World Geography
Q: This African country completely surrounds the nation of Lesotho.
A: What is South Africa?
Explanation: Lesotho is an enclave—landlocked entirely by South Africa.
Q: This gas makes up about 78% of Earth’s atmosphere.
A: What is nitrogen?
Explanation: Though oxygen gets more attention, nitrogen is far more abundant.
Q: He played Rick Blaine in Casablanca.
A: Who is Humphrey Bogart?
Explanation: The 1942 film made Bogart an icon of classic Hollywood.
Q: This Italian dish, named after Queen Margherita, uses tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil to match the flag’s colors.
A: What is Margherita pizza?
Explanation: Created in Naples, its ingredients represent red, white, and green—Italy’s flag.
Q: This planet is the hottest in the solar system, even though it’s not the closest to the Sun.
A: What is Venus?
Explanation: Its thick atmosphere traps heat through a runaway greenhouse effect.
Q: This South American country has both Pacific and Caribbean coastlines.
A: What is Colombia?
Explanation: It’s the only South American country with both coastal borders.
Q: This planet spins on its side, with its axis nearly horizontal.
A: What is Uranus?
Explanation: Its extreme tilt may be due to a collision early in its history.
Q: This 1927 film is widely considered the first feature-length "talkie."
A: What is The Jazz Singer?
Explanation: Its release marked the decline of the silent film era.
Q: This spicy Korean side dish is made from fermented vegetables, often cabbage.
A: What is kimchi?
Explanation: A staple of Korean cuisine, it’s rich in probiotics and flavor.
Q: This board game’s name comes from the Latin word for “I play.”
A: What is Ludo?
Explanation: “Ludo” is Latin for “I play” — it’s the UK version of the Indian game Pachisi.
Q: This European capital was split into east and west during the Cold War.
A: What is Berlin?
Explanation: Divided by the Berlin Wall from 1961 to 1989, it symbolized global ideological conflict.
Q: This early invention used moving magnetic fields to generate electric current.
A: What is a dynamo?
Explanation: Invented in the 1800s, it’s a precursor to modern electric generators.
Q: The monster in Frankenstein was portrayed by this actor in the 1931 film.
A: Who is Boris Karloff?
Explanation: His portrayal became the definitive image of the monster for decades.
Q: The French dish “coq au vin” traditionally uses this protein.
A: What is chicken (or rooster)?
Explanation: “Coq” means rooster in French; it’s braised with wine and herbs.
Q: The “D” in D-Day stands for this word.
A: What is “day”?
Explanation: “D-Day” simply means “Day-Day” — a placeholder term used for planning military operations.
Q: Mount Elbrus, the highest peak in Europe, is located in this country.
A: What is Russia?
Explanation: At over 5,600 metres, it’s in the Caucasus Mountains, straddling Europe and Asia.
Q: This element is a liquid metal at room temperature.
A: What is mercury?
Explanation: It’s the only metal that's naturally liquid and toxic in high doses.
Q: This 1950 film starred Gloria Swanson as a faded silent film actress.
A: What is Sunset Boulevard?
Explanation: A critique of Hollywood, it’s known for the line “I’m ready for my close-up.”
Q: This popular Middle Eastern dip is made from mashed chickpeas, tahini, and lemon juice.
A: What is hummus?
Explanation: Eaten with pita, it dates back to ancient times and is rich in plant-based protein.
Q: This insect can survive being frozen and thawed out multiple times.
A: What is a wood frog?
Explanation: It’s not an insect — it’s an amphibian! This tricky question plays on assumptions.
Q: This is the smallest country in the world by area and population.
A: What is Vatican City?
Explanation: It's an independent city-state inside Rome, home to the Pope and just under 0.5 km² in size.
Q: This scientist discovered the process of pasteurization.
A: Who is Louis Pasteur?
Explanation: His discovery helped make milk and other foods safe by killing harmful microbes.
Q: This director's 1941 debut is often cited as the greatest film ever made.
A: Who is Orson Welles? (Citizen Kane)
Explanation: Innovative cinematography and storytelling techniques made it a landmark in film.
Q: This Japanese dish involves raw fish served over vinegared rice.
A: What is sushi?
Explanation: While often confused with sashimi (just raw fish), sushi always includes rice.
Q: This is the only number spelled with the same number of letters as its value.
A: What is four?
Explanation: F-O-U-R has four letters — no other number does this!