Geography
The Saguaro Desert in Arizona is named after what plant?
A) Oak
B) Pine
C) Cactus
D) Birch
C) Cactus
What is one of the sports that was added as an Olympic sport in the 2020 Summer Olympics?
A) Cricket
B) Skateboarding
C) Polo
D) Lacrosse
B) Skateboarding
The Earth’s axis is tilted 23.5 degrees from its orbit, a tilt that is responsible for the seasons. The summer solstice is the day of maximal sunlight. What day is it this year in the Northern Hemisphere?
A) July 21st
B) June 21st
C) August 21st
D) September 21st
B) June 21st
Which major event held in Chicago did George Westinghouse provide over 100,000 lightbulbs for?
A) Chicago World’s Fair (1893)
B) The opening of Union Station
C) The founding of the University of Chicago
D) The construction of the Willis Tower
A) Chicago World’s Fair (1893)
What ancient Egyptian invention has the power to help people see through walls?
A) The door
B) The mirror
C) Glass
D) The window
D) The window
Which Mexican state is the major city Oaxaca located in?
A) Jalisco
B) Oaxaca
C) Puebla
D) Chiapas
B) Oaxaca
Which of these events is NOT required to complete a tennis Grand Slam: Australian Open, Roland Garros, Mille Set, Wimbledon, or US Open?
A) Australian Open
B) Roland Garros
C) Mille Set
D) Wimbledon
C) Mille Set
In Einstein’s famous equation E = mc^2, what does c stand for?
A) the speed of light
B) constant
C) the speed of sound
D) Coulomb's constant
A) the speed of light
Formerly known as the Sears Tower, what is the tallest building in Chicago?
A) Aon Center
B) John Hancock Center
C) Trump International Hotel and Tower
D) Willis Tower
D) Willis Tower
On which holiday, generally in March, do Jewish people traditionally eat triangular pastries called Hamantaschen?
A) Passover
B) Purim
C) Hanukkah
D) Yom Kippur
B) Purim
What is the name of the sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean?
A) Strait of Malacca
B) Strait of Gibraltar
C) Strait of Hormuz
D) Bering Strait
C) Strait of Hormuz
As of now, how many colleges/universities are a part of the Big Ten?
A) 10
B) 14
C) 12
D) 16
B) 14
What is the heaviest element formed in a star, outside of a supernova?
A) Iron
B) Carbon
C) Oxygen
D) Silicon
A) Iron
What does the name ‘Chicago’ mean?
A) ‘Wild onion’
B) ‘Great lake’
C) ‘Strong winds’
D) ‘Muddy waters’
A) ‘Wild onion’
What is the Roman numeral for 500, which is also a grade you would hope not to receive on a test?
A) D
B) C
C) M
D) L
A) D
Name an island that is shared by more than one country.
A) Greenland
B) Borneo
C) Tasmania
D) Sicily
B) Borneo
What two countries dominate in Olympic middle and long distance running events?
A) Kenya and Ethiopia
B) USA and Canada
C) Russia and Germany
D) China and Japan
A) Kenya and Ethiopia
Common in the olden days on ships, scurvy is a disease caused by a deficiency of what?
A) vitamin D
B) vitamin C
C) iron
D) protein
B) vitamin C
The University of Chicago was established with a $30 million grant from which oil magnate?
A) Andrew Carnegie
B) John D. Rockefeller
C) J. Paul Getty
D) Henry Ford
B) John D. Rockefeller
What is the Latin word for ringing in the ears?
A) Migraine
B) Vertigo
C) Tinnitus
D) Neuralgia
C) Tinnitus
How many countries’ names end in -stan?
A) 5
B) 7
C) 9
D) 10
B) 7
Which of the following sports has the most players on the field at a time?
A) Soccer
B) Rugby
C) Football
D) Ultimate frisbee
B) Rugby
What is the name of a flatfish that has both eyes on one side of its body, which is also a verb meaning to struggle ineffectively?
A) Sole
B) Halibut
C) Flounder
D) Turbot
C) Flounder
What do the blue lines on the Chicago city flag represent?
A) Lake Michigan and the Chicago river
B) The North and South branches of the Chicago River
C) The Union and Confederate armies
D) The major highways
A) Lake Michigan and the Chicago river
The appearance of ‘murder hornets’ in the Pacific Northwest in 2020 generated quite a buzz. What is the true name of these insects?
A) Asian giant hornet
B) European wasp
C) Africanized bee
D) Japanese beetle
A) Asian giant hornet