Across the Pond
“G” Whiz
Name’s the Same
True or False?
Hodge podge
100
Queen Victoria gave this name to the day after Christmas
Boxing Day
100
Records set for all sorts of things appear in this popular book
Guinness World Records (or The Guinness Book of Records as it was called until 1999)
The compendium has been published annually since 1955, and it has been translated into more than 20 languages.
100
Actresses Audrey and Katharine’s last name
Hepburn
Katharine was once quoted as saying she wanted to “live like a man,” while Audrey flaunted her more feminine attributes. The two are often compared for their acting prowess. They are not related.
100
There are 5 colors in a rainbow. True or false?
False
There are 7 colors in a rainbow. They are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and purple
100
This is another name for corn and the word they use in Mexico.
maize
The corn crop in Mexico was first planted 10,000 years ago
200
What is the flagship TV station in the United Kingdom?
BBC
It stands for British Broadcasting Company, and several radio and TV stations are a part of the BBC. It operates in 40 languages and has a large internet presence. Next year, the BBC will celebrate its 100th anniversary
200
What American actress became Princess of Monaco?
Grace Kelly
Her official title was princess consort. She married Prince Rainier in 1956 and had to give up her acting career and American citizenship. The prince banned her films in Monaco.
200
Carol (of variety show fame) and Stockard’s last name
Channing
Carol is synonymous with the tune “Hello, Dolly!,” and Stockard portrays Rizzo in the 1978 film Grease. The two are not related
200
Chartreuse is the name of a bright shade of red. True or false?
False
Chartreuse is a color between yellow and green
like this color below:
200
This magazine publishes an annual list that ranks the 500 top companies in the United States.
Fortune
The list, known as the “Fortune 500,” includes public and private companies and ranks them by total revenues. The magazine publishes other lists, too, such as “World’s Most Admired Companies” and “100 Best Companies to Work For.”
300
London’s double-decker buses are what color?
red
The iconic phone booths, known in London as phone boxes, are also red, but they’re mostly gone now. In 1907, the primary bus company had red buses. When London Transport took over the bus routes, they kept the tradition.
300
This slang term for the U.S. dollar reflects its color.
greenback
The first U.S. dollars were issued during the Civil War, and the backs of the bills were printed in green
300
Biblical Saul’s other name and McCartney’s first name
Paul
In Acts 13:9 of the Bible, “Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit.“ Today, former Beatle Paul McCartney is known as Sir Paul McCartney
300
Scurvy is caused by a lack of vitamin C. True or false?
True
During the Age of Sail, it was assumed that 50 percent of the sailors would die of scurvy on a major trip. A Scottish surgeon in the Royal Navy, James Lind, is generally credited with proving that scurvy can be successfully treated with citrus fruit in 1753
300
Opiates such as morphine are derived from this bright red flower worn in Great Britain in celebration of Armistice Day
poppy
Fun fact: Airlines discontinued serving poppy seed rolls when crews tested positive for drugs on random post-flight drug tests.
400
“America (My Country ’Tis of Thee)” shares its melody with the national anthem of the United Kingdom, which goes by this title.
“God Save the Queen”
In the event of a king, it changes to “God Save the King.” The melody was composed by British composer Thomas Arne.
400
This is sisters Ava and Zsa Zsa’s last name.
Gabor
They immigrated from Hungary to the United States with their father and their sister Magda during World War II. Their mother immigrated a year after they did.
400
MacLaine’s first name and Laverne’s counterpart on a TV sitcom
Shirley
Shirley MacLaine won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1984 for her role in Terms of Endearment. Cindy Williams plays Shirley on Laverne & Shirley
400
Omega is the last letter of the Greek alphabet. True or false?
True
The Greek alphabet existed in many local variants, but, by the end of the 4th century BCE, the Euclidean alphabet, with 24 letters, ordered from alpha to omega, had become standard and it is this version that is still used for Greek writing today.
400
Saudi Arabia imports camels from what southern-hemisphere, English-speaking country?
Australia
Saudi Arabia also imports sand from Australia.
500
When an heir in direct succession to the throne marries, it is expected the couple will produce an heir and one of these rhyming children.
spare
An heir and a spare almost guarantee the succession to the throne will remain within the nuclear family.
500
This type of ship has a crew that seems to have disappeared into thin air
ghost ship
One of the most famous ghost ships is the Mary Celeste. In 1872, the ship left New York en route to Italy. It was found adrift in the Atlantic Ocean with no one on board
500
The last name of both former basketball coach Bobby and singer Gladys
Knight
Bobby Knight coached Indiana University’s basketball team and was known for his temper. He was nicknamed “The General.” Gladys Knight was nominated for 22 Grammy Awards and won seven.
500
Alexander Hamilton is featured on the rare $2 bill.
True or false?
False
Thomas Jefferson is on the $2 bill
500
When it was built in the 1930s, this building was the tallest building in New York City.
Empire State Building
It was built in a year and a half, and it stands at 1,250-feet tall, but it is no longer the tallest building in the city. The current tallest is One World Trade Center at 1,776 feet