Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - June 12
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. What's the only Best Picture Oscar winner to spawn a hit TV series, lasting for eight seasons (1988 to 1995) on NBC and CBS? In the Heat of the Night? I thought maybe China Beach was created from Platoon but China Beach was on ABC.
2. What word, sometimes explained by journalists as meaning "war of stones," is actually the Arabic for "shaking off"? Fatwa?
3. By what crimefighting name do comic book fans better know Kara Zor-El, a.k.a. Linda Lee? Supergirl?
4. In 1921, a Utrecht phytopathologist named Bea Schwarz isolated what disease, which has since claimed over 200 million victims in the U.S. alone? Utrecht --> Netherlands. phytopathologist --> flowers or trees. Dutch elm disease.
5. What U.S. state has the shortest coastline, a 13-mile stretch where you'd find the historic seaport of Portsmouth? New Hampshire. I played golf once at the CC of Portsmouth, right on the marsh. I heard the name of the local with whom I played as "Judge" but it was actually "George." New Englanders do have an accent.
6. Followers of what religion build and worship at stupas? Buddhists worship at pagodas, Muslims at mosques. Hinduism?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these countries and no others, listed in the correct order? Tunisia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Guatemala, Norway, Italy, Australia, Spain, China, Thailand, and Switzerland? much jumping around in that list. Why is Tunisia first? Is this a pop culture reference? Settings for movies or books?
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. The Battle of Waterloo was fought in what modern-day country? The battlefield is just eight miles south of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. correct
2. A spinet is a very small type of what not-uncommon household feature? It's a miniature piano (or other keyboard instrument). correct
3. In honor of his retirement the previous week, what U.S. state proclaimed January 13, 2007 to be "Steve Yzerman Day"? The hockey legend spent his entire career with the Detroit Red Wings, and is a still a beloved resident of the state of Michigan. correct
4. For what mathematical purpose is the fraction 52163/16604 occasionally used? That improper fraction divides out to 3.1415924...in other words, a pretty good way to approximate pi, if you're into five-digit long division. correct
5. In a 1977 interview, what 90-year-old explained to a reporter, "I decided that if I could paint that flower in a huge scale, you could not ignore its beauty"? Georgia O'Keeffe, describing her massive paintings of flower petals NO REALLY THEY'RE JUST FLOWER PETALS. yep, I knew the name but it never came to me
6. What brand of American root beer brags to customers that it "has bite"? Barq's has bite. Also caffeine, as I remember every time my children drink it. of course this makes sense once I hear the brand name. Not one that I am very familiar with.
7. What surprising distinction is shared by these foods? Chili con carne, corned beef and cabbage, fortune cookies, French dressing, General Tso's chicken, garlic bread, German chocolate cake, pepperoni. Perhaps the easiest Question Seven in the history of the quiz, and there's nothing wrong with that. All these "ethnic"-seeming dishes actually originated in the United States. correct. Glad I did not blow an easy one.
1. What's the only Best Picture Oscar winner to spawn a hit TV series, lasting for eight seasons (1988 to 1995) on NBC and CBS? In the Heat of the Night? I thought maybe China Beach was created from Platoon but China Beach was on ABC.
2. What word, sometimes explained by journalists as meaning "war of stones," is actually the Arabic for "shaking off"? Fatwa?
3. By what crimefighting name do comic book fans better know Kara Zor-El, a.k.a. Linda Lee? Supergirl?
4. In 1921, a Utrecht phytopathologist named Bea Schwarz isolated what disease, which has since claimed over 200 million victims in the U.S. alone? Utrecht --> Netherlands. phytopathologist --> flowers or trees. Dutch elm disease.
5. What U.S. state has the shortest coastline, a 13-mile stretch where you'd find the historic seaport of Portsmouth? New Hampshire. I played golf once at the CC of Portsmouth, right on the marsh. I heard the name of the local with whom I played as "Judge" but it was actually "George." New Englanders do have an accent.
6. Followers of what religion build and worship at stupas? Buddhists worship at pagodas, Muslims at mosques. Hinduism?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these countries and no others, listed in the correct order? Tunisia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Guatemala, Norway, Italy, Australia, Spain, China, Thailand, and Switzerland? much jumping around in that list. Why is Tunisia first? Is this a pop culture reference? Settings for movies or books?
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. The Battle of Waterloo was fought in what modern-day country? The battlefield is just eight miles south of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. correct
2. A spinet is a very small type of what not-uncommon household feature? It's a miniature piano (or other keyboard instrument). correct
3. In honor of his retirement the previous week, what U.S. state proclaimed January 13, 2007 to be "Steve Yzerman Day"? The hockey legend spent his entire career with the Detroit Red Wings, and is a still a beloved resident of the state of Michigan. correct
4. For what mathematical purpose is the fraction 52163/16604 occasionally used? That improper fraction divides out to 3.1415924...in other words, a pretty good way to approximate pi, if you're into five-digit long division. correct
5. In a 1977 interview, what 90-year-old explained to a reporter, "I decided that if I could paint that flower in a huge scale, you could not ignore its beauty"? Georgia O'Keeffe, describing her massive paintings of flower petals NO REALLY THEY'RE JUST FLOWER PETALS. yep, I knew the name but it never came to me
6. What brand of American root beer brags to customers that it "has bite"? Barq's has bite. Also caffeine, as I remember every time my children drink it. of course this makes sense once I hear the brand name. Not one that I am very familiar with.
7. What surprising distinction is shared by these foods? Chili con carne, corned beef and cabbage, fortune cookies, French dressing, General Tso's chicken, garlic bread, German chocolate cake, pepperoni. Perhaps the easiest Question Seven in the history of the quiz, and there's nothing wrong with that. All these "ethnic"-seeming dishes actually originated in the United States. correct. Glad I did not blow an easy one.
