Once upon a time, when I was a teacher, the last lesson of the term would frequently involve a general knowledge quiz - just for fun. In fact the classes usually pressed me to make this happen - "Can we have a quiz sir? Please!" As years passed by, my expectations were lowered but it never ceased to amaze me what teenagers did not know. I mean, most of them had been in school for ten years and yet I sometimes wondered - what had they learnt? I guess that one of the main pre-requisites of general knowledge quizzing is curiosity - the urge to know stuff but many of my charges seemed to fully lack that trait.
I was always dumbing down because as a quizmaster you certainly do not want quiz teams to feel entirely hopeless. You want them to score with some correct answers - make them feel they're achieving something at least.
Here are ten questions that are typical of those I used to pose in those bygone days when King Charles III was merely a prince:
- Prince Charles has two brothers and a sister. Please name one of them.
- What is the name of the ocean between Europe and North America?
- In nursery rhymes who ate curds and whey while sitting on a tuffet?
- Who was the drummer for The Beatles?
- A baby dog is a puppy but what is a baby fox called?
- London is Great Britain's capital city but what is the capital of Scotland?
- Which American pop singer made albums called "Bad" and "Thriller"?
- What is Fred Flintstone's wife called?
- Which famous English playwright wrote"Hamlet" and "Julius Caesar"?
- How do you say, "Thank you very much" in French?
Entirely separate - here's a photo of Ian and his Sheffield people after brunching today in "The Wild Card" on Ecclesall Road. Phoebe, Margot, Frances and Stewart were also there as well as Sarah and Zach. It was so great that they could all get together and this picture gives me much joy. Soon afterwards, Ian had to head back to London.
ANSWERS
ReplyDelete1. Anne, Andrew, Edward
2. Atlantic Ocean
3. Little Miss Muffet
4. Ringo Starr
5. Cub
6. Edinburgh
7. Michael Jackson
8. Wilma Flintstone
9. William Shakespeare
10. Merci beaucoup
According to your answers, I missed one. But I'll challenge that since there is more than one correct answer to number five. We call baby foxes "kits" in my neck of the woods. Do I get bonus points for knowing all of the King's siblings and that Pete Best was the original drummer for the Beatles?
ReplyDeleteIn fact you get a points deduction for being too darned clever Kelly!
DeleteNine out of ten for me. I missed the first one, which is probably not surprising to you. The royals don't factor much in my life. Also, I gave myself credit for number five which we call a "kit" and not a "cub" in these parts.
ReplyDeleteYou don't know about our royals? What is wrong with you man?
DeleteOther than being American, I'd like to think not much!
DeleteSome Americans have followed our royal family their entire lives . I guess you preferred work tools. By the way, there's nothing wrong with being an American! I have always thought of Americans as being generally kind, optimistic, hard-working and fun-loving. This generalisation does not include #45.
DeleteI thought a baby fox was a kit, even though I knew it was a cub.
ReplyDeleteI also got the wrong ocean.
Oh well!
Good questions, thank you
Eight out of ten for an Aussie is very good indeed!
DeleteOkay I missed 4,5,6, and 8.
ReplyDeleteSix out of ten for a Canadian is most excellent.
Delete1. Andrew, and also Anne and Edward.
ReplyDelete2. The Atlantic ... are these trick questions?
3. Miss Muffet.
4. Ringo!
5. Baby Fox?
6. Edinburgh
7. Michael Jackson
8. Missus Flintstone, or Wilma.
9. Bill Shakespeare.
10. Merci beaucoup!
Good effort for a South Carolinian!
DeleteI got 8/10 which is not too bad as I'm not British. I forgot 'cub' and Wilma.
ReplyDeleteWilma was not British! Thanks for participating IlonaK!
Delete1. Anne, Andrew, Edward. Do I get extra points for knowing all three?
ReplyDelete2. North Atlantic
3. Miss Muffett
4. Ringo Starr
5. Cubs
6. Glasgow
7. Michael Jackson
8. Wilma
9. Will Shakespeare
10. no idea.
Points deduction for daring to ask for extra points!
DeleteLovely photo of everybody.
ReplyDeleteI agree.
Delete1. I know them all. Edward.
ReplyDelete2. Atlantic.
3. Miss Muffet.
4. Ringo.
5. Cub.
6. Edinburgh.
7. Michael Jackson.
8. Barney's wife's name came immediately to my head, Betty. A minute later I remembered Wilma. I've never known anyone called Wilma.
