Mongolia: Land of the Eternal Blue Sky
Which script is Mongolia officially planning to reintroduce nationwide by 2030 alongside Cyrillic?
A) Latin
B) Classical Mongolian Script
C) Arabic Mongol
D) Square Script
B) Classical Mongolian Script
Explanation: Mongolia plans to revive the vertical Classical Mongolian script as part of a national identity effort.
Which country has won the most FIFA World Cups in men’s football?
A) Germany
B) Brazil
C) Italy
D) Argentina
B) Brazil
Explanation: Brazil has won the World Cup 5 times (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002).
Greenland is mostly…
A) Green
B) Ice-covered
C) Forest
D) Desert
B) Ice-covered
Explanation: Despite the name, Greenland is over 80% covered in ice. Iceland is much greener in comparison.
Which YouTuber was known for fast-paced comedy sketches and held the #1 most-subscribed spot for years until PewDiePie took over?
A) Nigahiga
B) Smosh
C) Fred
D) Ray William Johnson
A) Nigahiga
Explanation: Nigahiga (Ryan Higa) was the most-subscribed YouTuber from 2009 to 2011 with skits like "How to be Ninja."
“I’m waking up, I feel it in my bones / Enough to make my system blow…”
A) Let me show
B) I’m ready now
C) Welcome to the new age
D) My soul is whole
C) Welcome to the new age
Explanation: Imagine Dragons – “Radioactive” — the next line is “Welcome to the new age.”
Which 2001 rom-com featured a clumsy Londoner keeping a diary and falling for both Colin Firth and Hugh Grant?
A) Notting Hill
B) About a Boy
C) Bridget Jones’s Diary
D) Love Actually
C) Bridget Jones’s Diary
Explanation: Bridget Jones’s Diary follows a 30-something woman navigating love and awkward life moments in London.
What term refers to the traditional Mongolian belief system blending shamanism and nature worship?
A) Lamaism
B) Tengrism
C) Vajrayana
D) Animism
B) Tengrism
Explanation: Tengrism focuses on harmony with the sky god Tengri and spirits of nature — it predates Buddhism in Mongolia.
What is the traditional “three manly sports” of Mongolia, all of which are featured in the Naadam Festival?
A) Wrestling, archery, long jump
B) Wrestling, horse racing, javelin
C) Wrestling, horse racing, archery
D) Horse racing, archery, shot put
C) Wrestling, horse racing, archery
Explanation: These three sports represent strength, skill, and speed in Mongolian culture and are central to Naadam celebrations.
Which of these is actually not a venomous snake?
A) King cobra
B) Boomslang
C) Milk snake
D) Inland taipan
C) Milk snake
Explanation: The milk snake is nonvenomous and harmless. It mimics coral snakes but is a constrictor.
Which YouTube gamer was known for screaming while playing horror games and became the most-subscribed channel in 2013?
A) Markiplier
B) Jacksepticeye
C) PewDiePie
D) DanTDM
C) PewDiePie
Explanation: PewDiePie gained his fame through Let’s Plays of games like Amnesia, rising to become the king of YouTube.
“You can tell everybody this is your song / It may be quite simple but…”
A) Now that it’s done
B) Hope you sing along
C) I’ll play it on and on
D) I wrote it when I was young
A) Now that it’s done
Elton John – “Your Song”
Which film has Matthew McConaughey being tricked into falling in love, while Kate Hudson tries to drive him away in exactly 10 days?
A) Fool’s Gold
B) Failure to Launch
C) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
D) Two Weeks Notice
C) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
Explanation: A battle of manipulation gone rom-com — it helped define the 2000s formula.
Which Mongolian lake is considered sacred and is the largest freshwater lake in Mongolia by volume?
A) Uvs Lake
B) Khovsgol Lake
C) Buir Lake
D) Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake
B) Khovsgol Lake
Explanation: Khovsgol is often referred to as “the younger sister of Lake Baikal” and is one of Asia’s deepest.
In sumo wrestling, what is the highest possible rank?
Yokozuna
Explanation: Yokozuna is the highest and most prestigious rank in sumo wrestling.
Which of these “nuts” is not a true botanical nut?
A) Hazelnut
B) Peanut
C) Chestnut
D) Acorn
B) Peanut
Explanation: Peanuts are legumes, like beans and lentils. True nuts don't split open naturally.
What social site allowed people to rank their Top 8 friends publicly?
A) Facebook
B) MySpace
C) Friendster
D) Bebo
B) MySpace
Explanation: MySpace let you customize profile pages and display your Top 8, causing endless drama.
