iMind - General Knowledge Quiz

	According to the proverb, what is the mother of invention?
	Necessity
	According to the proverb, what is the better part of valour?
	Discretion
	The Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square in London is a gift from which country?
	Norway
	The 'X' in Xmas is derived from what?
	The Greek letter Chi for Christ
	According to Northern European tradition, Thor rides across the sky in a wagon pulled by two Yule animals. What kind of animal were they?
	Yule goats
	Good King Wenceslas looked out on the Feast of Stephen. When is the Feast of Stephen?
	December 26th
	The three wise men supposedly brought gold, frankincense and myrrh. What are frankincense and myrrh?
	Resins
	In 'The Grinch Stole Christmas', why was the Grinch so mean?
	His heart was two sizes too small
	Out of the last three countries admitted to the United Nations, two are European. Which two?
	Switzerland and Montenegro
	What in Economics is Monopsony?
	A market with a single buyer, the opposite of monopoly
	Which instution awards the Pulitzer prize?
	Columbia University
	Which country in 1948 was the first to constitutionally abolish its army?
	Costa Rica
	The motto 'E Pluribus Unum' appears on the Great Seal of the United States and on most denominations of US currency. What does it mean?
	Out of many, one
	Which office was abolished by Pope John Paul II in 1983 which then allowed him to speed up the process of canonisation and beatification?
	Devil's Advocate (advocatus diaboli)
	Where did the first modern traffic lights appear?
	The first three-light electric traffic lights were installed in Detroit in 1920. Earlier, on 10 December 1868, the first gas traffic lights were installed outside the Houses of Parliament in London. They resembled the railway signals of the time, with semaphore arms and red and green gas lamps for night use. They exploded on 2 January 1869.
	According to Christian theology (although not dogma), what are the three highest ranks of angel?
	Seraphim, Cherubim and Ophanim (Seraph, Cherub, and Ophan in the singular)
	Ask and Embla are the Norse equivalent to the Christian what?
	Adam and Eve
	"Old Fred" was the captain of which famous vessel?
	The Yellow Submarine
	Sicilian, Ponziani, Russian, Scottish, Nimzo-Indian and Sokolsky are all examples of what kind of movement?
	Opening moves in Chess
	On the flags of which two countries would you find the most stars ?
	USA (50) and Brazil (27)
	In Greek mythology who solved the riddle of the Sphinx?
	Oedipus
	What does 'alibi' literally mean?
	Somewhere else
	If you were seated in a howdah, where would you be?
	On an elephant (or an Oliphaunt in The Hobbit)
	Which currency was replaced by the Euro on January 1st 1999 at a ratio of 1 to 1?
	The ECU (European Currency Unit)
	Which commercial chain is named after a character in Moby Dick and has a double-tailed mermaid as the main feature of its logo?
	Starbucks
	Which word in the Arabic language originally meant 'old man', although it now can mean elder of a tribe, lord, revered wise man, or Islamic scholar?
	Sheikh
	According to the Old Testament, who is considered to be the father of the Jewish nation?
	Abraham
	Ask and Embla are the Norse equivalent to the Christian what?
	Adam and Eve
	According to the proverb, what is the mother of invention?
	Necessity
	According to the proverb, what is the better part of valour?
	Discretion
	Who created the cartoon cat Garfield?
	Jim Davis
	St Patrick is also the patron saint of which other country?
	Nigeria
	Which organisation's insignia bears the inscription Blood & Fire?
	The Salvation Army
	The main news in London on July 7th 2005 was the bombing. What was the main news item the previous day?
	London winning the Olympic bid
	What colour is zero on a roulette wheel?
	Green
	What is a one-word synonym for "intelligent design" ?
	Creationism
	Which is the busiest air route by number of flights?
	Madrid-Barcelona
	Where is the headquarters of Interpol?
	Lyons
	What is the official language or languages of the United States?
	The United States has no official language
	In Greek mythology who solved the riddle of the Sphinx?
	Oedipus
	On a standard English language computer keyboard what letter lies between "C" and "B"?
	'V'
	How do you say "no worries" in Swahili?
	Hakuna matata
	Which country has the world's largest Muslim population?
	Indonesia
	When did the Euro banknotes and coins officially become currency in Europe?
	January 1st, 2002
	Which language does the word "safari" originate from?
	Swahili
	In the American Presidential Election, the state of California is worth 55 points in the Electoral College system, which state is next most important with a total of 34 points?
	Texas
	What is the official language of Pakistan?
	Urdu
	Lake Volta is the largest reservoir in the world (2006) and is located in which country?
	Ghana
	What does 3G mean in the mobile phone ads?
	Third generation
	Which organisation has the motto: Fidelity, Bravery and Integrity?
	The FBI
	What is a more common name for a polygraph?
	Lie detector
	Before the Euro, the Irish Punt was divided into 100 what?
	Pence
	Of all the -ologies (study of), which has the shortest name?
