3. PRELIMS
20 Questions.
A point for each question.
Questions 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20 are starred and will be used to break
ties.
There are no negatives, so please feel free to guess.
Will carry scores of the prelims into the finals with a factor of 2
Chop! Chop!
4. Question 1*
• The late Mr AG Krishnamurthy, Indian advertising legend and
the esteemed founder of MICA played a major hand in
building the Rasna brand into an industry leader.
• In his book ‘If you can dream’, he talks about how consumer
research led them to realise that original branding for the
product had people believe it looked like a glass of wine. This
could act as potential risk for acting as being misconstrued
as a liquor brand.
• A nifty adjustment by their finishing artist, Mohite, ensured
that the look was changed to that of a soft drink brand. What
was the effective change?
5. Question 2
• Farooq Ali Khan, a college professor and PhD student in Hyderabad
conducted a sting operation to expose publishers of predatory journals
who are churning out fake science for profit.
• He created a spoof manuscript titled "Newer Tools to Fight Inter-Galactic
Parasites and their Transmissibility in Zygirion Simulation", and submitted it
to several suspect journals from the list kept online by Jeffrey Beall -- an
associate professor and librarian at the University of Colorado who coined
the term "predatory journal" -- as a public service to his colleagues.
• His fictional co-workers include dad Beth Smith and co-workers at Sanchez
Institute for Biomedical Sciences for Doopidoo Research in Morocco have
published their discovery in three science journals and also reported a novel
method called Magnetic Oddities Radiation Therapy to treat the infection.
• What was the direct inspiration for the content?
6. Question 3
• For 32 years, Marilyn Hagerty has been covering the restaurant scene in and around
the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota. She also writes a total of five columns a week,
about history and local personalities and events, in addition to her writing about
restaurants and food.
• Her infamously guileless Olive Garden review went viral, caused first a tidal wave of
snarky derision—followed by an even stronger anti-snark backlash. The octogenarian
was mocked mercilessly courtesy trolls on the Internet but a sympathy media wave
led to her featuring in Top Chef, the Today show and the likes.
• It also made way for a book deal with publishing line Ecco ultimately resulted in
Grand Forks: A History of American Dining in 128 Reviews, a collection of her
reviews. All of this because believed her collective work was “a history of American
dining” and a “sincere, genuine reportage of food that people don't really see or talk
about.”
• Who, quite fittingly?
7. Question 4
• Jake Miller was part of Charlie Company of the 1st Battalion, a
unit which took part in the Second Battle of Fallujah in November
2004.
• Los Angeles Times photographer Luis Sinco took a photo of 20-
year-old Miller leaning against a wall, smoking a cigarette. In
explaining the photograph, Sinco said that "His expression caught
my eye. To me, it said: terrified, exhausted, and glad just to be
alive. I recognized that look because that's how I felt too.
• The photograph went viral and was dubbed a name that was quite
appropriate considering the setting.
• What was the viral caption for the photograph?
8.
9. Question 5*
• Various origins for this phrase alluding to long, arduous
interrogations are:
• The levels of murder in the criminal code
• A pun on the name of Thomas F. Byrnes, a 19th-century New
York City policeman to describe his hard-nosed questioning
style
• The equivalent of the Master Masons, for which one had to
undergo rigorous questioning
• What is the phrase in question?
10. Question 6
• “He, quite some time after I’d first met him, approached me and said
something along the lines of ‘Whether you like it or not, you have
become an symbol. If you leave, they can replace you with a blonde
haired white girl, and it will be like you were never there. What you’ve
accomplished, for all of us, will only be real if you stay.’ That got me
thinking about how it would look for fans of colour around the
country if they saw me leave. I saw that this was bigger than just me.”
• This conversation took place between two individuals who broke
barriers in the true sense in different fields, with their enterprise and
grit in common. The setting for this involved one of the speakers
looking to leave the role she was most well-known for to pursue a
career in Broadway.
• Who were the speakers in question?
11. Question 7
• Ikea has set itself a goal of using only renewable and recycled
materials by 2030.
• With a reputation built over decades for mass production, the
company is rebranding itself as a champion of the environment as
customers increasingly demand greener products. It plans to stop
using all single-use plastics in its products by 2020.
• In an effort to do their bit for the earth, Ikea is planning to get hold
of certain leftovers to design decorations and paper boxes.
• What will they be using to build their new products, also solving
India’s major pollution problems directly, hopefully breaking the
camel’s back along the way?
12. Question 8
• “The Megasus Med'n'Rehab is the world’s first protection
that can be put on and taken off. Our patented fastening sy-
stem makes it possible: with the special self-engaging Vel-
cro mushroom tapes, the Mega-Lock Tape is glued to the
hoof with a 1-component adhesive tape. The Mega-Lock
Side-Clips clip onto the Mega-Lock Tape with a resounding
‘’snap’’, like a snap-on button. On and off in seconds!”
• Megasus is an Austrian company looking to win hands
down in the true sense.
• What are these protectors for?
13. Question 9
• Congolese goalkeeper Robert Kidiaba performed the bum
shuffle throughout his 14-year-old career and it was a
phenomenon with youngsters on the streets of DRC.
• Speaking to Fifa.com, the former TP Mazembe goalkeeper
said he began this dance at school where he was a
sportsman doing wrestling, gymnastics, karate and judo.
