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 20^th 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 18^th 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 16^th 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 14^th 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

All Previous Landmark Quiz Prelims

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

Landmark Pune quiz 2011 Prelims 

For all Previous Landmark Quiz Prelims

Techfest National Open Quiz

Techfest 2011-12 shall host the largest inter-institutional quiz in India, The “Techfest National Open Quiz 2011-12”. With a prize money of INR 1,00,000 for the grand finale and much more interesting prizes this quiz aims to bring together the best quizzers from across the nation. The quiz will be held at Pune, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Guwahati, Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai and the winners of all the cities will finally clash during Techfest 2011-12 to claim the title of the Techfest National Open Quiz Champions.

Quizmaster: Rohit Nair
Note about quizmaster: Rohit Nair, the young and popular Quizmaster, has hosted numerous quiz shows including multi city quiz events for Mahindra, Government of Karnataka, IBM among others. His distinctive style, humour and passion make his quiz shows memorable. Co-founder of Quizworks, he heads the Content Architecture, New Service Design and Online Initiatives there. Much admired by the youth, he is also a national winner of the Young Leader contest hosted by Career Launcher. His brain child Quizzing.in is the most visited quiz blog in India.

Flavour: General

Format: Written prelims; Stage Finals with 6 teams. Winners to be invited to Techfest, IIT Bombay in January for the Grand Finale. Two members per team compulsary; No cross institutional teams strictly; Registrations on www.techfest.org/tnoq and also on the spot registrations; No entry fees
Pune: 11 am, 15th October,College of Engineering, Pune

Ahmedabad: 3 pm, 18th October, IIM Ahmedabad

Delhi: 1 pm, 22nd October, St Stephens, Delhi

Guwahati: 11 am, 30th October, KBR Hall, Cotton College.

Chennai: 2pm, 1st November, Dr MGR University

Hyderabad: 3 pm, 3rd November, ISB Hyderabad

Mumbai: 2pm, 6th November, IIT Mumbai.

Contact

Phone: Rohan ( 98901 06884 ) Email: rohan.k[at]techfest.org
Arindam ( 97695 85892 ) Email: arindam[at]techfest.org

Prizes

Award and Certificate policy

The finals in Techfest during January shall carry prize money of INR 1,00,000
The winner of each city shall be provided both sides travel to come to Mumbai for the finals 6th-8th January for the finals.
City rounds in shall have prizes worth INR 10,000.
The grand finalist, semifinalists and all final round qualifiers of the city rounds shall be awarded certificates of excellence.

CUSAT Corporate Business Quiz

The School of Management Studies, CUSAT, Cochin is organizing a
Corporate Business Quiz on Oct 15, 2011 (Saturday) at their campus.
The details of the quiz are as follows. Please visit their website
www.talentime.in for further details.

Date - 15 Oct 2011, Saturday
Time - Prelims - Sharp 2PM followed by finals
Teams of 2
No Cross-Corporate Allowed
Prizes - Rs. 40K Cash for I Prize, Rs. 20K Cash for runners up
Quizmaster - Mitesh Agarwal

For more info:
cquiz@talentime.in
www.talentime.in
Contact:
Sujith John:
            +919496330879      
Rachel Oommen :
8891726544
Nipin Joseph :
            9846930507     

QFI Open Sports Quiz Rejects III

More questions that we rejected from the QFI Open Sports Quiz 2011.

Set III

1.This movie parodied two sensational news stories of the 1990s. One was the John and Lorena Babbitt incident. What was the other?

2.Vlissingen is a municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands. In the 17th century Vlissingen was a main harbour for ships of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). The anglicised name of the city was used to name a settlement in the New Netherland colony,when the Dutch West India company settled on the eastern side of Manhattan. What name was given to the settlement?

3. He was instrumental in integrating the game of golf, breaking the sport's color barrier in America by appearing under a sponsor's exemption in the 1952 San Diego Open. Identify the guy.

4. Over the last 30 years only 3 men have won a grand slam after turning 30. Two of them are Peter Sampras and Andre Aggasi. Who is the third?

