2. THE SCHEME OF THINGS TODAY…
• 2 rounds, 20 questions each
• Infinite bounce system (+10)
• Part points at QM discretion
• 1 differential scoring written round, 5 questions
• 1 challenge a team round, 8 questions
• The QM’s decision is final when it comes to acceptable
answers
• Good luck!
4. Q1
The cuisine of the Veneto region in northern Italy is very different due to it’s
reliance on unusual choices in meat, vegetables and fish.
Vicenza the fourth largest city in the Veneto was an extremely poor city post
World War 2 because of both Allied bombing as well as German destruction of
the city’s industry.
Their cuisine reflected this poverty – leading the inhabitants to be called (in the
Venetian dialect) magnagati.
What does magnagati translate to?
7. Q2
In the late 1960’s, when Coca Cola wanted to make a splash when they
relaunched their brand in Italy, the hit upon an innovative (and to all extents,
iconic) way of advertising the brand.
They targeted St. Mark’s Square in Venice and clicked an aerial picture of the
Coca Cola logo there for PR purposes.
It only cost the ad executives 62,000 lire (around $100 then).
How did they use the unique Venetian “features” of St. Marks Square to their
advantage?
8.
9. A2
They spread birdseed
on the ground in the
form of the Coca Cola
logo – and the pigeons
that infest the square
did the rest.
10. Q3
When caucuses for the Presidential race were held in Kansas recently on
Saturday March 5, 2016, one group of voters was left out by the rules of the
caucus insisting on physical presence at distant caucus venues at 11.30am.
They were all American citizens – and when they brought this to the notice of
the 2 parties, the Republicans immediately changed some rules to make it
possible for them to vote – but the Democrats refused (some say because the
numbers were so small as to make the effort needed futile)
Which group of voters was this?
16. Q5
The Savoy-led army entered Rome in September 1870, overthrew the Pope and took
over the Papal States – leading to the Unification of Italy under Victor Emmanuel II.
However, a group of aristocrats called the Black Nobility protested strongly and
refused to accept this.
In 1929, with the signing of the Lateran treaty, some of their privileges were restored –
including the right to special license plates.
Why were they called the Black Nobility?
17.
18. A5
They mourned the loss of the Pope as their King and so they draped their
windows in black, barricaded themselves in their palaces and had daily
requiem masses sung for the death of the Papacy.
19. Q6
Henry VIII was extremely depressed after the death of his third wife Jane
Seymour post childbirth. To distract him his advisors got him to design a new
Renaissance palace for himself in Surrey – which he soon became obsessed
with.
It ended up being the most palatial of his properties - designed to be a
celebration of the power and the grandeur of the Tudor dynasty, costing the
equivalent of hundreds of thousands of pounds to build.
Henry named it __________ - its name a boast that there was no palace
elsewhere equal to it in magnificence.
The palace does not exist today.
What was it’s name?
23. Q7
A study conducted by scientists at London's Queen Mary University claims
(March, 2016) to have discovered something by using geographic profiling, a
technique used to catch serial criminals.
The scientists looked for a correlation between 140 confirmed spots in London
and Bristol, and 10 commonly touted names.
The main hotspots included a pub, a playing field, a residential address in
Bristol, and three addresses in London.
After cross-referencing the hotspots with publicly accessible information on
the list of 10 names, the researchers found that each of the hotspots were
places lived in or frequented by one of them.
What did they discover?
26. Q8
From a book recently released on the Vietnam War, this photograph shows a
group of Viet Cong village political activists meeting deep in a mangrove
forest in the Mekong Delta.
Why are they dressed in this unusual manner which was a required part of
their uniform during the War?
27.
28.
29. A8
They had to wear masks to hide their identities from one another in case of
capture and interrogation.
This way no one could betray the group.
30. Q9
This slow courtly dance style is characterized by movement from side to side
while looking into the partner’s eyes. There is no touching allowed – and
dancers stand in two lines facing each other.
