Thursday, July 23, 2009

Park It

Isaac Asimov's Super Quiz

Published Thursday, July 23, 2009

Subject: PARK IT
Name the city in which the park is located (other answers may be possible). (e.g., Stanley Park. Answer: Vancouver.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. Central Park
Answer________

2. Golden Gate Park
Answer________

3. Hyde Park
Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL

4. Gorky Park
Answer________

5. MacArthur Park
Answer________

6. Tivoli Gardens
Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL

7. Tuileries Garden
Answer________

8. Tiergarten
Answer________

9. Grant Park
Answer________

ANSWERS:
1. New York City.
2. San Francisco.
3. London.
4. Moscow.
5. Los Angeles.
6. Copenhagen.
7. Paris.
8. Berlin.
9. Chicago.

Green

Isaac Asimov's Super Quiz

Published Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Subject: GREEN
Each answer contains the word "green." (e.g., It's considered to be the world's largest island. Answer: Greenland.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. Kermit the Frog popularized this song.
Answer________

2. Whose sidekick is named Little Green Sprout?
Answer________

3. Vince Lombardi coached this team from 1959 to 1967.
Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL

4. This TV show starred Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor.
Answer________

5. Masked crime fighter Britt Reid.
Answer________

6. Edward G. Robinson's final film.
Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL

7. Phrase used in "The Merchant of Venice" to denote jealousy.
Answer________

8. The informal name of the Vermont National Guard.
Answer________

9. In literature, absinthe is referred to by this green appellation.
Answer________

ANSWERS:
1. "It's Not Easy Being Green."
2. The Jolly Green Giant.
3. Green Bay Packers.
4. "Green Acres."
5. The Green Hornet.
6. "Soylent Green."
7. "Green-eyed monster."
8. "The Green Mountain Boys."
9. La Fee Verte (the Green Fairy).

Find The Element

Isaac Asimov's Super Quiz

Published Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Subject: FIND THE ELEMENT
Answer the question, then use the person's initials to identify the element. (e.g., Her films include "The Barefoot Contessa" and "Show Boat." Answer: Ava Gardner (AG) silver.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. First man on the moon.
Answer________

2. The commander of Adolf Hitler's Luftwaffe.
Answer________

3. He portrayed Archie Bunker.
Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL

4. He succeeded Gamal Abdel Nasser as president of Egypt.
Answer________

5. Actress who portrayed the writer Jessica Fletcher on TV.
Answer________

6. Author of "Atlas Shrugged."
Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL

7. He starred in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1939).
Answer________

8. Along with Karl Marx, he developed communist theory
Answer________

9. The only person to have both a sibling and a child as fellow winners of the Indianapolis 500.
Answer________

ANSWERS:
1. Neil Armstrong (NA) sodium.
2. Hermann Goring (HG) mercury.
3. Carroll O'Connor (CO) cobalt.
4. Anwar Sadat (AS) arsenic.
5. Angela Lansbury (AL) aluminum.
6. Ayn Rand (AR) argon.
7. Charles Laughton (CL) chlorine.
8. Friedrich Engels (FE) iron.
9. Al Unser (AU) gold.

Shocking

Isaac Asimov's Super Quiz

Published Monday, July 20, 2009

Subject: SHOCKING
(e.g., Electric eels are only native to what continent? Answer: South America.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. What manufacturer has cars named Spark and Volt?
Answer________

2. What is the name of Tampa Bay's NHL team?
Answer________

3. (P = I x V) P is in watts, I is in amperes and V is in ___.
Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL

4. Legend has it that this metal object gave off a spark in Benjamin Franklin's experiment.
Answer________

5. Name for a battery with a reaction between zinc and manganese oxide.
Answer________

6. Complete the book title: "Do Androids Dream of ___ ___?"
Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL

7. Term for an electrician responsible for lighting on a movie or TV set.
Answer________

8. Which Italian is credited with inventing the electric battery?
Answer________

9. His work formed the basis of modern alternating current power systems.
Answer________

ANSWERS:
1. GM.
2. Lightning.
3. Volts.
4. Key.
5. Alkaline battery.
6. Electric Sheep.
7. Gaffer.
8. Alessandro Volta.
9. Nikola Tesla.

Triple "A"

Isaac Asimov's Super Quiz

Published Saturday, July 18, 2009

Subject: TRIPLE "A"
Each answer is a six-letter word of the form "__a__a__a.")
(e.g., Any occult or secret doctrine or science. Answer: Cabala (Kabala).)

