Potpourri
In what 1975 film does Roy Scheider portray Martin Brody, the police chief of a local New England seaside town that is being terrorized by shark attacks?
Jaws. The movie became the first “summer blockbuster,” grossing more than $100 million in theaters that summer
What game show was composed of two teams of family members and hosted by Richard Dawson?
Family Feud. “Survey says…”
What famous fountain in Rome is referred to in the 1954 film title Three Coins in the Fountain?
Trevi Fountain.
Where would you see someone wearing a mortarboard?
At a graduation. The mortarboard has a flat top with a tassel that hangs over the side of the hat.
This U.S. city is the home of the world-famous Space Needle.
What is Seattle? The Space Needle was built for the 1962 World’s Fair, a futuristic fair with a 21st-century theme.
What is the term for an area in interstellar space where gas and dust have accumulated: quasar, nebula, or eclipse?
Nebula. Though many nebulae can be seen only through special telescopes, the Orion nebula can be seen with the naked eye on a clear night.
What 1970s sitcom starred Carroll O’Connor as Archie Bunker and Jean Stapleton as Edith Bunker?
All in the Family.
What lake on the Canada-United States border is considered the largest freshwater lake (by surface area, not volume) in the world?
Lake Superior.
What type of hat does Stetson make?
Cowboy (or western) hat.
This is one of Los Cabos, the popular Mexican tourist resorts at the tip of Baja California.
What is Cabo San Lucas or San José del Cabo? Los Cabos means “The Capes.”
What brand of toothpaste used the slogan “Look, Ma! No cavities!”?
Crest. The first use of the slogan in a commercial came in 1958, three years after Crest released its first toothpaste containing fluoride.
What is the name of one of the March sisters in Louisa May Alcott’s classic Little Women?
Jo, Meg, Beth, or Amy.
What waterfall lies on the Canada-United States border?
Niagara Falls.
Shriners wear a felt hat called a fez, named for a city in North Africa. In what country is Fez located?
Morocco.
This California city is famous for its cable cars.
What is San Francisco? Andrew Smith Hallidie introduced the first cable car in 1873. After he witnessed horses slipping and falling to their deaths on San Francisco’s cobbled inclines, he modified the cable car he had used for mining during the Gold Rush.
Who was the first Roman emperor?
Caesar Augustus. He used the name Octavian before he was appointed emperor
What is the family name of the main characters in The Godfather?
Corleone.
Which is larger—the Atlantic Ocean or the Pacific Ocean?
The Pacific Ocean. The five oceans, in order of size, are Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and Arctic Oceans. The Southern Ocean, defined in 2000, consists of waters around Antarctica.
The cloche is a bell-shaped hat that was popular in the 20th century. During what decade was the cloche popularized?
1920s. The hats were extremely popular with women who sported a bob
Butchart Gardens is near this city on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
What is Victoria? The gardens are open year-round, and the kaleidoscope of colors changes with the seasons.
What Australian mountain range is home to the Three Sisters: the Himalayas, the Blue Mountains, or the Rocky Mountains?
The Blue Mountains. Located near Katoomba, New South Wales, the Three Sisters landmark is one of the area’s most popular attractions. It is listed as a World Heritage site and declared an Aboriginal Place.
Shirley Jones starred as the mother in what 1970s sitcom?
The Partridge Family. At about the same time, Florence Henderson starred as the mother in The Brady Bunch.
What two elements make up water?
Hydrogen and oxygen. One molecule of water contains two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
American women don’t usually wear hats, but there is one notable exception. At what horse race are you likely to see women wearing fancy hats?
Kentucky Derby.
This Alaskan island chain juts into the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea.
What are the Aleutian Islands?