🌻August 1🌻- Copy

Summer Olympics

100

Which sports typically occur in the Summer Olympics? Which is your favorite? 

The Summer Olympics feature a diverse array of sports, including aquatics (swimming, artistic swimming, diving, and water polo), archery, athletics (track and field), badminton, basketball, boxing, canoeing, cycling, equestrian, fencing, field hockey, football (soccer), golf, and gymnastics. Other sports include handball, judo, modern pentathlon, rowing, rugby sevens, sailing, shooting, skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon, volleyball, water polo, weightlifting, and wrestling.

200

True or False: The Olympics occur every 6 years. 

False, it's every 4 years! 

To respect the ancient origins of the Olympic Games, which were held every four years at Olympia. The four-year interval between the Ancient Games editions was named an “Olympiad”, and was used for dating purposes at the time: time was counted in Olympiads rather than years. In 1894, Pierre de Coubertin launched his plan to revive the Olympic Games, and in 1896 the first Games of the modern era were held in Athens. Today, an Olympiad begins on the first of January of the first year and ends on the thirty-first of December of the fourth year.

300

In which country did the Olympics originate?

a. Greece

b. France 

c. Egypt

d. New Zealand

a. Greece 

The first known Olympics were held in the summer of 776 B.C. at Olympia, a site in southern Greece where people went to worship their gods. In fact, the Olympics were created in honor of ancient Greece’s most famous god: Zeus, king of the gods. Athletes prayed to Zeus for victory and left gifts to thank him for their successes. 

400

What are the most watched Summer Olympic Sports? 

The most watched sports tend to be athletic ones like Gymnastics, Swimming, Track and Field, Beach Volleyball and Water Sports (like Polo).

The Summer Olympics have increased in scope from a 42-event competition programme in 1896 with fewer than 250 male competitors from 14 nations, to 339 events in 2021 with 11,420 competitors (almost half of whom were women) from 206 nations. The Games have been held in nineteen countries over five continents.

500

Which five countries have been represented in all of the Summer Olympic games? 

Hint: Their names start with G, E, F, S and A. 

Greece, England (Great Britain), France, Switzerland and Australia. 

All of these countries have always been represented, though not always as part of official teams. Switzerland is on this list even though they boycotted the 1956 Olympics - however they had competed in the equestrian events several months earlier in Stockholm. France did not send a team to the 1904 Games but a lone Frenchman did compete for the US and a mixed team. Also in 1896 Great Britain competed as part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, while Australia participated in 1908 and 1912 as part of a combined Australasia team with New Zealand. Therefore, Greece is the only nation to have participated under its own flag in all modern summer Olympic Games.

 

National Parks

100

What are the most popular National Parks? Which ones have you visited? 

Glacier National Park, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Zion, Kenai Fjords, Bryce Canyon, Arches and Olympic National Parks. 

The United States has 63 national parks, which are congressionally designated protected areas operated by the National Park Service, an agency of the Department of the Interior. National parks are designated for their natural beauty, unique geological features, diverse ecosystems, and recreational opportunities, typically "because of some outstanding scenic feature or natural phenomena."

200

True or False: The Grand Canyon is bigger than the entire state of Rhode Island.

True 

Grand Canyon National Park, in Arizona, is home to much of the immense Grand Canyon, with its layered bands of red rock revealing millions of years of geological history. Viewpoints include Mather Point, Yavapai Observation Station and architect Mary Colter’s Lookout Studio and her Desert View Watchtower. Lipan Point, with wide views of the canyon and Colorado River, is a popular, especially at sunrise and sunset.

300

What is the least-visited national park in the United States? 

a. Great Basin National Park, Nevada

b. Isle Royale National Park, Michigan

c. Gates of the Arctic National Park, Alaska

d. National Park of American Samoa, Hawaii

c. Gates of the Arctic National Park, Alaska

With no roads, no trails, no cell service and no established campsites, this massive expanse is a true wilderness experience. The park and preserve has six designated Wild Rivers. “Visitors may wander at will across 8.4 million acres of superlative natural beauty,” the park’s website says. Visitors must be self-sufficient, flexible and “able to execute self-extraction and communication, should an emergency situation arise.” Arrive prepared.

400

What state doesn't have a national park or a national monument?

Hint: It was the nation's first official state. 

Delaware

While Delaware may not have a National Park yet, the Water Gap Recreational Area boasts quite the impressive reputation in the state. More than 4 million people visit the recreation area annually, many from the nearby New York metropolitan area. Canoeing, kayaking, and rafting trips down the river are popular in the summer. Other activities include hiking, rock climbing, swimming, fishing, hunting, camping, cycling, cross-country skiing, and horseback riding. Worthington State Forest and a section of the long-distance Appalachian Trail are located within the area, alongside numerous waterfalls and historic sites. 