The only touching permitted is when the woman grabs the handkerchief being
waved at her by her male partner.
The men wear formal western wear while the women wear pano-bazu (a
maroon velvet full sleeved blouse with a white silk veil and a velvet long skirt
with Chinese lace and embroidery with an ostrich feather fan and East African
tortoiseshell combs).
Identify this dance. You hear the music here.
33. Q10
The Australian coat of arms features a
Kangaroo and an Emu. Apart from the
fact that they are native Australian
animals, they are often mentioned as
being chosen for another reason which
reflects the motto of the country.
This has recently been disproved.
What would that be?
34.
35. A10
The Aussie motto is “Advance Australia”.
When selected, these animals were believed to be able to only walk
forwards and not backwards – this has been disproved as very rarely they
have been seen to move backwards for a few steps.
36. Q11
Six hundred guests dined over five and a half hours thus making for the
longest and most lavish official banquet in modern history as recorded in
successive editions of the Guinness Book of World Records.
Among the dishes (catered by Maxim’s of Paris) were 50 roast peacocks with
restored tail feathers, stuffed with foie gras, accompanied by roast quails and a
nut and truffle salad. This dish was specially designed by the host to boast
about his heritage.
The only official Indian guest here (out of 600 other guests) was President
V.V.Giri.
What occasion was this – and where?
37.
38. A11
The banquet to celebrate 2,500 years
of the Persian Monarchy hosted by the
Shah and Shahbano of Iran in 1971 in
Persepolis
39. Q12
During a national crisis, she chose a wardrobe designed to help raise morale and keep
the people going. Every day she wore a turban – as a tribute to the women making
munitions and working with dangerous machinery factories, who had to wear turbans
for safety reasons.
She also chose bright colours - particularly flame red - and striking fake leopard skin
coats specifically to denote confidence and optimism. Her top-button coats became
so well-known and so widely copied, they were colloquially known into the 1960s as
_____________s.
The lack of hot water led her to wash her hair in benzene (despite the fire risk) to
make it as shiny as possible. Artfully applied cosmetics would hide dark shadows from
lack of sleep from the nightly stress.
Who was this woman who realized the value of fashion as propaganda?
42. Q13
The ‘Landsker line’ is an imaginary border in the UK that isolates a small
portion of Wales from the rest of it.
The smaller part is derisively known as ‘Little England beyond Wales’.
The Landsker line in the middle ages moved far north during war – and back to
the south during peace.
The image shows the Landsker line as seen in the year 1901 – today it has
moved far to the north inspite of efforts to keep it stationary.
What is the Landsker line demarcating?
43.
44.
45. A13
The Landsker line is primarily a language barrier. It divides Wales into English
speaking and Welsh speaking regions. The region referred to as ‘Little
England beyond Wales’ consist of people of Wales who have chosen to adhere
to English rather than speaking Welsh.
46. Q14
This French origin star got his break in Hollywood in the 1920s. He was
nicknamed the “mortgage lifter” as the success of his film with Claire Adams
“Where the North Begins” saved Warner Brothers from bankruptcy and
liquidation.
A popular urban legend around him is that he won the most number of votes
for Best Actor at the 1st. Academy awards in 1929 – but forces from a rival
studio got the rules changed in order to let Emil Jannings win.
Who was this star and what rule was changed (allegedly)?
47.
48. A14
Rin Tin Tin
The rule was allegedly changed to allowing only humans to win Best Actor
Academy awards.
51. A15
Schindler’s list ended with a rendition of the song “Yerushalayim Shel Zahav
(Jerusalem of Gold)” by Naomi Scherner.
Audiences in Israel were amused as the song was only written as a folk song in
1967.
The song was then replaced by “Eli Eli” – a song written by a Hungarian-Jewish girl
shot by the Gestapo in 1943.
