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Kwizmaster...New blog in the town..!

2011-10-01T14:56:00.000+05:30

This blog has permanently shifted to a newer domain . Hope you guys enjoy being a part of it.

http://kwizmaster.blogspot.com/

Happy Quizzing

Cheers...:)

QOTD 15/08/2011

2011-08-15T13:15:00.001+05:30

X has four sons (2 biological, 1 stepson and 1 adopted) and 1 daughter. Had an unfaithful husband. Killed her srcond biological son but was sentenced to only three years imprisonment. Diagnosed with lung cancer but the reports turned out to be false. Consented to mother-in-law's pleas for euthanasia but was accused of murdering her. A court case declared her innocent. Later adopted an abandoned baby girl. Who?

Sports Quiz 2.0

2011-08-01T22:26:00.003+05:30

1) Ameer Bee passed away in 1995. She was an Indian national badminton champion in the 1940's. After Independence she left the country. She is credited with being the first lady of cricket in a particular country. Which country and why?

2) Paolo Rossi top scored in the 1982 football World Cup and led Italy to their famous triumph. Now before the World Cup he was nearly not picked for the team and it was only in the very last minute that he was drafted in. Why was he almost left out?

3) Vijay Madgavkar was the first Indian sportsman to do what?

4) What is the Spanish word for 'of the royal crown'?

5) In the ancient Olympic Games the victor was given 2 prizes. One was a crown of olive leaves. What was the other?

6) Who is the only Indian to have played in the German Bundesliga?

7) What is the claim to fame of Australian batsman Jim Burke?

8) Malcolm Spence of South Africa won an Olympic Bronze medal by one of the smallest margins of 0.1 seconds. Why is it so famous?

9) Abebe Bikila was the first black African to win a track and field gold medal when he won the marathon in 1960 in Rome. He won it barefoot. However he claimed that running was just his hobby. What was his more important profession?

10) England-West Indies test series in 1928-29. Walter Robbins, the English batsman was stumped and on his way to the pavilion said "Fancy getting out to a ______". Fill up?

Answers:

1. She went to Pakistan. She had 5 sons. 4 of them went on to play for Pakistan. She was the mother of the Mohammads (Hanif,Sadiq, Mushtaq, Wazir and Raees)

2. He was accused of Fixing matches in the Italian League.

3. He was the first Indian to reach the finals of the All-England Badminton championship in 1947. Padukone and Gopichand then followed.

4. Real; As in Real Madrid.

5. His statue was put atop Mt. Olympus.

6. Vishwanathan Anand (Apart from being their national football league it is also their national chess league)

7. He was the only player not to have got out to Jim Laker when Laker took 19 wickets in Old Trafford.

8. He finished ahead of Milkha Singh who came fourth.

9. He was the personal body-guard of Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie

10. The bowler he got out to was Elis Achong. He said, "Fancy getting out to a Chinaman".

Sports Quiz 1.0

2011-07-31T20:30:00.000+05:30

1.Often referred to by locals as "The G" it was famously dubbed "The G Spot" by Madonna when she performed at the venue during her "Girlie Show Tour" in 1993.On the 30th of January 2009, it was named as one of the 7 wonders of the sporting world.

2.Dietmar Hopp is an entrepreneur. He was one of the founders of SAP AG in 1972 with 4 other former IBM employees.Hopp is also notable as the chief financial backer of the German football club X. When Hopp, who had played in the club's youth setup, acquired control in 1990, they were playing in the eighth level of German football. Today, they are doing rather well in the Bundesliga. Id the team.

3.X is naturally right-handed, but became a left-handed batsman at a young age so that he could use his brother's equipment.He was dubbed ‘Lord Snooty’ by The Wisden Cricketer, which went on to remark: "At the crease it was sometimes uncertain whether his partner was a batsman or a bat-man being dispatched to take his discarded sweater to the pavilion or carry his kit bag. But mutiny was afoot among the lower orders. In one match X, after reaching his fifty, raised his bat to the home balcony, only to find it deserted."
Identify X.

4.Though a decent enough goalkeeper in his day having won 8 caps for Scotland in the 70’s, ______ is best known today for giving his name to the writer ______ , a veterinary surgeon from Yorkshire whose real name was Alfred Wight. Wight needed a pen-name to comply with professional rules banning medical practitioners and vets from advertising and chose ______’s name after seeing him play exceptionally well for
Birmingham City in a televised match against Manchester United.

His books were adapted into two films and a long running BBC television program called All Creatures Great and Small.

5.In 1936 a German newspaper carried a banner headline: “The Olympic complex now has a magic show too” Whom were they referring to?

6.1992 Olympics - The Dream Team
1994 World Championships - Dream Team II
1996 Olympics - Dream Team III
1998 World Championships - The Dirty Dozen
2008 Olympics - ?

7.This particular player had an exceptional test record for his country, but a rather lackluster one in ODIs.Numerologists blamed it on his sporting a number on his one day shirt. Due to continuous pressure from his family and friends, he now sports a blank one day shirt with no number on it. And his fortunes in the
shorter version have indeed turned around since.Who?

8.He started out as a player for the Dynamo ice hockey team during his early years and managed to win a USSR ice hockey cup in 1953 alongwith being third in the USSR hockey championship.However his claim to fame lies in the world of football where he won acclaim playing in the same position. Id please.

9.What was special about the game played between the Phoenix Suns and the Denver Nuggets on October 11, 2008 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden?

10.In 1902 what was started by Henry Desgrange to promote L'Auto after an idea from a its journalist, Géo Lefèvre?The idea apparently was a huge success boosting the sales of the daily from 25,000 to 65,000.

Columban Open Quiz Prelims 8.0

2011-07-28T19:07:00.001+05:30

1. Which famous car has/had the number plate MH-01 M 37?

2. He was chosen to endorse Eau Sauvage, which was advertised with the slogan, “virile, discreet and fresh.” He is also the only male model of Christian Dior. Who?

3. Which popular duo met as a result of a trap containing a tuna fish sandwich?

4. Which sport was invented by its creator "while spending the night in a very small room in the Bournville Hotel in Didsbury, Manchester"?

5. This band was at a casino in Montreux, Switzerland to record their new album. Some one fired a flare gun and the entire casino was burnt down. The band later relocated to another studio, but this incident formed the basis for the band’s all time hit song. Name this band and the song.

6. Wayne Rooney (2004)
Lee Johnson (2004)
Rivaldo (2001)
David Farrell (2000)
Sinisa Mihajlovic (1998)
All these players accomplished what astonishing goal-scoring feat?

7. In the middle Ages, it was a term used to refer to a member of the ecclesiastical order. By the sixteenth century, it was a cloak worn by ecclesiasts, and in the 1800s, a black-hooded, half-masked sleeved cloak. It gets its name from Latin for "lord" or "master". Today it is also the name of a popular fast-food chain. What word?

8. Minutes before his death, he had his will testified in which he said, "My ashes may be sunk in the holy Sindhu river, when she will again flow freely under the aegis of the flag of a unified Hindustan. It hardly matters even if it takes a couple of generations for realizing my wish. Preserve the ashes till then." Who?

9. Jerry West, the Hall of Fame Los Angeles Lakers' guard and current Memphis Grizzlies' executive has made his mark on the world of NBA forever. How did he do that?

10. Replaced by audio question

11. Poor Anglo-Indians during the British Raj could not afford Fowl for their Christmas dinner and instead came up with a cheaper substitute. This when blended with Indian spices tasted exactly like Fowl thus getting its English name. What?

12. What is the day 14th March, 1928 known as in the US?

13. This word literally means 'place of all demons'. In the 18th century it referred to 'a place like hell'. Now however it means 'chaos and confusion'. What word?

14. Mistletoe, Fresh Fish and Rock Oil (or Beet Juice) are important ingredients of what?

15. "Give me your tired, your poor your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” Where will you find these words written?

16. It was originally introduced in India, where the word is found in several of the native languages. It is the word for an open portico or light roofed gallery extending along the front and occasionally other sides of a dwelling, frequently having a front of lattice-work, and erected chiefly as a protection or shelter from the sun or rain. What word?

17. In the movie Spiderman 2 what are Harry, Larry, Flo and Mo?

18. She was born in Bay City, Michigan and has 7 brothers and 7 sisters. She is the mom of 2 kids Lola and Rocco. Her earlier children books The English Roses and Mr. Peabody’s Apples were international bestsellers. She released her latest children’s book Yakov and the 7 Thieves recently. Who is she?

19. Her godfather is Steven Spielberg. She in turn is the godmother of the child of the great rock couple Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love. Which Hollywood actress is this?

20. It was named 'Variable Industrial Cybernetic Implement' by a Stanford professor. It was developed through research conducted in the very early eighties by venture capitalists curious about the failure of the first wave of robots such as Androbot and Hero-1 which pioneered the real world concept. What?

21. This fictional character comes from Amsterdam and is brought into the story through Dr John Seward. Seward refers to him as his "old friend and master," a world expert on "obscure diseases" and philosopher and a metaphysician, and one of the most advanced scientists of his day. He is a medical doctor, a doctor of philosophy etc. His knowledge is encyclopaedic, including the latest theories about hypnotism. His wife still lives, presumably committed to an asylum, his son died as a child. His surname has been derived from D. Hesselius, the fictional narrator of Sheridan Le Fanu's vampire tale "Carmilla". Who?

22. Who owns the Oval Cricket ground?

23. This band, now defunct, gets its name from George Orwell's 1984, basically a band which is very anti-establishment. Another theory which has done rounds is that this band hates synthesizers. Name the band?

24. Conrad Hilton, one of the best known hoteliers of all time, unknowingly gave a phrase to the English language, as the title of his autobiography. What commonly used phrase?

25. A group at LOGICA chaired by Finn Trosby created the first specifications. Kevin Holley took over as the chairman of the group which then completed the specifications ready for the market. Key contributors apart from Kevin Holley were Ian Harris, Arthur Gidlow & Eija Thiger. Identify this pioneering invention.

26. What is the name given to the bell which calls the MP’s to a parliament session in London?

27. Golbasto Moraine Evlame Gurdilo Shefin Mully Ully Gue, was the reigning emperor of this country. He favoured the Slamecksan party or the Low Heels party. Which country?

28. This club lent its name to a brand of chocolate, although it was originally famous for mutton pies. It had members like Alexander Pope, Joseph Addison, and William Congreve. Name the club or the chocolate.

29. After "Bapu" Gandhi, "Chacha" nehru and “Tau" Devilal, who was recently christened "Mama"?

30. On July 18 1996, an alternate telecommunications company called IDT achieved a technological breakthrough that would reduce the cost of international calls by 95 %. The first call was made by one Sara Grosvenor to Susan Cheever. Why were only these two ladies selected?

31. Who was described by Paul Erdös, a Hungarian mathematician, as a Supreme Fascist who hides Erdös's socks, glasses, and Hungarian passport and keeps the best equations to himself?

32. According to myth, in the 7th century a dragon rose from the waters of the Seine River in France. Unlike the typical dragons, this one breathes water. The monster proceeded to lay waste to the countryside around Paris by drowning it. St. Romain, the Archbishop of Rouen, accompanied only by a condemned prisoner, set out to stop the beast. Upon confronting the monster, the Saint formed a cross with his two index fingers, taming it. The dragon was led back to Paris, where it was slain and burned. The head, however, was saved and mounted on a building. In commemoration of this event, architects began to design gutter spouts in the shape of the dragon, and eventually in the shape of all manner of bizarre creatures. Identify the word that derives from the name of this dragon.

