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Boys And Their Toys

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Terri Morrison

1. Investment Bike author, Jim Rogers, fulfilled a common male fantasy by motorcycling around the world. Can you match each cycle with its country of origin?

   A. BMW	1. Japan
   B. Harley-Davidson	2. Germany
   C. Kawasaki	3. USA

2. Over the years, different breeds of animals have been prestigious acquisitions. True or false: A jellyfish in an aquarium is now considered a highly prized pet in Japan.
3. Many scouts dream of making archaeological discoveries in exotic lands. One successful expedition is described by Nicholas Clapp in his book, The Roadto Ubar. Where did he find the fabled city of Ubar?

   A. Italy

   B. Oman

   C. China

4. The finest watches are investments as well as timepieces. True or false: Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre is noted for its Reverso, which flips over to protect the crystal.
5. Why buy just a case of fine liquor, when you can buy the whole distillery? Match these exceptional spirits with the countries in which they are produced:

   A. Jack Daniels	1. Scotland
   B. Lagavulin	2. Sweden
   C. Absolut	3. USA

6. When money is no object, you buy...books? True or false: The world's richest man, Bill Gates, paid $30.8 million for a journal by Italy's brilliant Renaissance man, Leonardo Da Vinci.
7. Luxury vessels are on many wish lists. Where are Queenship yachts created?

   A. Canada

   B. The Netherlands

   C. South Africa

8. While you may never ride a legend such as Seattle Slew, you could own one of his offspring. True or false: Seattle Slew, the only undefeated Triple Crown winner in history, is available for a mere stud fee of $100,000.00.
9. Fly me to the moon! With enough money, you could build your own space vehicle. True or false: Geographically, Peru is an optimum rocket-launching site.
10. Rockets not your cup of tea? Try hot-air ballooning! True or false: The British firm, Cameron Balloons, once created an 85 foot balloon shaped like Malcolm Forbes.

Answers

1. A, 2; B, 3; C, 1
2. True. The Japanese also consider jelly fish an edible delicacy.
3. B. Sometimes described as "the Atlantis of Arabia," Ubar had been lost since its destruction between 300 to 500 A.D.
4. True. It was developed for polo-playing British officers serving in India at the end of the Twenties.
5. A, 3; B, 1; C, 2
6. True. Gates purchased Da Vinci's journal, called the Codex Leicester, in 1994.
7. A. Queenship is based in Vancouver, British Columbia.
8. True. Three Chimneys Farm in Kentucky is home to the famous stallion.
9. True. Launching from Peru's high plains and equatorial location makes it easier to achieve orbit.
10. False. Forbes ordered a replica of Ludwig von Beethoven for a tour over Germany.

Language And Dialects

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Terri Morrison

1. In the USA, the Amish (sometimes known as the Pennsylvania Dutch) speak a dialect of:

   A. Aramaic

   B. Dutch

   C. German

2. True or false: In Japan, most men and women speak different forms of Japanese.
3. Several dialects are recognized as distinct languages in Spain. Can you match the following languages with the appropriate data?

   A. Basque	1. Spoken in Galicia
   B. Castilian	2. Not related to Spanish
   C. Galician	3. Spain's official dialect

4. Muslims believe that God spoke Arabic, the official language of many countries such as Oman and Morocco. True or false: Spoken Arabic has no regional dialects.
5. Which of the following is not one of Belgium's three official languages?

   A. Flemish

   B. French

   C. German

   D. Luxembourgish

6. True or false: In 1966, the French government established a commission to combat Franglais, a mixture of French and English.
7. The official form of the German language is commonly known as Hochdeutsch. True or false: Martin Luther's translation of the Old Testament into Hochdeutsch helped make it the leading dialect.
8. Until recently, most Chinese immigrants to North America came from the region around Hong Kong. Which of the following Chinese dialects is the most widely used there?

   A. Cantonese

   B. Mandarin

   C. Shanghainese

9. Italy has many dialects, some of which are not mutually intelligible, but standard Italian is abased on a dialect used by such prestigious authors as Petrarch and Dante. Which dialect is it?

   A. Roman

   B. Sicilian

   C. Tuscan

10. Cockney immigrants to Australia brought their dialect, which employs a rhyming slang, in which rhymes are substituted for words. Can you match the original words with their Australian slang rhymes?

    A. Bread	1. Butcher's hook
    B. Look	2. Cheese and kisses
    C. Mrs.	3. Roses are red

Answers

1. C. The name Pennsylvania Dutch is derived from Deutsch, meaning "German."
2. True. The Japanese language has several degrees of politeness, and traditional Japanese women speak a very deferential form of the language.
3. A,2; B,3; C,1
4. False
5. D. Even in Luxembourg, Luxembourgish is not an official language!
6. True. Haut-Comité pour la défence et l'expansion de la langue Française created French terms to replace words borrowed from English.
7. True
8. A. Mandarin, however, is the official language of the People's Republic of China.
9. C. However, since Italy's biggest movie studios are in Rome, the Roman dialect is often heard in the media.
10. A,3; B,1; C,2

Geo-Oenology

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Terri Morrison

1. Can you match each of the following countries with its famous wine product?

   A. Chianti--a red wine in a straw-wrapped bottle	1. Hungary
   B. Pinotage--a hybrid red wine	2. Italy
   C. Tokay (Tokaj)--a sweet dessert wine	3. USA (California)
   D. White ("Pink") Zinfandel--a sweet, fruity wine	4. South Africa

2. True or False: Although many countries produce sherry, it is traditionally associated with Belgium.
3. What accounts for the sweetness of the white wines known as Sauternes?

   A. A fungal infection, botrytis cinerea (a.k.a. noble rot), on the grapes

   B. Individual grapes are hand-picked at the peak of ripeness

   C. The Sauterne grape is one of the sweeter varieties of grapes

   D. All of the above

4. Port comes from Portugal, but for centuries, the export of the wine has been largely controlled by vineyard owners from which country?

   A. Spain

   B. England

   C. The Netherlands

5. Sake is thought of as a Japanese rice wine (although it is technically a rice beer). True or False: Sake is properly served heated.
6. Which country is the largest wine producer in South America?

   A. Argentina

   B. Brazil

   C. Chile

7. In the last century, the phylloxera louse devastated many of the world's best wine-producing grapes. True or False: Geographically isolated, the vineyards of Chile have never been infected by phylloxera.
8. Australia has become a major wine producer. Which of the following is NOT true about Australian winemaking?

   A. The Syrah grape is also called Shiraz.

   B. Radically different grapes may be combined in wine, such as the unique Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon blend.

   C. Wine has replaced beer as the preferred drink in Australia.

9. New Zealand also exports wine. True or False: New Zealand produces wine which is nearly identical to that of Australia.
10. Madeira is another product of Portugal. True or False: Until the second half of the 19th century, it was the most popular wine in the USA.

Answers

1. A,2; B,4; C,1; D,3
2. False. Sherry is a traditional product of Spain.
3. D. Sauternes are also grown in Bordeaux, France.
4. B. The British took over the Port trade during the 17th century,when they were at war with France and needed a substitute for French wine.
5. True. Many recommend a temperature of 100 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. A. Although Chilean wines are better known in the export market, Argentina's wine production is about four times greater than Chile's.
7. True.
8. C. Beer remains the Aussies' #1 alcoholic drink.
9. False. New Zealand is generally cooler than Australia, and the climate yields different wines.
10. True. Disease and poor weather so damaged Madeira's crop that it lost popularity after 1920.

What A Heel!

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Terri Morrison

1. The tongueless Scottish Ghillie shoe is known for its comfort and its:

   A. distinctive heels

   B. rubber soles

   C. laces

2. A wooden sabot (or clog) was traditionally worn in the Netherlands, France, and elsewhere in Europe. True or False: Sabot is also the root of the word "sabotage."
3. During his 1926 coronation, Emperor Hirohito of Japan stood on 12 inch high:

   A. Chopines

   B. Getas

   C. Boots

4. Match the shoe designer with the product.

   A. Dave Little	1. Sandals
   B. L.L. Bean	2. Cowboy Boots
   C. André Perugia	3. Leather & Rubber Galoshes

5. When you need to muck out the stalls, or trek through some English countryside, grab your:

   A. Ferragamos

   B. Blahniks

   C. Wellingtons

6. Today's platform shoes are tame compared to their 15th & 16th century predecessors called chopines. True or False: In Venice, 30 inch high chopines required two servants to steady the wearer.
7. True or False: The slippers worn by toreadors in the bullfight ring are called zapatillas.
8. The ancient Chinese practice of footbinding was officially banned by Empress Dowager (Tz'u-hsi) in 1902. Prior to that, a Golden Lotus referred to a:

   A. 6 inch foot

   B. 3 inch foot

   C. 12 inch foot

9. Many Native Americans' shoes are distinguished by soles that extend up toward the top, so the toe is not on "ground level." True or False: These shoes are called crakows.

Answers

1. C.
2. True. Workers sometimes threw their wooden shoes into machinery to halt production.
3. B.
4. A, 2; B, 3; C,1
5. C. You need your sturdy rubber "Wellies."
6. True.
7. True. And those pink stockings set them off so nicely!
8. B.
9. False. They are moccasins. Crakows, from the 15th century, had points up to two feet long!

Slews Of Zoos

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Terri Morrison

1. The Civil War delayed the opening of the oldest chartered zoo in the USA. True or false: The zoo is in Philadelphia.
2. Which country can boast many zoos, four of which are outstanding?

   A. Italy

   B. Spain

   C. Germany

3. True or false: Panama has two world-class zoos with large collections of Amazonian flora and fauna.
4. Which of the following zoos has the largest giant panda collection outside China?

   A. Buenos Aires Zoological Park in Buenos Aires, Argentina

   B. Zoológico de Chapultepec in Mexico City

   C. Park of the Legends Zoo in Lima, Peru

5. True or false: Established in the 1790s in Paris, the Jardin des Plantes Ménagerie is one of the oldest zoos in Europe.
6. Which country has one of the largest percentages of protected land areas?

   A. Colombia

   B. Costa Rica

   C. Chile

7. Zoos that have removed all visible bars or cages are known as open zoos.True or false: Singapore's Zoological Gardens employs moated enclosures,streams, and ponds.
8. Great Britain is home to two zoos that rank among the world's best. Which two are they?

   A. Edinburgh Zoo and London Zoo

   B. Perth Zoo and Royal Melbourne Zoo

   C. Bristol Zoo and Chester Zoo

9. Which of these Asian cities has not one but two major zoos?

   A. Bangkok, Thailand

   B. Taipei, Taiwan

   C. Tokyo

10. In which of these cities can you visit the Al Ain Zoo & Aquarium, the most comprehensive zoo in the Middle East?

    A. Bahrain, Bahrain

    B. Doha, Qatar

    C. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Answers

1. True. The Philadelphia Zoo was chartered in 1859 and opened in 1874.
2. C. The four zoos are: Zoologischer Garten Berlin, Carl HagenbeckTierpark, Munchener Tierpark Hellabrunn, and Wilhelma Zoologisch-BotanischerGarten.
3. False. Brazil's Jardim Botânico and São PauloZoological Park are in Rio de Janeiro.
4. B. Mexico City's Zoológico de Chapultepec has successfullybred giant pandas six times.
5. True
6. B. About twenty-seven percent of Costa Rica's land has been setaside as national parks, wildlife refuges, Indian reservations, or otherprotected areas.
7. True. The Singapore Zoological Gardens is an excellent example of anopen-zoo design.
8. A
9. C. Tokyo's Tama Zoological Park opened in 1958 to relieve crowdingat Ueno Municipal Zoo.
10. C

Hat Trick

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Terri Morrison

1. The traditional clothing of an Arabic man includes a thoub (robe), as well as a head scarf and black braided cord called:

   A. A bisht, or mishlah

   B. A ghutra and igaal

   C. A bourgha and abaya

2. Wide-brimmed sombreros have been keeping the sun off Latin Americans for centuries. True or false: The classic sombrero is kept in place with a strap beneath the chin.
3. Popularized by King Edward VII of England, this felt hat has a high crown with a deep crease across the middle, similar to the fedora. It is a:

   A. Bowler

   B. Deerstalker

   C. Homburg

4. Originating in Scotland, the tam-o'-shanter is a larger version of the beret. True or false: Except for size, there is no difference between the tam-o'-shanter and the beret.
5. The Stetson was designed in 1865 as the quintessential cowboy hat of the American West. For years, Stetsons were manufactured in which city?

   A. Austin, Texas

   B. Denver

   C. Philadelphia

6. The Dutch hoofdijzer (head iron) and oorijzer (ear iron) styles added metal to headgear. True or false: These hats were designed to protect men in battle.
7. This flat cloth hat was ubiquitous in France between the 1920s and the 1950s, and is still worn by French soldiers. Which is it?

   A. Beret

   B. Fedora

   C. Toque

8. For much of this century, upper-class Englishmen wore bowler hats, called derbies in the USA. True or false: this style is very similar to hats worn by women among the indigenous people of Peru.
9. Variations of the cowboy hat are found throughout the world. Can you match the following hats wiht their countries of origin?

   A. Bush hat	1. Australia
   B. Akubra hat	2. Canada
   C. Tilley hat	3. New Zealand

10. Closely associated with Spain, the mantilla is a lace veil or shawl worn over the head and shoulders. True or false: The mantilla is draped over a stiff-tiaralike frame called a peineta.

Answers

1. B. The bisht, or mishlah, is a formal cloak; the bourgha and abayaare the robe and veil that some Arabic women wear.
2. True
3. C. Although popularized by an English king, it was named after its original manufacturer in Homburg, Germany.
4. False. The tam-o'-shanter usually has a pom-pom on its crown.
5. C.
6. False. These were actually women's hats, with metal decorations under a linen cap.
7. A.
8. True.
9. A, 3; B, 1; C, 2.
10. True.

Shooting From The Hip

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Terri Morrison

1. Under King Shaka, the Zulu warriors of South Africa used one type of spear as a stabbing weapon. What was this weapon called?

   A. Assegai

   B. Shillelagh

   C. Tomahawk

2. After guns were introduced in Japan in 1542, the Japanese began producing their own guns. True or false: Around 1600, the Japanese returned to swords as their primary weapons.
3. The modern computer was developed in the United States, largely to assist in the operation of which of the following weapon systems?

   A. Artillery

   B. Torpedoes

   C. Zeppelins

4. True or false: The parang is a knife with a wavy, serpentine-style blade originating in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
5. Frederick the Great of Prussia led his troops into many victories. His armies were notable for which of the following innovations?

   A. Hot-air observation balloons

   B. Dynamite

   C. Horse-drawn artillery

6. When Hernando Cortés and his conquistadors arrived in Mexico in1519, they quickly subjugated the Aztec empire. True or false: The Aztecs defended themselves with wooden and stone weapons because metalworking was unknown to them.
7. True or false: Game theory was used by the United States in the 1950s to predict if and when a foe would resort to nuclear weapons.
8. True or false: Like the boomerang, the South American throwing weapon, the bola, is designed to fly in a parabola and return.
9. The Battle of Crécy in 1346, decisively demonstrated the superiority of the English longbow over the crossbow. Where is Crécy?

   A. England

   B. France

   C. Luxembourg

10. "And as water has no constant form, there are in war no constant conditions." This advice comes from a 2,000-year-old book called The Art of War. Where was the author from?

    A. China

    B. Germany

    C. Japan

Answers

1. A.
2. True. The samurai class objected to firearms, since even peasants could kill samurai with guns.
3. A. In the 1940s, computer-generated ballistics tables were needed to predict the trajectory of shells.
4. False. The parang is a straight-edged knife. The regional wavy-bladed knife is the kris.
5. C. Frederick the Great's troops were the first to use artillery small and light enough to be pulled on horse-drawn carriages at high speeds.
6. False. Most Aztec weapons were wood or stone, but metals were used for ornamental work.
7. True. The Rand Corporation received military funding to study this question.
8. False. The bola consists of several weights on interconnected cords, designed to entangle the legs of fleeing prey.
9. B.
10. A. It was written by Sun-tzu of China

The H2O Factor

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Terri Morrison

1. The ancient Romans built complex waterworks. Which of the following is sometimes credited with contributing to the decline of the Roman Empire's ruling class?

   A. Aqueducts that spread malaria

   B. Famine from poor crop irrigation

   C. Plumbing that caused lead poisoning

2. Sir Benjamin Thompson was a physicist whose work led to improvements in cooking equipment and steam heating. True or false: Although a member of British nobility, Thompson was born in the United States.
3. In the Americas, some of the oldest manmade water systems currently in operation can be found in which country?

   A. Canada

   B. Colombia

   C. Peru

4. The clepsydra, or water clock, was the first mechanical clock. True or false: All authorities agree that it was invented in Japan.
5. In 1854, British physician John Snow traced a disease outbreak to a single contaminated water well in Golden Square London. Which disease was traced to this pump?

   A. Anthrax

   B. Onchocerciasis

   C. Cholera

6. Malaria-spreading mosquitoes breed in standing water. True or false: In Singapore, to prevent malaria, the law requires that outdoor flowerpots be properly drained.
7. Potable water is a valuable resource in arid Australia. In the old Australian song "Waltzing Matilda," which of the following refers to a source of water?

   A. Billabong

   B. Coolibah

   C. Jumbuck

8. Desalination plants convert sea water into drinking water, but the process is expensive. True or false: Today, most desalination plants are located in the Middle East.
9. Wherever you travel, you need to be able to discern the men's restroom from the women's. Match the following terms (often found on restroom doors) with their countries.

   A. Herren / Damen	1. Sweden
   B. Signori / Signore	2. Germany
   C. Herrar / Damer	3. Italy

10. Some waters are believed to have rejuvenating powers. True or false: The famous spa at Baden-Baden, Germany, has been in use since Roman times.

Answers

1. C. The Romans made their water pipes out of lead.
2. True. Born in Massachusetts in 1753, he spied on the United States for England during the American Revolution.
3. C. Some pre-Columbian irrigation systems and agricultural terraces developed by the Incas are still in use in Peru.
4. False. The origin of the clepsydra is disputed, but it is usually credited to the Middle East, with refinements by the Chinese.
5. C
6. True. Singapore's Ministry of Environment orders strict fines for offenders.
7. A. Billabong is an Aussie word for water hole.
8. True
9. A,2; B,3; C,1
10. True

Take Me To Your Leader

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Terri Morrison

1. TRUE or FALSE: Within a generation or two, Japan may have its first female emperor.
2. A country's head of state is not always an elected official. True or false: The current head of state of Sweden is its king, Carl XVI Gustaf.
3. These Caribbean islands are classified as dependent states or overseas departments of larger nations. Although these islands have local governments, their official heads of state reside in larger nations. Match each island with the country in which its official head of state resides.

   A. Aruba	1. United Kingdom
   B. Cayman Islands	2. France
   C. Martinique	3. Netherlands

4. In 1994, a multinational military force temporarily restored exiled leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide as president of Haiti. (He served as President on three separate occasions). True or false: Aristide is a former Roman Catholic priest.
5. Who among the following is the current prime minister of Canada?

   A. Queen Elizabeth II

   B. Stephen Harper

   C. Jean Chrétien

6. True or false: The United Kingdom's election of Tony Blair in May 1997 marked the end of eighteen years of rule by Conservatives under Margaret Thatcher and John Major.
7. Which of the following countries has both a prime minister and a president?

   A. Brazil

   B. Qatar

   C. Singapore

8. General Alfredo Stroessner was the longest-ruling head of state and president in the Western Hemisphere in the twentieth century. True or false: Stroessner remains president of Paraguay.
9. Oscar Arias received the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1987 for his work in negotiating a Central American peace plan. He was president of which nation?

   A. El Salvador

   B. Costa Rica

   C. Honduras

10. Edith Cresson was a controversial French politician. True or false: In 1991 she became the first woman to serve as prime minister of France.

Answers

1. ANSWER: FALSE. Although Japan has historically had male emperors, there had not been a male born into the Japanese royal family for some forty years....until September of 2006!
   The current heir to the throne, Crown Prince Naruhito, has a daughter as his heir, which might have forced the change in tradition. However, his brother Prince Akishino and his wife, Princess Kiko, had a baby boy who can theoretically become the next Emperor of Japan. The baby was named Hisahito, and he may be heir to the world’s oldest hereditary monarchy.
2. True
3. A,3; B,1; C,2
4. True. Aristide was suspended from the Salesian order in 1988 for his involvement in politics.
5. B. Prime Minister Harper has been the head of government since February of 2006, but since Canada is part of the British Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth is technically Canada's head of state.
6. True . And in June of 2007, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, a member of the Labor Party, began to serve.
7. C. Singapore, the smallest of these countries, has both a president and a prime minister.
8. False. General Stroessner was deposed in 1989, after thirty-five years of dictatorial rule.
9. B.
10. True. However, she held office for only ten months. Labeled “incredibly maladroit” at politics, this controversial politician claimed that the Japanese were successful economically because of their “antlike qualities,” and declared that one in every four British men were “homosexuals” (presumably those who did not flirt with her). Subsequently, Ms. Cresson became a senior EU official, and in 2003, was charged with fraud and abuse of confidence by Belgian prosecutors.

Foreign Phrases

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Terri Morrison

1. Satirist H.L. Mencken said, "If English was good enough for Jesus Christ, it's good enough for me." However, most Swiss businesspeople speak at least a little:

   A. Swiss, English, and Italian

   B. German, French, Italian, and English

   C. Dutch, Italian, French, and Romansch

2. Good first impressions can be made by using correct introductions. The phrase Trevligt att träffas (Pleased to meet you) is a gracious greeting in:

   A. St. Kitts and Nevis

   B. St. Croix

   C. Sweden

3. At breakfast in Egypt, you might ask for some ful. True or false: This common dish is a sugary, sesame-seed confection.
4. Toastmasters in Beijing say Ganbei (Dry glass). Match the following toasts to the places you are likely to hear them.

   A. A la Salute; Cin Cin	1. Hawaii
   B. Saude; Viva	2. Italy
   C. Ola mau loa	3. Brazil

5. George Bernard Shaw said, "America and Britain are two nations divided by a common language." True or false: US kerosene is called paraffin England.
6. In Jamaica, something that is irie is:

   A. Illegal

   B. Bad or nasty

   C. Good or nice

7. The cry of the French Revolution was liberté, égalité, fraternité. True or false: This is usually translated into English as liberty, egalitarianism, fatherhood.
8. If you're invited to a Braaivleis in South Africa, you can expect a:

   A. Formal dinner

   B. Barbecue

   C. Costume party

9. True or false: To "jack up" something in New Zealand is to arrange or organize it.
10. There are variations of Spanish throughout Latin America, but the following phrases will get you through many situations in any Spanish-speaking nation. Match the phrase with its meaning.

    A. Por favor	1. Thank you
    B. Perdón	2. I'm sorry
    C. Gracias	3. Excuse me
    D. Lo siento	4. Please

Answers

1. B. Switzerland has three official languages: French, Italian, and German, although most businesspeople speak some English as well. The Swiss also have a protected language, Romansch, and take the preservation of their languages and cultures quite seriously.
2. C. In Sweden, it's pronounced TRAYvlikt aht TREHffass.
3. False. Ful is a fava-bean dish. Sesame seeds go into halawa.
4. A,2; B,3; C,1
5. True. And of course, gasoline is called petrol.
6. C. The term is often used in reggae music.
7. False. The usual translation is liberty, equality, fraternity. This slogan has been adopted by many freedom fighters in the 200-plus years since the French Revolution.
8. B. Often shortened to Braai, such barbecues are popular ways of entertaining. Guests often bring alcohol to Braaivleises.
9. True
10. A,4; B,3; C,1; D,2