Strange Famous

This was kind of aimed at English people, but being a knowledgable crowd, I thought I might as well post it here and anyone who wants a go can have a look at it - if they like quizzes. I'll post the answers later.

The hard thing about setting it, I found, was to find the right level - because it was for everyone at my company, so it had to be stuff that would make the brightest people not be able to just breeze through it, but also not alienate people who were not so knowledgable...

Questions

Round 1 – Multiple Choice

1.1 – As of October 2003, how many members were there of the United Nations?

a) 112
b) 191
c) 213

1.2 Which of the following countries has the largest official population?

a) Pakistan
b) Germany
c) Indonesia

1.3 In which century was Ipswich granted it’s town charter?

a) 13th
b) 14th
c) 15th

1.4 In which season where three points first awarded for a win in the English first divisions?

a) 1983-84
b) 1981-82
c) 1986-87

1.5 Which of the following nations won more Gold Medals in the 2000 Sydney Olympics?

a) Cuba
b) South Africa
c) Canada

1.6 Which if the following planets is the furthest from the sun?

a) Venus
b) Mars
c) Earth

1.7 How many UK Number One hit singles have Manchester rock band Oasis had?

a) 5
b) 7
c) 9



1.8 Which of the following is NOT an Football team currently playing in the American NFL?

a) The Cardinals
b) The Titans
c) The Supersonics

1.9 According to the Guinness Book of Records, how tall was the tallest man ever to have lived?

a) 7’ 10’’
b) 8’ 4’’
c) 8’ 11’’

1.10 Which is the least commonly used letter in the English language?

a) x
b) z
c) q

1.11 Which of the following European cities is the furthest South?

a) Milan
b) Marseilles
c) Monaco

1.12 On the Periodic table, what symbol denotes the metal Gold?

a) AU
b) GD
c) MG

1.13 In which month of 1939 did Britain and France declare war on Germany, effectively starting World War II?

a) February
b) September
c) October

1.14 In which year did the popular BBC soap opera “Eastenders” begin broadcasting?

a) 1985
b) 1986
c) 1988

1.15 In which year was American pop princess, Britney Spears born?

a) 1981
b) 1982
c) 1983

Round 2 – TV & Music

2.1 Which dance act had a hit in 1992 with the drugs anthem, Ebeneezer Goode?

2.2 Kylie Minougue and Jason Donovan got their break in Australian soap opera, Neighbours, playing a pair of star-crossed lovers from feuding families. What were their characters names? (1/2 point for first names only)

2.3 What where the magic words with which, while holding aloft his magic sword, Adam, Prince of Eternia, would transform himself into He-Man, the most powerful man in the Universe?

2.4 What was the full name of Marlon Brando’s character in “The Godfather”?

2.5 Can you name any 4 of the 5 entertainers, who in the 1950’s became known as “The Rat Pack”?

2.6 American gothic rock band Evanescence have enjoyed a hugely successful year, after their track “Bring me to life” featured in the Daredevil movie. What does the word “Evanescence” mean?

2.7 What was the name of Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s mother?

2.8 Apart from being a Vampire Duck, what made the 1991 animated character Count Duckula especially unusual?

2.9 Platinum records (or discs) are awarded to singles which sell more than 2 million copies, or albums which sell more than 1 million copies. In which decade was the platinum award created by the Record Industry Association of America?

2.10 By what name did Norma Jean Mortensen become better known by?

2.11 What was the name of Ronnie Barker’s stuttering shop keeper in the BBC comedy, “open all hours”?

2.12 In the US Sitcom Cheers, Ted Danson played bar owner Sam Malone. What sport did Sam Malone play professionally, before owning a bar?

2.13 Can you give the full names of all 5 original members of boyband Take That?

2.14 Which famous family lived at 1313 Mockingbird Lane?

2.15 Which 1990’s American television series asked “who killed Laura Palmer?”

Round 3 – Sports

3.1 Who holds the world record for the fastest 100 metre’s time?

3.2 Which Male tennis player, and recent grand slam winner, dates American pop star, Mandy Moore?

3.3 Name the last English player to win Wimbledon

3.4 With which club did David Beckham make his English league debut?

3.5 Which cricketer holds the record for the highest first class innings?

3.6 Who was the last Britain to win the Formula Won Championship?

3.7 Who has won the Oxford – Cambridge Boat Race the most times?

3.8 Which team has sunk the most times?

3.9 Which team won the 2003 NBA Championship?

3.10 Boxing, What was the original name of former heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali?

3.11 In which country was the first Olympic Games of the modern era held?

3.12 Darts. What is the fewest throws it is possible to win a game darts with? (playing to 501)

3.13 To the closest metre, what is the world long jump record?

3.14 Since its creation in 1993, 3 teams have won the premiership. Name them

3.15 The current manager of which British national football team once complained "If I walked on water, my accusers would say it is because I can't swim"

Round 4 – General Knowledge

4.1 The first in the pattern of Chinese years is the Year of the Rat. Can you name 7 of the other 10 animals which have a year named for them?

