Holidays
Communication
Movie Franchises
Animals
100
When we dress up to confuse and scare the spirits away - and then eat a bunch of candy after!
What is Halloween?
The Irish were the first to carve jack-o-lanterns - but they didn't use pumpkins; they used turnips or potatoes! Pumpkins didn't start getting carved until the tradition reached America (pumpkins originally come from Mexico).
100
Shhhhhh.
What is silence or quiet?
Most people can only tolerate silence for less than 10 seconds before feeling like they need to fill it.
100
This boy spent part of his year living in a broom closet and the other part attending school in a magical castle!
Who is Harry Potter?
Did you know? Any time you see Harry, Ron, and Hermione doing schoolwork in the movies, the actors are doing actual homework!
100
Known for being incredibly slow, these guys spend most of their time hanging out in trees.
What is a sloth?
Sloths are so slow because the diet they consume (mainly leaves, fruits, and tree sap) produces just enough energy to hang out, eat, and sleep. Although when in water, sloths are surprisingly strong swimmers.
200
Cupid is said to be flitting around on this holiday.
What is Valentine's Day?
Named after Saint Valentine, this holiday dates back to ancient Roman times. These days, though, people have many reasons to celebrate, including friendship in Finland, pets in various parts of the world, and the beginning of spring in others!
200
This type of communication does involve words, but it encompasses tone, pace, and context, and other things as well.
What is verbal communication?
We tend to speak at a rate of 125-250 words per minute, but our brains can process information much faster (about 1,000-3,000 words per minute). This means that speaking at a slower, steadier pace is more effective, as our listening abilities are slower than our thinking abilities.
200
He's like an onion, and he just wants some peace and quiet!
Who is Shrek?
200
This is the largest animal on Earth; its ancestors were actually land animals, and evolved into fully water-based (aquatic) mammals over the course of 10 million years!
What is a whale?
Pakicetus, one of modern-day whales' ancestors, had dense ear bones that allowed it to hear underwater.
Ambulocetus, this ancestor had larger hind feet that resembled paddles and a stronger tail that enabled more efficient swimming in the lakes it lived near.
Dorudon, this ancestor is referred to as a "primative whale", and had a body suited for a fully aquatic life - it did still have tiny hind limbs that hadn't quite evolved out yet.
300
Being left home alone, trying to steal this holiday from the village down the mountain, saving buildings from German bad guys (if you count this one!), or traveling way south to find your lost dad in the Big City - there seems to be a lot of mischief and mirth surrounding this wintertime holiday.
What is Christmas?
Bonus points if you can name all the movies referenced in the prompt! There are 4 of them...
300
This makes up 93% of our communication.
What is non-verbal communication?
Roughly 55% body language, 38% vocal tones, and only 7% words. That's what usually happens when we communicate in person. And that is also why sometimes text messages or emails can be taken the wrong way.
300
This intergalactic franchise, which follows generations of a family as they fight cosmic tyranny, has been going strong since the 1970s!
What is Star Wars?
Chewbacca's iconic sounds were created using a mix of bear, lion, walrus, and badger sounds!
300
The only mammal that can fly, these guys come out after hanging out in caves and other dark places during the day.
What are bats?
Fruit bat: these dude don't eat the pulp and seeds of the fruit they consume (they just eat the nectar and juices). Instead, they spit it out, which helps disperse seeds and aid in the pollination of many plants and trees throughout their habitat.
400
This holiday starts with BBQ and sunshine and ends with fireworks for many celebrants.
What is the Fourth of July?
Joining just a handful of other countries, such as Denmark, France, Nepal, Thailand, and China, England doesn't have an Independence Day because it was never colonized or conquered by a foreign power. Rather, they were the colonizing, conquering foreign power, which is why nearly 65 countries worldwide celebrate an Independence Day from them.
400
People say not to "snap" this when we first meet someone.
What is a snap judgment?
It takes someone less than 7 seconds to decide if they trust you. That is not a lot of time! Our brains are wired for efficiency, and unfortunately, this cognitive heuristic - a mental shortcut that lets us make fast, efficient decisions - can leave us misjudging people. Fast and efficient does not mean accurate or true.
400
This grandfather had his heart set on creating "biological", "living" attractions on his tropical island. But things quickly got out of hand for the people just trying to survive this park.
What is Jurassic Park?
In the first Jurassic Park movie, there's only about 15 minutes of dinosaurs featured!
400
This iridescent little bird is the only species on earth that can fly backwards!
What is a hummingbird?
500
Ringing in change, this holiday produces over 50 tons of trash and 1.5 tons of confetti to be cleaned up once the celebrations are done.
What is New Year's Eve?
Countless countries eat lucky foods or partake in traditions to bring luck or prosperity to themselves and friends throughout the next year. In the Philippines, they eat 12 round fruits for prosperity and wear polka dots for luck, while in Denmark, they throw broken dishes at friends' doors for good luck. In Spain and Latin America, people eat 12 grapes at midnight for 12 lucky months in the new year.
500
A classic non-verbal greeting in many places.
What is a handshake?
Handshakes first started about 3,000 years ago. It was used to communicate two things back then: peace and that no weapons were being held (research suggests that's why handshakes are up and down - people were trying to dislodge any hidden weapons left in the other person's sleeve!).
500
The heists this crew pulls have gotten more and more wild with each movie - but you could say that's the driving force behind this franchise.
What is Fast and Furious?
500
This little lizard has a tongue that is longer than its body and lightning quick to catch food, and changes colors to regulate body temperature, communicate, and stay safe. Oh, and they have 360° vision because their eyes can operate independently of each other.
What is a chameleon?