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. A crescent-shaped yellow fruit.
Answer________

2. The world's second-largest country (area).
Answer________

3. Capital city of Cuba.
Answer________

4. The world's largest (nonpolar) desert.
Answer________

5. A famous canal.
Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL

6. A large oval, melonlike tropical fruit with yellowish flesh.
Answer________

7. A Japanese company noted for its motorcycles.
Answer________

8. Tomorrow (Spanish).
Answer________

9. A percussion instrument that is played by shaking it.
Answer________

10. A small structure used as a dressing room beside the sea.
Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL

11. A popular hotel chain.
Answer________

12. A leading figure in the Mexican Revolution of 1910.
Answer________

13. The second-longest river in South America.
Answer________

14. A melon having yellowish rind and whitish flesh.
Answer________

15. A sleeping garment (usually plural).
Answer________

ANSWERS:
1. Banana.
2. Canada.
3. Havana (Habana).
4. Sahara.
5. Panama.
6. Papaya.
7. Yamaha.
8. Manana.
9. Maraca.
10. Cabana.
11. Ramada.
12. Zapata (Emiliano).
13. Parana.
14. Casaba.
15. Pajama.

Famous Ships

Isaac Asimov's Super Quiz

Published Friday, July 17, 2009

Subject: FAMOUS SHIPS
Name the person who commanded the ship. (e.g., Santa Maria. Answer: Christopher Columbus.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. PT-109
Answer________

2. Victory
Answer________

3. Bounty
Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL

4. Pequod
Answer________

5. Black Pearl
Answer________

6. Titanic
Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL

7. Kon-Tiki
Answer________

8. Caine
Answer________

9. Golden Hind
Answer________

ANSWERS:
1. John F. Kennedy.
2. Lord Horatio Nelson.
3. William Bligh.
4. Captain Ahab.
5. Jack Sparrow.
6. Edward Smith.
7. Thor Heyerdahl.
8. Francis Queeg.
9. Philip Francis Drake.

I Did Not Know That

Isaac Asimov's Super Quiz

Published Thursday, July 16, 2009

Subject: I DID NOT KNOW THAT
(e.g., What is the largest U.S. city that is a state capital? Answer: Phoenix.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. Which celebrity's first and last names are both presidential surnames?
Answer________

2. What is the most highly populated island in the United States?
Answer________

3. What country that drives on the left has the highest population?
Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL

4. Who was the first person whose voice was heard after his death?
Answer________

5. March 3, 2009, was "Square Root Day." The next one is April 4, 2016. Why?
Answer________

6. What sport bans left-handed players?
Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL

7. What object did the "Venus de Milo" hold in her missing left hand?
Answer________

8. What significant event happened in England on Sept. 5, 1752?
Answer________

9. What quotation preceded the words "Go home and get a nice quiet sleep."
Answer________

ANSWERS:
1. Harrison Ford.
2. Long Island.
3. Japan.
4. Robert Browning (recording by Thomas Edison).
5. 3/3/09 and 4/4/16 (month x day = year).
6. Polo (horseback).
7. An apple.
8. Nothing (Sept. 2 was followed by Sept. 14).
9. "I believe it is peace for our time."

Days and Months

Isaac Asimov's Super Quiz

Published Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Subject: DAYS AND MONTHS
Complete the book title with the name of either a day or a month. The author's name is provided. (e.g., William Faulkner: "Light in ___." Answer: August.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. Tom Clancy: "The Hunt for Red ___."
Answer________

2. Ron Kovic: "Born on the Fourth of ___."
Answer________

3. Mitch Albom: "___ With Morrie."
Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL

4. Barbara Tuchman: "The Guns of ___."
Answer________

5. Billy Crystal: "700 ___."
Answer________

6. James Patterson: "___ at Tiffany's."
Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL

7. John Steinbeck: "Sweet ___."
Answer________

8. G.K. Chesterton: "The Man Who Was ___."
Answer________

9. Edna O'Brien: "___ Is a Wicked Month."
Answer________

ANSWERS:
1. October.
2. July.
3. Tuesdays.
4. August.
5. Sundays.
6. Sundays.
7. Thursday.
8. Thursday.
9. August.

Eyes Song Titles

Isaac Asimov's Super Quiz

Published Monday, July 13, 2009

Subject: EYES SONG TITLES
Use the lyrics to identify the song with the word "eyes" in the title. (e.g., "You're just too good to be true." Answer: "Can't Take My Eyes Off You.")