5. O Sport, pleasure of the Gods,

   essence of life, you appeared suddenly

   in the midst of the grey clearing

  which writhes with the drudgery of

  modern existence, like the radiant

  messenger of a past age, when

  mankind still smiled. And the glimmer

  of dawn lit up the mountain tops and

  flecks of light dotted the ground in the gloomy forests.

This is a poem written by Georges Hohrod and M. Eschbach, which was awarded the gold medal in the sports literature competition in the 1912 Stockholm Olympiad. So basically who are the two people?

Answers to previous set

1. 50% Percent Field Goals, 40% Three Pointers, 90% Free Throws 

2. SCRUM

3. Kentucky Derby

4. Lorz travelled by car, while the actual winner used perforance enhancing drugs that was overseen

5. Patiala, Nethaji Subhash National Institute of Sports

Sriram and Ajay got three questions right...

K-Circle TriQuizzer Championships 2011

We at K-Circle have become aware of an epidemic on the rise, and we're concerned; Take this questionnaire to determine if you are at risk:

1. You have a fantasy of (someday) meeting three beautiful sisters called Fluorine, Chlorine and Bromine.

2. You know that Xeno is not a warrior princess.

3. You know that "Anna" no longer auto-completes to "Kournikova".

4. Hearing "Justin" causes you to gently enquire - "Bieber", "Timberlake", or "Time"?

5. You know that Kathakali is neither a North Indian dance nor a fierce goddess.

6. You have an opinion on Yann M'vila joining Arsenal.

ALERT: Scoring even two out of six means that you may be infected with a serious case of Communis Curisitas!!!

Fear not, help is close at hand.

We enlisted the help of some of Hyderabad's best quizmasters, for who else can scratch this itch?

With their help, we will host a special health camp where you can raise your eyebrows, scratch your chins, cradle your heads and drop your inhibitions!

Don't be afraid of the cure, the Tri-Quizzer is here:

The details of the event are as follows:

Date: September 3, 2011

Time: 9.30 A.M. to 2 P.M.

Venue: The Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet

Members per Team: Two members per team

Numbers of Teams per School: 10 teams per institution

Last Date for Registration: August 31, 2011

No Registration fee!

Please register online by sending a mail to kckcircle@gmail.com clearly specifying the Name of the Institution and the Names of Students representing the School at the competition. Registrations would be accepted on a first-come-first-served basis.

Landmark Quiz Chennai 2011 Prelims

Thanks to Dr. Navin for sharing the prelims questions from the Chennai Edition of the Landmark Quiz 2011.

For questions from previous editions of the Landmark Quiz. -- click here.

LQC 11 PRELIMS – THE QUESTIONS

1. The Story of My Life, an autobiography by Helen Keller is dedicated to which eminent person who helped direct her education and considered himself foremost a teacher of the deaf?

2. In the cricketing Caribbean West Indies, which country though not an island forms part of this group?

3. What list is this and whose name fills the blank: _____ ➜ Albus Dumbledore  ➜ Draco Malfoy ➜ Harry Potter

4. NASA launched which queen as the fastest manmade object in history on August 5th 2011 on a mission that will end in a high-speed crash into her husband about 630 million km away?

5. If India = Bharat and Japan = Nippon, Greece = ............?

6. It is called the Mehran in Pakistan and is the largest selling product of its type in the country. Its direct Indian equivalent is also the largest selling product of its kind in this country. What brand?

7. The Lokayukta Act 1984 was the first of its kind in India. It was the brainchild of which Chief Minister who was inspired by the successful working of the Swedish ombudsman?

8. The attacks on Krishna as a child by Putana, Trinavarta and other demons so frightened Yashodha that she insisted that the entire village move from Gokul to a more auspicious place downstream on the banks of the Yamuna next to a tulsi forest at the base of Govardhan hill. What place was this?

9. This word of Greek origin means “mound” or “built up”. It is used to describe a class of steroids that increase protein synthesis and build up cellular tissue especially in muscles. That it was a favourite ingredient in the diet of some Indian athletes came to light recently. What word is this?