52. Q16
After being named the new face of Louis Vuitton’s womenswear line, X’s father
was asked to comment on the choice.
He said “You know, there's a really powerful internal quality as an artist that as
parents we encourage. You gotta get out on the edge, you have to try things, you
have to be comfortable doing things that people don't agree with and you have to
be comfortable doing things that you could fail."
He added, "And X is 100 percent fearless, X will do anything, you know? So as a
parent it's scary, it's really terrifying, but X is completely willing to live and die by
artistic decisions and X isn’t concerned with what people think.”
Who is X?
57. A17
Cities that were originally known as Alexandria
Alexandria in Aria or Alexandria Ariana - Herat
Alexandria Bucephalous –Gujrat
Alexandria on the Caucasus – Bagram
Alexandria Arachosia – Kandahar
Alexandria on the Indus – Uch
Alexandria on the Oxus – Ai Khanoum
Alexandria Eschate – Khujand
Alexandria in Margiana – Merv, now called Mary
58. Q18
The author chose the name X of a principal character in his award winning
book from Edgar Allan Poe's The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of
Nantucket.
In Poe's book, X is a mutineer who is cannibalized by his ship's crew.
However, as the author discovered, X is the recurring name of sailors who have
died in shipwrecks and/or been cannibalized at sea.
In the author's words - “So many victimized Xs had to mean something.”
Which book and who is X?
61. Q19
When King Herod the Great of Judea decided to rebuild the Holy Temple in
Jerusalem, the High Priest pointed out that entering the Inner Courts of the
temple and the Holy of Holies were sacrilege to any ordinary, ritually impure
Israelite or Gentile.
Herod then took a year off from the building plan to put into motion an idea
he had both to avoid sacrilege as well as to make sure Israelites still had full
access to the non-stop daily sacrifices at the temple.
What did he do?
62.
63. A19
Herod had 1000 temple priests trained as masons, carpenters and builders
so that they could rebuild the entire interior of the Temple without involving
profane hands.
At the same time, sacrifices could continue non-stop as well as they could also
double-time as priests.
64. Q20
This school was founded by Richard Bourke, Viceroy of India (1869-1872), with
the intention that it should be the Eton of India.
Its coat of arms includes the following – a shield with the Panch Rang – five
sacred colours; the arms of the founder; and a fort. This shield is supported by
a Bhil archer and an armed warrior. A khanda is above; a peacock is perched
on it.
The motto is the English translation of Fiat Lux.
This school has many distinguished alumni, including two Sultans of Oman.
Which school?
69. SCORING
7-8 teams right – 0 points for each
5-6 teams right – 2 points for each
3-4 teams right – 5 points for each
2 teams right – 7 points each
1 team right – 10 points
74. D4
Michael Faraday has been credited with most discoveries pertaining to
Electromagnetism. In reality, he worked on the theories propounded by the
Russian physicist Heinrich Lenz.
The scientific community therefore decided to do something additional to
honor Lenz’ contribution as he had already been honoured by naming 2 laws
after him.
What did they do?
75. D5
He was first created as a villain to The Green Arrow but he spilled into the
Batman universe much later (after the creation of the popular Batman and
Robin TV show) because of the similarities between his profile and a curious
feature that was employed for the first time in the aforementioned TV Show.
Name the villain.
76.
77. ANSWERS
D1 : Baghdad
D2 : First movie to be censored by Indian authorities
D3 : The infamous Time magazine Devil’s Horns covers
D4 : The L symbol for Inductance
D5 : Onomatopoeia
79. Q21
Depicted in the Greek style, this man is shown seated, dressed in a toga, with
one arm raised and pointing to the sky. The other holds a sheathed sword, the
point of which is facing him.
This is indicative of the fact that he willingly gives power (the sword) to the
people, to keep or remove him.
Though not his most famous depiction as a Greek, it is to be currently found in
the National Museum of American History.
Name him.