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. "In the lilt of Irish laughter, you can hear the angels sing."
Answer________

2. "They said, 'Someday you'll find all who love are blind.'"
Answer________

3. "Your lips tell me, no, no, but 85"
Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL

4. "Don't know when I've been so blue, don't know what's come over you."
Answer________

5. "Ma, he wants to marry me, be my honey bee."
Answer________

6. "Are the stars out tonight, I don't know if it's cloudy or bright."
Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL

7. "Cause the girl in my arms isn't you."
Answer________

8. "For someday I'll return. And you know you're the only one I'll ever love."
Answer________

9. "Pinch me to prove I'm awake, I can't believe that you're really mine."
Answer________

ANSWERS:
1. "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling."
2. "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes."
3. "There's Yes! Yes! In Your Eyes."
4. "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue."
5. "Ma, He's Making Eyes at Me."
6. "I Only Have Eyes for You."
7. "Dancing With Tears in My Eyes."
8. "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes."
9. "With My Eyes Wide Open I'm Dreaming."

Rocks and Stones

Isaac Asimov's Super Quiz

Published Saturday, July 11, 2009

Subject: ROCKS AND STONES
(e.g., Rock that is also known as "the Pillars of Hercules." Answer: Rock of Gibraltar.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL
1. Former island prison site known as "the Rock."
Answer________

2. Traditional site of the landing of the Mayflower Pilgrims.
Answer________

3. Band fronted by Mick Jagger.
Answer________

4. She rose to fame in the 1992 film "Basic Instinct."
Answer________

5. Stone used in the coronation of the monarchs of Scotland and England.
Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL

6. He won an Academy Award for directing "Platoon" (1986).
Answer________

7. In 2005, he hosted the 77th Academy Awards ceremony.
Answer________

8. A granite dome in Georgia.
Answer________

9. A fictional boxer portrayed by Sylvester Stallone.
Answer________

10. This stone helped to explain hieroglyphic writing.
Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL

11. Name used by the ancients for the element sulfur.
Answer________

12. The site in England where Tess is arrested in a famous novel.
Answer________

13. This wrestler's catchphrase was "Austin 3:16."
Answer________

14. This film's success led to the sequel "The Jewel of the Nile."
Answer________

15. Site of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
Answer________

ANSWERS:
1. Alcatraz Island.
2. Plymouth Rock.
3. The Rolling Stones.
4. Sharon Stone.
5. Stone of Scone (Stone of Destiny).
6. Oliver Stone.
7. Chris Rock.
8. Stone Mountain.
9. Rocky Balboa.
10. Rosetta stone.
11. Brimstone.
12. Stonehenge.
13. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
14. "Romancing the Stone."
15. Tombstone, Ariz.

Joe and Joseph

Isaac Asimov's Super Quiz

Published Friday, July 10, 2009

Subject: JOE AND JOSEPH
Each answer is a person called Joe or Joseph. (e.g., Barack Obama's vice president. Answer: Joe Biden.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. Slugger who got a hit in 56 straight games in 1941.
Answer________

2. Quarterback nicknamed "Broadway Joe."
Answer________

3. He headed Russia (the Soviet Union) until his death in 1953.
Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL

4. Al Gore's running mate in the 2000 presidential election.
Answer________

5. The only player to be named Super Bowl MVP three times: 1982, 1985, 1990.
Answer________

6. He was named the greatest heavyweight of all time by the International Boxing Research Organization.
Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL

7. He played mobster Tommy DeVito in "Goodfellas" (1990).
Answer________

8. The minister of propaganda in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945.
Answer________

9. Manager of the New York Yankees from 1996 to 2007.
Answer________

ANSWERS:
1. Joe DiMaggio.
2. Joe Namath.
3. Josef Stalin.
4. Joe Lieberman.
5. Joe Montana.
6. Joe Louis.
7. Joe Pesci.
8. Joseph Goebbels.
9. Joe Torre.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Independence Day

Isaac Asimov's Super Quiz

Published Saturday, July 4, 2009

Subject: INDEPENDENCE DAY
(e.g., The United States became independent from whom? Answer: Great Britain (England).)