• Have a good look at the video, and tell us what is the
dance popularly known as?
14.
15. Question 10*
• Their contents have provoked endless discussion and even a
book by author Phil Dampier. Manufactured exclusively by
Launer, they perform a role well beyond the obvious.
• Often packed with mints, a handkerchief and a fountain pen,
the item in question possesses a portable hook for it to hung
underneath tables.
• When the placed on the table it signifies that it is time to leave
while placed on the floor is an indication of availability and
interest to talk.
• What are we talking about, very specifically?
16. Question 11
• Len Deighton is considered one of the top three spy novelists of
his time (along with Ian Fleming and John le Carré). In addition he
is a highly acclaimed military historian, cookery writer, and graphic
artist. The IPCRESS File (1962), his first novel, was an instant
bestseller and broke the mould of thriller writing.
• Deighton’s first protagonist – a nameless spy christened Harry
Palmer in the films – was made famous worldwide in 1960s films
starring Michael Caine.
• However, Deighton’s most popular work zoomed into widespread
popularity in the form of the first British cover for a literary classic.
• What did Deighton design?
17. Question 12
• Christy Turlington possesses a face that is timeless,
beautiful, and — trickiest of all — versatile enough to
represent a male, female, or child of either sex.
• This fluidity allows for the look to fit a near impossible
look leading to her acting as the inspiration
• Take a good look at Christy and tell us what is her claim to
fame?
18.
19. Question 13
• In ancient Hawai‘i, men and women ate their meals
separately; also women and the rest of society were not
allowed to eat foods that were not common or foods that
were only served during special occasions.
• However, in 1819, King Kamehameha II removed all the
religious laws that were practiced. King Kamehameha II
performed a symbolic act by eating with the women, thus
ending the Hawaiian religious taboos.
• What is the modern day equivalent of this symbolic act?
20. Question 14
• On the 19th of June, 2002, Perugia owner Luciano Gaucci
cancelled South Korean Footballer Ahn Jung-hwan’s
contract with South Korean national manager Guus
Hiddink criticising the decision.
• Gaucci later took back what he had said, and attempted
to take up the £1.2 million option to sign Ahn on a
permanent basis. Ahn rejected the offer of a three-year
contract and refused to turn up for pre-season training
despite Perugia claiming ownership of his registration
• What had caused this seemingly unnecessary backlash?
21. Question 15*
• As a descendant of the owners of the New York Giants
and Pittsburgh Steelers, she joked, "If I'm mad at my mom
I root for the Giants, and if I'm pissed at my dad I root for
the Steelers."
• Having sung at both teams' games, and after missing the
Steelers' 2006 victory at Super Bowl XL due to work, her
contracts now state that she can attend if either team
goes to the Super Bowl.
• Who is this we are talking about, someone whose lineage
played a major role in being cast in ‘We Are Marshall’?
22. Question 16
• With the brutal potential of World War II for chemical warfare on
American soil, an intriguing approach was taken to get children to wear
their terrifying gas masks.
• As Major Robert D. Walk of the US Army Reserve Command explained
in an essay on the mask: “The mask was designed so children would
carry it and wear it as part of a game. This would reduce the fear
associated with wearing a gas mask and hopefully, improve their wear
time and, hence, survivability.”
• About 1,000 of them were made by the Sun Rubber Company, each
with glass eyes staring out from the face connected to an air filter.
• Who was contacted regarding the design of the masks/ What was the
mask designed to look like?
23. Question 17
• The ending to the absolute thriller Andhadhun has a
whimsical Radhika Apte casually walking into the cafe on
hearing Ayushman Khurana playing the piano.
• This is supposed to be a tip to another movie that released
during the time Sriram Raghavan, the director of
Andhadhun, was writing the script and absolutely loved it.
The scene in the inspiration features one of the
protagonists and her partner walk into a bar on listening to
a piano.
• What was the inspiration?
24. Question 18
• Carrie Fisher's 2009 autobiography Wishful Drinking was
based on her one-woman stage show, which she
developed with writer/director Joshua Ravetch.
• Carrie Fisher revealed in her memoir that she once had a
romantic relationship with U.S. Senator Chris Dodd. When
Dodd was asked for a comment by a reporter he explained
the age old encounter with an appropriate phrase.
• What phrase?
25. Question 19
• According to the production designer Simon Whiteley, who
now works for Animal Logic, an animation and visual-
effects studio based in Sydney, revealed he was inspired
by none other than his wife’s Japanese cookbooks.
• Apparently, the designer, originally from England and who
has most recently worked on The Lego Ninjago Movie,
scanned the characters from his wife’s many Japanese
cookbooks and digitally manipulated them into create an
endless stream.
• What was this the literal recipe of success for?
26. Question 20*
• Historically, the has been inhabited since the 11th century,
when it was known as Ashaval. The Chaulukya ruler of
Anhilwara (modern Patan) waged a successful war
against the Bhil king of Ashaval and established a city
called on the banks of the Sabarmati River.
• Later, in 1411 A.D, the foundation of a new walled city was
laid next to original city and named after the four saints in
the area.
• What are the two cities in question?
28. Question 1*
• The late Mr AG Krishnamurthy, Indian advertising legend and
the esteemed founder of MICA played a major hand in
building the Rasna brand into an industry leader.
