Questions from the quiz on Dec 16th

Q: Alex Tew lay on his bed in his family home in Cricklade, Wiltshire brainstorming about his financial problems. He already had an overdraft, which was sure to multiply at university, and he felt his poverty was reflected by his lack of decent, or matching, socks. The first thing he wrote in his pad was "How can I become a millionaire? What was the result of his brainstorming?

A: Million Dollar Page

Q:It is a popular folk dance of Bihar and Orissa. Since masks form an important feature of this dance it is called '_____', which means mask. All the performers hold swords and shields while performing. The stages are decorated and brightly lit by torches, lanterns and flickering oil lamps. The musical instruments used are the Dhol (a cylindrical drum), Nagara (a huge drum) and Shehnai (reed pipes). It is interesting to note that the entire body of the dancer is engaged as a single unit. Which dance?

A:Chau

Q: Tambalacoque or Calvaria major is a long-lived tree in the family Sapotaceae, endemic to Mauritius. It is valued for its timber. In 1973, it was thought that this species was dying out. There were supposedly only 13 specimens left, all estimated to be about 300 years old. The true age could not be determined because Tambalacoque has no growth rings. It was widely believed they became extinct because of their unique method of propagation. Although not all agree with this hypothesis what was widely believed reason of their so called extinction?

A: Dodo were supposed to be responsible for their polination

Q: This literary technique has its origin in the conventions of ancient Greek and Roman drama where a god was introduced by means of a crane to decide the final outcome. The Greek tragedian Euripides was notorious for using this plot device as a means to resolve a hopeless situation. This term / phrase nowadays describes an unexpected or improbable character, device, or event introduced suddenly in a work of fiction or drama to resolve a situation. What phrase?

A:Deus Ex Machina

Q: This city is about 500 years old. The first name of the settlement, according to the compilers of the first edition of the district Gazette, was Khanpur Shansi after an individual of the Jat caste called Khan Shansi who founded 11 villages in the region. Later, the tribe "Gujjar" occupied the land. They reached such dominance that the town came to be known as _______________, which means "Land of the Gujars". In present day too, the Gujars form the majority population of the city. Which city?

A:Gujranwala

Q:When the eight Vasus visited Vashishta's ashram with their wives, one of the wives took a fancy to Kamadhenu and asked her husband to steal it from Vashishta. He stole it with the help of the others, and was cursed by Vashishta to be born in the world of men. The seven Vasus had their curse softened to be liberated from their human birth as soon as they are born, but the last Vasu, due to his being instrumental in the theft, was cursed to endure a longer life on the earth, though the curse is softened so that he becomes one of the most illustrious men of his times. How were they born and who was the last VASU born as?

A:The sons of Ganga and Bhisma

Q: When Kalale Nadadur Varadaraja Iyengar discussed his venture with others, he had to face the wrath of skeptics who warned him of his 'misadventure' and predicted the newspaper's doom. He was, however, supported in his venture by an editor of a Kannada newspaper and by a former Joint Director of Information. Ignoring the skeptics, he published the first issue of Sudharma on July 14, 1970 from a location called 'Ganapathi Totti'. The paper is currently published out of a press in the Ramachandra Agrahara locality of Mysore. What is so special about this newspaper?

A:Sudharma is the only Sanskrit newspaper of India

Q:It was invented in 1924 by ________ Cardini. Cardini was an Italian restaurateur and chef in Tijuana, Mexico. He was living in San Diego but working in Tijuana to avoid the restrictions of Prohibition. When a 4th of July rush depleted the kitchen's supplies Cardini made X with what he had. What did he invent?

A:Cesare Cardini invented the Cesare Salad

Q:Founded in 1874 they are one of seven original members to have never won the Premier League. They were originally known as Christ Church. The club got their namebecause they moved to so many different playing fields and headquarters in their early existence that it was suggested that the club should change its name to _______ ___________, and in 1877, the name came into being. What?

A: Bolton Wanderers

Q: It is a short river in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. Its name derives from the Native American word "Missi-Tuk", which translates to "great tidal river" and it lies to the north of and flows approximately parallel to the Charles River. Name this river that has a long history of industrial use and a continuing water quality problem?

A: Mystic River

Q: Paul-Ferdinand __________ was a French physician most famous for treating "X" during his last weeks in Auvers-sur-Oise. He was a great supporter of artists and the Impressionist movement. In fact, he himself was an amateur painter, signing his works "Paul van Ryssel", referring to his birthplace "Ryssel", and this is the Flemish name of Lille. Who?

A:Dr. Gatchet

Q: When Louis XIV of France wanted to build a new palace to be located in the French countryside in Versailles, Louis's Minister of Economy, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, was appointed to construct the facility and display various new technologies in the new palace. One of the technologies to be presented was glass. What resulted?

A: St. Gobain Glass Company