33. The badge of the squadron of the WWI Italian fighter Francesco Barracca is the source of which famous logo?

34. K. Dhanu started life as a cartoonist at Anandha Vikatan, a famous Tamil weekly. Later on he founded an institution that pioneered the education industry in Tamil Nadu. Identify the institution.

35. In Norse mythology, they are called Hjerki and Bil. They were captured by the moon deity Mani. A full moon supposedly presents the image of the duo with a bucket on a pole. How do we better know this duo?

36. Among Aurangzeb's many regents, this one had a penchant for stirring up rebellions. He once got caught doing so, however, and was brought before the emperor. But he, apparently, gave such good and witty answers to Aurangzeb's questions that Aurangzeb was very pleased and set him free, after showering praises upon him. In fact, whenever he felt like praising someone, Aurangzeb would quote this gentleman's name. A common word, indicative of appreciation, is derived from this. Identify the word.

37. What are the three snacks/refreshments bars at The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg called?

38. The vineyards of Jerez in Southern Spain lend their name to a type of wine made famous by the British. Name the wine.

39. The exploits of Deacon Brodie, who was a town councillor by day in Edinburgh and a burglar by night are said to have inspired a famous classic novel. Which one?

40. “The most important laboratory of city planning in the U.S.”, was how the New York Times Magazine described this place. The architect of this project, Peter Blake commented in “Architectural Forum”: “What a wonderful ironic notion that in this turbulent century urban man might just possibly be saved by a mouse.” What is being described here?

Columban Open Quiz Prelims 7.0

2011-07-28T19:06:00.001+05:30

1. Who scored both the goals to help his side Dempo beat Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan 2-0 to lift the 2004 edition of the Federation Cup?

2. Which internet service/site was named in such a way to include the name of the language used to make websites?

3. Which NBA team is named after a pointed device usually worn by a cowboy secured to his heels and used to urge on a horse?

4. Inaugurated in the US in 1936, this was intended to match citizens to the retirement money they would eventually receive. Over time, it became essential for getting or verifying credit and for employment background checks. Eventually, it became so deeply linked to personal data throughout the economy that it became a de-facto national identifier. What is it?

5. It is a Soviet Typhoon class nuclear submarine, is known as the Vilnius Academy on account of its captain and is named after a tractor factory near Stalingrad where the heroism of the workers delayed the German advance, perhaps saving the city. What is the name of this ship?

6. The name of this band was inspired when the singer was translating the Motorhead song “Dancing on your Grave” into Portuguese. Identify.

7. Written by Francis Scott Key on the back of an envelope after witnessing the shelling of Fort Henry in 1812, this song was to be sung to the tune of a popular English drinking song called the 'Anacreontick Song'. Name it.

8. The only time this sport was played at the Olympics was in 1900, when Great Britain, represented by the Devon Wanderers, beat a French team, consisting mainly of expatriate Britons. Name it?

9. It is an amorphous powder, originally light pink in colour and is derived from certain groups of lichens known as orchella weeds. It is widely used all over the world. What is it?

10. Aristotele’, ‘Archimede’, ‘Ars Et Labour’ and ‘Virtus’ were some of the names chosen for this soccer club. However, none of them were selected. In the end, it was decided to name the club after the name of the large valley where the city to which the club belongs lies. Name this club.

11. This silver-mounted flintlock sporting gun with stock carved in the form of a leaping tiger was created by Asad Khan Muhammed in 1793-94. The tiger detailing even extends along the barrel of the gun, which flashes with tiger stripes. It is a sensational weapon and was recently sold at a Sotheby auction. Name the original owner and the buyer.

12. The Indian Air Force held the record for the highest landing by helicopter till it was broken on May 12th 2005. Where did the helicopter that broke the record land?

13. The name of this type of whiskey derives from a county in Kentucky, which was itself named after the French royal family at the time of the American Revolutionary War. What is the name of the whisky?

14. Which word came into existence in 1888 when it was used to describe a Chicago Home Insurance building having 11 floors?

15. Nor am I in the Vedas, Nor am I in Intoxicants,
Nor am I the carefree deviant,
Nor am I Union nor grief, Nor am I in the pure/ impure,
Nor am I of the water nor of the Land,
Nor am I fire nor air,
________ ! I know not what I am"
Fill In the blank and tell us where these lines are from.

16. What did Oliver Pollock create to be first used by the US on 1st April 1778?

17. One of the best loved fictional characters’ name was taken from a cricketer named Percy ___________. The author was a keen club cricketer, and even served as the Secretary for the famous “Hollywood Cricket Club” at one point. Name the character.

18. Other titles considered for the series included "Once upon a time in the West Village", "Insomnia Café" and "Across the Hall". Which television series?

19. The sumo system of ranking awards titles to the wrestlers depending on their performance at the end of each tournament. If the wrestlers in the fourth highest category are called Komusubi, the third Sekiwake, the second Ohzeki then what are the wrestlers at the highest level of sumo wrestling called?

20. Which fictional character’s name was derived from a Sanskrit word and his face was intended to look like Albert Einstein?

21. Jeff Bezos renamed this company to ___________ to reflect the potential for a larger volume of sales and also to cash in on the popularity of Yahoo at the time. Yahoo listed entries alphabetically, and thus ______________ would always appear above its competitors in the relevant categories it was listed in. Which company? (Fill in the Blanks)

22. He played his first as well as his 100th test at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. He also became the first batsman to score centuries in his 1st and 100th test. Who?

23. We originated from the ‘Yardbirds’ and almost called ourselves ‘The Whoopee Cushion', read a lot of Tolkien, had a wrestler as our manager and did not release a single in our home country till 1997. We also contributed the most-played rock song in the history of radio, what band?

24. He matched the 100 yard world record of 9.4 seconds at 3.15 PM and then, just 15 minutes later, took one leap and set a world long jump record that would stand for a quarter of a century. Shrugging off back pain, he then set a 220 yard dash world record, and, a little later, a 220 yard low hurdles record. Which legendary athlete is being referred to here and also name the event?

25. In Asterix comics, what is the codename of the Gaulish spy Vitriolix?

26. Three hundred workers joined together 18,038 pieces of puddled iron, using two and a half million rivets. The risk of accident was great, for unlike modern skyscrapers this is an open frame without any intermediate floors except the two platforms. Yet, only one man died (during the installation of Otis Elevator's lifts) -- which was remarkable at the time. Which structure are we talking about?

27. When British soldiers landed on the beaches of Normandy during World War II, they were carrying more than just ammunition for firepower. They carried with them a powerful nutritional supplement called ________. Fill in the blank.

28. Invented by IBM engineer, Alan Shugart. It was used initially to hold microcode and diagnostics for the IBM mainframe computer systems. It got a nick name due to its flexibility and that is the name by which we know it today. What?

29. The first winner of this game show was Bill Rancic and it will be hosted by Martha Stewart in its 3rd season. Which show?

30. The Chinese call it the Wan Wei Wang. How do we know it?

31. The first was built with borrowed wood near Pasadena by two brothers, who wanted to pursue a career in Hollywood. There is one at the North Pole, and a floating one on a steamer at St. Louis. What are we talking about?

32. Many superheroes acquire their superpowers through contact with radioactive material. What group of adolescent crimefighters got their superabilities from the same radioactive canister as Daredevil, when it fell into a gutter after he had come into contact with it?

33. In the 1950s, the rebellious and critical anti-establishment attitudes of their books and plays earned British playwrights John Osborne and Arnold Wesker, and novelists Kingsley Amis, John Braine, John Wain and Alan Sillitoe a collective nickname that is applied in India in a totally different context today. What was the nickname?

34. The final piece of this product was not for sale. It was adorned with a Mexican flag made of flowers, and accompanied by a band playing a Spanish song called El Rey or The King. Which product?

35. The following was a line from a famous movie: "If you go, where shall I go; what shall I do?" What was the even more famous answer to this line?

36. Name this bowler who betted to knock the turban off from the head of the Indian batsman Lal Singh for a pack of cigars and did it with his very first delivery.

37. What do the following people make up: - A gangster, a museum curator/ art critic, a hotelier , a millionaire, a retired weaponry dealer, two drivers, a pyrotechnician, an electronics expert, a pickpocket, an acrobat and a card dealer.

38. Something to satisfy our young budding quizzers, fill in the blank:
_____________  PIKACHU  RAICHU.

39. Before making it in acting, this Oscar winner worked as a bricklayer, a bank teller and in a mortuary as a make up artist for corpses. She was given her nickname for being overly flatulent. Who is she?

40. When McDonald’s sent its official mascots for the 2004 Athens Olympics, they wore funny distinctive red and yellow costumes. Which duo designed these costumes?

Columban Open Quiz Prelims 6.0

2011-07-28T19:05:00.001+05:30

1. Whom does the Agini tribe in Ivory Coast in Africa have as their tribal chief?

2. ‘Everything ripped apart in a New York minute...’ - What cult classic starts with this line and features a suicidal NYPD detective tracking a drug cartel dealing with narcotics named after Norse mythological legends?

3. The only son of a Scottish father and American mother, he grew up hating what his parents called him. Instead he decided to call himself after his family’s pet Siberian husky. Who?

4. Where would you see the following signs: Pork Illustrated, Burger Prince, Olde Knavery, Versarchery, Gap Queen, Farbucks Coffee, Baskin Robinhood and Saxon Fifth Avenue?

5. This football club’s founders had decided that the team would wear colors that “recalled the devil and invoked fear”. How do we know this football club today?

6. This band was a brainchild of Steve Harris, a member of pub rockers ‘Smiler’ formed in 1976. They named themselves after a medieval torture device and have been criticized to be Satanists due to their dark musical themes. Which band?

7. The first one was built by the Romans of wood, the second one was pulled down in 1831 on account of its poor safety record (immortalised in song), the third one was sold to Lake Havasu, Arizona in the 1970s and the fourth one still stands. What?

8. Chosen by investors, this basketball franchise’s name is said to reflect the area's rich harness racing history and the fast cars at America’s most famous auto race. Name the team?

9. "I like smoke and lightning
_____ _____ thunder
Racin' with the wind
And the feelin' that I'm under
Yeah Darlin' gonna make it happen
Take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once
And explode into space"
These words are from the song 'Born to be Wild' by Steppenwolf. It contributed a famous phrase which is extremely popular today. Which phrase (Fill in the blanks)?

10. He was briefly worldwide leader of the Stonecutters, is a subscriber of the Pie Times and belongs to the International Brotherhood of Piano Tuners, Pastry Chefs, and Nuclear Technicians. Who is he?

11. Complete the list below with two famous names and also tell us what they comprise.
Ben "The Tall Texan" Kirkpatrick, Bill Todd Carver, Camilla "Deaf Charlie" Hanks, Elza Lay, Tom "Peep" O'Day, Jim Lowe, Jesse Lesley, William "Bill" Cruzan, ____________ and __________ ?