• In his book ‘If you can dream’, he talks about how consumer
research led them to realise that original branding for the
product had people believe it looked like a glass of wine. This
could act as potential risk for acting as being misconstrued
as a liquor brand.
• A nifty adjustment by their finishing artist, Mohite, ensured
that the look was changed to that of a soft drink brand. What
was the effective change?
30. Question 2
• Farooq Ali Khan, a college professor and PhD student in Hyderabad
conducted a sting operation to expose publishers of predatory journals
who are churning out fake science for profit.
• He created a spoof manuscript titled "Newer Tools to Fight Inter-Galactic
Parasites and their Transmissibility in Zygirion Simulation", and submitted it
to several suspect journals from the list kept online by Jeffrey Beall -- an
associate professor and librarian at the University of Colorado who coined
the term "predatory journal" -- as a public service to his colleagues.
• His fictional co-workers include dad Beth Smith and co-workers at Sanchez
Institute for Biomedical Sciences for Doopidoo Research in Morocco have
published their discovery in three science journals and also reported a novel
method called Magnetic Oddities Radiation Therapy to treat the infection.
• What was the direct inspiration for the content?
32. Question 3
• For 32 years, Marilyn Hagerty has been covering the restaurant scene in and around
the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota. She also writes a total of five columns a week,
about history and local personalities and events, in addition to her writing about
restaurants and food.
• Her infamously guileless Olive Garden review went viral, caused first a tidal wave of
snarky derision—followed by an even stronger anti-snark backlash. The octogenarian
was mocked mercilessly courtesy trolls on the Internet but a sympathy media wave
led to her featuring in Top Chef, the Today show and the likes.
• It also made way for a book deal with publishing line Ecco ultimately resulted in
Grand Forks: A History of American Dining in 128 Reviews, a collection of her
reviews. All of this because believed her collective work was “a history of American
dining” and a “sincere, genuine reportage of food that people don't really see or talk
about.”
• Who, quite fittingly?
34. Question 4
• Jake Miller was part of Charlie Company of the 1st Battalion, a
unit which took part in the Second Battle of Fallujah in November
2004.
• Los Angeles Times photographer Luis Sinco took a photo of 20-
year-old Miller leaning against a wall, smoking a cigarette. In
explaining the photograph, Sinco said that "His expression caught
my eye. To me, it said: terrified, exhausted, and glad just to be
alive. I recognized that look because that's how I felt too.
• The photograph went viral and was dubbed a name that was quite
appropriate considering the setting.
• What was the viral caption for the photograph?
37. Question 5*
• Various origins for this phrase alluding to long, arduous
interrogations are:
• The levels of murder in the criminal code
• A pun on the name of Thomas F. Byrnes, a 19th-century New
York City policeman to describe his hard-nosed questioning
style
• The equivalent of the Master Masons, for which one had to
undergo rigorous questioning
• What is the phrase in question?
39. Question 6
• “He, quite some time after I’d first met him, approached me and said
something along the lines of ‘Whether you like it or not, you have
become an symbol. If you leave, they can replace you with a blonde
haired white girl, and it will be like you were never there. What you’ve
accomplished, for all of us, will only be real if you stay.’ That got me
thinking about how it would look for fans of colour around the
country if they saw me leave. I saw that this was bigger than just me.”
• This conversation took place between two individuals who broke
barriers in the true sense in different fields, with their enterprise and
grit in common. The setting for this involved one of the speakers
looking to leave the role she was most well-known for to pursue a
career in Broadway.
• Who were the speakers in question?
41. Question 7
• Ikea has set itself a goal of using only renewable and recycled
materials by 2030.
• With a reputation built over decades for mass production, the
company is rebranding itself as a champion of the environment as
customers increasingly demand greener products. It plans to stop
using all single-use plastics in its products by 2020.
• In an effort to do their bit for the earth, Ikea is planning to get hold
of certain leftovers to design decorations and paper boxes.
• What will they be using to build their new products, also solving
India’s major pollution problems directly, hopefully breaking the
camel’s back along the way?
43. Question 8
• The Megasus Med'n'Rehab is the world’s first protection that
is only fastened and can be put on and taken off. Our paten-
ted fastening system makes it possible: with the special
self-engaging Velcro mushroom tapes, the Mega-Lock Tape
is glued to with a 1-component adhesive tape. The Mega-
Lock Side-Clips clip onto the Mega-Lock Tape with a resoun-
ding ‘’snap’’, like a snap-on button. On and off in seconds!”
• Megasus is an Austrian company looking to win hands
down in the true sense.
• What are these protectors for?
45. Question 9
• Congolese goalkeeper Robert Kidiaba performed the bum
shuffle throughout his 14-year-old career and it was a
phenomenon with youngsters on the streets of DRC.
• Speaking to Fifa.com, the former TP Mazembe goalkeeper
said he began this dance at school where he was a
sportsman doing wrestling, gymnastics, karate and judo.
• Have a good look at the video, and tell us what is the
dance popularly known as?
48. Question 10*
• Their contents have provoked endless discussion and even a
book by author Phil Dampier. Manufactured exclusively by
Launer, they perform a role well beyond the obvious.