83. Q22
There is only one bank open in the entire country of France on July 14th every
year (Bastille Day).
This is due to not wanting certain people involved in an event from any
inconvenience.
Which bank is this? Or who does it service?
84.
85. A22
The travelling bank with the Tour
de France
– Credit Lyonnais (now owned by
Credit Agricole)
86. Q23
X declared its independence from Britain on the 4th of May 1776. It acquired
its name from the combination of the two main colonies that made up its
territory. The main colony got its name from explorer da Verrazano’s
impression that the vegetation reminded him of a Greek island.
In November 2010, a referendum was held to determine whether the name X
should be retained, or shortened to dispel misunderstandings about X's
support for slavery. 78% of the population voted against, and the original
name remains.
What is X, the original (and current) name?
89. Q24
Once found at regular intervals (every 8 miles) between Calcutta and Benares –
today they are only found in rural West Bengal – with the rest having being
mined for bricks or collapsed into ruin.
These 70 feet towers were built by the British for a particular reason in 1816-
1830. However, the introduction of something into India from England in 1854
led to these towers being obsolete.
What was the use of these towers?
90.
91.
92. A24
Semaphore towers using mirrors and a telescope to send signals
With the introduction of the telegraph, this scheme was abandoned.
93. Q25
The India Office in London possesses a diary with the entry for 25 November
1676 noting "It was thought fit... to set up _______ __________s... for all such
English in the Company's Service as belong to their Sloopes & Vessells”.
The ________ __________’s as we know them were first erected in the 1840s and
provided cheap refuge for the British. Lockwood Kipling described them as
"about as handsome as a stack of hay" and forming a kind of “irreducible
minimum of accommodation” and one of the “hazards of upcountry life”.
FITB, each of these was officially located 12-15 miles from the other on all
major routes specifically in North India?
96. Q26
Watch this entertaining clip.
Who played the role of Miss Casswell?
What term originated in the description of
Miss Casswell (as an attractive woman,
escorted by a man with whom she need
not have any relationship) in the Chicago
Tribune of 21 August 1992 by the journalist
Marcia Coburn?
97.
98. A26
Marilyn Monroe in All About Eve.
The apt term used to describe her was arm candy
99. Q27
Lady Gaga is the current face for the Japanese beauty brand Shiseido’s 2015
ad campaign. The campaign features some 50 different photographs of her.
What is remarkable about the photo series?
104. Q28
Before X and Y began their participation in a certain event, they were required
to go through makeup. X refused the offer in the earshot of Y – who then
followed saying as a man, he had no need of makeup.
Meanwhile, X snuck off into the air conditioned make up room and submitted
to using Max Factor makeup and stayed there till 5 minutes before the event
began. Oblivious Y instead spent his time walking around, meeting his friends
and talking to the audience.
Who were X and Y – and what was this the story behind?
105.
106. A28
John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon
The TV debate between the two
was won by Kennedy as
audiences found him looking
fresh, relaxed and young – while
Nixon looked haggard and tired.
107. Q29
How Long Is the Coast of Britain? Statistical Self-Similarity
and Fractional Dimension is a paper by X, first published
in Science in 1967.
The paper examines the coastline paradox: the property
that the measured length of a stretch of coastline
depends on the scale of measurement.
Empirical evidence suggests that the smaller the
increment of measurement, the longer the measured
length becomes.
Who was X/what term did he come up with to solve this?
110. Q30
It began with: “Prince of Hastinapur is named Bhisma after he gives up sex &
inheritance so that his father can marry an ambitious fisherwoman”;
Continued with: “Orphaned Pandavs return to palace with Kunti and raised
alongside resentful Kauravs. Bhisma appoints Drona as joint tutor”;
and ended with: “Yudhishtir finds Kauravs in paradise! He is furious until he
realises: as long as he clings to rage, heaven can never be his.”
What project comprising three dozen units was this?
Which eminent personality undertook it in 2014?