10. Which river arises in the Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, flows through the city of Jammu and then crosses into Pakistan to join the Chenab?

11.* 2011 saw unrest and the fall of governments in several Arab nations. The year has been compared to which year that saw revolution and overthrow of governments in several European countries starting with Paris and spreading to Munich, Berlin, Vienna, Milan and Venice? Your choices are: 1848, 1857, 1872, 1914

12. * Who uttered the famous phrase “poyekhali!” meaning “Off we go!” before embarking on a momentous journey?

13. * The H1N1 virus pandemic of 2009 influenced the world of gaming by inspiring characters in which game?

14. * According to a survey by Hohner, during the Great Depression in America, only two musical instruments saw a year-by-year increase in sales because they were inexpensive, compact and easy to learn, Which two instruments?

15. * Pierre Boulle, a Frenchman, used his wartime experiences to pen a novel which made into the film The Bridge on the River Kwai for which he won an Oscar. Another book by him proved so popular that it is now a film franchise with about seven films. Name the franchise. (explain like Harry Potter series etc)

16. * A European country has two elements in the Periodic Table named after it. Which two elements?

17. * In 2008 this country created a world first by legally recognizing Pachamama as having the “right to exist, persist, maintain and regenerate...” in their new constitution? Name the country and identify Pachamama.

18. * The winner of the British Open golf championship receives what trophy that might be useful to celebrate with? It replaced a previous trophy that was won outright in 1870 by a certain Tom Morris who won the Championship three years in a row. And what commonly worn personal object constituted that trophy?

19. * In a business or professional firm, the level of managers and other senior staff just below the topmost level of directors or partners is sometimes described by the phrase “ ______ layer” that is borrowed from cakes / confectionary. What word is this?

20. * Which district of Tamil Nadu gets its name from Sanskrit meaning “black mountain” from the numerous black granite hillocks that dot its landscape?

21. This small town on the rail route between Thirunelveli and Madras is named after a freedom fighter who shot dead Ashe, the Collector of Thirunelveli in 1911. Name the town and the freedom fighter.

22. The Prime Meridian passes through the following countries: UK, France, Spain, Algeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo, and Ghana. Which is the only capital city through which it passes?

23. What does the Kimberley process certify? (2-keyword answer)

24. In Czechoslovakia it is called “prozvonit”. In Spanish the practice is called “dar un toque” (to give a touch). What is the common English term in India for this telecom practice?

25. Complete this classic quote: “In Italy for thirty years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love; they had five hundred years of democracy and peace and what did they produce? _______”

26. Bhimayana is a Sanskrit epic in 21 chapters and 1700 verses written by Prof Prabhakar Joshi. Who is it about?

27. This tree has been growing in India for over 2000 years. It is considered sacred – its leaves are used on auspicious occasions and its fruit eaten. Name this tree supposed to be the abode of Kama in mythology, and images of which have been found on the Sanchi Stupa.

28. This phrase means “to be in difficulty, and faced with a choice between two unsatisfactory options.” The phrase was literally true as the title of a 2004 autobiography made into a critically acclaimed film. What phrase is this?

29. In atomic theory only two fundamental particles have been named after scientists. Name both.

30. Jakob von Uexküll sold his valuable stamp collection to create this prize. He initially tried to interest the Nobel Foundation in this prize but the foundation decided not to associate itself with the new prize after controvery over the establishment of the Prize for Economics instituted by the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Nobel's name. The prize honours those "working on practical and exemplary solutions to the most urgent challenges facing the world today." What is the formal name of this prize that is awarded in the Riksdag (Parliament) of Sweden the day before the Nobel prizes?

31. VISUAL: Use the picture on your right to identify the actress (B&W pic) on the left.

 

32: VISUAL: Identify the two maps in this book cover.

33. VISUAL: Identify. This small African rodent could be considered misnamed until one sees it. It’s named after its resemblance to another animal.