“No, I don’t want no scrub / A scrub is a guy that can’t get no love from me
A) Always calling my phone
B) Hanging out the passenger side of his best friend’s ride
C) Trying to act like he’s fly
D) Driving his mama’s car
B) Hanging out the passenger side of his best friend’s ride
Explanation: TLC – “No Scrubs” — iconic pre-chorus.
Which movie has Drew Barrymore falling for a teacher while pretending to be a high school student for a news story?
A) Notebook
B) Never Been Kissed
C) While You Were Sleeping
D) Never Say Goodbye
B) Never Been Kissed
Explanation: She plays Josie, a late bloomer looking for a second chance at teen life — and love.
Which extinct Mongolian language was written in the Phagspa script under the Yuan Dynasty?
A) Khitan
B) Middle Mongol
C) Uyghur
D) Tangut
B) Middle Mongol
Explanation: The Phagspa script was commissioned by Kublai Khan for multilingual use but primarily adapted for Mongolian during the Yuan period.
Which country has never missed a single Summer Olympic Games since they began?
A) USA
B) Greece
C) France
D) Great Britain
D) Great Britain
Explanation: Greece has participated in every Summer Olympics, even hosting the first.
Corrected – Great Britain is the only country to compete in every Summer Olympics.
Greece missed 1904 due to travel and 1932 partially due to financial issues.
The Hundred Years’ War actually lasted for how many years?
A) 100
B) 92
C) 116
D) 108
C) 116
Explanation: The war between England and France lasted from 1337 to 1453 — that’s 116 years.
Which comedy duo started as a website and later became one of YouTube’s top channels with skits like “Food Battle” and “If [X] Were Real”?
A) Rhett & Link
B) Smosh
C) CollegeHumor
D) The Gregory Brothers
B) Smosh
Explanation: Smosh (Ian and Anthony) were early YouTube royalty with parody skits and sketch humor.
“Cause baby, now we got bad blood / You know it used to be mad love…”
A) So take a look what you’ve done
B) But now it’s just a sad bluff
C) You stabbed me just for fun
D) I never thought you’d run
A) So take a look what you’ve done
Taylor Swift – “Bad Blood”
In which film does Jennifer Lopez play a wedding planner who falls for the groom?
A) The Back-Up Plan
B) The Wedding Planner
C) Monster-in-Law
D) The Wedding Date
B) The Wedding Planner
Explanation: J.Lo and McConaughey’s chemistry drives the ethical chaos of this rom-com.
Which Mongolian city is built on the site of the ancient capital of the Mongol Empire and contains the Erdene Zuu Monastery?
A) Darkhan
B) Kharkhorin
C) Erdenet
D) Tsetserleg
B) Kharkhorin
Explanation: Kharkhorin (near ancient Karakorum) was the capital of the Mongol Empire under Ögedei Khan. Erdene Zuu, built in 1586, is Mongolia’s oldest surviving Buddhist monastery and a major historic site.
Which female tennis player has the most Grand Slam singles titles?
A) Margaret Court
B) Serena Williams
C) Steffi Graf
D) Martina Navratilova
A) Margaret Court
Explanation: Margaret Court has 24 Grand Slam singles titles, the highest in history.
Serena Williams has 23, and as of 2025, no one has surpassed Court.
What is the main ingredient in “sweetbreads”?
A) Bread
B) Sugar
C) Animal organs
D) Flour
C) Animal organs
Explanation: Sweetbreads are the thymus or pancreas of calves or lambs — not a dessert.
What Vine and later YouTube creator was known for backflips, parkour stunts, and became one of the platform’s top comedic stars?
A) Cody Ko
B) King Bach
C) David Dobrik
D) Rudy Mancuso
B) King Bach
Explanation: King Bach (Andrew Bachelor) was the most-followed Vine user and became a major comedy influencer.
“But I set fire to the rain / Watched it pour as I touched your face…”
A) When I felt you there
B) And it burned like my pain
C) Well, it burned while I cried
D) And the smoke filled the place
C) Well, it burned while I cried
Adele – “Set Fire to the Rain”
In 13 Going on 30, what magical object causes Jenna to jump forward to adulthood?
A) A glittery phone charm
B) Wishing dust on a dollhouse
C) A fortune cookie
D) A birthday candle
B) Wishing dust on a dollhouse
Explanation: “Wishing dust” on her dream house dollhouse grants her 17-year time jump.
Which Mongol general conquered Persia and founded the Ilkhanate?
A) Jochi
B) Möngke
C) Hulegu
D) Chagatai
C) Hulegu
Explanation: Hulegu, grandson of Genghis Khan, led the campaign into the Middle East and sacked Baghdad in 1258.