• Often packed with mints, a handkerchief and a fountain pen,
the item in question possesses a portable hook for it to hung
underneath tables.
• When the placed on the table it signifies that it is time to leave
while placed on the floor is an indication of availability and
interest to talk.
• What are we talking about, very specifically?
50. Question 11
• Len Deighton is considered one of the top three spy novelists of
his time (along with Ian Fleming and John le Carré). In addition he
is a highly acclaimed military historian, cookery writer, and graphic
artist. The IPCRESS File (1962), his first novel, was an instant
bestseller and broke the mould of thriller writing.
• Deighton’s first protagonist – a nameless spy christened Harry
Palmer in the films – was made famous worldwide in 1960s films
starring Michael Caine.
• However, Deighton’s most popular work zoomed into widespread
popularity in the form of the first British cover for a literary classic.
• What did Deighton design?
52. Question 12
• Christy Turlington possesses a face that is timeless,
beautiful, and — trickiest of all — versatile enough to
represent a male, female, or child of either sex.
• This fluidity allows for the look to fit a near impossible
look leading to her acting as the inspiration
• Take a good look at Christy and tell us what is her claim to
fame?
55. Question 13
• In ancient Hawai‘i, men and women ate their meals
separately; also women and the rest of society were not
allowed to eat foods that were not common or foods that
were only served during special occasions.
• However, in 1819, King Kamehameha II removed all the
religious laws that were practiced. King Kamehameha II
performed a symbolic act by eating with the women, thus
ending the Hawaiian religious taboos.
• What is the modern day equivalent of this symbolic act?
57. Question 14
• On the 19th of June, 2002, Perugia owner Luciano Gaucci
cancelled South Korean Footballer Ahn Jung-hwan’s
contract, with South Korean national manager Guus
Hiddink criticising the decision.
• Gaucci later took back what he had said, and attempted
to take up the £1.2 million option to sign Ahn on a
permanent basis. Ahn rejected the offer of a three-year
contract and refused to turn up for pre-season training
despite Perugia claiming ownership of his registration.
• What had caused this seemingly unnecessary backlash?
58. Answer
• Scored a goal against Italy to knock them out of the 2002
WC
59. Question 15*
• As a descendant of the owners of the New York Giants
and Pittsburgh Steelers, she joked, "If I'm mad at my mom
I root for the Giants, and if I'm pissed at my dad I root for
the Steelers."
• Having sung at both teams' games, and after missing the
Steelers' 2006 victory at Super Bowl XL due to work, her
contracts now state that she can attend if either team
goes to the Super Bowl.
• Who is this we are talking about, someone whose lineage
played a major role in being cast in ‘We Are Marshall’?
61. Question 16
• With the brutal potential of World War II for chemical warfare on
American soil, an intriguing approach was taken to get children to wear
their terrifying gas masks.
• As Major Robert D. Walk of the US Army Reserve Command explained
in an essay on the mask: “The mask was designed so children would
carry it and wear it as part of a game. This would reduce the fear
associated with wearing a gas mask and hopefully, improve their wear
time and, hence, survivability.”
• About 1,000 of them were made by the Sun Rubber Company, each
with glass eyes staring out from the face connected to an air filter.
• Who was contacted regarding the design of the masks/ What was the
mask designed to look like?
63. Question 17
• The ending to the absolute thriller Andhadhun has a
whimsical Radhika Apte casually walking into the cafe on
hearing Ayushman Khurana playing the piano.
• This is supposed to be a tip to another movie that released
during the time Sriram Raghavan, the director of
Andhadhun, was writing the script and absolutely loved it.
The scene in the inspiration features one of the
protagonists and her partner walk into a bar on listening to
a piano.
• What was the inspiration?
65. Question 18
• Carrie Fisher's 2009 autobiography Wishful Drinking was
based on her one-woman stage show, which she
developed with writer/director Joshua Ravetch.
• Carrie Fisher revealed in her memoir that she once had a
romantic relationship with U.S. Senator Chris Dodd. When
Dodd was asked for a comment by a reporter he explained
the age old encounter with an appropriate phrase.
• What phrase?
67. Question 19
• According to the production designer Simon Whiteley, who
now works for Animal Logic, an animation and visual-
effects studio based in Sydney, revealed he was inspired
by none other than his wife’s Japanese cookbooks.
• Apparently, the designer, originally from England and who
has most recently worked on The Lego Ninjago Movie,
scanned the characters from his wife’s many Japanese
cookbooks and digitally manipulated them into create an
endless stream.
• What was this the literal recipe of success for?
69. Question 20*
• Historically, the has been inhabited since the 11th century,
when it was known as Ashaval. The Chaulukya ruler of
Anhilwara (modern Patan) waged a successful war
against the Bhil king of Ashaval and established a city
called on the banks of the Sabarmati River.
• Later, in 1411 A.D, the foundation of a new walled city was
laid next to original city and named after the four saints in
the area.
• What are the two cities in question?
72. Question 1
• It can take months or even years, depending on the launch
resupply schedule, to get equipment to space, and for
exploration missions, resupply from Earth may be
impossible.
• NASA wanted to send a racket wrench to the ISS without
going through the trouble of generating and reviewing
plans with particular specifications.
• How did the astronauts at the ISS get hold of the wrench
in a seamless fashion?