9. Shakespeare.
10. Mercy, bo coop.
Well done but please don't call me Edward!
DeleteI got all but #3, which is understandable considering that I did not grow up with English nursery rhymes. I guess you wouldn‘t be able to complete the sentence „Knusper, knusper Knäusle, wer knuspert an meim …“.
ReplyDeleteAlmost everyone in that photo looks happy - baby Margot looks like she‘d rather be somewhere else. Too noisy? Too many strangers for her liking?
Oh that is so easy! "Der Wind, der Wind" which means "The wind, the wind"!
DeleteMargot is like a Buddha.
Wrong! Der Wind, der Wind is the following sentence. The word I wanted to read is Häusle (rhymes with Knäusle).
DeleteMargot looks like a somewhat skeptical (spelling?) Buddha there.
You sound like a very strict teacher. I apologise for my stupidity.
DeleteI scored 10 out of 10, naturally.
ReplyDeleteGreat photo.
I put that down to your high intelligence JayCee.
DeleteI got them all .. Easy peasy.! ( and lemon squeezy)
ReplyDeleteI think I said before that I am often astounded at the simplest things some people don't know on TV quiz shows, but then they would be astounded that I know nothing about films, actors and directors etc., apart from the most famous of those.
Good girl Frances! Well done!
Delete10 out of 10. Here's a question for you Mr Pudding: Who is the famous soap opera star from Coronation Street who you often hear about but never see? Willy Heckuslike.
ReplyDeleteAlbert Tatlock.
DeleteTen out of ten for me. Kay and her fiance won their local pub quiz a few weeks ago and got first prize of £50.
ReplyDeleteMore lucrative than doctoring! Oh - and well done on your 10/10 score!
Delete1 - No se.
ReplyDelete2 - Atlántico.
3 - No se.
4 - Ringo.
5 - Zorrito.
6 - No se.
7 - Maikel Yacson.
8 - No se.
9 - Sespir.
10 - Merci Beaucoup.
Desde Burgos (España)
Good effort Desde Burgos - apart from the "No se" answers! Thanks for calling by.
Delete9/10! Oh dear, I had no idea what Fred Flintstone's wife was called, so hazarded a guess at Thelma!
ReplyDeleteLovely picture of the family!
Thelma who comes here from her "North Stoke" blog will be delighted about this!
Delete7 out of 10 this time - phew ;-) Like Meike, I did not grow up with English nursery rhymes (and it's not something I've really tried to make up for later either). The word "cub" did not spring to mind (but I knew it when I saw it). And Michael Jackson was never among my favourites.
ReplyDeleteToo many excuses Monica! You got seven, now live with it!
DeleteThe only one I differ on my answer on, is number 5, the fox, I answered kit, here is a reference from a British source, https://www.mammal.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/GaspardFoxyFactsheet.pdf. We appeal to your god judgement.
ReplyDeleteYes, we call the babies of foxes "kits". I think.
ReplyDeleteThat is a joyous table full of parents, children, and darling babies! Or as I sometimes call them, "bebes!" Always with the exclamation point.
I have never called them "kits" but I now must admit that that is an option.
DeletePhew...I got them all. I thought I messed up on the name of fox babies but Google assured me they are also referred to as kits.
ReplyDeleteErrr...no! You have to go with what that quizmaster says Melinda!
DeleteI got 2 wrong so not bad for me.
ReplyDeleteI love that happy group photo.
Eight out of ten proves your mental fitness Ellen!
DeleteTen out of ten! Although I was told in French class that French people don't really say "merci beaucoup" very often.
ReplyDeleteMy brother and his girlfriend live in France and use "merci beaucoup" all the time.
DeleteI missed 5,6, 8 and 10. But I think kit can be a correct answer for #5. Thought the capitol of Scotland was Glasgow. Just guessed at the wife and tried Erma. And for the last one for some reason I was trying to come up with the response to "thank you" instead of the correct answer. Sheesh!
ReplyDeleteOh dear Bruce! SWMBO will not be happy with your performance so let's make it our little secret.
DeleteI'm with the dissentients on question 5. "Cubs" seems too straightforward an answer for a quiz.
ReplyDeleteOkay I give in though the term "kits" is one I usually associate with otters.
DeleteI did the same thing when I taught...giving them trivia at the end of a term. I missed the fox one.
ReplyDelete