The BHM Edition!

Black History Month

100

How did Maya Angelou make literary history?

She wrote the first non-fiction bestseller as an African-American.

200

In what decade did Rosa Parks make history by refusing to give up her bus seat?

The 50's - 1955

300

What influential cultural movement was the poet Langston Hughes a part of?

The Harlem Renaissance

400

What is the name of the secret network that Harriet Tubman used to escape slavery?

The Underground Railroad

500

What was the title of Frederick Douglas's first best-selling book?

'Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas, American Slave'

Film

100

This popular Quentin Tarantino film was released in 1994 and introduced audiences to the director's signature stylized violence and black humor. What is the title of the film?

Pulp Fiction

200

This A-list actor has starred in such films as 'Top Gun', 'Jerry Maguire', and 'American Made'. Who is he? 

Tom Cruise

300

This actor posthumously won the Oscar award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film 'The Dark Knight'. Who is he/she?

Heath Ledger

400

This iconic 1991 feminist film is as entertaining as it is important. What is its title, 'Thelma and _______'? 

Louise

500

Cuba Gooding Jr. was the youngest African-American actor (29yrs) to win the Oscar for Best Supporting actor in 1996 with Tom Cruise. What film did he win it for? 

Jerry Maguire

Idioms

100

This idiom means 'a senseless pursuit of an object or cause' We say, 'to go on a wild ______ chase'.

goose

200

He was so rude! He 'gave them the cold _______' 

shoulder

300

If you are skeptical about something you read or hear, you 'take it with a ______ _ _______' 

grain of salt

400

To dwell on a subject for too long, especially after the outcome is already decided, is called 'beating a ______ _______'

dead horse

500

Describe the meaning of the idiom 'the elephant in the room'

An obvious problem that is left unsaid due to its sensitive nature

Grammar

100

Name one object pronoun.

me, you, him, her, them, us, it

200

Use an infinitive in a sentence.

We're going to win this game!

to + verb (base form)

300

Complete the following sentence with the future perfect verb tense, 'By the end of March I ______' 

will have won the Ukrainian presidency.

400

Give us the negative versions (prefixes) for the words 'mature' 'responsible' and 'selfish'.

immature, irresponsible, unselfish

500

Give us an example of an imperative sentence.

Just do it. Listen up. Have fun. Be kind. Live a little. etc.

Vocab

100

The sports agent Jerry Maguire describes his work for his client as a 'pride-swallowing siege'. What does siege mean in that sentence? 

fight, attack, (defense attack)

200

What does the word 'advocate' mean in the idiom 'playing devil's advocate'?

supporter, backer, promoter, etc.

300

Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglas were both prominent 'abolitionists'. What might that word mean?

Those who try to abolish (get rid of) slavery.

400

What does the word 'posthumously' mean?  

after death

500

If something is 'festering', what is it doing?

Becoming worse (and more intense)