500

Which U.S. president signed the Antiquities Act of 1906, a landmark conservation law that allowed presidents to designate federal lands as national monuments? 

Hint: His initials are T.R.

Theodore Roosevelt

In the last quarter of the 19th century, Europeans and European Americans who moved into or travelled west of the Mississippi River generated public and scholarly interest in the “antiquities” they encountered. Scientists funded by the federal government or private benefactors began expeditions to study archeological areas and form collections for museums and other institutions. Private citizens, at the same time, collected objects in haphazard ways and sold them for personal gain. Concern over the loss of information galvanized a scientific and political coalition to pass a federal law to preserve America’s archeological places and the information they contained on public lands. The Antiquities Act established several tools for archeological resource protection on public lands.

Milkshakes

100

What type of milk powder has been used to make milkshakes taste creamier?

a. Condensed

b. Lactose Free

c. Malted

d. Skimmed

c. Malted

A malt, also known as a malted milkshake, holds a classic place in American diner and soda fountain lore. Popularized in the 1920s, malts or malted milkshakes are simply classic milkshakes with the addition of malted milk powder. They’re neither thicker than classic milkshakes nor healthier, but they certainly have a characteristic nutty, extra milky flavor that’s addictive.

200

In 1963, the CIA unsuccessfully tried to assassinate who with a poisoned chocolate milkshake?

Fidel Castro

Like washington and jefferson, the founding father of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, loved ice cream. His friend Gabriel García Márquez, the Colombian novelist, recalled in “A Personal Portrait of Fidel” that the leader once concluded a large lunch by eating 18 scoops of ice cream. According to CIA documents declassified in 2007, the CIA noticed Castro’s love of ice-cream and tried, unsuccessfully, to plant a poison pill in his favorite chocolate milkshake. Apparently the assassin stored the pill in an ice-cream freezer, and it got stuck and fell apart when he tried to take it out.

300

Milkshakes were invented in 1885, typically served with what alcohol?

Whiskey

The word “milkshake” was first printed in 1885, but it wasn’t for the kid-friendly treat we think of today. Instead, the first milkshakes were a combination of cream, eggs, and whiskey! By the early 1900s, whiskey milkshakes were replaced for ones made with flavored syrups and malted milk. 

400

True or False: The blender was created specifically for making milkshakes.

True! 

Steven Poplawski invented the electric blender in 1922 just for milkshakes, being the first to put a spinning blade at the bottom of a container. It is recognizable as what is called a blender in the United States and a liquidizer in Britain. The milkshake made it into the mainstream when in 1922 a Walgreens employee in Chicago, Ivar “Pop” Coulson, took an old-fashioned malted milk (milk, chocolate, and malt) and added two scoops of ice cream, creating a drink which became popular at a surprising rate, soon becoming a high-demand drink for young adults around the country.

500

What was a popular place to order milkshakes? 

Diners

By the 1950s, popular places to drink milkshakes were Woolworth’s “5 & 10” lunch counters, diners, burger joints, and drugstore soda fountains. These establishments often prominently displayed a shining chrome or stainless steel milkshake mixing machine.

State Fair

100

True or false: Cotton candy was originally called "fairy floss".

True! 

Cotton candy as we know it was first created in 1897 when a dentist named William Morrison joined forces with a confectioner by the name of John C. Wharton. Together, the duo created a machine that spun heated sugar through a screen, creating the floss-like texture that we all know and love. It would take Morrison and Wharton seven years to share their new product with the general public. Finally, in 1904, Morrison and Wharton became entrepreneurs when they debuted their new sugary treat at the St. Louis World Fair. The fair was meant to be the event of the century. It had its official opening on April 30th and boasted many different attractions including a Ferris wheel and a circus. Over 20 million people visited the fair during its run from April to December, and to Morrison and Wharton’s delight, many of the fair-goers were intrigued by the sugary treat known then as “fairy floss.”   

200

When Elvis was ten years old, what happened after his first performance at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair talent show?

He lost!

On October 3, 1945, a small, shy 10-year-old boy took the stage at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show in Tupelo, Mississippi, to perform in a youth talent competition. His name? Elvis Presley. That day, although no one in the audience could have imagined it, they were witnessing the humble beginnings of the future King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. The event would shape his musical journey in ways that connected his modest childhood with his eventual global fame. 

300

Which state pulls roughly double the attendance of any other state fair? 

a. New York

b. Texas

c. California

d. Montana 

b. Texas

When you think about the State Fair of Texas you think "big." This year the fair collected 180,000 canned goods for the North Texas Food Bank in exchange for discounted tickets. Nearly 26,000 pounds of produce was also donated. More than 69,000 discounted tickets were given to members of the military and to first responders. Nearly two million free tickets were given away to North Texas school children. More than 800 people rode in the nightly parade. There were 3,100 shows and activities around Fair Park, including more than 50 concerts. More than 400,000 prizes were given away on the Midway and more than half a million corny dogs were sold. 

