Melas prelims with answers

MELAS
‽ N T E R R O B A N G 2 0 1 8
By: Siddharth and
Jayavardhan

PRESENTED BY
Experience Partner
Associate Sponsors

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Content Team
• Abhishek Babbar
• Anirudh Singh
• Anubhav Sachdeva
• Jayavardhan Josyula
• Lokesh Kaza
• Samiha Gopal
• Siddharth Rajeevan
Organising Team
• Akash Prasad
• Aparajita Kaul
• Nipuna Varman
• Sachit Kapoor
• Yash Bhagwat

PRELIMINARY ROUND
• 30 Questions.
• 26-30 carry two points each as
specified in the questions.
• 26-30 will also be used to break ties.
• 9 teams advance to the Finals.
• Blanks are always Indicative unless
told otherwise.

QUESTION 1
• Influenced by the popular culture depictions of a certain object, X was declared as the
World’s Largest _____ shaped geographical entity and was called the “_____ of the World”
by United Nations World Tourism Organization on 27th September 2012 on the occasion of
World Tourism Day.
• While it was developed to help its surrounding urban population by the local ruler and
named after a well known Sufi Saint of the area, activities taking place in the second half of
the year on a regular basis have immensely polluted X, making its usage almost
impossible. One thing on the agenda for the World Tourism Organisation was to advise the
local government on ways to combat this pollution.
• Identify the Geographical body being talked about and fill in the blank.

H U S S A I N S A G A R L A K E ; H E A R T .

QUESTION 2
• This is Jesse Plemons, starring as Bob Daly in Black Mirror S4E1. His big break was in
the role of a cook for two seasons in an award-winning show. Plemons is known on the
internet by his nickname, which puns on the output of his cooking with the name of a
MELAS personality he closely resembles.
• What is his nickname?

QUESTION 3
• A very interesting facet of X is that he is also a very good painter. While he is reluctant to
make money off his artwork and prefers gifting it to his friends and family, whenever he
auctions his paintings, they fetch massive amounts of money which is always donated to
his own charity.
• Here are a couple of paintings, one capturing an iconic still from his own work and the
other a painting reflecting his ideals about 'oneness of god', which is probably credited to
the religious pluralism in his household itself
• ID X.
• Images follow:

QUESTION 4
• The X dynasty was founded in 1795, and continued until the death of the last ruler in
1874. They are most famous for having found the Kingdom of Y. He united several of
the islands by setting out with an armada of 960 war canoes and 10,000 soldiers, and
quickly established himself as the king of not only his birth island, but also the adjacent
ones, and proclaimed himself as the sovereign.
Perhaps the name of X is more known to us due to something else entirely. The X is
learnt by the main character from an old, bald man wearing beach clothes that lives on
an island .
• Give me X and Y for full points.
•
X and Y are 0.5 each. No points for where you might have seen it.

QUESTION 5
• In 2007, John Scalzi, author of the sci-if novel series Old Man’s War, once wrote a blog
post titled “Things You Didn’t Know about John Perry” (the protagonist of the series).
Explaining the list, he says (with much sarcasm):
• “I’ve decided now, in my authorian splendor, to inform you of things you didn’t know about
John Perry, the protagonist of Old Man’s War and The Last Colony. These are not in the
text! But they’re true. Oh, yes.”
• The list included items like ”He’s distantly related to Ike Eisenhower” and “Can make his
eyes jiggle back and forth in a truly disturbing fashion,” among other randon, even
nonsensical bits of trivia.
• Who/what is he mocking by creating this list

T H E A U T H O R I T A T I V E A N D
A R B I T R A R Y M A N N E R I N
W H I C H J . K . R O W L I N G
M A K E S C L A I M S A B O U T
H A R R Y P O T T E R
C H A R A C T E R S

QUESTION 6
• This is Mont Blanc's tribute to whom? ID the 2 references to his work in the design of
the pen.

A K N I F E - S H A P E D C L I P
R E M I N I S C E N T O F " P S Y C H O "
A N D A S O P H I S T I C A T E D
S U R F A C E E F F E C T R E F L E C T I N G
T H E D I Z Z Y I N G S T A I R I N
" V E R T I G O " .
T H I S L I M I T E D E D I T I O N P A Y S
T R I B U T E T O T H E E X C E P T I O N A L
D I R E C T O R H I T C H C O C K .