12. Which term coined by Nima Namchu and Nitin Berry for a Reebok campaign in 1996-97 is now synonymous with Indian cricket?

13. Fill in the blank:
To,
The Boss,
Central News Agency

Dear Boss,
I keep on hearing the police have caught me but they won’t fix me just yet. I have laughed when they look so clever and talk about being on the right track. How can they catch me now? I love my work and want to start again. You will soon hear of me with my funny little games

Good luck.
Yours truly
________________
(Don't mind me giving the trade name.)

14. His last words were "Useless...useless." He was one of the most popular actors of his time and was a member of a prominent network of spies and smugglers known as the Knights of the Golden Circle. He wanted to immortalize himself in the annals of history as a martyr. But his deed, instead of earning him the hero's status he craved, made him one of the most hated men in America. Who?

15. Which Hollywood blockbuster, released some years back, had its dubbed Hindi version titled ‘Sherni No. 1’?

16. Which sport has four different color codes for the balls, ranging from yellow for hot conditions to blue for cold conditions?

17. In 1965, an unmarried New York City perfume salesman named Alan Stillman decided that the coolest way to meet the stewardesses in his neighbourhood would be to buy a broken down beer joint, jazz it up with Tiffany lamps and modern young waiters. Within a week, the police had to ring it with barricades to handle the nightly hordes of young singles. What did he establish?

18. 'Idiots price our devices'! This was one famous comment among the many that were seen on the Internet when this company launched a product nearly three years ago. Demand, however, seems to have soared now. Which product are we referring to?

19. Robert Kalina was born in Austria in 1955; he graduated from Vienna's School of Graphic Arts in 1975 and worked for the Austrian National Bank until 1998. He became famous after certain designs of his, created on a Power Macintosh PC using Adobe Photoshop and Macromedia Freehand software were selected ahead of 300 other competitors. What did he design?

20. His cricket career lasted from 1900 to 1907. In all he played 10 matches for MCC - 18 innings, 6 not-outs, 231 runs, highest score 43, average 19.25. He also took one wicket for 50 runs. Identify him.

21. This company was founded in 1947 as Rakhee Chemical Industry Ltd, later it changed its name to Lucky Goldstar and today it’s a known to the common consumer by another name. What?

22. Since the days of William the Conqueror, all English kings with the exception of Edwards V and VIII have been crowned at the Collegiate Church of St. Peter. How is this church better known?

23. Once, the industrialist Russy Modi was on a flight on his way back to India. He met a very interesting person and struck up a conversation with him. The person promised to teach Modi how to play the piano. When both of them got off at New Delhi airport, Modi was surprised to find that more people had come to receive his companion than to receive him. Who was Modi’s co-passenger?

24. He was as an unemployed salesman and inventor, struggling with odd jobs to support his family in the years following the great stock market crash of 1929. He spent his summers in Atlantic City, New Jersey, drawing the streets of Atlantic City with found pieces of material and bits of paints, wood etc. contributed by local merchants. Soon friends and family gathered to buy, rent and sell real estate. What did he create?

25. Which company’s ad campaign was launched by a famous line from the Bible, more specifically from Genesis, Chapter I, Verse 3?

26. "I'd like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species. I realized that you're not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment, but you humans do not. You move to an area, and you multiply, and multiply, until every natural resource is consumed. The only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is only one other organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. A virus." Whose words?

27. BMW’s headquarters’ building in Munich, Germany is very unique. It is shaped like a four piston engine. However it is one of few buildings in the world in terms of construction. Why?

28. What is defined by Merriam-Webster as "an imaginary substance or chemical preparation believed to have the power of transmuting baser metals into gold”?

29. This sports car company’s flagship model reminds us of an infamous disaster. Name the company and model.

30. This album features nine film and Indi-pop tracks. One of them though critically ridiculed has really caught the attention of the people and has gone on to become quite a rage in India. The track has music by Vishal-Shekhar and vocals by Sudesh Bhosle among others. Name the album.

31. Which organization has the motto, "Nation Shall Speak Peace unto Nation”?

32. A patent application is lying in the US Patent and Trademark Office for the title of "The World's Second Home". Who has applied for this title?

33. Which former Formula-1 team has returned this season as Red Bull Racing?

34. In 2004, Leroy Chiao became the first person to do something in space. What?

35. At 12, X earned $2000 from mail-order business trading stamps. By 16, he was selling subscriptions to the Houston Post making himself $18000 in a year in commission. His economics teacher at school knew nothing of this until she set the class the assignment of filling out their own tax returns. She thought X had put the decimal point in the wrong place. She was mortified when she discovered that he hadn't, and was actually earning more than she was. Identify X.

36. This term was first used in cricket in the early eighteenth century. It is an old English word and has a French origin, meaning 'not equal'. Which term?

37. The Persians weave the most exquisite carpets in the world, but why does each carpet have a deliberate flaw?

38. The line 'Make the most of your break' replaced one of the most durable and effective ad lines of a famous product. Give us the original famous ad line that was replaced after 57 years and the company?

39. She was named after a department store. Although she is generally considered African American, she is biracial, with a white English-born mother and a black American father. Who?

40. The first edition was published in 1955, commissioned by a brewery after a debate in a pub over the fastest species of game bird could not be settled with existing reference books. It was researched by Ross and Norris McWhirter, noted British athletes and journalists, who at the time ran a fact-finding agency in London. When the book became a surprise hit, many further editions were printed, eventually settling into a pattern of one revision each year, published in October to coincide with Christmas sales. Which book?

Columban Open Quiz Prelims 5.0

2011-07-28T19:00:00.000+05:30

1. The Birmingham Small Arms Co., a firm of rifle makers seeking work to keep their staff fully employed diversified into a different field in which it became more popular. What is the major product of this company?

2. The Sun newspaper once dubbed him as WORM (Well Worn Rag-Trade Moghul). He lived with his now estranged wife Valentina Pedroni for 7 yrs at St. James’ Court on Marine Drive. His German mother Gunar left his dad and set up a flourishing export line. He dated model Vanessa Vaz in the 80s and also modelled for a Raymond ad campaign. Who?

3. Her real name is Nilanjana Sudeshna __________. But she is better known by the pet name that her parents used to call her by. Who?

4. He has a football stadium named after him. He still retains an M 47 tank from his early days in the army. He shot to fame in 1977 with a documentary produced by George Butler. A few of his favorite things are a mansion in Brentwood, a ski lodge in Sun Valley Idaho, a Boeing 747 he leases to Singapore Air, a small fleet of Hummers, Coheba cigars and Indian Chief motorcycles. Who?

5. This world champion sportsman, famous for having broken his own world record 52 times, famously said, "My only competitor is gravity". Who?

6. I founded this company in 1886 and named it after my surname. The first product was an instant soup, which was a dried pea-and-bean-flavoured mixture developed by me. In the same year I created a spicy sauce with the name Wurze. In 1947 my company was bought up by Nestle and its products are presently sold under the Nestle tag. Also my brand is traditionally linked to the colours red and yellow. Name my company.

7. Switzerland is well known as a neutral country. After the Treaty of Versailles, Switzerland’s soldiers were banned from serving as mercenaries to other countries, with an exception. Which is the only country can they serve as mercenaries of?

8. Roger the Golem, Lobster Johnson, Abe Sapiens and Liz Sherman. Who’s their leader?

9. “I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts.” This is a line from Julius Caesar Act III, scene ii. Where in Windows would you find this quote?

10. It was invented by a graphic designer, Harvey Ball for an insurance company in the 60's when the company underwent a merger. To keep employee morale up, the company started a campaign for which this symbol was created. It became hugely popular and the U.S post office even issued a stamp on it. What are we talking about?

11. The name of the cassette and record company TIPS is an acronym for what?

12. The daughter of a prosperous fabric store owner, she graduated from Wellesley College (1969) and Yale University Law School (1973). In 1975 she married a fellow Yale Law School Graduate. In 1991, The National Law Journal named her one of the 100 most powerful lawyers in America. Who?

13. A recent happening in the word of sports led to the coining of the "______" principle which says, 'I walk, therefore I am'... Fill in the blank.

14. This place derives its name from the Ukranian name for the mugwort plant (Artemesia Vulgaris) and when translated means black grass, although in an article which appeared in the New York Times in 1986, it was claimed that the name derives from another Ukranian word referring to the wormwood plant used for making absinthe. Which place?

15. A few years back the Royal Society of Chemistry commissioned Quest International, a fragrance and flavor company with expertise in the chemical and physical make up of drinks, to research a particular drink? What?

16. This architectural entity is not of the colour indicated by its name. Instead it bears a colour called International Orange which was chosen for its visibility in fog rather than for any aesthetic reasons. Identify this architectural marvel?

17. What is known as “The Great Loop “in France?

18. He served his time amidst Arab oil merchants and textile traders in the port of Aden in the 1950's. After eight years including five years at Burmah Shell, he returned to Mumbai at the end of the 1950's to start his own business. His company was originally in commodities trading. Later he moved into textiles and made his mark. Who?

19. Franklin Roosevelt called it the "sacred cow", Harry Truman called it "Independence", and Eisenhower called it "The Columbine". How do we know it as?

20. What is common to the following cricketers: Jacob Oram, Hashan Tillakratne, Lance Klusener, Russel Arnold, Chris Gayle, Manjural Islam?

21. We have identities from ‘Sigma 6’ via the ‘T Set’, ‘the Megadeaths’, ‘the Architectural Abdabs’, ‘the Screaming Abdabs’, and ‘the Abdabs’. Our career schizophrenia can be spelled as an equivalent of “living fast and dying young - living fast and becoming an acid casualty”. Who are we?

22. This was a poster put up by IBM in 1978 explaining something. What is being explained?
* If it's there and you can see it - it's real
* If it's there and you can't see it - it's transparent
* If it's not there and you can see it - it's ________
* If it's not there and you can't see it - you erased it!

23. Veisalgia is the medical term for the condition. Depending on severity, the symptoms may include dry mouth, headaches, irritability, bloodshot eye, sensitivity to light and noise, or nausea and vomiting. Which condition?

24. This term was first used by the British military during the Boer War (1899-1902). Facing attack by Boer guerrillas, British forces rounded up the Boer women and children as well as black people living on Boer land, and sent them to 31 places scattered around South Africa, effectively using the families of suspected guerrillas as hostages. Which term?

25. Scotland Yard's crime database is called “Home Office Large Major Enquiry System”. The training program is called "_________________" in honour of a great detective. Fill in the blank.

26. A courtier in some European countries during the Middle Ages was in charge of keeping the horses of his lord. He had a specific title in Latin which gave rise to this common English word. What is it?

27. Though running 8:03 in length, this is the most played rock song on American radio, if not the most popular rock song of all time. Ironically, it never charted because it was never released as a single to the general public. Radio stations received promotional singles which quickly became collector's items. This epic solo was actually recorded in bits and pieces, and the guitarist only learned to play all of it later for live shows. Name the song and the band.

28. Benjamin Franklin once said about this invention, “This shows that there is a God, and that he loves us.” Which invention?