400

State fairs often display sculptures made out of what food? 

Butter! 

Continuing the tradition of animal-shaped butter sculptures, butter lambs for Easter found their way into many American homes. Likely originating in Central and Eastern Europe, those same dairy-centered nations that felt salty over 16th-century church butter taxes, the butter lamb made its way to America with Polish Catholic immigrants. Many families likely continued this tradition in their own homes with handed-down molds, paring knives, and piping bags. Others bought molded butter lambs from their local church groups or from regional brands like Danish Maid in Chicago, and Keller’s and Clearview Farms in Pennsylvania—two regions historically populated by Eastern European immigrants. Dorothy Malczewski is credited with repopularizing the Easter butter lamb after finding her father’s mold that he brought over from Poland (also known as “Baranek wielkanocny” in Polish).

500

What state hosted the first state fair? 

Pennsylvania

The traditions of fairs in the New World began with the York Fair, America’s first fair, held in the historic old town of York in 1765, eleven years before the nation was founded. A charter to hold that fair was granted to the people of York by Thomas Penn, son of William Penn in recognition of “the flourishing state to which the town hath arrived through their industry.” Those early gatherings were reported to have been “the liveliest days of the whole year.” At that time, the York Fair existed as a two-day agricultural market on the town commons, now known as Penn Park. Records don’t tell us too much about the York Fair during the American Revolution or the War of 1812, but we know the troops passing through York camped in the commons, so they would have shared the grounds with the Fair.

Amusement Parks

100

What are some popular amusement parks? Which have you been to? 

Disneyworld and Disneyland in the United States, Fantawild in China, Merlin Entertainments in the UK and Universal Parks in the United States are some of the most popular amusement parks in the world.

The best Fantawild park depends on individual preferences, but Fantawild Adventure and Oriental Heritage parks are frequently cited for their unique themes and high-tech attractions. Fantawild Adventure parks focus on science fiction and interactive experiences, while Oriental Heritage parks showcase traditional Chinese culture with immersive attractions. Specific parks like Shenyang Fantawild Adventure, Jinan Fantawild Oriental Heritage, and Handan Fantawild Oriental Legend are highlighted for their large-scale indoor attractions, cultural themes, and use of advanced technologies.

200

True or False: Disneyland was the first theme park in the United States.

False, it was Santa Claus Land! 

Opening in California on 17th July 1955, Disneyland became one of America’s first large parks centred on specific themes. But it wasn’t the first. Santa Claus Land, which opened on 3 August 1946, is considered the oldest theme park in the States. It was the creation of Louis J. Koch who, when visiting the town of Santa Claus, Indiana with his nine kids, was shocked and disappointed to find no Santa.

300

What is the most popular amusement park in the world? 

The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida! 

Magic Kingdom, the most magical theme park at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, opened to guests in 1971. Disney’s first theme park in the state has six themed lands, offering iconic rides and attractions like Dumbo the Flying Elephant, It’s a Small World, Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Space Mountain and the Haunted Mansion. Its newest ride is TRON Lightcycle / Run – the fastest Vekoma coaster at the park, and one of the fastest coasters at any Disney theme park in the world. 

400

What are some rides commonly found at amusement parks? What is your favorite? 

Some of the most popular rides are carousels, rotating rides, themed cart rides (like haunted houses), log rides, bumper cars, ferris wheels and rollercoasters! 

The Ferris wheel made its debut at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. At least that’s what George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. always said. One year earlier, William Somers designed and built three wooden wheels—each measuring 50 feet in diameter—in New York and New Jersey. Both men owed a debt to the similar, yet awkwardly named, wooden “pleasure wheels” invented in 17th century Bulgaria. Although the first patent went to LaMarcus Thompson in 1885, he wasn’t the first person to make a roller coaster. Modern roller coasters descended from “Russian Mountains,” winter sled rides that were popular in 17th century St. Petersburg. (Situated on icy hills, the sleds topped out at 200 feet!). Meanwhile, in the States, a Pennsylvania mining company constructed a “gravity railroad” in 1827 to move coal. But on slow workdays, they charged thrill-seekers to take it for a spin.

500

Where is the oldest wooden rollercoaster still in existence? Do you like rollercoasters?

The oldest wooden roller coaster still in existence is Leap the Dips, located at Lakemont Park in Altoona, Pennsylvania. 

It opened in 1902 and is a side-friction roller coaster. While it has had periods of closure, including most recently from 2023 until its reopening in 2024, it is recognized as the world's oldest operating wooden roller coaster.