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. What was the date of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence?
Answer________

2. Who was the king of England at the time?
Answer________

3. Who was the principal author of the Declaration?
Answer________

4. Provide the next four words of the first sentence: "When in the ..."
Answer________

5. Provide the next five words: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that ..."
Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL

6. Which two signers of the Declaration became president?
Answer________

7. What happened on July 4, 1826?
Answer________

8. Which president died five years later on July 4, 1831?
Answer________

9. Who presumably was the first person to sign the Declaration?
Answer________

10. What war took place from 1775 to 1783?
Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL

11. What foreign country greatly aided the Americans in the war?
Answer________

12. What treaty ended the war in 1783?
Answer________

13. What name was given to Americans who supported England?
Answer________

14. Name the largest group of Native Americans to fight for the British.
Answer________

15. Who is noted for spreading the word that "the Redcoats are coming"?
Answer________

ANSWERS:
1. July 4, 1776.
2. George III.
3. Thomas Jefferson.
4. "... course of human events."
5. "... all men are created equal."
6. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
7. Both Adams and Jefferson died.
8. James Monroe.
9. John Hancock.
10. Revolutionary War (American War of Independence).
11. France.
12. Treaty of Paris.
13. Loyalists (Tories).
14. The Iroquois Confederacy.
15. Paul Revere.

Scotland

Isaac Asimov's Super Quiz

Published Friday, July 3, 2009

Subject: SCOTLAND
(e.g., On what island is Scotland? Answer: Great Britain.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. Name (a) the traditional musical instrument and (b) the floral emblem.
Answer________

2. What is Scotland's (a) capital city and (b) largest city?
Answer________

3. Which Scottish author created Sherlock Holmes?
Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL

4. Which Scottish author wrote "Ivanhoe"?
Answer________

5. In Scotland, who is known simply as "The Bard"?
Answer________

6. What is the name of the cross on Scotland's flag?
Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL

7. What is Scotland's highest point?
Answer________

8. How many people make up a jury in Scotland?
Answer________

9. What are the three possible verdicts in Scotland for a criminal trial?
Answer________

ANSWERS:
1. (a) Bagpipes (b) thistle.
2. (a) Edinburgh (b) Glasgow.
3. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
4. Sir Walter Scott.
5. Robert Burns.
6. Saltire or Saint Andrew's Cross.
7. Ben Nevis.
8. Fifteen.
9. Guilty, not guilty, not proven.

Three-Letter, One-Syllable Words

Isaac Asimov's Super Quiz

Published Thursday, July 2, 2009

Subject: THREE-LETTER, ONE-SYLLABLE WORDS
Provide the three-letter, one-syllable word. (e.g., A policeman. Answer: Cop.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. A female deer.
Answer________

2. Throw in a high arc.
Answer________

3. King Kong, for example.
Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL

4. Catchphrase of Little Orphan Annie's dog, Sandy.
Answer________

5. A linear measure of 16.5 feet.
Answer________

6. Classic affirmative retort by Gary Cooper.
Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL

7. The vessel that contains the seeds of a plant.
Answer________

8. A mark on a playing card.
Answer________

9. The excess of revenues over outlays in a given period of time.
Answer________

ANSWERS:
1. Doe.
2. Lob.
3. Ape.
4. Arf.
5. Rod.
6. Yep.
7. Pod.
8. Pip.
9. Net.

Names of Countries

Isaac Asimov's Super Quiz

Published Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Subject: NAMES OF COUNTRIES
The name derivation is provided. Identify the country. (e.g., From the Iroquoian word "Kanata," meaning "village" or "settlement." Answer: Canada.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. Named after explorer Amerigo Vespucci.
Answer________

2. South American country named after an Italian explorer.
Answer________

3. From the Latin "liber," meaning "free."
Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL

4. Named after the equator, on which it is located.
Answer________

5. It takes its name from the biblical patriarch Jacob.
Answer________

6. Named after King Philip II of Spain, who reigned 1556-1598.
Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL

7. From "Land of the Aryans" or "land of the free."
Answer________

8. Named after Jesus. The name means "the saviour" in Spanish.
Answer________

9. The most recent figure to have a country named after him (1783-1830).
Answer________

ANSWERS:
1. (United States of) America.
2. Colombia.
3. Liberia.
4. Ecuador.
5. Israel.
6. Philippines.
7. Iran.
8. El Salvador.
9. Bolivia (Simon Bolivar).

