Thursday, March 08, 2012

Landmark Quiz Delhi 2012 Prelims

The Prelims of the first ever Landmark Quiz @ Delhi.


LQD 12 - PRELIMS
1. What is the top option one would get if one entered the question “why” on the Youtube search box? WHAT: What makes you beautiful one direction; WHERE: Where dem girlz at official video; WHEN: Whenever wherever Shakira; HOW: How to kiss.
Why this kolaveri di

2. Over 300,000 extras were used to shoot this scene, the most for any film according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Name the movie and the city.
Gandhi (funeral scene); Delhi

3. In October 1963 at a particular ceremony Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru said, “This _____ has been built with the unrelenting toil of man for the benefit of mankind and therefore is worthy of worship. May you call it a Temple or a Gurdwara or a Mosque, it inspires our admiration and reverence”. What was Nehru specifically referring to?
The Bhakra dam. The ceremony marked the dedication of the Bhakra–Nangal Project to the nation. This is the origin of the description of dams as “the temples of modern India”

4. This metallo-beta-lactamase-1 enzyme was first detected in a Klebsiella pneumoniae bacterial isolate from a Swedish patient of South Asian origin in 2008. It makes bacteria resistant to a broad range of beta-lactam antibiotics including carbapenems which are a mainstay for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. The discovery was reported in Lancet Infectious Diseases journal in 2010 by KK Kumaraswamy et al. What two-words in the name of this enzyme caused a furore in India?
New Delhi (New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase 1)

5. What international conflict began on March 20, 2003 and formally ended on December 15, 2011?
Iraq War

6. This prime mover in the Mahabharata has a real name of two words – the first relates to the fact that he is dark-skinned while the second word refers to his being born on an island between two streams of a river. By what name is he better known to us?
Vyasa (Krishna Dwaipayana)

7. Only two people have been recipients of both the Bharat Ratna and the Nishaan-e-Pakistan, the highest civilian awards in India and Pakistan respectively. Name both of them.
Morarji Desai and Nelson Mandela

8 The Burj Khalifa has now returned the location of Earth's tallest freestanding structure to the Middle East after nearly 700 years. The region last held the honour till 1311 AD when the Lincoln Cathedral in England was completed. Which structure's record did the cathedral beat?
Pyramids (of Giza)

9. In 2009 PM Gordon Brown of UK made this unusual apology, “Thousands of people have come together to demand justice for A____ T______ and recognition of the appalling way he was treated. While T______ was dealt with under the law of the time and we can't put the clock back, his treatment was of course utterly unfair and I am pleased to have the chance to say how deeply sorry I and we all are for what happened to him. So on behalf of the British government, and all those who live freely thanks to A_____'s work I am very proud to say: we're sorry, you deserved so much better.” Who was AT?
Alan Turing

10. Which characters are named Uys and Buys in Afrikaans, Tik and Tak in Arabic, Hernandez and Fernandez in Spanish, and Dupont and Dupond in the original French?
Thomson and Thompson

11*. Whose successful political campaign was accompanied by a catchy slogan, “ ______ nahin, Ganesh hain, Brahma, Vishnu Mahesh hain”? And fill in the blank.
Mayawati / Hathi nahin....

12*. AUDIO: (a) Name the group and (b) Which controversial 20th century literary classic partly served as an inspiration and is also alluded to in this song?
Police / Lolita

13*. At around the same time another eminent architect, Le Corbusier was preparing the blueprint for a modern city, the German architect Otto Konigsberger had planned this city to be a well-planned city with wide roads and many gardens and parks. Which city?
Bhubaneshwar

14*. Eva married Adolph on April 29, 1945 at around 00.30 hours. For a short while she became the First Lady of the Third Reich till she and her husband ended their lives the next day at around 13:30 hours. Till then who played the role of First Lady when Hitler was unmarried?
Madga Goebbels

15*. "Overhead, without any fuss, the stars were going out." This understated but ominous description of the ending of the world appears in which award-winning science fiction short story?
The Nine Billion Names of God by Arthur C Clarke (Hugo Award for Best Short Story, 1954)

16*. In 1958 USA proved successful with its rocket science and launched the Explorer-1 satellite on the Jupiter-C rocket designed in part by Wernher von Braun. The satellite carried a radiation detector designed by a University of Iowa astronomer. While in orbit it detected swathes of charged particles around the earth that were discovered to contribute to the swirling lights of the polar auroras. Who was the astronomer who designed this detector?
James Van Allen who detected the eponymous Van Allen radiation belts

17*. This Google Doodle appeared on 1/8/2011 celebrating what has been dubbed as the world’s greatest show on earth, and Africa's greatest natural spectacle. What is this?