QUESTION 7
• His reaction initially after was one more of relief.
• "I saw Brian McDermott, the then Reading manager a few months later and he said
good job. I said, ‘Look, I was just the lucky one to be there’.
But he said, ‘No, you could have messed it up’, so I think the nicest memory for me is
that I didn’t. Nothing that comes out in these moments is anything other than a reaction
to what you have seen and you just hope your instincts are okay. It's a reaction, not an
act.”
• What iconic piece of football history written earlier this decade is being talked about by
Martin Tyler?

M A R T I N T Y L E R O N " A G U E R O O O O O O ”

QUESTION 8
• Gollabhama Sarees are a speciality of Siddipet district, Telangana. They are popular
for their inlay figure work and motifs and have recently acquired the Geographic
Indication (GI) status.
• It was in news towards the fag end of last year that the Ambassador for Telangana
Handicrafts, Samantha Akkineni is expected to personally visit and handpick a saree
on the request of the Telangana State Government.
• Explain why Samantha Akkineni was scheduled to do this.

T E L A N G A N A S T A T E P L A N N E D T O G I F T A
S A R E E T O T H E V I S I T I N G I V A N K A T R U M P
A N D R E Q U E S T E D S A M A N T H A T O
P E R S O N A L L Y P I C K A S A R E E A S A
G E S T U R E .

QUESTION 9
• Though some have interpreted the presence of oranges in various scenes as a
harbinger of death to come in this movie , the reason for their presence is likely a more
practical one. In his book on the making of the film, The ________ Legacy, Harlen
Lebo writes, “For [production designer] Dean Tavoularis, oranges were simply another
carefully chosen compliment to otherwise somberly dressed sets. ‘We knew this film
wasn’t going to be about bright colors, and oranges make a nice contrast,’ said
Tavoularis. ‘I don’t remember anybody saying, Hey, I like oranges as a symbolic
message."
• Which movie?

T H E U S A G E O F
O R A N G E S I N T H E
G O D F A T H E R

QUESTION 10
• ___________ is a protein rich stew served along with Rice and Beer to add the requisite calories.
While it has become quite popular and traditionally associated with its country of origin, it is not widely
known that this dish was invented primarily for a particular set of people, X.
• X usually venture into the Culinary business at some point in their life and given how they spend their
entire life around the dish, usually attain a level of expertise in making it. While a lot of variety exists in
the way this dish is made in terms of the meat used- beef, pork etc., in its original form, it was almost
exclusively made of chicken, as it was a common belief/symbolism that X should always be on two
legs like a chicken, not all fours.
• ID X.
• Image follows.

S U M O W R E S T L E R S
T H E D I S H I S C A L L E D C H A N K H O N A B E .

QUESTION 11
• Scientist Vincent Icke’s moment of clarity came in 2014 when he saw it for the first
time. He was somewhat troubled by the fact that whatever he saw was not correctly
represented by what it was popularly known.
• Icke ran some experiments to test his hypothesis, which he published in the Dutch
Journal of Physics. His conclusion was that it was “too pear-shaped, metallic and big”.
• The seed of doubt was sowed by the reflection of the white collar at the bottom. If the
naming was considered as true, Icke said “it would consist of thin layers of calcite,
which scatter and refract light of different lengths”, which was not the case here.
• What, according to Icke was ‘not real’, despite the name?

P E A R L I N ' G I R L W I T H A P E A R L
E A R R I N G ' B E I N G A F A K E

QUESTION 12
• Supremo is an Indian Comic book Superhero created by Pammi Bakshi and Gulzar.
This book was quite popular with the kids in the 1980s and ran for two years.
• A strategically commercial venture with a lot of product placement to capitalise on the
star power, this comic book featured your usual super-villains and social message
plots- Whereas Supremo fought crime when in his tight spandex suit, he assumed the
rather glamorous identity of "Hero" to cover up his identity in the day.
• Name this glossy Clark Kent equivalent in the case of Supremo in the comics.
• Image Follows.

QUESTION 13
• The World Health Organization, the public health division of the United Nations, has released its newest
list of classified diseases--and "X disorder" is included. A draft of the WHO's International Classification
of Diseases (ICD) describes this as being characterized by a "pattern of persistent or recurrent X
behaviour".
• Its symptoms include: “
• 1) impaired control over X (e.g., onset, frequency, intensity, duration, termination, context);
• 2) increasing priority given to X to the extent that X takes precedence over other life interests and daily
activities; and
• 3) continuation or escalation of X despite the occurrence of negative consequences.“
•
Alongside the likes of gambling disorder, the proposal lists X disorder under "disorders due to substance
use or addictive behaviours" with negative "mental and behavioural" effects, similar to those consistent
with alcohol and drug addiction.
• Several associations, such as the ESA have protested this classification, and stated that the proposed
move lacks common sense and "trivializes real mental health issues".

