Black Women in the Arts
Minnesota
Nepo Babies
Word Play in the Wild
Religious Holidays
Dentals and Mentals
Animal Potpourri
100
She was the first Black woman to win the Nobel Prize for literature in 1993, for novels that include Beloved (1987), The Bluest Eye (1970) and Sula (1973).
Who is Toni Morrison?
100
This President gave his famous “Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick” speech at the Minnesota State Fair in 1901.
Who is Theo Roosevelt?
100
Liza Minnelli starred on stage and screen, in films like Cabaret and New York, New York. Her parents were director Vincent Minnelli and this star of the Wizard of Oz and Meet Me In St Louis.
Who is Judy Garland?
100
An oronym is sequence of words that sounds the same as a different sequence of words. One example is I scream for Ice Cream. Another, you can combine "Youth in Asia" with this term for compassionately putting someone out of their misery.
What is Euthanasia?
100
Also known as the Day of Atonement, this holiday is when Jewish people reflect on their sins and ask for forgiveness from God.
What is Yom Kippur?
100
President Barack Obama signed a proclamation confirming this as National Mental Health Awareness Month in 2013.
What is May?
100
This Australian marsupial is known to have chlamydia and human-like fingerprints, but does not have a tail or eyelids.
What is the koala?
200
In 1955, contralto Marian Anderson became the first African American to sing on stage at this auditorium.
What is the Metropolitan Opera House?
200
Born in Duluth in 1941 and raised in Hibbing, this musician's given name is Robert Zimmerman.
Who is Bob Dylan?
200
Carrie Fisher starred as Princess (and eventually General) Leia in the Star Wars franchise. Her parents were both also famous: dad was singer and actor Eddie Fisher. Mom was this star of Singin' In the Rain and The Unsinkable Molly Brown.
Who is Debbie Reynolds?
200
Zeugma is when a verb or adjective modifies two or more nouns to form one idea. In action, look at this example from the Next Generation reboot of this classic Gene Roddenberry sci-fi series.
"You are free to execute your laws, and your citizens, as you see fit."
What is Star Trek?
200
Eid al-Fitr is the Islamic festival that marks the end of this month-long celebration of the revelation of the Qur'an. (hint: it started last week)
What is Ramadan?
200
This east coast university is the first to offer a degree in Psychology.
What is Harvard?
200
The killer whale is not a whale after all, it is part of this other marine mammal family.
What are dolphins?
300
Gwendolyn Brooks won this prestigious award in 1950 for her poem, Annie Allen. She was the first African-American woman to win this honor.
What is the Pulitzer Prize?
300
In 1988, former Twin Cities-based Northwest Airlines was the first major airline to ban this
What is smoking?
300
Nicolas Cage thought that changing his last name would make it less obvious that he was a member of this screen dynasty. Patriarch Carmine was a musician and composer who tried to keep his children away from the Hollywood life, but his kids, Talia Shire and Francis Ford decided to pursue it anyway.
Who are the Coppolas?
300
Anaphora is the repitition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses, sentences, or verses creates rhythm, emphasis, and memorability. For instance, when this man said Veni, Vidi, Vici or I came, I saw, I concquered.
Who is Julius Caesar?
300
This is a Christian religious festival celebrated on January 6. It commemorates the first manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and is one of the oldest Christian festivals
What is Epiphany?
300
Odontalgia is the medical term for this ailment which can range from mild discomfort to pure agony.
What is a toothache?
300
Native to Florida, the walking species of this fish can stay out of water for up to 8 days.
What are catfish?
400
Lorraine Vivian Hansberry was the first African-American female author to have a play performed on Broadway; this one about a Black family living in the 1950s and their struggles to follow their dreams in a time period when people were not treated equally based on their gender and race.
What is A Raisin in the Sun?
400
This leading US bus company started in Hibbing, MN in 1914 when a Swedish immigrant drove miners between towns for 15 cents a ride.
What is Greyhound?
400
CNN Anchor Anderson Cooper is a member of this American dynasty that began with shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius during the Gilded Age. The family is known for a university in Tennessee, the Biltmore castle in Asheville, NC and fashion icon (Anderson's mother) Gloria.
Who are the Vanderbilts?
400
Antimetabole is a literary term or device that involves repeating a phrase in reverse order. For example, as the Musketeers say in his classic 1844 novel, "All for one and one for all."
Who is Alexandre Dumas?
400
Influenced by All Souls Day as it is celebrated in this religion that originated in India, Bon is a time for visiting and cleaning gravestones and for lighting lamps to show the spirits of departed ancestors the way back home.
What is Buddhism?
400
In a given year, Americans buy about 4 million miles of this oral implement.
What is Dental Floss?
400
The original name for the butterfly was this spoonerism.
What is Flutterby?
500
Her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God was published in 1937. It is considered a classic of the Harlem Renaissance and her best known work.
Who is Zora Neale Hurston?
500
TOne-hundred million pounds of this Minnesota-made spiced and canned meat were shipped to Allied troops during World War II. Its now a staple of Hawaiian cuisine.
What is Spam?
500
This handsome actor of the Oceans 11 reboot franchise comes from a well-known family. His father Nick was game show host and news anchor and his aunts were both singers. Betty had a brief success in the 50s, while Rosemary had hits with Mambo Italiano and Sisters, which she sang in White Christmas.
Who is George Clooney?
500
This A word is way too long for its own good. Its also the attribution of human characteristics, emotions, and behaviors to animals or other non-human things (like most Disney characters, the spider in Charlotte's Web and the animals in Animal Farm.)
What is Anthropomorphism?
500
Hindus celebrate Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, with Ganesh Chaturthi to celebrate the day of his birth. Ganesha is usually depicted with characteristics of this animal.
What is the elephant?
500
This neurotransmitter is often called the “feel-good” chemical.
What is serotonin?
500
This variety of flying mammal needs approximately 2 tablespoons of blood every day. They don't suck it out, but instead numb the area with saliva, cut open the skin and lap it up.
What is a vampire bat?