29. Who/What does this emoticon represent?
@@@@@: - )

30. Fill in the Blanks :
On July 2nd, they arrive
On July 3rd, they attack
July 4th is ________________

31. In the world of sports, which word is Spanish for “Crown”?

32. There is an annual cricket match held for the Raghuramiah Cup. Which two teams vie for this trophy?

33. Who was described by a friend as thus:
Knowledge of Literature — Nil.
Knowledge of Philosophy — Nil.
Knowledge of Astronomy — Nil.
Knowledge of Politics — Feeble.
Knowledge of Botany — Variable. Well up in belladonna, opium, and poisons generally. Knows nothing of practical gardening.
Knowledge of Geology — Practical, but limited. Tells at a glance different soils from each other.
Knowledge of Chemistry — Profound.
Knowledge of Anatomy — Accurate, but unsystematic.
Knowledge of Sensational Literature — Immense. He appears to know every detail of every horror perpetrated in the century.

34. As a child, he made his money growing Christmas trees, and left school at 16 to start a magazine called 'Student', which attracted many notable contributors, including Jean Paul Sartre and James Baldwin. But he couldn't sit still. So at the age of 19 he set up his mail order business and the rest is history. Who?

35. Which word also means “a person who swallows live animals, bugs, etc., as a form of entertainment at fairs”?

36. Ancient Roman gladiators used to do something that a lot of modern day athletes do regularly. The producers of the movie `Gladiator' considered including this in the script but discarded the idea as they felt it would appear unbelievable for the audience. What was this?

37. He was born in Scotland, the son of a Glasgow miner, and as a youth he earned money selling shoes and selling firewood. In 1879, he left Scotland and moved to the United States, where his uncle was a riverboat captain on the Mississippi. In 1882 he staked out a claim and mined copper in Montana; the mine boomed. That combined with his stock gave him 3 cubic acres of money by the late 1940s. His fortune is estimated at 91 multiplijillion, 9 obsquatumatillian, 632 dollars and 62 cents. Who?

38. Which organization's slogan is `We scare because we care.'?

39. He was a tree surgeon born in 1907 in Berlin, New Hampshire. He got a job at the Dupont Chemical Company. He was eager to work with new materials, so he asked if he could purchase any left-over substance. His supervisor at Dupont gave him a black, inflexible slag, a waste product of the oil refining process. He fiddled around with it and still invented X. But X was not welcome at first. Consumers were confused. Store sales lagged. But he came back with demonstrations and the product is world famous now. What did he create or what is X?

40. Forbes magazine called it the most efficient distribution system for a single product. What?

Business Quiz 1.0

2011-07-27T20:40:00.005+05:30

1. An Indian spiritual guru has opened his financial services company at Broad Street, close to the NYSE. The company is housed in one of the very few buildings in New York City that is oriented due east, based on principles of Vedic architecture. Name the company & its owner.

2. Dow Chemical, which was recently in news in connection with the Union Carbide Corporation

(UCC), was also heavily involved in the Vietnam War for which it had to pay a penalty. Name the option for its involvement.

3. The movie Black Hawk Down is based on the disastrous raid of Mogadishu, Somalia, by US elite soldiers in 1993. The character played by the Scottish Actor in the movie is Danny Grimes.What was the actual name of the soldier?

4.In the early 1980’s, the founders of this company were the exclusive agents for Suzuki’s electric power generators. A policy to allow the manufacture of portable gensets by large industrial houses & a ban on importing such equipment brought their flourishing business to an end. Identify these founders.

5.She was born into a conservative Methodist family, the daughter of a firefighter father and

housewife mother. In 1962 in her second career singles match at a Grand slam she upset the number one player in the world and top seed. In her career she won 39 Grand slam titles. Her younger brother grew up to become a professional baseball player, pitching for 12 years

in the major leagues for the San Francisco.Identify this personality.

6.This eponymous toy company has embraced corporate use of its products & even created a

formal business group for the purpose. The group certifies professionals worldwide to coach

managers & test candidates during job interviews using its placements. Identify the company.

7.This Indian brand was named after the nephew of its founder. It is being revived & is getting a new look from the design firm, Lewin & Hickey, which designed the Hugo Boss logo. Identify the brand.

8.After 9/11, an epic eight-day series ran in the Washington Post, in which the 6th post spoke

of using chemical/biological weapons against Afghanistan; an idea later dropped by then National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice.Name the "weapon"?

9.He retired as chairman of global food giant this year. During his tenure revenues increased by more than $9 billion, net income increased by 70%, earnings per share increased by 80%, its

annual dividend doubled and the company's market capitalization surpassed $100 billion.

Identify this person.

10.Which is the oldest surviving company on the Bombay Stock exchange?

Columban Open Quiz Prelims 4.0

2011-07-27T18:53:00.002+05:30

Q1) Which are the only defending champions in FIFA World Cup history to refuse defending their title at a subsequent World Cup?

Q2) This phrase supposedly originated from the name of a tax levied on the Irish by the Danes in the 9th century. Those who did not pay had this part of the body cut off. What is the phrase?

Q3) This Company had humble beginnings in the workshop of Ole Kirk Christiansen, a poor carpenter from Billund, Denmark. Ole Kirk started creating wooden toys in 1932, but it wasn't until 1949 that the company's most famous product was created. Christiansen coined the company name from a Danish phrase meaning, "Play well". This famous product of this company comes in thousands of varieties, the most common being primo and duplo. They recently changed their company tagline from ‘Just Imagine’ to ‘Play On’. Which company?

Q4) In the Harry Potter books who filled the position vacated by Ogg at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?

Q5) “Out - beyond question or wrangle!

Homeward he lurched to his lunch!

His bat was tucked up at an angle,

His great shoulders curved to a hunch.”

Arthur Conan Doyle describing whose dismissal?

Q6) Which famous product, at its launch, was called "Stevie's little wonder"?

Q7) It has a nearly half-million square mile area, roughly demarcated by Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the island of Bermuda and Puerto Rico. It has been made famous especially by the work of author, Charles Berlitz. Identify this place.

Q8) This place was originally an extensive, shallow embayment called Wai Momi or Pu‘uloa by the Hawaiians. Pu‘uloa was regarded as the home of the shark goddess Ka‘ahupahau and her brother, Kahi‘uka. The harbor was teeming with oysters until the late 1800's. In the years following the arrival of Captain James Cook, it was not considered a suitable port due to the shallowness of the water. In 1887, Hawai leased this place to the US in return for exclusive rights to allow Hawaiian sugar to enter the United States duty free. Which place?

Q9) In the late 16th century, when Altan Khan, the ruler of the Mongols met Sonam Gyatso, they exchanged titles. Sonam Gyatso conferred the title "Chhoskyi Gyalpo" (“Righteous King”) on Altan Khan. What title did Altan Khan bestow on Sonam Gyatso?

Q10) His real name was Robert Nesta _________. He formed his first music group with Bunny Livingston and Joe Higgs. His racial identity was always under crisis since he was born of a white father and a black mother. His famous quote to answer to a racial offender was, "I don't have prejudice against myself. My father was a white and my mother was black. Them call me half-caste or whatever. Me don't dip on nobody's side. Me don't dip on the black man's side nor the white man's side. Me dip on God's side, the one who create me and cause me to come from black and white." Identify him.

Q11) Which iconic American television show gets its name from a 1956 Cole Porter song featured in the soundtrack of the Hollywood movie ‘High Society’?

Q12) In Greek mythology, this creature was mythical monster, which was half horse, half dolphin and pulled Poseidon’s chariot. In medical terminology it’s the part of the brain located in temporal lobe and plays a major role in memory and navigation. Which word?

Q13) He traveled a record 1,247,613 km, that is 3.24 times the distance from the Earth to Moon. He visited 129 different countries & territories read more than 20,000 addresses from 100,000 pages & held meetings with 1600 political leaders, including 776 with Heads of States & 246 with Prime Ministers. Who?

Q14) What results when the Circadian Rhythm and Nychthemeral Rhythm get out of sync?

Q15) Which dish is called ‘Jewish Penicillin’ as it a remedy for colds and similar infections?

Q16) He uses the profession of a fashion photographer as a cover for his secret identity. In reality he's a secret agent who was frozen in the 1960's and revived in the 1990's to fight his archrival. He gets his briefings from Basil Exposition. Who are we talking about?

Q17) The origin of the name is uncertain, but it is known that it appeared in an 1898 London police report. One theory has the name coming from an Irish troublemaker from London named Patrick __________; another has it coming from a street gang in Islington, a third lists it as an Irish word which means a wild, spirited party. What word is this?

Q18) Which current member of the Australian cricket set up once had the nickname ‘Ned Flanders’ due to his uncanny likeness to The Simpsons’ friend?

Q19) How do we better know the professional wrestler Ritesh Bhalla?

Q20) He lives at No 7, Saville Row, Burlington Gardens, London. He is a member of the Reform Club. His main pastime is reading newspapers and playing a game of Whist. He fired his servant James Forster, for bringing shaving water four degrees below normal. Name this eccentric fictional character.

Q21) ___________ Narmadensis, which roughly translates to ‘Regal lizard of the Narmada’ is the largest carnivorous dinosaur species to have been discovered in India. Scientifically, it is a close cousin of the more famous Carnotaurus and measures 9 meters(30 ft) in length and about 3 meters (10 ft) in height. The majority of its remains are housed at the Geological Survey of India, Kolkata. Name this dinosaur.

Q22) Six and Out: Brett Lee :: Ordinary Fear of God: _____________?

Q23) This eccentric Nobel Prize winning physicist once took up painting (even gaining some success) under the pseudonym “ofey”. He also learned to play drums (frigideira) in acceptable samba style in Brazil by persistence and practice, and participated in a samba school He even translated some Mayan hieroglyphics and was notorious among his colleagues at Fermi labs for being an expert safecracker. Who?

Q24) These everyday items are usually provided with small solid plastic bits called ‘aglets’ which makes their entry through a series of small holes called ‘eyelets’ easier. What everyday item?

Q25) In Formula 1 terminology, who or what is a ‘dopieta’? (Its only appearance last year was at the United States Grand Prix)

Q26) X was born in 1899 in a Chicago suburb. In 1917 He joined the Kansas City Star as a reporter. In 1924 he resigned from journalism to devote himself to fiction. His first two published works were ‘Three Stories and Ten Poems’ and ‘In Our Time.’ He was passionately involved with bull fighting, big game hunting and deep-sea fishing and his writing reflected this. He was awarded the Noble prize for Literature in 1954. Identify this famous writer.

Q27) Electric rays are fish that have a rounded body and a pair of organs capable of producing an electric discharge, which is used to stun or kill prey. Perhaps the most known members are those of the genus _____, also called crampfish and numbfish. The genus name comes from a Latin word meaning to be stiffened or paralyzed, referring to the effect on someone who handles or steps on a living electric ray. A modern day device/weapon takes it name from this genus name. What is it?

Q28) ’India's Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth’ is a book written by this 1987 Padma Vibhushan awardee. His/her Ph.D. thesis was on ‘India's export competitiveness.’ He is also a life member of The Gymkhana Club, New Delhi. Who?

Q29) In the 1700's, public eateries in France would display the famous quotation from St.Matthew's (XI 28) "Come unto me all ye, that are hungry and I shall restore you". Which word has this practice contributed to the English language?