75. Question 2
• The Black Death persecutions and massacres were a
series of violent attacks on Jewish communities blamed
for an outbreak of the Black Death in Europe from 1348 to
1351.
• Why were Jews immune to the plague and thus
retrospectively punished unfairly for something that wasn’t
their fault?
76.
77. Answer
• There are many Jewish laws that promote cleanliness: a
Jew must wash his or her hands before eating bread and
after using the bathroom, it was customary for Jews to
bathe once a week before the Sabbath
• And most importantly, the fact that a corpse must be
washed before burial.
78. Question 3
• Prior to the first nuclear bomb detonation in July of 1945,
isotopes such as strontium-90 and caesium-137 simply did
not exist in nature. They were created by the
massive neutron bombardments that occur during a
thermonuclear explosion.
• 550 nuclear bombs were detonated from 1945 to 1963, when
most nations agreed not to test nuclear weapons any longer.
The isotopes created during this period bind with the types of
crops that are used to produce oil.
• What conundrum does this situation allow for to be solved
easily?
79.
80. Answer
• Oil paintings created after 1945 will contain trace amounts
of these new isotopes.
• If someone is trying to pass a work that is dated prior to
1945, but it contains these isotopes, it is almost certainly a
fake.
81. Question 4
• In the late ’80s, a pair of college roommates from the University of Georgia often
went diving off of the Florida Keys on breaks. Over the years of diving, they saw
significant deterioration and degradation of coral reefs.
• Once the friends were out of school, they began to talk about what contributions
they could make that would help protect and restore these fragile ecosystems.
• They came up with an idea now known as Eternal Reefs, creating reef protection
which are made of a specially formulated concrete designed to encourage the
growth of new reefs with minimal effect on the existing environment.
• The reefs however are used to store something that is steadily becoming a
trend with a lot of people opting for an au naturale finish.
• What is being stored?
82.
83. Answer
• The reefs act as natural cemeteries, following on the green
burials trend
84. Question 5
• Henry Hargreaves, a 33-year-old photographer who hails from
New Zealand and now lives in Brooklyn, New York released a
series of 10 photographs featuring recreated meals.
• Hargreaves began the project after reading about an elaborate
supper in Texas – barbecue, chicken-fried steaks, fried okra, three
fajitas, a bacon cheeseburger and a pizza, followed by ice cream
and peanut butter fudge and emboldened by the fact that there is
no access and imagery to/of the real deal.
• Titled No Seconds appropriately, what does the project feature? A
similar project by Julia Haynes was called Today’s Special.
• Why was this elaborate supper the last of its kind in Texas?
85.
86. Answer
• The last meals ordered by prisoners condemned to death
• Customisation of the meals is no longer allowed in the
state of Texas
87. Question 6
• Rex David "Dave" Thomas was an American businessman and
philanthropist who was the founder and chief executive officer of Wendy's.
• His natural self deprecating style and his relaxed manner ensured that he
became a household name as he was made the face of the brand much
like Colonel Sanders. This popularity resulted in a record that he holds to
this date.
• What record?
• Also, post retirement Dave Thomas joined the Coconut Creek High School
in Florida and earned a GED in 1993.
• What was the unique reasoning behind this effort to earn the degree,
something buoyed by the burgeon of his immense success?
88.
89. Answer
• Known for appearing in 800 commercials between ’89-’02,
the most by any founder
• He believed his success as a high school dropout will
convince more kids to do the same
90. Question 7
• Originally planned to help host the Beijing Olympics in
2008, the Guangdong Olympic Centre Stadium or Aoti Main
Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Guangzhou, China.
Built at the former site of the Hangcun airport, it was
opened to the public for the 9th National Games in 2001.
• What major global sporting event was the stadium
eventually used for?
• Have a good look at the image and tell us what is the
shape of the stadium supposed to represent as per
designer Jon Neimuth?
91.
92.
93. Answer
• Asian and Para Asian Games in 2010
• An image of a runner breaking the tape
94. Question 8
• In the summer of 1884, he complained of a sore throat but put off seeing a
doctor until late October, when he learned it was cancer, possibly caused
by his frequent cigar smoking. He chose not to reveal the seriousness of
his condition to his wife, who soon found out from his doctor.
• He was nearly broke and worried constantly about leaving his wife a
suitable amount of money to live on. Century magazine offered a book
contract with a 10 percent royalty, but his friend understanding how bad
his financial condition was, made him an offer for his memoirs which paid
an unheard-of 75 percent royalty.
• Whose miseries have been chronicled as thus?
• Who is the Sudama-esque friend, who went on to state that the memoirs
were a literary masterpiece?
97. Question 9
• As part of the British Merchandise Marks Act, which took effect
on August 23, 1887, the act aimed to ensure that all foreign
products - which could potentially threaten the success of
British merchandise - were branded with a label. It was an
attempt to prompt British buyers to "buy British." Each trading
nation that wanted to do business in Great Britain had to label
its products with their country of origin.
• This was particularly aimed at Germany because people
suspected that Germans were copying British products.
However the plan backfired miserably as consumers opted for
German goods.
• Why so?
98.
99. Answer
• People started to trust the Made in Germany brand as it
sounded reliable courtesy their industrial prowess
100.