QUESTION 14
• X is a style which derives its name from a fictional character created by Irish/British
author Sax Rohmer. The literary character never sported such a style, however he was
depicted with it in film adaptations of Rohmer's story.
• The style is now associated with the stereotyping of Asian, and especially Chinese,
ethnicities.
• Name X.

QUESTION 15
• This is a rough depiction of a constellation which is soon to be named after X in an
initiative called "Look Up to the Stars" by British astronomers in an attempt to teach
children about the layout of the universe.
•
The proposals include Harry Potter's glasses, a tennis racket for Serena Williams,
spaceship for astronaut Tim Peak, a blue whale for naturalist David Attenborough.
• ID X?
• Image Follows.

QUESTION 16
• Rife with stereotypes about the India which they know through the pop culture, this
episode from the Family Guy is both, funny and bizarre in equal measures.
• In order to compensate for some losses incurred, Bryan(the dog) goes through several
trials and tribulations. One of them being X.
• ID X, and the person in the image.
• Take it and go.
• Image follows.

X : K A U N B A N E G A
C R O R E P A T I / W H O W A N T S T O
B E A M I L L I O N A I R E ?
P E R S O N I S A N I L K A P O O R .

QUESTION 17
• Carrie Fisher in her memoir Wishful Drinking, revealed that she had a brief affair with
Connecticut Senator Christopher J. Dodd. Dodd was then approached by reporters
about this relationship, which he acknowledged, but he was fairly dismissive about its
significance. How did he acknowledge this relationship that had happened decades
earlier, in the most Star Wars way possible?

When questioned about the
relationship, he replied "It was a
long time ago, in a galaxy far, far
away!"

QUESTION 18
• The Twitter account of ShortList Magazine shared a picture of a request for a second
guitarist for ____ ______ which states a date of 1979. While the advert claims that
____ ______ were still semi pro, their luck was soon to change as they went on to land
their major record deal with EMI in December of that year.
• Advertisement by which band?

QUESTION 19• What would this music video go on to essentially be a test run for?
• Video in the next slide

QUESTION 20
• X debuted as a commentator in a test match between Australia and England during the
2017 Ashes.
• X, who was a huge cricket fan since childhood, got to be the commentator on one of
the biggest occasions in test cricket and it was a joy to watch him commentate in that
crisp Australian accent of his.
• Id X.

QUESTION 21
• Filming for a 1982 movie took place partly in Redwood National Park in California, and
rumours around the location necessitated some unusual security measures for a
member of the cast. Peter Mayhew was given strict instructions to remain within the set
at all times when shooting, and was also accompanied at all times by two men in brightly
coloured vests.
The events during the shooting inspired a 2004 comic called "Into the Great Unknown",
which depicts Indiana Jones investigating the rumours in the forests of the Pacific
Northwest, something that would have made this crossover cinematically pleasing to
watch.
•
• What role was Mayhew playing?

QUESTION 22
• Musicologist Nate Sloan’s theory is that the song’s success can be attributed to the way its
lyrics and harmonic structure combine so perfectly. The first verse is a little game where
she tells us about the things she doesn’t want before revealing to us what she does.
“That’s a nice trick,” he says. “But it might not be so effective if the chordal structure of the
song wasn’t supporting this idea of building to a reveal.”
• The song is in the key of G Major. Yet Sloan points out that the only times that the G Major
chord—the chord that makes us feel most “at home”—is used in the verse at the very
beginning, and at the very end. This leaves us in suspension. Just as we’re waiting to find
out what she really wants, we’re also waiting for the G Major chord. Both happen when she
makes her reveal, satisfying us simultaneously.
• Which song?

ALL I WANT FOR
CHRISTMAS IS YOU

QUESTION 23
• This is a 1944 artwork painted by an Irish-born British artist known for his bold, grotesque,
emotionally charged, raw imagery. It depicts three writhing anthropomorphic creatures set
against a flat, burnt orange background.
• The right-hand figure's toothed mouth is stretched open as if screaming, though some
have suggested that it may be yawning. Its mouth is open to a degree impossible for a
human skull and the figure's neck opens up into a row of teeth, while a protruding ear juts
out from behind its lower jaw.
What specific design aspect was inspired by this artwork, which featured in an iconic
movie sequence close to four decades ago?

C H E S T B U R S T E R F R O M
A L I E N .