113. Q31
The art style on the next slide is called gyo-taku and originated in 19th century
Japan. Today it is rare to find and only a few artists in Japan and Hawai’i carry
out this technique.
It uses a non toxic sumi-e ink which is commonly used in writing and painting
and is easily wiped off.
This basic technique developed to overcome a certain deficiency in then
technology backwardness – later on n the 20th century, it became purely
ornamental.
What were gyo-taku used for?
114.
115.
116. A31
Gyo-taku or “fish rubbing” were used to keep a record of fish caught by
sports fishermen – in the days before video and camera proof.
117. Q32
This is Benjamin West's painting of two groups of people on September 3,
1783.
We can see the Americans - John Jay, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Henry
Laurens, and William Temple Franklin.
What event was he trying to capture? (need name of event)
The painting was clearly not completed - Why ?
118.
119.
120. A32
The Treaty of Paris giving independence to the USA by the British.
The British delegation was so upset at being sat with the Americans they
refused to pose for the painting and walked off.
121. Q33
One of the last divided cities in the world, this city is divided by more than 100
“peace walls” extending up to 18 feet in height, with moats and with broken
glass and barbed wire on top.
Most of them hermetically seal off entire areas in the city – with the rare
solitary gate being opened only at specific times of the day – and with the
agreement of all parties involved only.
The peace walls started going up in the early 1970s and ironically increased in
number following a 1998 agreement between all sides.
Which city is this?
126. Q34
Delhi only has a community of 250 people – out of which nearly 200 are
international diplomats.
However, over 25.000 tourists visit a specific building – the only one of it’s kind
in North India every year.
Thanks to such low numbers, it took over 50 years for a specific event to be
held in Delhi in 2012 – chances are it will be another 10 years before the next
such event.
What event was this?
127.
128. A34
The first Indian Jewish wedding
(between Shulamith Ezekiel
Malekar and Sharon Pinhas
Bhalkar) to be held in Delhi
since 1962.
129. Q35
Jonathan Goldsmith is making his final appearance on television on Thursday
evening 10th March 2016.
The 77-year-old is shown headed for a one-way trip to Mars, leaving the
impression that he will never come back. He delivers his classic line “________
________ _______ _______" aboard a rocket ship, as the campaign's familiar
voiceover states that "his only regret is not knowing what regret feels like."
Before he takes off, he bids farewell to characters who have appeared with him
over the years.
FITB and what am I talking about?
135. Q37
The Fundamental Rights are a charter of rights contained in the Constitution of
India. They guarantee civil liberties such that all Indians can lead their lives in
peace & harmony as citizens of India. Articles 14 to 32 of the Indian
Constitution deal with these Fundamental Rights.
When the Constitution of India was being enacted, Article 17 was passed by
the Constituent Assembly with cries of “Mahatma Gandhi ki jai, Mahatma
Gandhi ki jai!”
.
What specific thing does Article 17 of the Indian Constitution deal with?
138. Q38
The singer used her own experiences over her 5 tumultuous marriages in her
lyrics to her hit song.
She used experiences like telling her (then) husband in front of her four year
old son that she was leaving him – and then trying to shield her son from
understanding what was happening.
She used a common trick in the song – imitating what parents do to shield
their children from bad news.
Name the singer and what she did in her song.
141. Q39
Shrove Tuesday is the last Tuesday before the season on Lent – when Catholics
fast for a month to fulfil religious obligations.
Like Jews before Passover, Catholics empty out the house of rich foods like
eggs, sugar and milk along with other “temptations” before they begin the
Lenten fast.
One way of doing this has given rise to the common name for this Tuesday –
especially in UK and the white Commonwealth.
How is this day better known there?
144. Q40
Events which give photographers great pleasure in clicking images take place
once a year in Japan.
Though these events are compulsory, no one knows when and where they will
happen on any given day – only that they will happen once a year.