101. Question 10
• In Cleveland, fans considered Lebron James' 2010 departure a betrayal that
ranks second to The Move, Art Modell's relocation of the Cleveland Browns
to Baltimore.
• Cleveland Cavaliers majority owner Dan Gilbert almost immediately wrote
an open letter to fans on the Cavs website, denouncing James' decision as
a "selfish", "heartless", "callous", and "cowardly betrayal", while guaranteeing
that the Cavs would win an NBA title before the "self-declared former King”.
• What typeface did he use, to drive home the point in terms of mocking LBJ?
• Gilbert's sports-memorabilia company Fathead also lowered the price of
wall graphics depicting James from $99.99 to $17.41.
• What is the significance of the price?
104. Question 11
• According to Plutarch, the 300 hand-picked soldiers were
chosen by Gorgidas purely for ability and merit, regardless of
social class.
• It was composed of 150 couples, each pair consisting of an
older erastes and a younger eromenos. The army was
stationed in Cadmea as a standing force, likely as defense
against future attempts by foreign forces to take the citadel. It
was occasionally referred to as the "City Band”, due to their
military training, which included wrestling and dance, and
housing being provided at the expense of the Boeotian polis.
• Who are we talking about and what was the logic behind the
creation of this force?
105.
106. Answer
• The Sacred Band of Thebes was a troop of select soldiers,
consisting of 150 pairs of male lovers which formed the
elite force of the Theban army in the 4th century BC.
• The logic was that if paired together they would fight
fiercely devoted to each other by mutual obligations of
love
107. Question 12
• Audio Visual Assisted Therapy Aid for Refractory auditory
hallucinations, began garnering attention when it was pilot
tested as a treatment for patients with auditory
hallucinations between 2009 and 2011 by the UK’s
National Institute for Health Research.
• Auditory hallucinations is a major component of an
affliction and occurs for over 65% of those affected.
• Which disease?
• How does the therapy look to help them out?
108.
109. Answer
• Schizophrenia
• Patients are allowed to create an AVATAR or visual
representation of the source of their perceived auditory
hallucinations, known as the “persecutor,” whose speech
closely matched the pitch and tone of the persecutory
voice in their heads
110. Question 13
• A large Baroque sculpted bronze canopy acts as a shroud
over the high altar of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City.
• The canopy is at the centre of the crossing and directly under
the dome of the basilica and was intended to mark, in a
monumental way, the place of Saint Peter's tomb underneath.
• Deriving itself from the word Baghdad, what is this
architectural feature known as, with St Peter’s being the most
famous of its kind?
• Who designed the canopy?
113. Question 14
• According to McGuire and McGuire's (1991) "rationalisation postulate,"
people should adjust their judgments of the desirability of a future event
with its perceived likelihood.
• In a political survey administered to 288 Democrats, Republicans, and
nonpartisans immediately prior to the Bush-Gore presidential election,
they manipulated the perceived likelihood that one or the other candidate
would win and measured the subjective desirability of each outcome.
• Providing evidence for the types of rationalisations, they found that
Democrats and Republicans rated preferred and non-preferred candidates
to be more desirable as their perceived chances of winning increased (and
less desirable as their perceived chances of winning decreased).
• What is this GSB research paper titled, something that would remind you of
someone’s foxy desire?
116. Question 15
• Bob Kaufman, an American poet and surrealist inspired by jazz music and
in France, where his poetry had a large following, was known as the "black
American Rimbaud.”
• Kaufman coined a term to describe a media stereotype prevalent
throughout the 1950s to mid-1960s that displayed the more superficial
aspects of a famous literary movement which included pseudo-
intellectualism, drug use, and a cartoonish depiction of real-life people.
• What term?
• Also, for someone who was popular for his oral poetry, Kaufman
committed to a 10 year vow of silence that ended only after the end of the
Vietnam war in ’73.
• What triggered the vow?
119. Question 16
• The first rendition actually came about because of technical issues as
Geneva needed energy to power the machines that were driving its
industry and trades, so it built a hydraulic plant at le Coulouvreniere.
• The problem was that at night when the craftsmen stopped work,
excess pressure build-up in the system meant the Coulouvreniere
engineers had to hurry to stop the pumps one by one. A safety valve
was soon added to control the pressure which ultimately resulted in
the featurette as we know it today.
• What am I talking about, a landmark attraction in the city rivalling
similar ventures in Jeddah and Sharjah?
• Where would you have seen it in a stylized form circa 2008 in a totally
different context?
120.
121. Answer
• The Jet d’Eau
• The 2008 Euro Logo held in Switzerland and Austria
122. Question 17
• It has been proposed that the design was inspired by the death in
1792 of a son of General Sir Hector Munro, who had commanded
a division during Sir Eyre Coote's victory at the Battle of Porto
Novo (Parangipettai) in 1781.
• A set of bellows expels air through a pipe which produces a
wailing sound, simulating the cries of distress of the victim. A
mechanical link alters the pitch of the 'wail pipe'.
• Another mechanism inside the device expels air through a single
pipe with two tones. This produces a "regular grunting sound"
simulating a particular noise related to the perpetrator.
• What am I talking about?
125. Question 18
• Rats, also known as Rats NYC, is a 2016 American
documentary horror film directed by Morgan Spurlock.