4.2 Which American president withdrew US troops from Vietnam?

4.3 Which Caribbean island is especially associated with the religion of Voodoo?

4.4 Jennifer Capriatti won the Olympic women’s singles tennis medal in 1992. Which nation was she representing?

4.5 Will Young won the first series of ITV talent show, Pop Idol. Name the three other hopeful’s he beat out in the final round.

4.6 Can you name 7 of the 11 housemates in the first series of UK Big Brother?

4.7 The term “Big Brother” is taken from George Orwell’s novel, 1984. Orwell took his pen name from the River Orwell, because his parents where ashamed of his first novel, “Down and Out in Paris and London”. What name was George Orwell born with?

4.8 In the 20th Century there have been 5 Labour prime ministers. Name them.

4.9 Who was the last King of England?

4.10 What nationality is pop star Avril Lavigne?

4.11 In the Bible, the first murder was committed when brother’s Cain and Abel quarrelled. Who was the murderer?

4.12 In which decade did infamous gangster Al “Scarface” Capone and Russian Revolutionary Leon Trotsky both die?

4.13 The tallest mountain in the world, Mount Everest, is located between two countries. One is Tibet. What is the other?

4.14 According to the Guinness Book of Records, the oldest age and person has lived to is?

a) 109
b) 122
c) 130

4.15) What is the farthest Eastern point of the British Isles?

Round 5, History & Literature, Numbers & Logic

5.1 The most famous date in English history is 1066, when Duke William of Normandy, seized crown of England from Harald Godwinson. Near which town did the decisive battle take place?

5.2 In which decade where women granted equal voting rights to men in the UK?

5.3 What was the name of the Spanish Conquistador who is generally credited with the conquest of Mexico and the defeat of the Aztecs?

5.4 In 1962, the Cuban Missile crisis pushed America and Russia to the brink of nuclear war. Can you name the president’s of the USA and USSR who were in charge during the crisis?

5.5 Atilla The Hun, who lead a destructive war against the Roman Empire, is still known as one of the most notorious figures in European history. But in which century did his reign of terror occur?

5.6 Who wrote the controversial novel, Lolita?

5.7 Which of Shakespeare’s plays is it considered bad luck to speak the name of at any time during a theatre (the only exception being when the name is spoken as a line in the play)?

5.8 The Shawshank Redemption was a popular film, starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. One who’s novella was the film based?

5.9 William Shakespeare, is credited as the author of 37 plays. Can you name 8 of them?

5.10 Helen Fielding’s popular novel “Bridget Jones Diary” is a modern re-working of which Jane Austin novel?

5.11 In chess, what is the fewest possible number of moves with which white can achieve check mate?

5.12 Can you give Pi to two decimal places?

5.13 Three men - Andrew, Brian and Charles, are questioned by the police regarding a murder of which all three men are suspected. Only one of the men is guilty of the murder. Each man makes the following statement to the police. One of the men is telling the truth and two are lying. Which of the men is definitely innocent?

Andrew) “I didn’t do it”
Brian) “Charles did it”
Charles) “Andrew did it”

5.14 How many minutes are there in a day?

5.15 If I was playing darts, playing to 501, and in my first 21 darts I hit the outer bull for 25 points and a single of each of the outer numbers once, what score would I be left with?


Round 6 – Christmas!

6.1 In the year in which Jesus was usually supposed to have been born, who was the Emperor of Rome?

6.2 Which day is the last of the 12 days of Christmas?

6.3 True or False, all of Santa’s reindeer are male?

6.4 In which fictional town is the classic Christmas film “It’s a Wonderful Life” set?

6.5 In the movie 'Home Alone', Macaulay Culkin plays a boy who is accidentally left alone at Christmas. What is the name of this character?

6.6 In what country did the real St Nicholas live?
A) Germany B) Greece C) Turkey D) Sweden

6.7 What is the name of the special candles used at Hanukkah?

6.8 Which singer made “White Christmas” famous?

6.9 In the bible, which Angel announced to Mary the impending birth of Jesus?

6.10 Can you name 2 of the 3 wise men?

6.11 Which band claimed the Christmas Number One in 2002?

6.12 What is the name of the North Star?

6.13 On what day of the week will Christmas fall this year?

6.14 Which European country presents the UK with the Christmas tree that stands in Trafalgar Square each year?

6.15 Who wrote the famous Christmas Ghost story “A Christmas Carol”?

__________________
"Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate,
for all things are plain in the sight of Heaven. For nothing
hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain
without being uncovered."

The Gospel of Thomas

high_way

damn i missed most of those.