Wildebeeste migration. The great migration takes place between the open plains of the Serengeti and the Maasai Mara, where thousands of wildebeest migrate to greener pastures as the seasons change and the circle of life continues.

18*. What tropically growing plant was the main export to Europe in 1763 from Louisiana and was the main cash crop of that colony? Worm infestations at the end of the 18th century caused repeated crop failures and by 1800, planters turned to sugar, cotton, and tobacco.
Indigo. After slaves, indigo was the main export from Africa to the New World in the 18th century.

19*. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is the Longest mountain chain on earth (at 40 thousand kilometers). It is located along the middle of the Atlantic. Which country is the only part of this chain that is above water.
Iceland. The Andes form the longest exposed mountain range at 7,000 kilometers

20*. VIDEO: What catchy phrase was used to publicize this unusual match of 2007?
Battle of the Surfaces

21. Which common prefix seen in Indian restaurant menus, usually applied to describe mildly-flavored, rich, creamy gravies that may also contain nuts and dried fruits, refers to the fact they were originally designed for royal consumption?
Shahi

22. In 2005, there were calls to delete word “X” from our national anthem and substitute it with the word “Y”. The argument was that “X” was no longer a part of India after 1947. Opponents of this proposal held that “X” referred to a geographical feature and to a community's culture and that this community is an integral part of India's cultural fabric. The Supreme Court of India declined to change the national anthem and the wording remains unchanged. ID “X”and “Y”.
Sindh / Kashmir

23. In classical education the four difficult subjects were arithmetic, geometry, music and astronomy. The three relatively simple subjects were - logic, grammar and rhetoric. What were these three together called? (Clue: One quizzy word)
Trivia (or trivium)

24. Which 16th century Vaishnava saint and social reformer was  sometimes referred to by the names Gaura (Sanskrit for golden one) due to his light skin complexion, and Nimai due to his being born underneath a Neem tree?
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

25. The non-profit organisation “X” opened a petition proclaiming that a popular website “Y” "is a masterpiece of human creative genius and is also of universal human value". If successful, “Y” would become the first digital entry on a prestigious UNESCO roster of international cultural and natural wonders that includes Giant's Causeway, Stonehenge and Westminster Abbey. ID X and Y.
Wikimedia and Wikipedia

26. This city is associated with motorsport and gave its name to a unique type of race start where racers lined up across the street from their cars and ran across the street and jumped into their cars, get in, start the engines, reverse and begin the race, all without any assistance. This mad scramble in the beginning of each race became an iconic aspect of this race, which, however, was later discarded. Name this city.

Le Mans. The race is called The 24 Hours of Le Mans

27. White, Black, Javan and Sumatran are four of five currently existing species of what animal; and can you name the fifth type?
Rhinoceros, Indian

28. The U.N. estimates that 50 percent of the world's living standards are influenced by ________, which create sustainable ways to increase the standard of living for entire populations without over-exploiting natural resources. Therefore in autumn last year, just as global population reached 7 billion people, The UN declared 2012 as the International Year of the _____?
Cooperatives

29. The blackbuck, Indian gazelle and the wild ass which are fast vanishing in other regions of India are present in large numbers in the Thar Desert. The numbers are attributed to adaptation – they are smaller than similar animals elsewhere and they are nocturnal. What specific human intervention has contributed to their healthy population?
Bishnoi community

30. Starting his career at number 11, this player was part of the world record test partnership for the last wicket;. He later went on to open the batting and broke the record for the test opening partnership. He also set two records which will never get broken. Who was he?

Wilfred Rhodes. He took 4204 first class wickets and played his first test aged 21 and his last one aged 52 - the longest career ending as the oldest ever test player.

31. Walter Elias Disney started Disney Bros. with his brother Roy. What two personal changes did he do to appear more like a studio boss?
He shortened his name to Walt, and grew a moustache. His original family name was D”Isney – they immigrated from Kilkenny, Ireland.

32. In order to contain China’s ambitions in the South China Sea, the US is planning to increase its military presence in which Asian country?
Phillipines

33. This word first appeared in 1948 in a paper titled A Mathematical Theory of Communication by C.E. Shannon in Bell Systems Technical Journal. (This paper is one of the seminal works of modern information theory). The relevant sentence is, “The choice of a logarithmic base corresponds to the choice of a unit for measuring information. If the base 2 is used the resulting units may be called ________s, or more briefly ___s, a word suggested by J. W. Tukey.” Fill in the two blanks (the first blank represents two words)
Binary Digits / Bits

34. This hair style was originally sported by the Yale University rowing team in the 1890s and was later adopted by the US armed forces during World War II, and became a civilian fashion for men throughout the 1950s. What is its name that reflects its origin?