Which African country was the first to reach a FIFA World Cup semifinal?
A) Cameroon
B) Nigeria
C) Senegal
D) Morocco
D) Morocco
Explanation: Morocco achieved this historic milestone in the 2022 World Cup.
Napoleon was…
A) Extremely short
B) Average height for his time
C) 4 feet tall
D) Over 6 feet
B) Average height for his time
Explanation: He was about 5'6"–5'7", which was average height for French men in the early 1800s. The myth of him being short comes from British propaganda.
What Vine star became known for screaming “It’s an avocado… thanks!” in a 6-second viral clip?
A) Gavin (a.k.a. Vine Kid)
B) David Dobrik
C) King Bach
D) Logan Paul
A) Gavin (a.k.a. Vine Kid)
Explanation: Gavin Thomas, aka “Vine Kid,” was featured in multiple viral Vines, including the sarcastic avocado one.
“You are the piece of me / I wish I didn’t need…”
A) Chasing relentlessly
B) Fading like a memory
C) But you’re still haunting me
D) Love’s just cruelty
A) Chasing relentlessly
Zedd ft. Foxes – “Clarity”
In Forgetting Sarah Marshall, who plays the dazed hotel employee who surfs with Jason Segel?
A) Jonah Hill
B) Paul Rudd
C) Seth Rogen
D) James Franco
B) Paul Rudd
Explanation: Rudd plays Kunu, a completely checked-out surfer dude. "Do less."
Which 20th-century Mongolian political leader orchestrated Stalinist purges that killed thousands of lamas and intellectuals?
A) Jambyn Batmönkh
B) Khorloogiin Choibalsan
C) Damdin Sukhbaatar
D) Yumjaagiin Tsedenbal
C) Khorloogiin Choibalsan
Explanation: Often called “the Stalin of Mongolia,” Choibalsan led mass repressions during the late 1930s.
What is the only country to have medaled in every Winter Olympics?
A) Norway
B) Canada
C) USA
D) Austria
C) USA
✔️ Corrected – The United States is the only country to win at least one medal at every Winter Olympics (since 1924).
Norway has the most medals overall but missed the podium in 1932.
Which of these animals is not actually a bear, despite its name?
A) Sloth bear
B) Spectacled bear
C) Koala bear
D) Sun bear
C) Koala bear
The koala, often mistakenly called a "koala bear," is not a bear at all — it's a marsupial, like kangaroos and wombats. True bears belong to the family Ursidae. Koalas are part of the Phascolarctidae family and carry their young in a pouch.
Which YouTube channel became famous for creating auto-tuned remixes like “Bed Intruder” and “Double Rainbow”?
A) Smosh
B) The Gregory Brothers (Auto-Tune the News)
C) Ray William Johnson
D) T-PainTV
B) The Gregory Brothers (Auto-Tune the News)
Explanation: The Gregory Brothers gained fame for turning viral clips into musical hits, including “Hide Your Kids, Hide Your Wife.”
“I’m friends with the monster that’s under my bed / Get along with the voices…”
A) That scream in my head
B) Inside of my head
C) That I’ve come to dread
D) That fill me with dread
B) Inside of my head
Eminem ft. Rihanna – “The Monster”
Which rom-com has two women swapping homes for the holidays and falling in love abroad?
A) Love Actually
B) The Holiday
C) Just Like Heaven
D) The Lake House
B) The Holiday
Explanation: Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz do a house-swap, leading to new love in snowy L.A. and the English countryside.
What is the elevation of Ulaanbaatar, making it one of the highest capitals in the world?
A) 800 m
B) 1100 m
C) 1350 m
D) 1600 m
C) 1350 m
Explanation: Ulaanbaatar sits at roughly 1,350 meters (4,429 feet) above sea level.
Which Olympic sport requires competitors to shoot rifles at a target while skiing through a cross-country course, combining endurance and precision under physical stress?
A) Nordic Combined
B) Ski Orienteering
C) Biathlon
D) Modern Pentathlon
C) Biathlon
Explanation: Biathlon is a Winter Olympic sport that combines cross-country skiing with rifle shooting. Athletes must maintain accuracy while their heart rate is elevated from skiing, and missed shots result in time penalties or penalty laps.
Which country invented French fries?
A) France
B) Belgium
C) Italy
D) Spain
B) Belgium
Explanation: Belgium is credited with inventing fries. American soldiers in WWI called them “French” because Belgian soldiers spoke French.
Which YouTuber was known for rants in her bathroom and videos like “How to Trick People into Thinking You’re Good Looking”?
