 18th Century novel features the savage, primitive creatures called Yahoos, who are obsessed with the
'pretty stones' that they find by digging in mud? |
|
Gulliver's Travels |
78 |
Who directed La La Land,
the film musical success of 2017? |
|
Damien Chazelle |
79 |
What name did Mediaeval alchemists give to the substance that they imagined could turn base metal into gold? |
|
The Philosopher's stone |
80 |
Which gas, also known as 'firedamp', was a particular hazard in coal mines? |
|
Methane |
81 |
Gallipoli, the scene of a major World War One battle, is in which modern–day country? |
|
Turkey |
82 |
In Western Australian Aboriginal language, what object is referred to as a 'kylie'? |
|
Boomerang (accept hunting stick or
throwing stick) |
83 |
Isca Dumnoniorum is the Roman name for which city? |
|
Exeter |
84 |
The leaves of the Andean plant, family Erythroxylaceae, chewed as a stimulant or made into tea are known as what? |
|
Coca |
85 |
In upper northern latitudes, 'taiga' is what type of feature? (QM: spell taiga) |
|
Forest (boreal or snow forest) |
86 |
Who was the first, and is so far the only snooker player to have won BBC Sports Personality of the Year? |
|
Steve Davis |
87 |
Which Finn will race along with Lewis Hamilton for Mercedes in the 2017 Formula 1 season? |
|
Valtteri Bottas |
88 |
In Greek mythology, who was Mother Earth? |
|
Gaia |
89 |
Which prestigious, annual, UK music awards
were founded in 1996 by Kanya King and Andy Ruffell? |
|
The MOBOs (Music of Black Origin) |
90 |
What does the letter Q stand for in the abbreviation 'IQ'? |
|
Quotient |
91 |
Which Samsung smartphone was recalled in 2016, at a cost of over US$ 17 billion, after many caught fire or exploded? |
|
Galaxy Note (7 to be precise) |
92 |
Which girl actor won an Oscar at the age of ten, for playing a con artist in the 1973 film Paper Moon? |
|
Tatum O'Neal (real life daughter of Ryan O'Neal) |
93 |
Which serious disease, spread by lice, fleas and ticks, was once known as gaol fever? (QM: spell gaol) |
|
Typhus |
94 |
Why did Super Victor, the name of the mascot for the 2016 Euro football tournament, cause some amusement and/or embarrassment? |
|
It's also the name of a sex toy (accept similar) |
95 |
Fashion designers Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren were both born in which city? |
|
New York |
96 |
What is the national symbol on the Coat of Arms of Ireland? |
|
Harp |
Supplementaries
S1 |
In legend, the Lambton Worm was a dragon–like monster eventually killed by Sir John Lambton. It is associated
with which English city? |
|
Durham |
S2 |
How was Josip Broz better known? (Questionmaster: spell the name) |
|
Josip Tito (President of Yugoslavia) |
S3 |
Which small, fireproof dish was originally made to bake a cheese and egg mixture of the same name? |
|
Ramekin |
S4 |
Ricky Gervais, in character as David Brent of The Office, went on a concert tour recently with a backing
band named what? |
|
Foregone Conclusion |
S5 |
What name is given to the small Spanish breads or pastries, similar to samosas, stuffed with a variety of meats,
cheeses, vegetables or fruits? |
|
Empanadas |
S6 |
In the 1800s, captured officers gave their word of honour that they would commit no further acts of war if freed. What was the
name for this promise? |
|
|
Parole |
© Macclesfield Quiz League 2017