• Based on a book by Robert Sullivan and distributed by the
Discovery Channel, the film chronicles rat infestations in
major cities throughout the world.
• Spurlock also travels to India to a very specific site as a
part of the journey.
• Where?
154. Question 19
• In a 2014 episode which featured them calling the heavy metal
band Judas Priest 'death metal’, the writers of the Simpsons were
subjected to a wave of anger from the genre's fans.
• The storyline revolved around Homer illegally downloading music
leading to an FBI investigation and a Judas Priest piracy-themed
rework of their track Breaking the Law, with the words changed to
"Respecting the law: copyright law!”
• The band didn’t really mind much but the writers of the show
chalked out a plan to apologise them in a fashion typical of them.
• How did they do it?
155.
156. Answer
• Had Bart Simpson write “Judas Priest is not Death Metal”
in the opening sequence
157. Question 20
• In 1961, as an 18-year-old he enlisted in the United States Air Force and was
put into service as a medical records technician. He eventually rose to the rank
of master sergeant and served as the first sergeant of the U.S. Air Force Clinic
at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, where he first saw the snow and
mountains that later became recurring themes in his artwork. He developed his
quick-painting technique to create art for sale during brief daily work breaks.
• Working as a part-time bartender when he discovered a TV show called The
Magic of Oil Painting, which touted a 16th-century style of painting called "alla
prima" that allowed him to finish a painting in a little under 30 minutes. He
became quite good at alla prima through the show, and began selling Alaskan
landscapes painted on the inside of novelty gold pans and eventually left the
armed forces.
• Who are we talking about, someone who’s propagated a lot of joy via his work?
• What does alla prima mean quite literally?
160. Question 21
• In 1892, this famous operatic soprano was performing in Wagner's opera
Lohengrin at Covent Garden. The Duke of Orléans gave a dinner party to
celebrate her triumph.
• For the occasion, Auguste Escoffier created a new dessert, and to display it, he
used an ice sculpture of a swan, which is featured in the opera. The swan carried
peaches which rested on a bed of vanilla ice cream and which were topped with
spun sugar.
• In 1900, Escoffier created a new version of the dessert. For the occasion of the
opening of the Carlton Hotel, where he was head chef, Escoffier omitted the ice
swan and topped the peaches with raspberry purée.
• Which soprano was the dish named after?
• An elaborate deconstruction was served as the last dish at of which imaginative
resto as a tribute to Escoffier, prior to its closure in 2012?
164. Question 22
• As a devout Catholic, the individual in question was
nominated by the Cardinal of Florence, Archbishop Elia Dalla
Costa, to join a secret network offering protection and safe
passage to Jews and other endangered people in Europe.
• His role in the network was uniquely suited to his talents - he
became a courier. On the face of it he was undertaking the
long training rides for which he was renowned, but in reality
he was carrying photographs and counterfeit identity
documents to and from a secret printing press.
• Who are we talking about, somebody famously known for his
literal thumb down of Benito Mussolini?
167. Question 23
• The story may seem slightly apocryphal but his mother had
severe depression all through his childhood. The treatment
for depression at the time was “lock them in their room and
try not to give them sharp things” but one night when he was
13, she climbed out the window and threw herself into the
Sambre river.
• Anecdotal stories from witnesses, including the family nurse,
say that he was there when her body was dragged from the
river, her white nightgown twisted and wrapped up around her
head and face.
• What is this a possible explanation for?
170. Question 24
• In 2014, the British Medical Journal examined over 400 medical or health
recommendations and found that only 46% of the claims were supported by
reputable research, while 15% of the claims contradicted medical research and
the remainder of the advice were either vague banalities or unsupported by
research.
• However, despite these seemingly increasing irregularities, Mehmet Cengiz is a
fan favourite amongst his viewers.
• How do we better know him?
• The James Randi Educational Foundation has awarded Cengiz with an effort
intended "to expose parapsychological, paranormal or psychic frauds that Randi
has noted over the previous year." The award refers to claiming something so
doubtful that it will only happen “_____ ___ ___”.
• What is the award called/what are the blanks?
174. Question 25
• Designed by architect Norman Foster and built to symbolise
the reunification of Germany, the distinctive appearance of the
Reichstag dome has become a prominent landmark in Berlin.
• A large glass dome with a 360 degree view of the surrounding
Berlin cityscape with the debating chamber of the Bundestag,
the German parliament, visible below. A mirrored cone in the
centre of the dome directs sunlight into the building which
allows for a symbolism apt considering the role of the
government.
• What does is the significance of the direction of sunlight in the
physical sense and the metaphorical sense?
175.
176.
177. Answer
• Physically, the light reflects across the floor making the
dome seem transparent, both literally and figuratively,
showcasing that government was transparent in its
dealings
178. Question 26
• Once some Gandharvas came to Sage Vashishta's ashram with The
wife of one of them possessing extreme desire to acquire Vashishta's
divine cow. Her husband kidnapped the cow and other Gandharvas
helped to cover up the crime.
• When Vashishta got to know about it, he cursed all the Gandharvas
pledging that they'll be born as humans. The angels returned the cow
and pleaded only for Vashishta to modify the curse as "those who
just helped in the crime will be freed from the human life just after
they are born but the perpetrator (husband) will live a longer life and
that too without a spouse. However he will be remembered as a man
of high moral values."
