Common Knowledge

Riddles

100

I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind.

An Echo

200

The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?

Footsteps

300

I have cities, but no houses. I have mountains, but no trees. I have water, but no fish.

A map

400

What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?

The letter "M"

500

I’m not alive, but I grow; I don’t have lungs, but I need air; I don’t have a mouth, but water kills me.

Fire

History

100

This Italian explorer landed in the Americas in 1492 under the Spanish flag.

Christopher Columbus

200

This wall, built in 1961, physically and ideologically divided a European capital until 1989.

The Berlin Wall

300

This French military leader crowned himself emperor in 1804.

Napoleon Bonaparte

400

This revolution began in 1789 and led to the rise of radical political change, including the Reign of Terror.

The French Revolution

500

This ancient trade route connected China to the Mediterranean and helped spread goods, ideas, and cultures.

The Silk Road

Science

100

This planet is known as the "Red Planet" because of its dusty, rusty surface.

Mars

200

This is the force that pulls everything toward the center of the Earth.

Gravity

300

This organ in your body pumps blood and keeps you alive — and it beats about 100,000 times a day!

The heart

400

The first element of the periodic table

Hydrogen

500

The role of an organism in its society

A niche

Language

100

This ancient writing system of Egypt uses symbols.

Hieroglyphics

200

This language, with the most native speakers, is mainly spoken in China.

Mandarin

300

This ancient Indian language, used in Hindu scriptures and classical poetry, is considered the root of many modern South Asian languages.

Sanskrit

400

The official language of Iran is this Indo-European language, written in a version of the Arabic script.

Persian

500

The word “alphabet” comes from the first two letters of this ancient language’s writing system.

Greek

Food & Drinks

100

This fruit is known for its high Vitamin C content and is often used in marmalades.

An orange

200

This small, red fruit is often used in pies and jams, but technically it is not a berry because of its seeds.

A strawberry

300

Originating in India, this spiced tea often contains cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves.

Masala Chai

400

This Japanese beverage, made from green tea leaves, is served hot or cold and is known for its healthy antioxidants.

Matcha

500

This spice, made from the dried stigma of a flower, is the most expensive in the world by weight.

Saffron