__________________
A stranger is just a friend you havent met yet.

Impostor of the imposturous

dragonhawk

2.3 "By the Power of GraySkull, I am the Power"

2.12 Baseball

6.5 Kevin

6.8 Bing Crosby

6.12 Louis Carrol ?

__________________
----------------------------------------------
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Strange Famous

Answers

Round 1

1.1 b) 191

1.2 a) Pakistan (150,000,000), b) Germany) C) INDONESIA (188,000,000) *

1.3 a) 13th – 1200 A.D. – granted by King John (most famous as the King who signed the Magna Carta, also the lion in the cartoon version of Robin Hood)

1.4 b) 1981-82

1.5 a) Cuba 11 gold’s * b) South Africa 0 gold’s c) Canada 3 gold’s

1.6 b) Mars

1.7 a) 5 – Go let it out, All Around the World, Some Might Say, Don’t Look Back in Anger, D’you know what I mean

1.8 a) Arizona Cardinals, b) Tenessee Titans c) Seattle Supersonics (NBA) *

1.9 c) Robert Alton. He weighted 8 lbs at birth, but was 6’ 22’ and 15 stone by the age of 8 and 7’ 4’’ at the age of 11. He wore size 37 shoes, and he died at the age of 22 after a blister on one of his huge feet became infected.

1.10 c) q

1.11 b) Marseilles

1.12 a) AU – Gold *, b) GD – Gadolinium c) Magnesium

1.13 b) September

1.14 a) 1985

1.15 a) 1981
Round 2

2.1 The Shamen

2.2 Scott Robinson & Charlene Ramsey

2.3 “By the Power of Greyskull … I have the power!!!”

2.4 Don Vito Corleone

2.5 Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, Sammy Davis Jr, Joey Bishop

2.6 The act, or state of, disappearing, vanishing, or evaporating. The quality of being evanescent; ie fleeting or transitory.

2.7 Joyce Summers

2.8 He was a vegetarian

2.9 1970’s

2.10 Marilyn Monroe

2.11 Arkwright

2.12 Baseball

2.13 Robbie Williams, Gary Barlow, Jason Orange, Howard Donald, Mark Owen

2.14 The Munsters

2.15 Twin Peaks
Round 3

3.1 Tim Montgomery – 9.78 seconds

3.2 Andy Roddick

3.3 Virginia Wade – 1977

3.4 Preston North End – 1995.

3.5 Brian Lara – 501 – Warwickshire vs Durham 1994

3.6 Damon Hill – 1996 – Williams Renault team

3.7 Cambridge – 77, Oxford 71 (1 dead heat – 1877)

3.8 Cambridge (1859, 1978), Oxford (1925)

3.9 San Antonio Spurs (who beat the New Jersey Nets)

3.10 Cassius Clay

3.11 Greece (Athens – 1896)

3.12 9 darts

3.13 8.95 metres. Mike Powell, 1991 Tokyo

3.14 Manchester United, Arsenal, Blackburn Rovers

3.15 Bertie Vogts - Scotland
Round 4

4.1 Chicken, Cow, Dog, Dragon, Horse, Monkey, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Sheep, Snake

4.2 Richard Nixon

4.3 Haiti

4.4 USA

4.5 Darius Danish, Zoe Birkitt, Gareth Gates

4.6 Craig Phillips, Anna Nolan, Darren Ramsey, Melanie Hill, Claire Strutton, Tom McDermott, Nicola Holt, Nick Bateman, Caroline O’Shea, Andrew Davidson, Sada Wilkington

4.7 Eric Blair

4.8 Ramsey McDonald, Clement Atlee, Harold Wilson, Jim, Callaghan, Tony Blair

4.9 George VI

4.10 Canadian

4.11 Cain

4.12 1940’s

4.13 Nepal

4.14 122

4.15 Lowestoft



Round 5

5.1 Hastings

5.2 1928

5.3 Hernando Cortes

5.4 John F Kennedy & Nikita Khrushchev

5.5 5th Century (433-453)

5.6 Vladimir Nabakov

5.7 MacBeth

5.8 Stephen King

5.9 All's Well That Ends Well; As You Like It; The Comedy of Errors; Cymbeline; Love's Labours Lost, Measure for Measure; The Merry Wives of Windsor; The Merchant of Venice; A Midsummer Night's Dream; Much Ado About Nothing; Pericles Prince of Tyre; Taming of the Shrew; The Tempest; Troilus and Cressida; Twelfth Night; Two Gentlemen of Verona; Winter's Tale;
Henry IV, part 1 ; Henry IV, part 2; Henry V; Henry VI, part 1; Henry VI, part 2;
Henry VI, part 3 ; Henry VIII; King John; Richard II; Richard III; Antony and Cleopatra; Coriolanus; Hamlet; Julius Caesar; King Lear; Macbeth; Othello
Romeo and Juliet; Timon of Athens; Titus Andronicus

5.10 Pride and Prejudice

5.11 3

5.12 3.14

5.13 Charles

truth table
A B C
T L L
L T L
L L T

5.14 1440

5.15 266
Round 6

6.1 Emperor Augustus

6.2 6th January

6.3 false, Santa has one female reindeer, Vixen

6.4 Bedford Falls

6.5 Kevin

6.6 Turkey

6.7 Menorah

6.8 Bing Crosby

6.9 Gabriel

6.10 Caser, Balthasar and Melchior.

6.11 Girls Aloud

6.12 Polaris

6.13 Thursday

6.14 Norway

6.15 Charles Dickens

__________________
"Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate,
for all things are plain in the sight of Heaven. For nothing
hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain
without being uncovered."

The Gospel of Thomas