Crew Cut (after the rowing crew)

35. VISUAL: Name this actor

Andrew Garfield (as Spiderman)

36. VISUAL: What is this celebration held on 14th July commonly called in the English-speaking world? (two-words)
Bastille Day

37. VIDEO (Senorita): Which actor is making his debut as a singer in this song?
Abhay Deol

38. AUDIO: ID the artist and the original composer of this classic.
Jeff Beck / Puccini (Best Pop Instrumental Performance Grammy 2011)

39. VIDEO: Where was this shot (Kun faya kun from Rockstar)?
Nizamuddin Dargah

40. VIDEO (Arsenic and Old Lace): What two-word term describes this kind of  delayed reaction to an unusual remark or circumstance, often used as a comic device in movies ?
Double take

Landmark Quiz Pune 2012 Prelims

Thanks to Dr. Navin for sharing the questions from the very nice Pune Landmark quiz prelims.


LQP 12 PRELIMS

01. This form of Vishnu emerged from the churning of the ocean of milk (samudra manthan) and is considered a “ratna” bearing another “ratna”. Name this form of Vishnu who is considered the god of a certain profession.
Dhanvantari
02. VIDEO: Whose portrait is being painted in this unusual manner?
Yao Ming (painted using a basketball as a brush)
03. The famous HOLLYWOOD sign in the iconic Santa Monica Mountains of Los Angeles has been unofficially altered many times. Which letter was dropped during the 1978 visit of Pope John Paul II to the city?
L (Holywood)
04.  RR started his cartoon feature Champs and Chumps dealing with sports trivia in the New York Globe newspaper in 1918. He later changed the title when he included trivia on general topics in 1919. What was the new title of his feature?
Believe It or Not
05. The Greeks called it the Hyrcanian Ocean while Hindu texts referred to this place as Kashyap Sagar after the mythological sage. This geographical feature links the borders of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan. What place?
Caspian Sea
06. What change did the original emblem of the Rolls Royce undergo following the death of Charles Rolls who was the first Briton to die in a flying accident?
It was coloured black from the original red.
07. The working title of which award was Eddie after its inventor? The final award is named after the invention.
Grammy
08. Which UNESCO World Heritage Site is located in both India and Bangladesh?
Sunderbans
09. What “strong gust of air” fought off a “typhoon” to bag 20 billion USD in February 2012?
Rafale
10. Who guest starred in the 500th episode of The Simpsons by telephonically recording his lines?
Julian Assange

11*. This best-selling reader-friendly series began in 1991with a book by computer science writer Dan Gookin. The book, with its characteristic standard format devised by Gookin, and cartoons by Rich Tennant, became popular due to the rarity of beginner-friendly materials for using “X”. While initially the series focused on software and technology topics (and still does), it now includes many general and diverse topics such as acne, chess, and fishing. Name this series and what is “X”?
For Dummies / DOS
12*. VIDEO: What is this genre of Hindustani semi-classical music called? ID the singer.
Thumri / Yesudas (Kaa karun sajni aaye na balaam - from Swami )
13*.  According to Pliny the name of this fruit supposedly originating from Armenia comes from the fact that it ripened early (or precociously). He described it thus, “The Asiatic peach ripens at the end of autumn, though an early variety (praecocia) ripens in summer – these were discovered within the last thirty years ...” Name the fruit.
Apricot (Prunus armeniaca)
14*. The genus name of the Indian Rhino is “Rhinoceros”. The species name reflects its appearance and is the same as a another animal with the addition of the letters “____is”. What animal?
Unicorn (Rhinoceros unicornis)
15*. Centuries ago, when Arabia did not have formal schools, students went to masters who taught them. Upon completion of his study, the graduate then acted as a master with his own students. This word expressing this genealogy is derived from the Arabic word for “link”. This certification of a master having a verifiable chain of masters was the only acceptable document. What word is this that became familiar to us following an Amitabh Bachchan movie?
Silsila
16*.  The Chemistry IgNobel Prize for 2011 went to Makoto Imai, Naoki Urushihata, et al, for determining the ideal density of airborne ______ to awaken sleeping people in case of a fire or other emergency, and for applying this knowledge to invent the ______ alarm. What popular condiment did they use as an alarm?
Wasabi (Japanese horseradish)
17*. According to Hindu mythology, when Kama, the god of love was burnt by the third eye of Shiva, Rati waited a long time for him. Then in her next birth, she assumed the name X and worked as a cook in the house of the asura Sambara. What name did she take in her rebirth, a name that is also now the name of a mammoth force in India?
Mayawati
18*. What two-word nickname for The Beatles at the height of their fame in the 1960s was coined by Tony Barrow, the head of The Beatles press office?
Fab Four
19*. The Government of India’s MSTC (Metal and Scrap Trading Corporation) conducted an e—auction worth Rs 133 crore last year on behalf of an unusual biological product mainly obtained from a place in South India. Together with other places producing this, the trade in this commodity reached Rs 700 crore last year. What product is this that is popular in the West in the fashion industry?
Hair (from Tirupati and other temples).
20*. At the Lahore Congress Session of 1929 a special theme song was chosen in honour of someone who was imprisoned at Lahore central Jail at that time. Which song and who was the prisoner?
Rang de basanti chola / Bhagat Singh
21. What is the nickname of New Zealand's rugby union team that is a minor variation of the nickname of  their national basketball team?
Tall Blacks (from All Blacks)
22. What is the name of this sand tsunami sweeping across a city in Saudi Arabia?


