Mastermind Club
Geneneral Question Archive 5
What was the name of the computer that beat Gary Kasporov at chess in 1997? Deep Blue
With what are Japanese dishes referred to as Sunomono dressed with? Vinegar
In which year did Britain finally abandon “The Gold Standard? 1931
What test devised in 1952 is a simple method to quickly assess the health of new-born children immediately after childbirth? The Apgar Score
Which two cities does the longest road and railway bridge in Europe connect? Copenhagen & Malmo ( The Oresund Bridge)
Who wrote the music for the ballet The Three-Cornered Hat? Manuel de Falla
What are the young of herons known as? Branchers
In which seaside town would you find the Barbara Hepworth Museum? St.Ives
What are the names of “The Three Sisters” as referred to in the title of the Chekov play? Irina, Masha and Olga
By what name was the shipping forecast area of Fitzroy known by until 2002? Finisterre
In which fictional village is the radio play “Under Milk Wood” set? Llareggub (Buggar All backwords)
Which poem contains the line “A woman is only a woman but a good cigar is a smoke” ? The Betrothed by Rudyard Kipling What is the main ingredient of the Indian dish Chole Bhature? Chickpeas
Which European country became in 1661 the first to issue banknotes? Sweden
What name was given to the communication sent from Germany to Mexico promising Texas if they entered the First World War on Germany’s side? The Zimmerman Telegram
Which Beatles song did Ella Fitzgerald take into the 1964 UK charts? Can’t buy me love
The Orkneys are separated from the Scottish mainland by which body of water? The Pentland Firth
Which element , atomic number 14 is the second most abundant on Earth ? Silicon
Which famous British explorer completed 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days in 2003? Sir Ranulph Fiennes
How points are awarded for achieving an Ippon in Olympic Judo? One (Ippon means “One Full Point”)
Released in August 1925, which movie famously contained the scene of Charlie Chaplin eating his own shoe? The Gold Rush
What type of medical condition is Christmas disease an example? Haemophilia (specifically Haemophilila B)
In which country do 100 Paisa equal 1 Taka? Bangladesh
With which field of the arts would you associate Luis Jimenez? Sculpture
What in 1893 became the first ready to eat breakfast cereal? Shredded Wheat
Usually eaten at Christmas, what is the name of the sweet bread originating in Milan, Italy? Panettone
What was the name of the fictional cathedral in All Gas and Gaiters? St Oggs
Who played Mr Orange in Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs? Tim Roth
Who in 1961 became the first non-American to win US Masters Golf Championship? Gary Player of South Africa
What is the unit of measurement the Clusel is used to measure ? The power of a vacuum pump
What was the capital of India prior to Delhi? Calcutta
Which county, the smallest in Scotland is known as “The Wee County” ? Clackmannanshire
Which is the largest city on the Japanese island of Hokkaido ? Sapporo
Who took the theme to the movie Soldier Blue into the UK charts in 1971? Buffy Saint-Marie
What was the name of the female spy first featured in a British comic strip and latterly made into a film starring Monica Vitti, Dirk Bogarde and Terrance Stamp? Modesty Blaise
Prior to their journey to America, in which Dutch city did the Pilgrim Fathers stay? Leiden
What name is often given to Beethoven’s Piano Sonata number 14 opus 27? The Moonlight Sonata
Who is the main character in Jane Austen’s final novel Persuasion? Ann Elliot Who was the British Prime Minister when America declared its independence on the 4th of July 1776 ? Lord North
Who played the role of Princess Fiona when Shrek-The Musical opened in London’s West End on June 14th 2011? Amanda Holden
In which area of London did Dr. Barnado open his first childrens home? Stepney
For which Egyptian pharaoh was the Great Pyramid of Giza constructed? Khufu (or Chepos)
Which poet wrote the poem Halloween, which starts with the line “Upon that night when fairies light on Cassilis Downas dance,”? Robert Burns
January is named after the Roman God Janus, of what was he the God? Doorways and Openings
The first commercial flights of the supersonic plane, Concorde, took place on January 21st 1976. Departing from London and Paris what were their respective destinations? Bahrain and Rio de Janeiro