	Oology, the study (and collecting) of eggs
	What do the following words have in common: aspirin, bakelite, breathalyzer, cellophane, escalator, frisbee, heroin, jacuzzi, styrofoam, tarmac, vaseline, zipper?
	They were all trademarks
	The first non-stop transatlantic flight was between which two countries?
	Canada and Ireland
	Which country joined the G7 which then became the G8?
	Russia
	Which ex-resident of 10 Downing Street put his good health in his old age down to gin and cigarettes?
	Denis Thatcher
	On what day does Easter Sunday fall?
	The first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox
	What does UNESCO stand for?
	United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
	What is a John Dory?
	A fish
	From which country is Kofi Annan (Secretary General of the UN)?
	Ghana
	How deep in metres is 100 fathoms?
	182.88m
	What does the 'mp' stand for in mp3 players?
	Moving Picture
	What is the Sanskrit word for 'union'?
	Yoga
	Which country has, by far, the most universities?
	India has over 7000, the US comes second with over 4000
	The streets of Atlantic City, New Jersey, were used in the original version of what?
	Monopoly game
	What is Sirimavo Bandaranike's claim to fame?
	The first woman Prime Minister in the World (Sri Lanka)
	Who or what is 'ataxia'?
	Loss of muscle control
	What does the word 'Islam' literally mean?
	Submission
	What did Valentina Tereshkova do in 1963 that propelled her to fame?
	Became the first woman in space
	Who do the Italians call Topolino?
	Mickey Mouse
	Which is the third letter of the greek alphabet?
	Gamma
	How many counters does a player start with in Backgammon?
	15
	What kind of people make up a plutocracy?
	The wealthy
	The Valkyries are the nine handmaidens of whom?
	Odin
	Which are the fire signs of the Zodiac?
	Aries, Leo and Sagittarius
	What nationality was Winston Churchill's mother?
	American (USA)
	Where would you find together a verso and a recto?
	In a book (left and right pages).
	What did John Sutter start in 1848?
	The California Gold Rush
	Parnassus was the sacred mountain home of the muses and which Greek god?
	Apollo
	In which city is the HQ of the International Monetary Fund?
	Washington DC
	Who was John Kerry's running mate in the 2004 US Presidential election?
	John Edwards
	What's the connection between Mashed Potato, the Loco-Motion, the Frug, the Monkey, and the Funky Chicken?
	Popular dances in 1962
	A sesquicentennial celebrates how many years?
	150
	After how many years marriage do you celebrate your Emerald wedding anniversary?
	55
	Contrary to popular belief, brides do not walk down the aisle to the altar. What do they walk down?
	The nave of the church - aisles are along the sides
	Europeans are familiar with A-4 size paper. What is the area of A-0 paper?
	One square meter
	In Roman numerals, what is the letter M with a bar over it?
	One million
	What are Mizaru, Kikazaru, and Iwazaru?
	The three wise monkeys: Mizaru (See no evil), Mikazaru (Hear no evil), and Mazaru (Speak no evil)
	What did Dr John S. Pemberton concoct in a three-legged pot in his backyard in 1886?
	Coca-Cola
	What does a circle with a cross through it mean on a clothing label?
	Do not dry clean
	What does the distress signal SOS stand for?
	Nothing, it is only an easy combination of morse letters (...---...)
	What is a leprechaun's profession?
	Tailor and Cobbler
	What is the collective name for Tinky Winky, Dipsy, La La and Po?
	Teletubbies
	What is the Turkish custom of Falaka?
	Beating prisoners on the soles of their feet
	What was the Jaguar car called before 1935?
	SS
	Which is the largest denomination dollar bill issued?
	$100, larger denominations were discontinued in 1969
	Who is Bibendum better known as?
	The Michelin Man
	Who won the 1936 'Miss Hungary' title but had to give it up because she was under 16?
	Zsa Zsa Gabor
	Who made the first telephone call to the moon?
	Richard Nixon
	What is digamy?
	A second legal marriage
	What is Hobson's Choice?
	No choice at all
	What is known as 'The Greatest Show on Earth'?
	The Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus
	What is the other name for the Union Jack?
	The Union Flag
	Where is the cloth denim, used in jeans, originally come from?
	Nimes (Denim=de Nimes)
	Who invented the ball-point pen?
	Laszlo and Georg Biro
	Who was the founder of Lotus Cars Ltd.?
	Colin Chapman
	What did Pandora release when she opened her box or jar?
	All of man's miseries and evils, plus hope.
	Where is the Encyclopædia Britannica published?
	Chicago
	Which writer established the three laws of robotics?
	Isaac Asimov
	Donald F. Duncan introduced in 1929 a toy based on a weapon used by 16th-century Filipino hunters. What is it called?
	Yo-yo
	What official title do ambassadors to the UK have?
	Ambassador to the Court of Saint James'
	Which was the first credit card?
	Diner's Club
	Who was the youngest president of the United States?
	Theodore Roosevelt at 42 - JFK was 43 and Clinton was 46