A) Liza Koshy
B) Jenna Marbles
C) Miranda Sings
D) iJustine
B) Jenna Marbles
Explanation: Jenna Marbles became one of the first female YouTubers to hit 1 billion views with her comedic self-deprecating content.
“All that I know is I don’t know / How to be something you miss…”
A) I still exist
B) That’s what I wish
C) It comes to this
D) I never thought we’d have a last kiss
D) I never thought we’d have a last kiss
Explanation: Taylor Swift – “Last Kiss” — deep Swiftie cut.
Which film ends with a fated reunion at an ice rink after a series of near-misses and name-swapping?
A) Definitely, Maybe
B) Notting Hill
C) Serendipity
D) Sweet Home Alabama
C) Serendipity
Explanation: A $5 bill, a glove, a book — fate pulls them together in this rom-destiny classic.
Which Mongol nobleman, known to have converted to Christianity, sent envoys to Europe in the 13th century to explore a possible alliance against Muslim powers?
A) Guyuk
B) Möngke
C) Berke
D) Sartaq
D) Sartaq
Explanation: Sartaq, son of Batu Khan of the Golden Horde, was reportedly baptized and maintained diplomatic contact with Western Christian powers. He died before fully assuming leadership.
Which country has won the most Olympic gold medals in wrestling (freestyle + Greco-Roman combined) as of 2024?
A) Iran
B) Turkey
C) Russia (including USSR)
D) United States
D) United States
Explanation: The United States leads in total Olympic gold medals in wrestling across both freestyle and Greco-Roman disciplines, with dominance particularly in freestyle since the early 20th century. The USSR/Russia follows closely but with fewer total golds.
What color was originally associated with Saint Patrick?
A) Blue
B) Green
C) Gold
D) White
A) Blue
Explanation: Blue, not green, was long associated with Saint Patrick and early Irish flags.
What was the name of the YouTuber whose surreal comedy and nonsensical skits included “salad” and “lemon” themes?
A) iDubbbz
B) HowToBasic
C) Filthy Frank (a.k.a. Joji)
D) JonTron
C) Filthy Frank (a.k.a. Joji)
Explanation: Filthy Frank (Joji) was known for his disturbing but viral humor — he later became the musician Joji.
“Some legends are told / Some turn to dust or to gold…”
A) Some are just stories retold
B) But you will remember me
C) But history gets old
D) It’s the story we’re sold
B) But you will remember me
Fall Out Boy – “Centuries”
In My Big Fat Greek Wedding, what does Toula’s father use to fix everything?
A) Olive oil
B) Baking soda
C) Windex
D) Honey and lemon
C) Windex
Explanation: “Put some Windex on it.” Gus believed Windex could heal wounds and solve family problems.
What Mongolian archaeological site contains Bronze Age deer stones and khirigsuur burial mounds?
A) Karakorum
B) Erdene Zuu
C) Uushigiin Uvur
D) Ongiin Khiid
C) Uushigiin Uvur
Explanation: Uushigiin Uvur in Khovsgol province is one of Mongolia’s richest sources of ancient deer stones and ritual burials.
Which gymnast won gold medals for both the Soviet Union and the Unified Team in 1992?
A) Vitaly Scherbo
B) Žarko Varajić
C) Željko Obradović
D) Albert Azaryan
A) Vitaly Scherbo
✔️ Correct – He won 6 gold medals in Barcelona 1992 competing under the Unified Team.
Which of these countries is not technically in Europe, geologically speaking?
A) Portugal
B) Poland
C) Iceland
D) Germany
C) Iceland
Explanation: Iceland straddles the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, with part of it on the North American tectonic plate, not fully European.
Which now-famous musician first gained popularity on Vine by posting 6-second covers, and later became the youngest male artist to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 with his first full-length album?
A) Charlie Puth
B) Shawn Mendes
C) Troye Sivan
D) Post Malone
B) Shawn Mendes
Shawn Mendes rose to fame by posting Vine covers starting in 2013.
He was discovered by manager Andrew Gertler and signed to Island Records.
His debut album "Handwritten" debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 in 2015, making him the youngest male artist to do so since Justin Bieber.
“Where is my mind? / Where is my mind?...”
A) The tide is low and I’m floating
B) Way out in the water, see it swimming
C) I can’t feel my hands but I’m breathing
D) Deep in the ocean, I’m dreaming
B) Way out in the water, see it swimming
Explanation: Pixies – “Where Is My Mind?” — famously used in Fight Club.
Which film has Amanda Bynes impersonating her twin brother to join a boys’ soccer team?
A) Sydney White
B) She’s the Man
C) What a Girl Wants
D) Chasing Liberty
B) She’s the Man
Explanation: Based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, it’s one of the best teen comedies of the 2000s.