Who directed the three films in The Godfather series? Francis Ford Coppola
Three countries have both an Atlantic and Mediterranean coastline France and Spain are two of them, which is the other? Morocco
The Saone and Rhone rivers converge at which French city? Lyon
The atmosphere on Venus is made of principally of which gas? Carbon Dioxide
Which UK newspaper introduced the first colour supplement in 1962? The Sunday Times
Which sporting event in 1931 became the first to be broadcast live on television? The Epsom Derby
Who is the only British Prime Minister to have been born outside the British Isles? Andrew Bonar-Law (Born in the colony of New Bruswick, now part of Canada)
What name is given to a collector of Beer Bottle Labels? Labologist
Which of the elements comes first alphabetically? Actinium
Which sculptor was responsible for St Michael and the Devil on the walls of Coventry Cathedral? Jacob Epstein
What is the first month in the Muslim calendar? Muhrram
One of the founders of the Surrealist movement, which German painter invented the technique of Frottage? Max Ernst
What was the first Lennon/McCartney song to top the UK charts NOT performed by The Beatles? Bad to me by Billy J.Kramer and the Dakotas
In which English Cathedral is King John interred? Worcester
At the end of the Indianapolis 500 motor race, with which drink does the winner traditionally toast his victory? A Bottle of Milk Where in the UK would you land at St. Angelo Airport? Enniskillen , Northern Ireland.
In which English county would you find Goodrich Castle? Herefordshire
In the novel by Boris Pasternak was the first name of Dr. Zhivago? Yuri
In 1956 which part of the UK was the first to be designated “an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty” ? The Gower Peninsula
In which city was German Chancellor Angela Merkel born? Hamburg
Which was the first country to introduce number plates on cars? France
Who was the first left-hander to win the Men’s singles at Wimbledon? Norman Brookes in 1907
Which was the first of the London underground stations to be fitted with an escalator? Earls Court in 1911
What was the name of the electrifying hand held invention from Lester Polfus? The Gibson Les Paul Guitar or Electric guitar (Les Paul’s real name was Lester Polfus)
Which Soviet foreign minister formulated the Sinatra doctrine? Edward Shevardnadze
What was the capital city of Portugal between the years 1808 and 1821? Rio de Janerio
Why did many radio stations around the world observe two minutes of silence in late July, 1937? The death of Marconi
Which capital city’s name translated means ‘the bellybutton of the waters of the moon’? Mexico City
Two thirds of all coffee consumed in the world is made from the Caf Arabica bean. The other one third is made from which sturdy bean? Robusta
Who’s piano concerto number three is apparently the most difficult piece to play? Sergei Rachmaninoff
In the 1989 film, Richard Bohringer was The Cook, Michael Gambon, the Thief, Helen Mirren was the Wife, who played Michael, her lover? Alan Howard
Who in 1688 replaced John Dryden as Poet Laureate? Thomas Shadwell
Verkhovna Rada is the Parliament of which country? Ukraine
This Wheels on fire by Julie Driscoll was used as the Theme Tune in which TV Series? Absolutely Fabulous
Who was the first British king to abdicate? Edward II on 25th January 1327
The world’s first electric railway, built by Magnus Volk runs along which seafront? Brighton
Tom Chaplin, Richard Hughes and Tim Rice-Oxley are members of which band? Keane
“In delivering my son from me I bury a second husband” is the first line of which Shakespeare play? All’s well that ends well
The alcoholic drink Mirabelle is flavoured with which fruit? Plums
Who was the second BBC Television Sports Personality of the year in 1955? Gordon Pirie
“A high mountain grouse whose grey-brown and black plumage changes to white in the winter”, describes which bird? The Ptarmigan
Which river flows north to meet the Potomac at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia? The Shenandoah
Philip VI, John II, and Charles V, VI, VII & VIII were members of which French royal house? The House of Valois