Q30) In 1984, 11 computer scientists in Beijing created a company to bring the advantages of information technology to the Chinese people. The researchers set up shop in a loaned space - a small, one-story bungalow in Beijing. In 2003, the company they founded changed its brand name to _____ taking a part of its previous name and adding the Latin word for "new," to reflect the spirit of innovation at the core of the company. Identify the company.

Q31) The idea of X came up in 1894 when William Keath _______ was trying to improve the vegetarian diet of hospital patients. He was searching for a digestible bread substitute using the process of boiling wheat when an accident led to his invention. Which company did he found to market his invention (his surname)?

Q32) A talented, self-taught artist, he sold his first drawing to Life magazine when he was only 14! He was also a natural athlete who longed for a career in baseball, but his dreams of pitching in the Big Leagues were shattered when he broke his arm while playing his first professional game. He became a sports cartoonist and created a strip called "Champs and Chumps", which was renamed later. The cartoon was an instant hit. What is this cartoon series called today?

Q33) He declared himself King of Scotland and appeared at a Royal Saudi Arabian funeral in 1975 wearing a kilt. He also referred to himself as the "Conqueror of the British Empire", using the letters CBE after his name, and awarded himself the Victoria Cross and the Military Cross. He once proposed marriage to Princess Anne. He was the President of Organization of African Unity from 1975 to 1976.Who is this weirdo?

Q34) On November 30th, 1939, the Soviet Union unilaterally invaded Finland, beginning what would be called the Winter War. In a propaganda radio broadcast, however, the Soviet foreign minister claimed that the Soviets were not dropping bombs, but rather were delivering food to the starving Finns. In response, the poorly equipped but hardy troops of the Finnish Army began saluting advancing Soviet tanks with _______ ________. What?

Q35) The following line in Julius Caesar gives this novel’s name: "Cry havoc and let slip the ____________". It is about the story of a group of mercenary soldiers hired by a British industrialist to overthrow the government of a fictional African country called Zangaro. Also the name of a song by Pink Floyd. Fill in the blanks.

Q36) What is the Sith name of the Emperor/ Chancellor Palpatin who is the main villain in the Star Wars franchise along with Darth Vader?

Q37) Arthur _____ & Co. is a brewery founded in Dublin, Ireland in 1756. The brewery's most famous product is a dark stout beer known widely as ______. The company also sponsors another product, as a result of a debate involving its managing director Hugh Beaver. This product went on to become a huge success all over the world. Name it by filling the blanks.

Q38) “The matrix has its roots in primitive arcade games. _______: A consensual hallucination experienced daily by billions of legitimate operators, in every nation, by children being taught mathematical concepts. A graphic representation of data abstracted from banks of every computer in the human system. Unthinkable complexity. Lines of light ranged in the nonspace of the mind, constellations of data. Like city lights, receding”. What is being described here?

Q39) The first person to procure this title was Charles Lindberg in 1927. Franklin D Roosevelt won it a record 3 times and other notable awardees include Hitler, Gandhi and George W Bush (twice). What title?

Q40) This modern day phrase has an unclear origin. Some believe that it dates back to Roman times when it was believed that the star Sirius added its heat to that of the Sun on certain days of the year. Another popular belief is that the saying came about as a result of the death of the Greek playwright Euripides, when he was mauled to death by a pack of dogs. The Greek biographer Plutarch recorded this phrase for the first time in 'Moralia' (A.D. 95). Which phrase?

Columban Open Quiz Prelims 3.0

2011-07-27T18:48:00.002+05:30

Q1) The head of which organization's title is "Chief Lizard Wrangler"?

Q2) Who received the first red card at this year’s FIFA World CupTM ?

Q3) Kanan Dairy Products located in Illinois,USA is the sole importer of what to the USA?

Q4) This phrase was first used by the London Times on 28 December,1937 - "Who can think without horror of what another widespread war would mean, waged as it would be with all the new____________________?" The original reference is to aerial bombing of cities, which had become a reality that year in the Spanish Civil War. What term is this, made famous recently?

Q5) The Kármán line, named after Theodore von Kármán, is the internationally designated boundary of what?

Q6) How do we better know Dr John Hamish born on August 7, 1852 who was once wounded by a Jezail bullet that shattered a bone and grazed his subclavian artery (and carried the bullet with him throughout his life)?

Q7) His real name was K'ung fu-tze or just Kong Zi. However The Jesuits, while translating Chinese books into Western languages, translated his name as ______, which has since been commonly used in Western countries. Who?

Q8) This place’s name comes from the Arabic name Jebel Tarik meaning Tariq's mountain. It refers to the Berber general Tariq ibn-Ziyad who conquered it in 711. Later it was conceded in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht. It still is a major issue of contention and in Nov. 2002 a referendum was held to settle the issue. What controversial place is this?

Q9) This NBA team was originated as Buffalo Braves. Later when they moved to San Diego in 1978 they renamed their team after the famous sailing ships that passed through the city hundreds of years ago. Now they have moved to another city but retained their name. Which NBA team am I referring to?

Q10) Their real name is 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-_______ (Airborne) (1st SFOD-D (A)). It is known in the Pentagon officially as the Combat Applications Group. What is it?

Q11) The following are some of the many scientific names of who/what? Accelerati Incredibilus, Speedipus-Rex, Fastius Tasty-us, Burn-em Upus Asphaltus, Disappearialis Quickius.

Q12) What is the helicopter in which the US president travels called?

Q13) The founders of this company were Larry Hillblom, Robert Lynn and Adrian Dalsey. With more than 250 aircraft across the world, it manages a larger fleet than most commercial airlines. It was one of the first companies to set up shop in Iraq and Afghanistan after the wars in these countries. The company gets its name from the surnames of the inventors. Identify

Q14) This word originates from the following practice: in the days of the Romans, slaves were given to Roman soldiers to reward them for performance in battle. These slaves were known as _______. Eventually a person who was a slave to anything was known by that word. What word?

Q15) It was first founded by the California clothing company Pacific Mills to showcase its Catalina swimwear brand. Later, it became a part of Kayser-Roth and then Gulf and Western Industries. In 1996 the ownership was taken over by Donald Trump. What are we talking about?

Q16) What are these lined from the Quran known as? "Have you thought upon Lat, Uzza & the other, the third, Manat? These are the high flying cranes; truly their intercession is accepted with approval."

Q17) The name of which fictional villain when roughly translated, means ‘flight of death’ or ‘steel death’ in French and Catalan.

Q18) In 1982, at the young age of 22, an Indian architect landed an assignment with the Italian edition of Fashion magazine `Vogue' on Rajasthani jewelry. This young girl went on to act in 2 movies: "In which Annie gives it those ones' and `Massey Sahib". Who is she?

Q19) Apart from pioneering work in two transportation devices, I have also invented a soda-water maker, a clothes brushing machine, a wall bed, an ultrasound emitter, motor-roller-skates, Super Calcacolor TV, a new breed of white roses, herbal tablets that keep alcoholics away from the bottle and a machine that replicates three dimensional objects. Who am I?

Q20) This term was used by Allied aircraft pilots in World War II to describe various UFOs or mysterious aerial phenomena seen in the skies over Europe and the Pacific theatre, thought to be extraterrestrial life. It was also supposedly used as a semi-derogatory reference to Japanese fighter pilots known for erratic flying and extreme maneuvering. What term?

Q21) This appeared in a company's annual report - "A billion hours ago, human life appeared on earth. A billion minutes ago, Christianity emerged. A billion __________ ago was yesterday morning". Fill in the blank.

Q22) Nike:Swoosh::Reebok:___________?

Q23) If Eugene Cernan was the last man (up till now) to do this rare feat, which famous person was the first?

Q24) “In the dark blue sky you keep,

And often through my curtains peep,

For you never shut your eye,

Till the sun is in the sky

________________________”

Fill in the blank, which is also the name of this extremely famous poem

Q25) If the ‘Time Man of the Year’ for 1982 was The Computer, who or what was it for 1988?

Q26) An amateur pianist, she excelled in sports and her ambition was to become a ballerina. First high profile celebrity to have been photographed touching an AIDS patient. Humphrey Bogart was her 7th cousin. During her lifetime she was the most photographed person in the world. Her last words were “My God What has happened”. Who is she?

Q27) It was created in 1958 by a Southern Californian artist, Oliver Weismuller, who was hired to give the place 'a face lift'. A special committee meets each June to select the honorees for the following year and the actual ceremony is hosted by Johnny Grant, Honorary Mayor of the city. In 2005, companies became eligible for the honour and Disneyland was the first recipient. What?

Q28) It is depicted as having a golden body, white face, red wings, and an eagle's beak and wings but a man's body. It is huge and assumed that it can block the sun. It is known as the Krut Pha in Thailand. Thailand and Indonesia have it as their national symbols. What?

Q29) Which Olympic event has a women's world record, which is higher than the world record by men?

Q30) It is a marker used in poker. It is placed in front of the player who is to deal the next hand. Which popular phrase originates from this practice?

Q31) All American, The Lingering, The Push-Off, The Pull-In, The Topper, The Bone Crusher, The Dead Fish and the Twister are types of what?

Q32) They were a community of mystics living around Mecca. They attended to the needs of Pilgrims visiting the holy shrine of the Karbala. This community wove fabric out of wool, and themselves wove robes made from the discarded fluff. So they came to be known as ___. It is now the Arabic word for a strand of wool. What?

Q33) The famous hard rock band ‘Slipknot’ gets its name from a part of this toy. It is the second oldest toy in the world, it is believed to have got its name from the Tagalog language. The first patent for it, in the USA was issued in 1866. Today its major producers are Flambeau Plastics and its different forms have been played in all parts of the world. Which toy are we talking about?

Q34) The following are certain specifications:

Age: Less than 25 years

Marital Status: Single

Weight: Less than 115 pounds

Height: Less than 5 feet 4 inches

Occupation: Registered Nurses

The first person to fulfill the above criteria was Ellen Church, who earned $125 a month. What were these eligibility criteria for?

Q35) The practice of placing one round in a revolver, spinning the cylinder and closing it into the firearm without looking, aiming the revolver at one's own head in a suicidal fashion, and pulling the trigger is called what?

Q36) Steven Spielberg's "The Colour Purple"(1985), holds the dubious distinction of being nominated for 11 Oscars and not winning even a single one. Which 2002 movie by a director as famous as Spielberg was nominated for 10 Oscars and failed to win a single one?

Q37) They were used in the Boer War, where both sides used them for scouting. In World War I, France and Germany used them to move troops. In its 1937 invasion of China, some 50,000 Japanese troops used these. In the Vietnam War, communist forces used them along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. It is reported that they were also used in the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and in subsequent battles against the Taliban. The last country to recently maintain a regiment of troops dedicated to them was Switzerland, who disbanded the last unit in 2003. What?

Q38) Her birth name was Eithne Ní Bhraonáin. She is the Republic of Ireland's best-selling solo artist and Ireland's second biggest musician. Also, she is one of the biggest selling female artists in history, and was the world's biggest selling female artist of 2001 and 2002. Identify her.

Q39) It was the term used to describe a person of profound mental retardation having a mental age below three years and generally being unable to learn connected speech or guard against common dangers. The term belongs to a classification system no longer in use and is now considered offensive. It is now replaced by "profound mental retardation", which term?

Q40) Who along with Michael Jackson holds the record of winning the most Grammy Awards (9 in all) in a single year?

Columban Open Quiz Prelims 2.0

2011-07-27T18:44:00.004+05:30

Q1) __________ was the title of a magistrate in ancient Rome appointed by the Senate to rule the state in times of emergency. They were usually appointed by a consul and were invested with sweeping authority over the citizens, but they were originally limited to a term of six months and lacked power over the public finances. This has also contributed a word in the English language, which word?

Q2) The natural satellites of the planet Uranus have all been named after what?

Q3) Who received the first Yellow Card at this year’s FIFA World CupTM

Q3) The mascot of which company is named Bibendum?

Q4) What was the name of the chariot wheel dealer in Asterix in Switzerland?

Q5) An Arabian alchemist in the 11th century invented a strange terminology so that others could not understand his works. More importantly, he could not be accused of heresy, which was punishable by death. What word was coined due to this?

Q6) What nickname connects Stu Sutcliffe, Pete Best, George Best, George Martin and Billy Preston among others?

Q7) In early 2005, Toyota Canada had plans to unveil a special edition sports car called Celica ________. However, keeping in mind recent incidents they changed the name to Celica Sports Package on Jan 24, 2005. What was the original name?

Q8) "It is made of cotton and linen blend with red and blue silk fibers running through it. A special and unknown blend of ink is used for printing purposes. It is starched to make it water resistant and pressed for a nice crisp look. What is the item mentioned above?

Q9) Which political leader jailed during the Emergency chose to name his daughter after the Maintenance of Internal Security Act that he was booked under?

Q10) Awarded annually by the King of Norway to outstanding mathematicians since 2001, what prize is now considered the equivalent of the Nobel, given in the field of mathematics?

Q11) It was invented in 1948 by George de Mestral, a Swiss engineer from an idea that came to him after he took a close look at the seed pod burrs which kept sticking to his dog on their daily walk in the Alps. De Mestral named his invention after two French words literally translating into English as the velvet coloured hook. What are we talking about?

Q12) The name X is taken from a Yiddish word meaning 'fear' or 'terror'. X is also the protagonist in a picture book written in 1990 by William Steig, which was later adapted into a famous children’s movie. Identify X.

Q13) Quenya, Sindarin, Common Eldarin, Nandorin, Taliska, Westron, Rohirric, Khuzdul. What are these?

Q14) It was founded in 1928 by Josemaría Escrivá. The organization got its name from a quote by Escriva himself, when he was asked why he started the organization, he said "It is not my work but _____ ____". The organization's name when translated means "The work of God". Different members of this organization are known as supernumeraries, numeraries, numerary assistants and associates. Fill in the blanks.

Q15) What are ‘superbia‘, ‘avaratia’, ‘luxuria’, ‘gula’, ‘invidia’, ’ira’ and ’acedia’ (their English equivalents being probably more famous) collectively known as?

Q16) Ergot is a very dangerous hallucinogenic fungus, causing vivid hallucinations and convulsions, which were mistaken for demonic possession in the olden days. During the Victorian era a derivative of Ergot, Ergotine was prescribed by doctors to prevent bleeding. This author, to stop the bleeding caused in his lungs by tuberculosis was injected with this drug. As a result of the reactions to the drug, the author experienced plenty of mood swings. What book did the author come up with relevance to the situation?

Q17) This place in the US was founded in 1796 by English settlers who were trying to find a passage to Maryland after misinterpreting a passage in the Bible. It is located near Capitol City and Shelbyville and has an especially strong rivalry with the latter. It is said to be the most radioactive place in America and visitors are often advised to carry radiation suits with them! During a period when its citizens were accused of being unpatriotic, the Mayor even changed its name to ‘Liberty-ville’. Which famous place?

Q18) Born in a small town in Bavaria, Germany in 1864. In 1887 he received a medical degree from University of Wurzburg. He began his career with the city mental asylum in Frankfurt. He worked along with Franz Nisl, another neurologist. He also co founded and co published the German journal called "Zeitschrift für die gesamte Neurologie und Psychiatrie". His surname has become famous/infamous for a disease that is named after him. Name this famous psychiatrist

Q19) "The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier" and "The Adventure of the Lion's Mane" are Sherlock Holmes stories. How are they different from the other stories?

Q20) In 2001, who beat Pete Sampras in the Quarter Finals to end his 4 year reign as Wimbledon champion?

Q21) While going for the test to become an American citizen, this great Mathematician and Logician informed the presiding judge that he had discovered a way in which a dictatorship could be legally installed in the United States. (The loophole involved the president's ability to make appointments while the Senate is in recess.) Fortunately, the judge, who was apparently a very patient person, took this in good humour and awarded him his citizenship. Who?

Q22) Which legendary singer’s pseudonym was Paul Ramone (which incidentally also inspired the name of he rock group ‘The Ramones’)?

Q23) This word is originally derived from a Greek word meaning "A Burnt sacrifice ordered to Gods". This is from the Greek and Roman pagan custom where burnt animals were offered to Gods of the earth and nether world. Another origin is from the sacrifice Jews were required to make on Torah. We are familiar with this word in a totally different context. Name it.

Q24) Of the many Native American names for ‘it’, some of which include ‘Boqs’, which means ‘Bush Man’, ‘Mesingw’ meaning ‘Masked Being’ and ‘Iktomi’ meaning ‘The Trickster’, perhaps the most famous to outsiders is ‘Sasquatch’ which has been given to ‘it’ by the Salish Indians. How is ‘it’ known universally?

Q25) The brand’s mission statement: "In 1891, we lit up the world. Today, we continue to create a better one. Tomorrow, there’s no limit to what we can do." Across the world, it owns over 100,000 patents, 22,000 trademarks and 6000 design copyrights. This company lights 30% of offices, 65% of top airports, 55% of soccer stadia, and 30% of all hospitals around the world. Which brand?

Q26) What beverage gets its name quite comically from the Anglicization of Irish ‘uisce beatha’ or Scottish Gaelic ‘uisge beatha’, both meaning literally 'water of life'?

Q27) It contains the fifth of several known types of the protein Hemagglutinin and the first of several known types of the protein Neuraminidase. It has caused a scare everywhere from China to Turkey. What are we talking about?

Q28) He has been a professor in Princeton University for an academic semester. He has composed music for Bernardo Bertolucci's Little Buddha, Vanaprastham and received the distinct honor of co-composing the opening music for the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, 1996. Who?

Q29) On the occasion of his 42nd birthday he was invited to make a guest appearance at one of Pink Floyd’s 1994 concerts in London, playing rhythm guitar on the songs "Brain Damage“ and "Eclipse". He also chose the name for Pink Floyd's 1994 album, The Division Bell by picking the words from the lyrics to one of its tracks. Who?

Q30) Originally known as the Knights of Walpurgis, this society was headed by a person whose name translates into French as "flight of death". The standard attire of the members of this society was a black cape with a white skull mask. Name this "terrorist organisation"?

Q31) Time Magazine’s annual ‘Man of the Year’ edition is well known. In 2000 Albert Einstein was also chosen as the ‘Time Man of the Century’. But who in 1949 was chosen as the ‘Time Man of the Half Century’?

Q32) Long ago, when clans wanted to get rid of their unwanted people without killing them, they used to burn their houses down. This practice has given rise to which common day phrase?

Q33) (A) “O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick.- Thus with a kiss I die.”

(B) “O, happy dagger! This is thy sheath; there rest, and let me die. “

Whose famous last words? (Please give both names, no half points)

Q34) It is the largest town in the far south of Tunisia, with a lot of historical artifacts, from a French Foreign Legion prison to roman ruins and caveman dwellings. Two famous movies are connected with / shot in the town. Name the town

Q35) The Acropolis, including the Parthenon, is often claimed to have been constructed using this. Architect Le Corbusier used it as the basis of his Modulor system of Architecture. It is also observed in the study of the Fibonacci series. What?

Q36) What took place at Max Yasgur's 600 acre dairy farm in Bethel, New York, on 15, 16, and 17 August, 1969?

Q37) ________ is the first martyr of Christianity and is venerated as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. He is identified as one of the first deacons chosen by the early church. Upon the death of Jesus, he became an outspoken supporter of what was then called ‘The Way’. He preached the teachings of Jesus and participated in the conversion of Jews and Gentiles. He was tried for blasphemy and was then stoned to death by an infuriated mob egged on by Saint Paul. Who are we talking about?

Q38) According to Rudolf Hess, Auschwitz camp commandant, technology created by which IT giant played a huge role in the categorization of concentration camp prisoners through the use of Index Machines?

Q39) Give the last (and most famous name): Proof, Kon Artist, Swift, Kuniva, Bizarre and _________?

Q40) Originally intended for the specific purpose of treating hay fever, this word has become synonymous with the profession it is used in most frequently. It is pronounced universally in other languages without translation. Literally it means "I create as I speak". Identify this word?

Columban Open Quiz Prelims 1.0

2011-07-27T18:43:00.002+05:30

Q1) In 1872, the West of Scotland Cricket Ground in Partick, Scotland hosted the first international event of this kind. It reputedly cost 5 pence to get in! What?

Q2) This game was designed anonymously by Howard Garns, a 74-year-old retired architect and freelance constructor. The first world championship was held in Lucca, Italy from 10 to 12 March 2006. It was won by Jana Tylova, a 31-year-old accountant from the Czech Republic. Different variants of this increasingly popular game are nonomino, heptomino and pentomino. Some of the strategies used in this game are cross-hatching, scanning and marking-up. Identify this game.

Q3) Connect: _____ Karen Green, ______ Eustace Geller, ________ Buffay-Hannigan?

Q4) Which hotel is located at 2650 Virginia Avenue, Washington DC, USA?

Q5) Some malted barley, pinches of wheat flour with a dash of evaporated milk is considered to be the recipe of success by Mr James ______. Fill in the blank to identify his world famous product.

Q6) In 2003 The American Film Institute compiled a list of the 100 greatest heroes and villains to ever appear in Hollywood movies. Which famous character was the only one who made the list in both the Heroes as well as the Villains category?

Q7) A glacially over-deepened valley, usually narrow and steep-sided, extending below sea level and filled with salt water, can be described in one word as?

Q8) It originated in 1978 as a radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4. Besides the hugely popular book series, it has been adapted into other media including stage shows, a TV series, a computer game, comic book adaptations of the first three novels and a series of towels.

Q9) What is the popular video-game character Mario’s full name?

Q10) ‘One Vision, One World,’ was a concert held in Mumbai and was organised by Save The Children, India. It featured A R Rahman on keyboards. Which prominent personality and ‘friend of children’ wrote the lyrics for the theme?

Q11) What scientific phenomenon refers to the inelastic scattering of a photon which creates or annihilates an optical phonon, where a phonon is a quantized mode of vibration occurring in a rigid crystal lattice, such as the atomic lattice of a solid?

Q12) In which country is Timbuctoo actually located?

Q13) What is the more popular name of the plastic surgery called Rhytidectomy?

Q14) His surname is the actual name that is given to him by the inhabitants of Skull Island in the Indian Ocean, where he resides, while his first name is an appellation added by an American film crew led by Carl Denham who were the first to actually capture him. Identify him.

Q15) The Czechs call it Famfrpál, the Dutch call it Zwerkbal, and the Norwegians call it Rumpeldunk. What is the English name for this fast-paced sport?

Q16) After completing his graduation, Anil Moolchandani joined the family business. On a fortunate day, one of his customers presented him with two posters that he had brought back from the US. He displayed these posters in the shop and was amazed when visitors inquired whether the posters were for sale. Not one to let a business opportunity pass by, he started putting up posters for sale in his shop. In 1979, he started a mail order poster shop, and started operating from a mezzanine office measuring 200 sq.ft. What is this now popular chain of shops called?

Q17) After French revolution, Edmund Burke, looked up at the Press Gallery of the House of Commons and said, "Yonder sits the ----------- ----------and they are most important of them all". What is the phrase used to describe the press?

Q18) ‘Glue, Artificial Rock, Aspirin, Axle Grease, Balloon Basket, Bat-man's Outfit, Bed Springs, Bird Seed, Bomb Boomerang, Bumble Bees, Cactus Costume, Christmas Package Machine, Detonator, Dehydrated Boulders, Do It Yourself Tornado Kit, Earthquake Pills, Electric Eye, Electronic Motor, Giant Kite Kit, Giant Rubber Band, Grease, Hair Grower (patented), Handlebars, High Speed Tonic (contains Vitamins R-P+M). Indestructo Steel Ball, Instant Awakener, Instant Icicle Maker, Instant Road, Invisible Paint, Iron Bird Seed, Iron Carrot, Iron Pellets, Anvil, Jet Motor, Junior Size Outboard Steamroller, Jet Motor, Jet Propelled Pogo Stick, Jet Propelled Unicycle, Jim-Dandy Wagon, Lightning Bolts, Little Giant Do-It-Yourself Rocket-Sled Kit, Matches, Female Road Runner Costume, Mouse Snare, Nitroglycerin, Outboard Motor, Railroad Ties, Railroad Track, Rocket Powered Roller Skates, Rocket Sled, Roller Skis, Shopping Center, Smoke Screen Bomb, Spikes, Street Cleaners Wagon, Super Outfit, Triple Strength Battleship Steel Armor Plate, Triple Strength Fortified Leg Muscle Vitamins (Family Size), Trucking, Water Pistol, Wild Cat.’ These products all belong to what company?

Q19) When Forbes magazine named this leader in their 2005 list of the world’s wealthiest people with an estimated wealth of $550 million, he reacted by threatening to sue the magazine, calling it, "clumsy slander and a repugnant example of the campaign of lies"? Who is this man?

Q20) Belts and hoses comprised the product line of the struggling company, which was on the verge of disappearing when Andre ______ took the helm in 1886. He continued to tend his picture frame and lock business and recruited his younger brother Edouard from fine arts school to help him with the rubber shop. By 1889, a rubber brake pad for horse-drawn vehicles was the company's best seller. In addition to this, in 1900 the company published Guide Rouge which would be a widely used travel guide. Fill in the blanks with the company's name.

Q21) During the first week of April in 1964, The Beatles created Music History by becoming the first and s far only artists to hold the top 5 places in the US Billboard Hot 100. However in mid 2005 which modern musical icon nearly matched them by holding 4 out of the top 5 places in the corresponding list?

Q22) X is in the Guinness book of records as the most translated author in the world with more than 280 copies of his books in print in105 countries. X besides being a bestseller is also a screenplay writer and has received an academy award for "The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer". Identify X"

Q23) On 7th July, 2005, Vikram Solanki became the first supersub in ODIs. Who did he replace?

Q24) In 1989, a plane bound for Surinam crashed on the edge of the jungle, killing many members of a black Dutch national side. Then in 1994, when he had to fly to USA, a journalist announced in a plane that he had a bomb in his bag which led the US authorities to ground the plane and delay the flight." All these probably led to this guy earning a funny nickname. Who?

Q25) Who ‘contested’ the 2004 US president elections under the "Go vote. Go run. Go lead. Go girl." Campaign?

Q26) His last name is Carson. A Forbes 500 company in a press release announced his split with his more famous girlfriend on February 12, 2004. Who is the girlfriend in question?

Q27) Oh, say does that __________ ___________ yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? Fill in the blanks.

Q28) Formally known as Air Force Flight Test Center, Detachment 3 but also often referred to as Dreamland, Watertown Strip, Paradise Ranch, The Farm, The Box, Groom Lake, and The Directorate for Development Plans Area. What is the most common name for this infamous place?

Q29) This volcano is so far the only confirmed active volcano in South Asia. The first recorded eruptions of this volcano date back to 1787 and after a gap of 200 years it erupted again in 1991 causing considerable damage in a period that lasted 6 month. It has become active once again in the last 2 years with its most recent eruption occurring on 2nd May 2006. Identify.

Q30) What word evolved from Greek for 'Instruction in the circle of arts and sciences'?

Q33) According to the H.G. Wells’ classic ‘The Time Machine’, which is primarily set in the year 802,701 AD, if the Eloi reside above ground what is the name of their nemesis who live underground?

Q31) The Order of the Dragon was an institution, similar to other chivalric orders of the time, modelled on the Order of St George. It was created in 1408 by the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund and his queen Barbara Cilli, mainly for the purpose of gaining protection for the royal family. According to its statute, the Order also required its initiates to defend the Cross and to do battle against its enemies, principally the Turks. Which fictional character gets his/her name from the word meaning "son of the member of the order of Dragon"?

Q32) Who was the last man to beat Roger Federer at Wimbledon?

Q34) There is a portion in some versions of the Quran that approves the worship of al-Lat, al-'Uzza and Manat, the three goddesses worshipped by the ancient Meccans. The story has it that angel Gabriel came to Muhammad later and scolded him for adding his erroneous invention to the divine scripture. Muhammed took back his words following this. What are these portions of the Quran referred to as?

Q35) Nicolas Copernicus wrote, "In the midst of all dwells the ______. For who could set this luminary in another or better place in this most glorious temple, than whence he can at one and the same time brighten the whole". Fill in the blank to identify who or what Copernicus is talking about?

Q36) What Japanese meaning `random pictures' has become especially famous in the world of comic books?

Q37) This Pepsi product, which is marketed by the Quaker Oats Company, was initially tested on the Florida Gators Football Team (the American kind of course) as it was developed by a team of professors there. Pepsi has had to pay the University of Florida more than $80 million in royalties in exchange for using this product. What?

Q38) What does the company IZH in Izhevsk, Russia manufacture apart from

civilian automobiles and motorcycles?

Q39) It is a subspecies of the cowpea, grown for its medium-sized edible bean, pale-colored with a prominent spot. Its currently accepted botanical name is Vigna unguiculata. Originally cultivated in Asia, and still grown for food in many countries there including India, as well as in Africa, it was introduced into the West Indies and from there to the U.S. Southern states, where it is still often used in soul food and Southern U.S. cuisine. The crop was promoted by George Washington Carver, both for its nutritional value and because, as a legume, it added nitrogen to the soil. Name this type of bean, which is probably more famous in the world of music!

Q40) Complete the series:____________, Jean Luc Picard, Benjamin Sisko, Catherine Janeway, Jonathan Archer.

India Quiz 2.0

2009-12-03T23:59:00.004+05:30

HERITAGE INDIA

Which Indian city is popularily known as the 'Halwa City'?
What specifically I'm referring to by the scientific name Ficus Religiosa?
Connect: Srirangaptnam and Srivasamudram.
What first was achieved by the the following two gentlemen: D K Jatar and M C Dixit?
Who was the first woman minister(not cabinet) of India?

India Quiz 1.0

2009-12-01T23:23:00.003+05:30

Heritage India

Which chilli produced in India is regarded as the hottest in the world?
For what incredible work is P.K.Sethi famous?
Which district literally translated into English means "Stronghold of the King's Minister"?
If Lord Krishna was Arjuna's charioteer who was the charioteer of Lord Krishna?
Which is the first autobiography written by a woman?Name both the woman and the book.

QUIZ 2.0

2009-11-30T20:40:00.001+05:30

TECH QUOTIENT

Indiagames has developed a FPS game based on the 26/11 attacks.What is the name of the game ?
What is the name of the person who has married a virtual gaming character ? The character is in which game ?
CyanogenMod is the modded version of what ?
Transcend has teamed up with which company to provide security to its pendrive ?
23 November 2009 was a big day especially for the gamers.It was the fifth anniversary of which game ?

QUIZ 1.0

2009-11-27T23:51:00.001+05:30

TECH QUOTIENT

This software was released on November 9,2004.It made a Guinness World Record on June 17,2008.You probably use it everyday.What I am talking about ?
If Kindle is for Amazon then Nook is for ?
This web hosting service was started in late 1994 and was shut down in late 2009 (Almost 15 years !!).It was popularly know as BHI and was later acquired by Yahoo! What is this web hosting service currently known as ?
X is a Swedish company that had planned to buy Y.Y is a p2p website and was also featured in the film Steal This Film.Y is also been involved in a number of lawsuits.The founders of Y were sentenced to one year in prison and had to pay fines, after a trial of nine days.Now X has dropped the idea of buying Y.Identify X and Y.
This company got its name from the Pegasus,the winged horse of Greek Mythology.This company also produces components for Playstation 3 and Alienware.Which company ?

Limca Book Of Records Quiz

2009-11-20T21:29:00.005+05:30

"Agony and Ecstasy"

Date: 12 November 2009

Well, posting the review of the quiz after a week. The venue was Convent of Jesus and Mary, New Delhi. I was participating in this quiz for the very first time but had an experienced partner in Prateek Vijayavargia. We reached the venue early and after the registration process were seated in the auditorium. Before the quiz began it was all usual stuff, meeting all friends and discussing some stuff or the other. The 'girl' prefects were, I guess, a little to harsh on everyone as they were constantly asking us to sit down which I didn't like.

After some commercial videos and some awe inspiring videos by Derek O' Brien Associates the prelims began. The prelims were being done by Derek himself. Well the questions were all pretty simple. You can see the archive here. After the prelims ,we were confident about scoring 23-24 and were a little dodgy about the rest. After the time it was time for refreshments which I think weren't good. Refreshments had Minute Maid and Maaza bottles and one could pick as many as one wanted. Long discussions went on with all the fellow quizzers during this break time.

Everyone thronged the auditorium, to know the 6 teams that had made it on stage. Well after all our chit chats we discovered we had something around 27 and were somewhat sure of qualifying. The first two teams were from DPS. The third team was ours. We had made it on stage and Derek was not late to mention that we scored 29/30 in the prelims which was easily the national record. We were joined in later by 3 more teams on stage.The one question that we missed was the visual: Kaka- which i think everyone got in the audi except us.

The quizzing finale began and we breezed through the quiz scoring heavily and once we were in the lead , we maintained it till the fifth round. All went wrong at the end of the fifth round when St Columbas hit the buzzers and answered 3 questions and jumped from 36 to 54 and join us in the lead. The quiz went into the last round which was on buzzer. The final four questions were to be asked. And we after all the hard work did everything wrong and hit the buzzer three times, only to find us give wrong answers every time.

The quizmaster somewhere in between the quiz had said :

"The team that tops the prelims never goes on to win the quiz."

This constantly played on our mind and maybe this is why we succumbed at the last juncture.

Signing Off
Anshul Kharbanda

CONNECT 2.0

2009-11-15T22:57:00.007+05:30

Connect the four images to get a not-so-famous Indian: 4 points

Answers can be posted as comments.

LIMCA BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS QUIZ

2009-11-15T10:04:00.008+05:30

Limca Book Of Records Quiz 2009
Delhi Prelims

Quizmaster: Derek O' Brien
Date: 12 November 2009
Venue: Convent of Jesus and Mary's School,New Delhi

Delhi ______ Board is the authority responsible for water supply in the capital. Fill in the blank with a three letter word.
Working as female assistant director for the film Black, she made her debut in another Sanjay Leela Bhansali film.Who?
Floating, tealight, pillar and taper are types of what decorative item used during Birthday
celebrations?
Hint: It is a six letter word.
Which British town shares its name with a type of woolen clothing?
i. New Jersey
ii. ???
iii. ???
iv. Cardigan
A cravat is worn around the ___________.
i. Neck
ii. Waist
iii. Head.
iv. Foot.
Nearly half of this food item’s production is consumed by the East, but in terms of per capita consumption, Europe is its largest consumer. What?
i. Onions
ii. Potatoes
iii. Bananas
Which Indian scientist wrote the poem Homage to Carnatic Music Doyen Late M S
Subbulakshmi?
Who was the last Indian batsman to score a century on Test debut?
i. Virendra Sehwag
ii. Saurav Ganguly
iii. Rahul Dravid
Which superhero witnessed the murder of his parents as a child and swore to put an end to
crime to avenge their death?
i. Superman
ii. Batman
iii. Spiderman
Amitabh Bachhan was the first to have his wax statue installed at the Madame Tussaud’s
museum. Serious or joking?
How many enter keys are present on a keyboard?
Bandhni is practiced in two Indian states. One is Rajasthan. Name the other.
Which Indian in 1891 started writing articles on vegetarianism for the newspaper The
Vegetarian?
Basal, reflex and psychic are all types of what?
i. Kissing
ii. Crying
iii. Eating
A flag of which colour is used to indicate a disease on a ship?
Make a list of all living former presidents of India.
Where is the F1 track Yas Marina Circuit located?
i. Bahrain
ii. Abu Dhabi
iii. Singapore
Which district of Himachal Pradesh is famous for its colourful caps?
If Assamese is the first language on an Indian currency note, then what is the last?
Kakori, Shami and Seekh are all types of what?
What tourist attraction is located on Staten Island?
Which Hindu festival is marked by a traditional bonfire on the previous day?
The Delhi Ridge is the northern extension of which mountain range?
In The Tale of Two Cities, the city with the shorter name is?
According to the Limca Book of Records, which firm is the largest employer in the world?
Identify:
Identify:
Identify:
Audio: Mohit Chauhan.
Audio: Akon.

Credits: Shreyans Jain,Amity Saket

Jack Kilby Quiz 2009

2009-11-05T22:54:00.000+05:30

Jack Kilby 2009

Presenting the 7th edition of the Texas Instruments Science and Technology Quiz.

The quiz would be held across 4 destinations in India.

Kolkata:
Date:Friday, October 30, 2009
Time:09:30 am - 1:00 pm
Venue:G D Birla Sabhaghar, No. 9, Ashutosh Chowdhry Avenue, Kolkata

New Delhi:
Date:Friday, November 06, 2009
Time:09:30 am - 1:00 pm
Venue:Air Force Auditorium, Subroto Park, New Delhi

Chennai:
Date:Sunday, November 15, 2009
Time:09:30 am - 01:00 pm
Venue:Image Auditorium, R. A. Puram, Chennai

Pune:
Date:Monday, November 16, 2009
Time:09:30 am - 01:00 pm
Venue:Nehru Memorial Hall, No. 4, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune

Bangaluru:
Date:Sunday, November 22, 2009
Time:12:00 pm - 03:00 pm
Venue:St. John's Auditorium, Koramangala, Bangalore

Guidelines of the quiz:

* No entry fee.
* High school students of class 8, 9 and 10 are eligible.
* Each school can register upto 6 teams of 2 students each.
* The students must come in their school uniforms.
* At entry level, all teams will go through written prelims of which 6 teams will be selected for the Regional Finals.
* Utmost 2 teams from the same school will be qualified for the regional finals.
* The decision of the quiz master is final and binding.

How to Register:

* Register Online
* Email your queries to:
o Pune, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore: tistquiz-query@list.ti.com
* Call helpline numbers in:
o Pune, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore:
+ +91 98450 03380 (Sylvia Subbaiah)
+
+91 96633 66603 (Bhaskar P)

CONNECT 1.0

2009-11-03T17:50:00.006+05:30

Connect

India-Australia Quiz 3.0

2009-11-02T16:38:00.007+05:30

Ind-Oz 3.0

Answers can be posted as comments

Ricky Ponting, achieved a rare feat in the first ODI of the recent One Day series between India and Australia. He joined Rahul Dravid,Inzamam-Ul-haq and Sourav Ganguly and others to have achieved this feat.What is the feat?
In the famous Eden Gaderns Test of 2001 who top scored for Australia in the first innings thus enabling them to post a total in excess of 600?
Identify:
Who holds the Indian record for the highest individual score in ODI cricket against Australia?
Jasu Patel was the 1st Indian bowler to get 9 wickets ( 9/69 ) in an innings? Who got the other wicket ?
Which bowler has taken most wickets in India-Australia One Day series?
In 1947-48 who became the first Indian to score a century on Australian soil?
In the first test match that the Aussies played on the Indian soil I took 7 for 72 in the first innings dismissing India for 161.Who am I?
Who is only wicketkeeper to have got Sir Don Bradman stumped?
When India faced the Aussies for the first time in Test Cricket two Aussie batsmen were out hit wicket.If Don Bradman was the one, who was the other?Also mention the bowler who got the other batsmen out.

************

TCS IT WIZ

2009-11-02T10:57:00.004+05:30

TCS IT WIZ 2009

Venue:Dogra Hall,IIT Delhi
Quizmaster:Giri Balasubramanyam(Pickbrain)
Winners:DPS,Noida

PRELIMS

FC Kolhi, Ramadorai and __________
Ans: N Chandrashekaran
What was "Jerry and David's guide to the World Wide Web" and was renamed in April
1994?
Ans: Yahoo
Identify: (Hint: A very famous CEO)
Ans: Carol Bartz (CEO and President of Yahoo!)
What did XP stand for in Windows XP?
Ans: eXPerience
Jack Dorsey created this in 2006 as a project within a now-defunct podcasting company
called Odeo, which was run by entrepreneur Evan Williams. What is it?
Ans: Twitter
Identify the company:
Ans: Xerox
MagicBox@Work is a Windows-based mobile device from which company?
Ans: Vodafone
Expand TSR.
Ans: Terminate and Stay Resident
This was the result of a new approach to go beyond search to build what they call a
decision engine. With a powerful set of tools on top of a world-class engine, X will help you
make faster decisions. What are we talking about?
Ans: BING
Set up in August 1984 by the government of India, it is the technology development
centre for designing and developing digital exchanges. What is it? (Somebody, please
expand on this one. Mail me at a.crystalunicorn@yahoo.com)
Ans: C-DOT
Which supercomputer was built by Computational Research Laboratories in India, and is India's fastest supercomputer? (Hint: It was built along with TCS)
Ans: Eka
A photo which said Just For Fun The Story Of An Accidental Revolutionary]. Name the
author, or his creation.
Ans: Linus Torvalds/Linux
In the world of Internet and dromain names, what is GTLD?
Ans: Generic Top-Level domain
Identify: Ans. Google Wave
This story revolves around a supernatural phenomenon, which a fictional special forces.
The player assumes the role of F.E.A.R.'s Point Man, who possesses superhuman reflexes,
and must uncover the secrets of a paranormal menace in the form of a little girl. Identify
the game, developed by Monolith Productions and published by Vivendi Universal.
Ans: First Encounter Assault Recon (F.E.A.R)
This started in a living room of co-founder Reid Hoffman. The other original founders
included Allen Blue, Konstantin Guericke, Eric Ly and Jean-Luc Vaillant. They created a
social networking site for professionals. (Giri: What you do is social networking. This is
professional networking, something that your parents may use). What am I talking about?
Ans: LinkedIn
Identify the person:
In the context of mobile numbers, what is MNP? (Giri: Everybody is saying "India is
getting MNP." What is it?)
Ans: Mobile Number Portability
David Bradley implemented this keyboard combination, as a designer of the original IBM
PC. What am I talking about? (Hint: Gets us out of many tricky situations)
Ans: Control+Alt+Delete
Identify:Ans: Sachin Pilot

Credits: Shikhar Gautam & Aditya Salapaka

TCS IT WIZ

2009-10-31T20:10:00.006+05:30

31 October 2009,the day I'd been waiting for a fortnight had come and was hoping to make it a special one by winning the TCS IT Wiz. Well, to make it short I missed the school bus in the morning and reached school by an auto and then all our teams were ready to hit the Dogra Hall. We had 6 teams in total and were all geared up to perform at the Dogra Hall.

We reached early and got through the registration process pretty fast only to find us waiting first in the campus and in the auditorium for an hour or so. Then comes the Pickbrain, the quizmaster for the day, to start his act and astonishes everyone by telling that TCS IT Wiz,Delhi would be having two set of prelims as a whopping 909 teams had arrived at the venue.

He also disappointed everyone by saying that 4 teams would go on stage from Prelims 1 and the other two teams would be decided from Prelims 2. The quiz starts after some advertisements and videos by the organisers. The first question was a lame sitter and I guess everyone in the audi got that. We got the next 5 too only to find ourselves miss the next 4. Well I forgot to introduce you all to my partner, he was Prempal Singh a class 9 guy.

The prelims went ok. I wasn't too happy with our performance but nevertheless I was keeping the fingers crossed and for the odds to shift our side. We were made to move out of the hall as the next set of prelims were to be conducted. We were served refreshments and were made to wait for like one and a half hours outside the hall. As all the students tried to force themselves inside the audi for the results and finals, there was a stampede like situation at the entrance to the hall.

As the students got settled in the hall, pickbrain gave the answers which made me feel a little happy as we guys had scored 15 which was relatively a good score. Well, the first 5 teams were announced and New Era didn't figure in any of them. Pickbrain took a bit of time announcing the 6th team and well he just pointed out before announcing the 6th team that this was the first time he was seeing this school qualify. He said New Era Public School and I just got a glimmer of hope which had been lost after a long wait only to find that two kiddos(Arnav Sharma & Apratim Chandra Singh) who had the same score of 15 qualified. Well another team comprising of Prateek Vijayavargia and Rohit Jagtani also had 15 points. So that meant New Era had 3 teams on 15 but definitely it was heartbreaking for both the other two teams not to qualify.

Well the finals began and Arnav & Apratim overcame all odds to finish third with a bit of luck,enthusiasm,sheer knowledge and help. Congratulations to all the other teams who qualified and to you guys who did New Era proud at the TCS. You have a great future ahead.

Looking forward to get some training from you 'Arnav' for the next year's edition. Hoping to hit the TCS hard next year for the one last time.

Hope the dream to win TCS comes true and New Era continues to rock on the quizzing circuit.

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