 
Khamsin
23. VIDEO: What is this Finnair flight to India celebrating in January 2012?
Republic Day
24. The German equivalent of _____ was called Maerklin while the American version was called the Erector Set. By what name do we know this toy whose name is believed to have come from the concept of “creating while learning”?
Meccano (Make and Know)
25. AUDIO: Name this 90’s group and which 2011 comedy did they feature in with this hit single?
Wilson Phillips / Bridesmaids
26. In 2007 Apple Inc dropped what word from its name while unveiling a new product?
Computer (It launched the iPhone beginning its transformation as the world’s largest mobile ophone maker.)
27. Namche Bazaar is a small town in the Sagarmatha zone of Nepal. It is a popular destination for trekkers to the high Himalayas and is the last stop for internet access and stores catering to the trekkers’ needs. For what other important human reason is this stop important?
For altitude acclimitization (to combat altitude/mountain sickness)
28. VIDEO (from Rango): Identify the two animals.
Chameleon and Armadillo
29. In 1984 Nani Palkhivala wrote “the picture that emerges is that of a great country in a state of moral decay... The tricolour fluttering all over the country is black, red, and scarlet – black money, red _____, and scarlet________.” Fill in the blanks.
Tape / Corruption
30. What English dessert named after the county town of Shropshire, England, is made from dough that contains sugar, flour, egg, butter, and lemon zest? This popular cake / biscuit retains its original British name in India although they are a geographically indicated food of UK.
Shrewsbury biscuits
31. VISUAL: Here are two “works of art” – the left was meant to be art and the second was “created” for other reasons! ID the artists (Clue: the second is not a person and is a 2-word answer)




Christo / Election Commission
32. It is one of the world's most ancient techniques of meditation, which was apparently re-discovered by Gautama Buddha. It is a practice of self-transformation through self-observation and introspection. In English, this form of meditation is often referred to simply as "insight meditation". What form of meditation is this whose name is derived from the Pali language meaning “clear seeing” or “insight”?
Vipassana
33. VIDEO: Name this musical that features in the film The Iron Lady, and what classic literary work is referenced here in this dance?
King and I / Uncle Tom’s Cabin
34. The midnight sun is a natural phenomenon occurring in summer months in the polar regions, where the sun remains visible for a continuous 24 hours, mostly north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle. What term sounding like a chess piece describes the night where instead of darkness, there is perpetual twilight?
White Night
35. The word nomophobia was coined during a study by the UK Post Office who commissioned a study to look at anxieties suffered by users of ____.  The study found that 53% of users suffered from this phobia. What phobia is this?
Loss or nonfunctioning of mobile phones
36. VISUAL: Whose hands are these?




Warne and Muralitharan
37. Which was the fastest growing language on Twitter in 2011, growing at the rate of about 2000%!
Arabic (because of the revolutions in the arab speaking world and the use of social networking in these revolutions)
38. The sport of fencing gets its name from what word because sword play was considered an important survival skill on the battlefield?
Defence
39. This bestselling book made into a movie blockbuster had trouble with its title. The author initially thought up “The Silence of Death”, “White Death”, and “Leviathan Rising”. His father came up with “Wha’s That Noshin’ on My Laig” and “Cunna Linga Here No Longa” possibly in jest. Finally with 30 minutes before printing The author came up with “the name”. His father and publisher asked what it meant? “No idea”, he said, “At least it’s short”. Name the book.
Jaws
40. The “In Memoriam” segment in film awards shows features those who had died the previous year. Which Indian film star featured in this segment at the BAFTA Awards ceremony 2012?
Shammi Kapoor