Here are the answers to this month’s six quiz questions. If in doubt, all should be able to be easily verified online.
Literature
Which Tolstoy novel begins “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way”? Anna Karenina
Who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016? Bob Dylan
Who wrote A Child’s History of England? Dickens, 1853
Who succeeded Wordsworth as Poet Laureate in Nov 1850? Tennyson
Apart from his novels, what is Anthony Trollope remembered for? Introduction of pillar boxes to UK
Which two-word term was popularised by a 1948 Robert Heinlein novel of the same name, which inspired a science fiction franchise centring on a character named Tom Corbett? Space Cadet
Answers were correct when questions were compiled in late 2024.
Each month we’re posing six pub quiz style questions, with a different subject each month. As always, they’re designed to be difficult, but it is unlikely everyone will know all the answers – so have a bit of fun.
Geography
In what country would you find Mount Kilimanjaro?
What is the largest desert in Asia?
Which river flows through the Grand Canyon?
Which country bordering India measures it’s success in terms of “gross national happiness”?
Which country makes up more than half the western coastline of South America?
There’s a town in the Peloponnese region of Greece with a namesake food item known for its purple colour and smooth meaty texture. What is this fruit?
Here are the answers to this month’s six quiz questions. If in doubt, all should be able to be easily verified online.
Language
The bald eagle is the national bird of the United States, but in this context, bald doesn’t mean hairless. The bald part of the bird’s name comes from an Old English word meaning what? White
What is the study of mushrooms called? Mycology
Where would you find together a verso and a recto? In a book (left and right pages)
In medieval times armies had a simple yet effective weapon to impede the advance of enemy cavalry or infantry. It was typically made of metal and had four sharp points arranged so that one point always faced upward when thrown on the ground. What was it called? Caltrop
“Width”, “wagon”, “stand” and “leader” can all follow which word to make new words? Band
Which commonly used word in the English language originates from the religious saying, God be with ye? Goodbye
Answers were correct when questions were compiled in late 2024.
Each month we’re posing six pub quiz style questions, with a different subject each month. As always, they’re designed to be difficult, but it is unlikely everyone will know all the answers – so have a bit of fun.
Language
The bald eagle is the national bird of the United States, but in this context, bald doesn’t mean hairless. The bald part of the bird’s name comes from an Old English word meaning what?
What is the study of mushrooms called?
Where would you find together a verso and a recto?
In medieval times armies had a simple yet effective weapon to impede the advance of enemy cavalry or infantry. It was typically made of metal and had four sharp points arranged so that one point always faced upward when thrown on the ground. What was it called?
“Width”, “wagon”, “stand” and “leader” can all follow which word to make new words?
Which commonly used word in the English language originates from the religious saying, God be with ye?
Each month we’re posing five pub quiz style questions, with a different subject each month. As before, they’re not difficult, but it is unlikely everyone will know all the answers – so hopefully you’ll learn something new, as well as having a bit of fun.
Literature
What is Shakespeare’s shortest play?
The Chronicles of Narnia is a children’s book series written by which author?
What German loanword means a novel that focuses on the psychological and personal growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood?
Who is the author of the play The Importance of Being Earnest?
Who wrote the line “Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker”?
Here are the answers to this month’s five quiz questions. If in doubt, all should be able to be easily verified online.
Language
Sea urchins got their name from what non-aquatic animal, which was known as an “urchin” until the 15th century? The hedgehog
What is a group of crows called? A murder
How many letter tiles are there in a game of Scrabble? 100
What is the origin of the expression “cobblers”, meaning something isn’t true or rubbish? It derives from “cobbler’s awls”, Cockney rhyming slang for “balls”.
What in pidgin is “Magimiks bilong Yesus”? Helicopter
Answers were correct when questions were compiled in late 2023.
Each month we’re posing five pub quiz style questions, with a different subject each month. As before, they’re not difficult, but it is unlikely everyone will know all the answers – so hopefully you’ll learn something new, as well as having a bit of fun.
Language
Sea urchins got their name from what non-aquatic animal, which was known as an “urchin” until the 15th century?
What is a group of crows called?
How many letter tiles are there in a game of Scrabble?
What is the origin of the expression “cobblers”, meaning something isn’t true or rubbish?
Here are the answers to this month’s five quiz questions. If in doubt, all should be able to be easily verified online.
September Quiz Questions: Famous Quotations
Who said …
“And malt does more than Milton can / To justify God’s ways to man.” AE Housman; Terrence, this is Stupid Stuff
“I have come to the conclusion that politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.” Charles de Gaulle
“I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.” Galileo Galilei
“We have no plans therefore nothing can go wrong.” Spike Milligan
“The taboo against nakedness is an obstacle to a decent attitude on the subject of sex.” Bertrand Russell
Answers were correct when questions were compiled in late 2022.
Again this year we’re beginning each month with five pub quiz style questions, with a different subject each month. They’re not difficult, but it is unlikely everyone will know all the answers, so hopefully you’ll learn something new, as well as have a bit of fun.
September Quiz Questions: Famous Quotations
Who said …
“And malt does more than Milton can / To justify God’s ways to man.”
“I have come to the conclusion that politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.”
“I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.”
“We have no plans therefore nothing can go wrong.”
“The taboo against nakedness is an obstacle to a decent attitude on the subject of sex.”
Answers will be posted in 2 weeks time.
Eccentric looks at life through the thoughts of a retired working thinker