• What was the name of the cow and the name of husband's human
form? How were the other angels freed from their human form?
181. Question 27
• Every day, ten pack mules carrying mail make the two-and-a-half hour trip
to the post office built to serve the people on the Havasupai reservation.
• The Supai post office was established in 1896, and its existence speaks to
the lengths that the postal service has gone to since its founding to
connect people to each other.
• One of the early postmasters for the Crown, this individual traveled to every
colony to make improvements in the system. As he did so, he began to see
the colonies differently. In 1754, at a meeting of colonial representatives in
Albany, New York, he proposed a plan for uniting the colonies and electing
their own representatives.
• Where is the Supai post office located, truly one of its kind?
• Who is the individual in question?
185. Question 28
• "They called us because they had some kitties that needed to be fixed,"
said Karn Myers, the co-founder of no-kill animal rescue organizations
Best Friends Catnippers and FixNation.
• In 2001, Catnippers were let onto the premises to help run what's known
as a trap-neuter-return (TNR) program, meaning the cats would be
sterilized and monitored but not euthanized or evicted from the premises
• In 2007, the partnership ended, and today the cats are taken care of by
the park's workers with help from local veterinary clinics. There are
feeding stations and shelters where the cats receive routine veterinary
care, including flea treatments, spaying and neutering, and vaccinations.
• Which entity, quite ironically, are using these feral cats for organic pest
extermination?
188. Question 29
• A port-wine stain or nevus flammeus is caused by a vascular
anomaly (a capillary malformation in the skin) and is almost
always a birthmark.
• A famous individual was subject to a lot of caricature courtesy the
anomaly. Though some suggested that he might have the mark
surgically removed, he opted not to, as once he was publicly
known to have the mark.
• This reluctance stemmed from the fact that he did not want
people to believe he paid too much attention to his appearance in
light of other pressing issues.
• Who are we talking about?
191. Question 30
• In 1994 , an unlikely organisation applied to sponsor a
portion of United States Interstate 55 in St. Louis County
and Jefferson County, Missouri, near St. Louis, for cleanup
(which allowed them to have signs stating that this section
of highway was maintained by the organization).
• The authorities were aghast but the state could not refuse
the sponsorship, thus the Missouri legislature voted to name
the highway section after someone who was in the eye of
the storm with regards to a certain incident related to public
transport in 1955.
• Which organisation? Who was it ultimately named after?
194. Question 31
• In what is considered one of the most famous showdowns
ever, a courageous Queen sacrifice meant that Bent Larsen
beat Tiger Petrosian in 30 movies at the 2nd Piatigorsky Cup
held in Santa Monica, California in 1966.
• Close to 45 years later, the proceedings from this match were
recreated (albeit with some slight modifications) with the
victor winning via a discovered checkmate, but the win seems
slightly inconsequential in the light of the events that follow
the match.
• How and where was this match recreated, apt considering
what the original match is labelled as?
195.
196. Answer
• Referred to as the Game of Shadows famously, the match
was recreated in the Sherlock movie of the same name in
2011. The match played by RDJ and Moriarty before they
plummet to their deaths (apparently).
197. Question 32
• This is the album art for Absolution by the British band
Muse. What is said to be the inspiration for the same?
• Also, how does this connect to Pink Floyd album art in
general?
201. Question 33
• In France, a certain operator was already being used to make
Roman Numerals more readable, so they switched to
something that 24% of the world uses today. The influence of
French mathematicians at that point of time ensured it's
spread across Europe.
• But this usage would be unusual for most people in this part
of the world, as is understandable.
• Luxembourg is the only country to use both operators
officially.
• What are these two operators and what am I talking about?
202.
203. ANSWER
• The reasoning behind why a certain set of countries use
commas to represent the decimal while others use a dot.
204. Question 34
• Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm came up with the simple
yet effective concept that all backgrounds be painted by
using light colors on black paper, going against the
industry standard.
• This turned out great when combined with the look of
what they were working on and a term came about to
explain the same, extrapolating on an existing artform.
What term?
• Also, what was this extremely famous creation?
205.
206. ANSWER
• The act of using a dark color scheme along with the art
deco, gave rise to dark deco.
• Radomski and Timm created the design for Batman: The
Animated Series.
207. Question 35
• In 2014, SD Eibar were Liga Adalente champions and
made their way to the La Liga for the first time in their
history.
• Celebrations following the last game of the season usually
involves confetti, and for a change, Eibar's management
didn't buy their share of confetti from the market, but from
an unusual source.
• Who sold the confetti to Eibar?
208.
209.
210. Answer
• FC Barcelona, who lost to Atletico Madrid on the final day
of the 2013-14 season
211. Question 36
• You may have heard of the Red Army faction, which was a
left-wing militant group active in West Germany from
1970- 1998.
• There's a good chance that you'll come across the
aforementioned in the next 48 hours and put it down to be
a coincidence, but it ain't one. (The chances of
encountering a Panda elsewhere maybe insanely low, but
this phenomenon does attest to it)
• How do we better know this Red Army Faction?
212.
213. Answer
• Baader Meinhof Effect: thee illusion in which a word, a
name, or other thing that has recently come to one's
attention suddenly seems to appear with improbable
frequency shortly afterwards