QUESTION 24
• The Problem with X is a documentary film starring and written by stand-up comedian
Hari Kondabolu. Throughout the movie, he attempts to interview celebrities about the
character X, whom he believes has become a racist caricature, and has evolved
stereotypes which have been parroted by other ethnicities, in the form of racial
microagressions and slurs. Although he initially liked the character as X was the only
representation on TV at the time, he eventually came to criticise X's portrayal and
writing.
• The Problem With X also includes interviews with actors Aziz Ansari and Kal Penn, in
addition to several others, who say they were called "X" as children in ridicule.
• X?

A P U F R O M T H E S I M P S O N S

QUESTION 25
• Sculptor James Mason did this topiary at the Old Deaf School Park in Columbus, Ohio
in 1989. What does it take its inspiration from?
• Images follow.

A S U N D A Y A F T E R N O O N O N T H E
I S L A N D O F L A G R A N D E J A T T E

QUESTION 26
• X is an animated character created in 1969. It is a part of a show which revolves
around solving crime mysteries in a supposedly supernatural setting.
• Y is a legendary footballer achieving great success while playing for Manchester
United and also helping his country to their only silverware at the UEFA Euros.
• Y was given a moniker, Z, which sought to capture his imposing and inspiring
personality on the pitch. But, paradoxically, this moniker is also associated with X, a
relatively timid character.
• Give X, Y for 1 point, and Z, for the other 1.

X:SCOOBY DOO
Y: PETER
SCHMEICEL
Z: THE GREAT DANE

QUESTION 27
• Referred to by Lord Byron as the "Romeo and Juliet of the East", the love story
between Qais ibn Al Mulawah and X was common Arabic folklore, famously recorded
as a poem by Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi. While the love story itself is popular, it has
probably been immortalised by a 1971 work, which borrows the name. The work,
inspired by the poem's premise of a man whose unrequited love drives him crazy with
desire, was a real life parallel to the creator Y's unrequited love for Z, who he would
later go on to marry.
• Give me X, Y for 1 point and Z for the other 1 point.

X: LAYLA
Y: ERIC
CLAPTON
Z: PATTIE BOYD

QUESTION 28
• It became a fad in late eighteenth-century Europe, and women started wearing these
hats. A woven metal ribbon was placed around the hat, and a small chain made of
silver was attached to the ribbon. The chain was meant to run down the back of the
lady's dress and drag on the ground. The supposed protection that this type of hat
offered made it a popular Paris fashion trend.
• What was this kind of fashion called?
What was it inspired by?

T H I S I S L I G H T N I N G R O D
FA S H I O N ,
I N S P I R E D B Y
F R A N K L I N ' S
E X P E R I M E N T AT
A R O U N D T H E S A M E
T I M E .

QUESTION 29
• X, an extremely revered American sports manager stated in an interview as to how he
admired another sports personality from the world of English Football, Y:
• “Someone asked me which team I follow and the great thing about being from California is that
you can break all the rules for following teams and I just root for people, for executives and for
systems.
• "I saw what Stan Kroenke said and it is true I have always followed Y. Even when Damien was
at Tottenham, I used to say I was still a closet _______ fan because I liked Y’s style and I really
admire the way he brings young players through.
• "There is a desire to keep the team young and then keep it as competitive as it has been. Add
to that the fact that it is a pretty well run business. Clubs can go out of business if they are not
run properly so having someone who balances the business with player acquisition is a good
thing in the long run. That is why I admire Y.”
• Id Y, who shares the trait of financial shrewdness and the ability to get a result despite limited
finances with X. It is also notable that these managers pioneered management on the basis of
statistics and science and are credited for revolutionising their respective sports.
• Name the Hollywood movie which was a biography of X.

A R S E N E W E N G E R ;
M O N E Y B A L L

QUESTION 30
• Y is the title of the last book in the Mafia Triolgy by Mario Puzo, which was published posthumously in
2000.
• The meaning of Y is incomplete in isolation. One needs to acknowledge that Y was complemented by
X to form one single system which became the spinal cord of the Mafia world over.
• Y and X are part of a code of conduct for the Mafiosi, while the former lays down that the
Governmental authorities must not be made to involve in the affairs of the Mafia and prescribes
complete silence and non-cooperation with the Police and authorities in issues related to the
underworld, the latter is the term for the ideal way of settling the scores with someone without seeking
institutional help.
• Give X , which has descended into colloquial usage to mean any attempt at taking the law into one's
own hands to retaliate, for 1 point.
• Give Y for the other 1 point.

END OF THE
PRELIMS
… P L E A S E A W A I T T H E
A N N O U N C E M E N T O F R E S U L T S

Melas prelims with answers

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