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

The Bible: Six-Letter Names

Isaac Asimov's Super Quiz

Published Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Subject: THE BIBLE: SIX-LETTER NAMES
Provide the six-letter name of the person. (e.g., He was the judge at the trial of Jesus. Answer: Pilate, Pontius.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. He slew 1,000 men with the jawbone of an ass.
Answer________

2. He was cast into a den of lions.
Answer________

3. He supervised food storage during the famine in Egypt.
Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL
4. At his signal, every man blew his trumpet and broke his jar.
Answer________

5. The walls came tumbling down and his men attacked the city of Jericho.
Answer________

6. He is best known for disbelieving Jesus' resurrection when first told of it.
Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL

7. He brought fire down from the sky, and ascended into heaven by a whirlwind.
Answer________

8. The favorite wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
Answer________

9. He was the eldest of Jacob's 12 sons.
Answer________

ANSWERS:
1. Samson.
2. Daniel.
3. Joseph.
4. Gideon.
5. Joshua.
6. Thomas.
7. Elijah.
8. Rachel.
9. Reuben.

Pop Culture Plus

Isaac Asimov's Super Quiz

Published Monday, June 29, 2009

Subject: POP CULTURE PLUS
(e.g., What film won the Best Picture Oscar for 2008? Answer: "Slumdog Millionaire.")

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. Which state once had Rod Blagojevich as its governor?
Answer________

2. This Yankee slugger admitted to using a banned substance between 2001 and 2003.
Answer________

3. What did Nadya Suleman have on Jan. 26, 2009?
Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL

4. Which star athlete had a son named Charlie Axel on Feb. 8, 2009?
Answer________

5. The lifting of term limits allows this Venezuelan leader to run again.
Answer________

6. Her son Trig has Down syndrome.
Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL

7. His Ponzi scheme swindled investors of $50 billion.
Answer________

8. In what film does the title character grow younger as time passes?
Answer________

9. Which car won the U.S. Car of the Year award for 2009?
Answer________

ANSWERS:
1. Illinois.
2. Alex Rodriguez.
3. Octuplets.
4. Tiger Woods.
5. Hugo Chavez.
6. Sarah Palin.
7. Bernard Madoff.
8. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."
9. Hyundai Genesis.

"Mr". Film Titles

Isaac Asimov's Super Quiz

Published Saturday, June 27, 2009

Subject: "MR." FILM TITLES
Provide the full title of the "Mr." film. (e.g., Mr. Smith (1939). Answer: "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.")

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. Mr. Ripley (1999)
Answer________

2. Mr. Holland (1995)
Answer________

3. Mr. Bean (2007)
Answer________

4. Mr. Tibbs (1970)
Answer________

5. Mr. Hyde (1941)
Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL

6. Mr. Lawrence (1983)
Answer________

7. Mr. Chicken (1966)
Answer________

8. Mr. Jordan (1941)
Answer________

9. Mr. Blandings (1948)
Answer________

10. Mr. Deeds (1936)
Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL

11. Mr. Limpet (1964)
Answer________

12. Mr. Hobbs (1962)
Answer________

13. Mr. Allison (1957)
Answer________

14. Mr. Magorium (2007)
Answer________

15. Mr. Chips (1939)
Answer________

ANSWERS:
1. "The Talented Mr. Ripley."
2. "Mr. Holland's Opus."
3. "Mr. Bean's Holiday."
4. "They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!"
5. "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."
6. "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence."
7. "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken."
8. "Here Comes Mr. Jordan."
9. "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House."
10. "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town."
11. "The Incredible Mr. Limpet."
12. "Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation."
13. "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison."
14. "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium."
15. "Goodbye, Mr. Chips."

Americana "T"

Isaac Asimov's Super Quiz

Published Friday, June 26, 2009

Subject: AMERICANA "T"
Each answer begins with "T." (e.g., Curly, Larry and Moe. Answer: "Three Stooges.")

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. A dance craze of the 1960s inspired by Chubby Checker.
Answer________

2. A science-fiction TV program hosted by Rod Serling.
Answer________

3. "The Last of the Red Hot Mamas."
Answer________

GRADUATE LEVEL

4. Samuel Langhorne Clemens.
Answer________

5. Collective term for the three biggest U.S. horse races.
Answer________

6. Joyce Kilmer's famous poem.
Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL

7. A narrative by Richard Henry Dana about his experience as a sailor.
Answer________

8. Robert E. Lee's horse.
Answer________

9. Site of the O.K. Corral and Boothill.
Answer________

ANSWERS:
1. The twist.
2. "The Twilight Zone."
3. Tucker, Sophie.
4. Twain, Mark.
5. Triple Crown.
6. "Trees."
7. "Two Years Before the Mast."
8. Traveler.
9. Tombstone, Ariz.