After the death of Humphrey Bogart, which actor did Lauren Bacall marry? Jason Robards
In which London gallery can you see Franz Hal’s painting The Laughing Cavalier” The Wallace Collection
What did the B stand for in the name of film maker Cecil B DeMille? Blount
In which city was Isambard Kingdom Brunel born? Portsmouth
Often referred to as breeches or trouser-roles, what are Travesti roles in operas? Where character parts are sung by the opposite gender
Who in 1999 became the first British Children’s Laureate? Quentin Blake
How are Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, Susan and Johnny Storm collectively known? (Marvel comics) Fantastic Four
Which company was formed on 15th July 1916 as “Pacific Aero Products”? Boeing
Linus Pauling won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1954. In which category did he win a further Nobel Prize in 1962 The Peace Prize
Which country hosted its first Formula One Gran Prix in October 2011? India
What is nidology the study of? Birds Nests
What is Ruth Eismann-Schier ‘s claim to fame? The first woman on the FBI’s most wanted list
The War of 1812, between Great Britain and The United States was ended by which treaty? The Treaty of Ghent
In physics, which lower case letter is conventionally used to donate the speed of light in a vacuum? c
The works of which twentieth-century American Realist painter include August in the City, Cape Cod Afternoon and Drugstore? Edward Hopper
Who finally won an Oscar in 2007 for directing The Departed after seven unsuccessful nominations? Martin Scorsese
In 1951 Kiki Haakonson became the first winner of which international contest? Miss World
Who was Queen Victoria’s first Prime Minister? Lord Melbourne
What word, originally used for an inhabitant of an ancient Greek town on the Italian mainland, has come to mean anyone who is devoted to luxury? Sybarite or Sybaritic
Who was the first President to be an American citizen from birth, rather than British having been born after the Declaration of Independence? Martin Van Buren
Which Oxford college, founded in 1438 by Henry VI and Henry Chichele, traditionally has no undergraduates? All Souls (Of the Faithful Departed)
Which rocky promontory is known in Cornish as Penn an Wlas? Lands End
What is the title of the holy book of the Sikhs? Granth
Which former number one ranked male tennis player and two time losing Wimbledon finalist claimed “grass is for cows”? Ivan Lendl
Which popular household herb’s name stems from the words meaning sea dew or dew of the sea ? Rosemary
Which South American city provides the setting for the 1982 film Missing, starring Jack Lemmon? Santiago de Chile
What condition is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus? Glandular Fever
Who wrote the 1960 novel A Kind of Loving later made into a film starring Alan Bates? Stan Barstow
Who did Lewis Hamilton overtake on the last corner of the final race to secure the 2008 Formula One driver’s championship? Timo Glock
Which Briton won the 1932 Nobel prize for Literature? John Galsworthy
What is the name of the waterway that by-passes the Niagara Falls? The Welland Canal
What is the German name for wine made from fully ripened grapes? Kabinett
What is the highest volcano in the world? Ojos del Salado (Chile/ Argentina 6887m, 22595ft)
When Ken Livingstone was elected Mayor of London in 2000, as an Independant who was the official Labour candidate he defeated? Frank Dobson
The title track from which film provided Abigail Mead and Nigel Goulding with their only hit, it got to number 2 in 1987? Full Metal Jacket
Timperley Early and Cawood Castle are varieties of which garden crop? Rhubarb
Which French city is often referred to as “The Perfume Capital of the World”? Grasse
What was the name of the Italian cruise liner hijacked by Palestinian terrorists in October 1985? Achille Lauro
In which woody Allen film did Madonna play a trapeze artist? Shadows and Fog
Sculptor Drederic Auguste Bartholdi based the face of the Statue of Liberty on whom? His Mother
What did George Bernard Shaw describe as “a perpendicular expression of a horizontal desire”? Dancing
Which Pope had the longest reign in the 20th century? John Paul II
In a medical CAT scans what do the letters of CAT stand for? Computerized Axial Tomography
When referring to wine,”Chambre” means what? Room temperature