34. VISUAL: Identify this jewellery craftsmanship used to create elaborate necklaces of the royal courts of Rajasthan. Which company made these pieces for the film in the visual?

35. AUDIO: This music features in the end credits of which recent popular film?

Kung Fu Panda – Two

36: AUDIO: Which English indie rock band is performing this cover version of whose original?

37: AUDIO: This song to inspire team and supporters of Bangladesh for ICC World Cup 2011 was itself “inspired” from a film song. Name the original composer and film in which it appeared.

38: VIDEO (From Source Code): Identify this striking work of art in the Millennium park in Chicago.

39: VIDEO: Name the person being portrayed in this scene from a TV docudrama proving Einstein’s theory of gravity.

40: VIDEO: This is an ad for which company based on superb adaptation of which great novel?

LQC 11 PRELIMS – THE ANSWERS

1. Alexander Graham Bell

2. Guyana

3. Elder Wand owners / Gellert Grindlewald

4. Juno spacecraft mission to Jupiter.

5. Hellas

6.  Maruti 800 (both based on Suzuki Alto)

7. Ramakrishna Hegde

8. Vrindavan

9. Anabolic (or Anabolic steroids)

10. Tawi

11.* 1848

12.* Yuri Gagarin (April 12, 1961)

13. * Angry Birds. The virus causes swine flu. The swine became the enemy green pigs of the Angry Birds video game.

14. * Ukelele and Harmonica

15. * Planet of the Apes

16. * Gallium and Francium

17. * Ecuador / Nature or Environment. Pachamama is the indigenous word for all life. Chapter: Rights for Nature/Art. 1. Nature or Pachamama, where life is reproduced and exists, has the right to exist, persist, maintain and regenerate its vital cycles, structure, functions and its processes in evolution.

18. * Claret Jug / Belt (or Championship Belt)

19. * Marzipan. Some cakes have a layer of marzipan just below the icing.

20. * Krishnagiri

21. Maniyachi / Vanchinathan

22. London

23. Conflict (or blood) diamonds. These are diamonds that originate from a war zone and are sold to finance insurgencies, armies and warlords. The Kimberley Process ensures that diamonds originating from Angola, The Congo, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe do not finance rebel groups. Conflict diamonds without KP certification are 30% cheaper.

24. “Missed call”

25. The cuckoo clock. (Orson Welles’ film The Third Man)

26. Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar

27. Mango

28. Between a rock and a hard place (This is also the title of the autobiography of Aron Ralston, mountaineer, made into the film 127 Hours)

29. Bosons and Fermions (after Satyendranath Bose and Enrico Fermi)

30. Right Livelihood Award. Popularly known as Alternative Nobel. (Notable Indian winners include: Vandana Shiva, Rajni Kothari, Narmada Bachao Andolan, Swami Agnivesh, CHipko movement etc).

31. Jane Birkin. It is after her that the Birkin bag is named. The Birkin bag is a handmade purse by Hermès. The bag is a symbol of wealth due to its high price and elusiveness to the public. Its prices range from $9,000 to $150,000.

32. Punjab / Tamil Nadu

33. Elephant Shrew

34. Kundan / Tanishq

35. AUDIO: Kung Fu Panda – Two

36: Arctic Monkeys / Amy Winehouse (Song: You Know I’m No Good)

37: Yuvan Shankar Raja / Paiyya

38: Cloud Gate (by Anish Kapoor)

39: Arthur Eddington (He photographed stars behind the Sun during a solar eclipse and showed that the Sun’s gravity causes the light of the stars behind it to bend thus proving Einstein’s theory of relativity)

40: Apple / 1984

QFI Open Sports Quiz Rejects II

1.The 50–40–90 Club is an informal term referring to a very exclusive group of National Basketball Association players. 50–40–90 indicates a great all-around performance and is considered as the ultimate standard. Since the 1979–80 season, the 50–40–90 shooting threshold has only been reached by five players: Steve Nash, Larry Bird, Mark Price, Reggie Miller and Dirk Nowitzki. In fact, Bird has done it twice and Nash has done it four times. So, what is 50-40-90?

