Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Trivia Q&A: April 22

We had another large and spirited crowd for Trivia Night on Tuesday, with 19 teams taking part in the "new and improved" version. We managed to get going at 9:15 PM, even with an exciting Red Sox game going in the background.

The contest moved along at a little brisker pace with three of the categories now just 7 questions instead of 10. (We completed the competition in just about two hours.) The scores were very similar as well to the "old version." They were quite good for both April 22nd Trivia and True or False. The scores were close throughout the night, with 11 teams within six points of the leader going into IQ Trivia.

I thought IQ Trivia was a bit harder this week, and I was curious to see what the final results would be. Only two teams got as many as four of the five correct, but one of them was I Only Fly Cory Lidle Airlines, who were also the defending champions last week. They were two points behind the leader going into IQ Trivia, and like what the Red Sox have been doing lately (and last night too), pulled out a come-from-behind win and took the title by three points.

My congratulations to them, as they have now won Trivia Night five of the last seven weeks. (They are also the only team to present me with a person's obituary as they handed in a sheet--namely one of the late, great Arthur C. Clarke, who passed away last month, and who was a question twice in recent Trivia Night contests. I am honored.)

Current Events
1. Jacques-Edouard Alexis was ousted as Prime Minister of this Caribbean nation following riots over the price of food.
2. This rap star was released from prison last Friday after serving nearly one year behind bars.
3. A 5.2 magnitude earthquake, centered in this Midwestern state, rattled buildings last Friday.
4. The family of this late baseball Hall of Famer settled a lawsuit with a filmmaker last week over a web site they felt was trying to make big money off the late star's name.
5. For the second consecutive year, this was the number one largest company in the US, with profits of $12.7 billion.
6. Robert Cheruiyot, who hails from this country, won his fourth Boston Marathon on Monday.
7. It was announced that this country will air "The Sopranos" and "Grey's Anatomy" for the first time, as they have been slow historically in airing American TV shows.

Answers: 1. Haiti; 2. Foxy Brown; 3. Illinois; 4. Mickey Mantle; 5. Wal-Mart; 6. Kenya; 7. Cuba.

April 22nd Trivia
1. The World's Fair of 1964-65 opened officially on this date in 1964 in this US city.
2. This Hollywood actor, a three-time Academy Award winner, turns 71 today.
3. This Hall of Fame baseball pitcher tied the MLB record by striking out 19 San Diego Padres in a nine-inning game on this day in 1970.
4. This one-time US president died on this date in 1994.
5. This great jazz bassist and composer, who was known as "The Angry Man of Jazz," was born on this date in 1922. (He died in 1979.)
6. The Holocaust Memorial Museum was dedicated in 1993 on this date in this city.
7. The Great Land Rush of 1889 began at high noon on this date, with over 50,000 people lined up to grab available land in this US state.

Answers: 1. New York; 2. Jack Nicholson; 3. Tom Seaver; 4. Richard Nixon; 5. Charles Mingus; 6. Washington DC; 7. Oklahoma.

True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Chocolate is the flavor of Mississippi mud pie.
2. On a piece of candy corn, the narrow end is normally yellow.
3. Coaxial cable is usually used to connect a cable box to a TV.
4. Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert was a representative from the state of Iowa.
5. John Adams had the largest signature on the Declaration of Independence.
6. The main purpose of a salad spinner is to dry the salad ingredients.
7. The French town of Chantilly is best known for producing stained glass.
8. Boston mayor Honey Fitz was the grandfather of John F. Kennedy.
9. The author Salman Rushdie made a cameo appearance in the film "Bridget Jones' Diary."
10. The airplane Buddy Holly died in was actually called "American Pie."

Answers: 1. true; 2. false, it is white; 3. true; 4. false, Illinois; 5. false, it was John Hancock; 6. true; 7. false, lace; 8. true; 9. true; 10. false, the plane had no name.

General Knowledge
1. What type of clothing are clam diggers?
2. The Italian city of Carrara is world-famous for producing what?
3. What term describes animals that chew cud as part of the digestive process?
4. The Boer War, fought from 1899-1902, took place on what continent?
5. What musician was famous for his "duck walk" across the stage while playing his guitar?
6. Pike's Peak is located in what US state?
7. The main character of the movie "Clueless" is named after what famous singer?

Answers: 1. pants; 2. marble; 3. ruminant; 4. Africa; 5. Chuck Berry; 6. Colorado; 7. Cher.

IQ Trivia
1. In 2001, a federal judge temporarily suspended the publication of a book that retells what novel from a slave's point of view? ( 4 points)
2. What classic 1970s TV show featured the characters named Rollin Hand, Cinnamon Carter and Barney Collier? ( 5 points)
3. What politician said, "If Al Gore invented the Internet, I invented the spellcheck"? ( 3 points)
4. In the 1980s, Englishwoman Barbara Woodhouse had her own TV show on what subject? ( 4 points)
5. The Ghats mountains are located in what Asian country? ( 4 points)

Answers: 1. "Gone With the Wind;" 2. "Mission Impossible;" 3. Dan Quayle; 4. dog training; 5. India.

No comments: