BQC College Quiz elims

The College Quiz Abhinav Dasgupta | Aditya Gadre | Atul Matthew

28 April 2012

The Elims

The College Quiz Abhinav | Aditya | Atul

Rules:

~ 30 Questions ~ 1 Point for each correct answer ~ Questions 26-30 are starred and will be used in case of ties ~ In case teams are still tied, we have a sudden death starting from Question 1 ~ Please switch off all Cellphones, tablets, PCs or any other electronic device that might be of help during this quiz ~ QM's decision will be final and binding all that jazz


1

What was described as Heptanesia to the Greek geographer Ptolemy in 150 CE?


A

Bombay / Mumbai (city of 7 islands)


2

Who is the subject of this BBC documentary? What is the "most important moment of his working life" ? (1/2 point each)


A

Andrew Wiles

Talking about cracking Fermat's Last Theorem

(1/2 point each)


3

In 1860, Henry Varnum Y published History of Railroads and Canals in the United States, an attempt to compile comprehensive information about the financial and operational state of U.S. railroad companies

In 1906, Luther Lee Blake founded the X Statistics Bureau, with the view to provide financial information on non-railroad companies.

In 1941, they merged to become X and Y's Corp. In 1966, the company was acquired by the McGraw-Hill Companies, and now encompasses the Financial Services division.

Name the company


A

Standard & Poor / S&P

No half points


4

This region of South Sudan gets its distinctly western name because of its position relative to a geographical marker. However this is odd considering that the southernmost point of the region goes only up to 3 degrees N.

Give me the name of the geographical marker it is named after.


A

The Equator

The region is Equatoria


5

"Hearts of Darkness" is a 1991 documentary film about the production of a famous movie. Using behind the scenes footage, and narrated by the director's wife, it chronicles how production problems including bad weather, actors' health and other issues delayed the film, increasing costs and nearly destroyed the life and career of the renowned director. Which movie?


A

Apocalypse Now


6

This place was originally called Deogiri. It was renamed and declared the capital of the empire by Muhammad bin Tughlaq following which the entire population of Delhi was shifted here.

Name this "City of Prosperity" .


A

Daulatabad


7

Jeff Lindsay is a crime novelist who has written 10 novels to date. All his novels except for four (Tropical Depression: A Novel of Suspense ; Dream Land: A Novel of the UFO Coverup ; Time Blender ; and Dreamchild) feature the character he is most famous for creating.

Name this character


A

Dexter


8

In Robert Heinlein's "Have Spacesuit Will Travel", he includes these 'prices' which are actually representative of another value. What?

MERCURY $0.39 VENUS $0.72 EARTH $1.00 MARS $1.50 ASTEROIDS (assorted prices, unimportant) JUPITER $5.20 SATURN $9.50 URANUS $19.00 NEPTUNE $30.00 PLUTO $39.50


A

Astronomical Unit


9

“The God Delusion” by Richard Dawkins is dedicated to this author.

In Memoriam

_____________(1952-2001)

'Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at

the bottom of it too?'

Who?


A

Douglas Adams


10

In 1933, a collector Oscar Scheibe was sold a specimen of a then undocumented species of blind cave beetle.

Its species name was a dedication to a head of state at the time. Despite the seemingly inappropriate name, taxonomic convention suggests that the scientific names cannot be changed, hence the name persists.

Who is this named after?


A

Adolf Hitler


11

Which game, developed by Leslie Scott and marketed by Parker Brothers, derives its name from the Swahili for "to build" ?


A

Jenga


12

The FBI recently launched an Anti-Financial Fraud education programme. They roped in a leading Hollywood actor for the promos. An extract of his speech: ".... Our economy is increasingly dependent on the success and the integrity of the financial markets. If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. For more information on how you can identify securities fraud, or to report insider trading, contact your local FBI office" Which actor?


A

Michael Douglas , who played Gordon Gekko in Wall Street


13

“To order or command” (Latin)

“I torture” (Latin)

“Disappear like the word” (Aramaic)

What, specifically, are being referred to?


A

The unforgivable curses in Harry Potter


14

From Asterix and the Gladiator. Tribute to which painting?


A

The Raft of the Medusa


15

Identify this actor making his debut in a cult American TV Show.


A

Omi Vaidya of 3 Idiots fame


16

On his 72nd birth anniversary (14 March 1951), the photographer Arthur Sasse was trying to persuade him to smile for the camera. However, sick of having smiled for photographers all day, our man decided to do something completely different.

What resulted is one of the most widely reproduced photographs in history, with the original being auctioned in 2009 at $74,324.

Which photograph?


A


17

This word meaning temporary / semi-permanent military or police quarters is derived from the French word meaning 'corner' or 'district'.

In South Asia, the term also describes permanent military stations.

What word?


A

Cantonment


18

This cartoon by E.P. Unny in The Indian Express is a take on the title of the 1959 movie that launched the career of this year's Dada Saheb Phalke awardee.

What does Unny call this beacon of Journalism of Courage?


A


19

What song did this tune "inspire"?


A

Pyar ki Pungi/ Pungi Song from Agent Vinod


20

Discovered by William Gregor in 1791, this metal – the 9th most abundant in the Earth’s crust – finds ample usage in aviation and marine technology, largely on account of its resistance to corrosion and tensile strength. That apart, we see it used for a specific purpose in cricket and its name (just the name – not the metal itself) as a significant brand in the electronic payments industry. Name the metal.


A

Titanium


21

What you hear is an extract of Beethoven's Wellington's Victory.

This tune, originally composed the night after the Battle of Malplaquet in 1709, was used to represent the French defeat in the composition.

What song?


A

For he’s a jolly good fellow


22

In which town would you find the only temple in India dedicated to Krishna's consort Satyabhama? The temple was established by one Kondama Raju.


A

Puttaparthi - Kondama Raju was the grandfather of Sathyanarayana Raju, a.k.a. Sathya Sai Baba


23

These ships have certain traits most normal ships lack: a strengthened hull, a particular shape designed for penetration, and much more power than normal ships to overcome the resistance faced in travelling.

In corporate jargon, the name by which these ships are called also refers to introductory events in training or similar programs to help people get to know each other and buy into the purpose of the event.

What term?


A

Ice breaker


24

On which in-the-news organization's website would you read this? WE ARE A GLOBAL MOVEMENT We are storytellers, activists and everyday people who use the power of media to inspire young people to help end the longest running armed conflict in Africa. We make documentaries, tour them around the world, and lobby our nation’s leaders to make ending this conflict a priority.


A

Invisible Children - in the news because of Kony 2012

No Points for Kony / Kony 2012 or any other variants.

We specifically asked for the organisation.


25

The native Ngai Tahu name for this city is Karaitiana, which is a transliteration of the English word 'Christian'. The name by which we know it was suggested in 1848 by John R. Godley, who wanted to name the city after the college he attended at Oxford University.

Which 'religious' city am I talking about?


A

Christchurch


26

In 2009, The Mirror carried a column on the 10 greatest winning streaks in sporting history. The inclusions were: 1. Jahangir Khan’s 555 squash matches 2. Esther Vergeer’s 250 sets and 354 games won in wheelchair tennis 3. Australia winning 16 Test cricket matches 4. Arsenal winning 14 Premier League matches in 2002 5. 122 races won by Ed Moses from 1977 to 1987 6. Julio Cesar Chavez’s 88 boxing bouts 7. _____________________________ 8. 55 races won by the Puerto Rican thoroughbred Camarero 9. Rafael Nadal’s 81 clay court victories 10. Sir Steve Redgrave being unbeaten in 5 consecutive Olympic Games The controversy that ensued was largely on account of No.7, which a lot of critics panned as an achievement not determined entirely by the individual / team’s efforts. So, what did The Mirror call the 7th greatest winning streak of all time? The streak, may we add, is unbroken even today.


A

Undertaker 20 – 0 at Wrestlemania


27

Since 2008, This community has been sending the Prime Minister (MMS) postcards with a rather unusual demand - a dedicated 24 hour Doordarshan TV channel of their own. They argue that it is the only language among the 22 listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution without a DD channel of its own. MP Ram Jethmalani has also written to the I&B ministry with the same demand. Community or Language?


A

Sindhi


28

According to a legend, an invading Norse army was attempting to sneak up at night upon a Scottish army's encampment. During this operation,one barefoot Norseman had the misfortune to step upon this flowering plant, causing him to cry out in pain, thus alerting the Scots to the presence of the Norse invaders. This plant also serves as the logo of a 244 year old company that was in the news recently. Plant? Company? (1/2 point each)


A

Thistle / Encyclopedia Britannica (1/2 point each)


29

The avant garde (not to be confused with our QM) art movement founded by Asger Oluf Jorn from Denmark, Christian Dotremont, from Belgium , Karel Appel, Constant Anton Nieuwenhuys and Guillaume Cornelis Beverloo from the Netherlands, is not named for any creatures but in honour of the capitals of the home countries of the founders. Name this art movement.


A

COBRA

COpenhagen, BRussels, Amsterdam


30

What is being represented?


A

Sachin Tendulkar’s 100 centuries

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