What is happening here?
145.
146.
147.
148.
149. A40
Zoos have to compulsorily showcase rapid response to animal escapes.
To do this, they have to test using an employee in furry costume who tests all
the responses (corralling, tranquilizing, capture etc.) of the zoo.
150. CHALLENGE A TEAM
+10 to team if team you pick answers it and you get -5
-5 to team if team you pick can’t answer and you get +10 if you answer
154. PARLIAMENTARY STRANGENESS
John Bercow had just been elected Speaker of the House of Commons.
According to tradition, the newly-elected MP must show extreme reluctance to
take up the post and be dragged to the chair by other MPs.
BACK
155. MODERN INDIAN HISTORY
Brajesh Singh or Kunwar Brijesh Singh (died 31 October 1966) was an Indian
politician belonging to the Communist Party of India.
He hailed from the royal family of Kalakankar and his cousin Dinesh Singh was
a minister and a prominent Congress politician.
In 1963, while recuperating from bronchitis, he fell in love with somebody and
this led a few years later to an international controversy that led to massive
diplomatic embarrassment for India.
Who did he meet and what happened?
156.
157.
158. MODERN INDIAN HISTORY
Svetlana Alliluyeva – daughter of Joseph Stalin – who came to India to
immerse his ashes in the Ganges and then used the chance to defect to the
USA
BACK
159. TRADITIONS
The Ramnamis are a small Hindu sect from central India. As leather-workers
they are on the lowest rung of the caste-system, and are considered
'untouchable'. Traditionally, this status meant that they were prevented from
entering Hindu temples along with the other castes.
So, in an expression of their own proud religious convictions, what did the
Ramnamis begin to do to show their faith to Ram and prove they had no
need of temples to show their devotion?
160.
161. TRADITIONS
They began the practice of tattooing the name of Ram all over their faces
and bodies – including on the tongue and inside the eyelids.
BACK
162. LITERATURE
This work by Banabhatta can be claimed as one of the first novels in the world.
In fact, Kannada and Marathi use the title of this work as a generic term for a
romance or a novel.
What work whose central thread is that of a romantic attachment (and
eventual union) between the hero Chandrapeeda and the heroine, who lends
her name to the title?
165. TEXTILES
It contains 15 kg of gold threads and consists of 47 pieces of cloth and each
piece is 14m long and 101 cm wide.
It is made of 670 kg. of pure silk bout 658 sq.meters long.
Traditionally embroidery was done manually but now it is aided by computer
to improve the speed of finishing.
It costs about 4.5 million dollars and is made once a year only to a fixed
design. What am I talking about?
168. FAMOUS SPEECHES
In October 2000, proof that Winston Churchill’s most famous radio speeches
were not made by him surfaced.
They were made by a voice actor Norman Shelley with Churchill’s only
contribution to the radio speeches being his final approval on the voice.
Why was Shelley’s voice broadcast over the radio for Churchill’s best self-
written speeches “We shall fight them on the beaches” and “Their finest hour”?
169.
170. FAMOUS SPEECHES
Both speeches were originally delivered by Churchill in the House of Commons
which, at that time, was not wired for sound recording.
BACK
173. NATIONAL FILM AWARDS
Dolly Ahluwalia
She won the National Film Award twice:
Best Costume Design for Bandit Queen (1993)
Best Supporting Actress for Vicky Donor (2012)
BACK
174. THE VATICAN
"The underlying problems of this case concern both the nature of science and
the message of faith," the Pope said. "One day we may find ourselves in a
similar situation, which will require both sides to have an informed awareness
of the field and of the limits of their own competencies."
Excerpt from a speech that Pope John Paul II made on Oct 31st 1992 sharing
the results of a decades long investigation. What was the occasion?
175.
176. THE VATICAN
The Vatican acquitted Galileo of charges of blasphemy, and finally
acknowledged that the world is indeed spherical, and not flat.
BACK