Famous Languages & Writers
Which famous playwright wrote his works primarily in Elizabethan English?
William Shakespeare
What is the most widely spoken language in the world by number of native speakers?
Mandarin Chinese
What does the phrase "It's raining cats and dogs" mean?
It's raining heavily.
Which ancient civilization is known for developing the world's first known writing system called cuneiform?
Sumerians (or Mesopotamia)
Which American writer is known for his novels "The Old Man and the Sea" and "For Whom the Bell Tolls," written in English?
Ernest Hemingway
What term describes a word that has the same meaning as another word, such as "big" and "large"?
Synonym
Finish this common saying: "Actions speak louder..."
"...than words."
Which ancient civilization used hieroglyphics as their writing system?
Ancient Egypt
The author of "Don Quixote," a famous novel written in Spanish, was from which country?
Spain (author: Miguel de Cervantes)
What is the official language of Brazil, spoken by the majority of its population?
Portuguese
What does the idiom "Bite the bullet" mean?
To endure a painful or unpleasant situation courageously.
Which ancient civilization is known for its contribution to literature in the language of Ancient Latin?
Romans (or Roman Empire)
"Les Misérables," a classic novel written in French, was penned by which author?
Victor Hugo
What term describes a word that sounds like the noise it represents, like "buzz" or "clang"?
Onomatopoeia
What does the saying "Break the ice" mean?
To initiate a conversation or friendship.
The Cyrillic alphabet, used in countries like Russia and Bulgaria, is named after which ninth-century brothers who created it?
Saints Cyril and Methodius
The ancient epic poem "The Iliad" was originally written in which language?
Ancient Greek
The epic poem "Beowulf" is an important work written in which ancient language?
Old English
What does the phrase "Kill two birds with one stone" mean?
To accomplish two objectives with a single action.
The Rosetta Stone, crucial in deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, was discovered in which country in 1799?
Egypt