2.The ESPN site for cricket is ESPN Cricinfo while the ESPN site for football is ESPN soccernet. What is ESPN's site for rugby called?

3. This event is advertised as "The most exciting two minutes in sports" and also as "The run for the roses". Which event?

4. The 1904 marathon in St. Louis were not ideal condition to race. The terrain  involved a muddy course, a series of about eight hills for the 40-kilometer race and the weather nearing 90 degrees Fahrenheit.  Frederick "Fred" Lorz , the winner of the marathon was denied the victory. In fact he was accussed of cheating and James Sullivan, the head of the 1904 Olympics banned him from amateur athletic competition for LIFE.

The eventual winner was Thomas Hicks , who crossed the finish line at 3 hours and 28 minutes - the longest finishing time in Olympic Marathon history (a dubious record that likely will never be broken). James Sullivan, the head of the 1904 Olympics however overlooked a unique fact while declaring Thomas Hicks as winner.

What unpardonable crime did lorz commit and what unique fact was overlooked in Hicks' case ?

5. This museum is housed in the Old Moti Bagh palace, is the only sports museum in the country. Some of the famous artifacts found in this museum are

* Adidas spikes worn by Milkha Singh in the 1960 Rome Olympic
* Major Dhyan Chand`s gold medal which he won at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics,
* the hass — a doughnut shaped exercising apparatus weighing a solid 95 kgs — belonging to the
 legendry Gama Pehalwan who used it for squats,
* shoes which P.T. Usha wore during her 1986 Seoul Asiad win
* The bat autographed by the Indian cricket team captained by Kapil Dev which won the Prudential
  World Cup in 1983.

Id the city where it is situated and the famous institute housed along with this museum





Sriram Got 3.5 answers right...

Answers to Rejects Set I ( questions can be found here)

1. James Braddock felt that at the onset of WWII the fight might be viewed as US vs Germany and didn't want that. Second reason being, Joe Louis manager promised Braddock 10% of each fight Joe Louis would fight for the next 10 years.

2. 1 Hour Run

3. Caravaggio

4. PGN Notation for Chess

5. Rope Climbing

QFI Open Sports Quiz 2011: Rejects

Will be posting a few set of questions , that we rejected from the QFI Open Sports Quiz Prelims/Finals this year. Have a go at these questions.. Answers will be posted in a day.

1.James Braddock , immediately after defeating Max Primavera had to defend his heavy weight boxing title against Max Schmelling under the Contract with Madison Square Garden. However , he chose to fight Joe Louis , reneging on the contract. There were two reasons for choosing to fight against Joe Louis, What were they?

2. While officially recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as a track event, it is rarely contested apart from occasional world record attempts. First recorded races dating back to the late 17th century, and the first officially recognized

world record was set by Alfred Shrubb in 1904. Currently the WR for men is at 21.285 by Halie Gebras Selasie and at 18.517 for women by Dire Tune. Which event are we talking about?



3. According to the Roman police logs. there was the little matter of the tennis game gone awry. Michelangelo Merisi - street brawler killed an opponent, “a very polite young man” named Ranunccio Tommasini with a sword after an argument over a bet of 10 scudi. Nobody knows why. Maybe a disputed point. Whatever, it was decidedly against the rules, and Michelangelo had to flee Rome as an exile, shortly after the killing in May of 1606, never to return.

Glad he didn’t take his paintings with him.



How do we know Michelangelo Merisi better?

4. Before X, every vendor had a different way of encoding. X was developed in 1993 by Steven J. Edwards, was discussed and disseminated via Usenet. It became an immediate success because, as a readable text format, it satisfied the needs of people as well as of computers. What is X?

5.In the 1924 Paris Olympics, there were a total of 23 perfect tens achieved, one of the highest tallies in Omypics history. Albert Seguin achieved a perfect ten in the Sidehorse Vault. The others 22 were from the same sport. Which, now defunct, gymnastic sport are we talking about?