Famous Folk
Who is the lead vocalist of the Rolling Stones?
Mick Jagger. He was one of the founding members of the band that enjoyed early hit songs like “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” and “Get Off of My Cloud.”
Which of Shakespeare’s plays is the longest? Hint: “To be or not to be” is a famous quote from this play.
Hamlet. The play is over 4,000 lines long and contains over 30,000 words.
Which geologic time period is known as the “Age of Reptiles” and saw Pangaea beginning to break up: the Jurassic, Triassic, or Cretaceous period?
The Triassic period. Among many significant events during this time, the first dinosaurs walked on land, and creatures like the ichthyosaur appeared.
What color is plum?
Purple. Historically, purple was worn by royalty and was once derived from snail mucus
What U.S. state is nicknamed the Golden State?
California. It became the state’s official nickname in 1968. Some say the nickname comes from the 1849 Gold Rush; however, there is evidence the state had been associated with gold even before that time.
Crest, Colgate, and Sensodyne are all types of what?
Toothpaste. Did you know that historians believe ancient Babylonians and Egyptians created the first toothbrushes from frayed twigs?
Known as “The Man of a Thousand Voices,” who voiced characters like Bugs Bunny, Barney Rubble, and Porky Pig?
Mel Blanc. Blanc’s headstone reads, “That’s all folks!,” which was a catchphrase of Porky Pig
How many sides does a dodecahedron have?
12. The prefix dodeca- comes from the Greek word for twelve.
In bingo calling, what number is referred to as “two little ducks”?
22. The nickname is inspired by the shape of the numbers, which is similar to two ducks side-by-side.
What is the word for a bench in a church?
Pew. The word pew comes from the Old French word puie, meaning “balcony.”
The Eiffel Tower is composed of what kind of metal?
Iron (more precisely, puddle iron). Puddle iron goes through a refining process that, according to Gustave Eiffel, made it the most robust material for his tower.
According to Greek mythology, who was the first moral woman?
Pandora. She is most remembered for the Pandora’s box myth, in which she opened a box containing all the evils of the world but also containing hope.
Who is considered the first computer programmer?
Ada Lovelace. Lovelace was a gifted mathematician and also the daughter of well-known poet Lord Byron.
An Apgar score is given to assess what?
Newborn health. The scoring system was devised by Dr. Virginia Apgar in 1952
What native Australian dog descended from South Asian wolves?
Dingo. They are apex predators, and there is archaeological evidence that dingoes in Australia date back to 3,500 years ago.
What is the Jewish New Year called?
Rosh Hashanah. A custom on this holiday is to eat apples dipped in honey
What is the capital city of Turkey: Istanbul, Ankara, or Bursa?
Ankara. The city has been the capital since 1923 and has been inhabited since at least the Stone Age.
In a web browser address bar, what does the abbreviation www stand for?
World Wide Web. The World Wide Web was invented in the 1980s by a scientist working for CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research.
What were the names of the three Andrews sisters?
LaVerne, Maxene, and Patricia. They sang hit songs like “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree (with Anyone Else but Me),” “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” and “Rum and Coca Cola.”
What animated 1967 movie by Disney features the song “The Bare Necessities”?
The Jungle Book. This was the only song from the film to be nominated for an Academy Award.
Platypus and echidnas are the two categories of monotremes, a type of mammal unique for doing what: laying eggs, having webbed feet, or having quills?
Laying eggs. Monotremes are found in Australia and New Guinea and consist of only five species, four of which are types of echidnas
What is the main ingredient in hummus?
Chickpeas. Hummus can be traced back at least to the 13th century, when it was referenced in a Cairo cookbook
What constellation is said to be a hunter and is easily identified by the three bright stars that make up his belt?
Orion (oh-RY-en). The constellation includes 10 formally named stars.
Which of the following is not a part of a leaf: the apex, veins, or temple?
Temple. The apex refers to the leaf point, while the veins of a leaf are very similar to those of humans and carry nutrients throughout the leaf.
What famous actress won an Academy Award for her starring role in the 1939 film Gone with the Wind?
Vivien Leigh. She plays Scarlett O’Hara in the movie.
How many masts does a sloop have?
One. Sloops typically have two sails, while cutters, a special kind of sloop, have two foresails and a mainsail.
What is the national animal of Scotland?
The unicorn. The unicorn represents independence and was first used in Scotland’s royal coat of arms in the 1500s.
What is the chemical symbol for potassium?
K. Potassium was first isolated by English chemist Sir Humphry Davy in 1807.
Ho Chi Minh City was formerly called what?
Saigon. The name was changed in 1976, and it is the largest city in Vietnam.
Who wrote the 1985 play Fences: August Wilson, Arthur Miller, or Lorraine Hansberry?
August Wilson. Fences is one of Wilson’s 10 plays that explore African American history. The 10 are often called the Pittsburgh Cycle.