KQA

MAHAQUIZZER
ANSWERS
The 2009 edition

DO NOT OPEN TILL THE END OF THE 90MIN

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FOR ALL ANSWERS WHICH ARE NAMES OF PEOPLE, JUST SURNAME IS

ACCEPTABLE. HOWEVER, IF SURNAME IS CORRECT AND FIRST NAME(S) ARE
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 It is an Italian sweet consisting of almonds in hard sugar-coating. Speakers of
the English language should ignore a homophony and not throw it during

1 celebrations. What? Confetti / Confetto
If the pseudonymous first names of the siblings were Currer, Ellis and Acton, Bell (Bronte not

2 what would their pseudonymous surname be? acceptable)
This physical fitness system is named after its Greek-German creator, who
originally called his method 'Contrology' because he believed his method used
the mind to control muscles. He was interned as an enemy alien by Britain
during World War I, and he used his method to help his fellow internees. What

3 do we know it as now? Pilates
In the late 1960s, a neurologist wrote a non-fiction book about his patients at
Beth Abraham Hospital N.Y., who had been victims of the encephalitis
lethargica epidemic. The book inspired a play by Harold Pinter, and a 1990

4 Oscar-nominated film starring Robert De Niro and Robin Williams. Who? Oliver Sacks
It was invented by a naval engineer in 1945. During the Vietnam war,
thousands were shipped to be used as wireless antennae. In 1985, Discovery
astronauts used it to demonstrate the effect of weightlessness, “It won’t ___ at

5 all. It sort of droops”. Name the toy. Slinky
It has existed as an island in its current form longer than any other island in the
world, having first formed when it separated from India around 90 million years

6 ago. Which island nation is this? Madagascar
In 1905, when Henri Matisse and a group of artists now known as Fauves
exhibited their works in Paris, they faced a lot of condemnation. Matisse's
Woman with a Hat was singled out for maximum criticism. However, the
brother-and-sister owners of a local art salon rescued Matisse from his
depression by buying this painting. The sister was also responsible for
introducing Matisse to Picasso, and triggering a lifelong friendship between the

7 two painters. Name her. Gertrude Stein
A turnstile is a kind of gate that allows one person to pass at a time. Most
turnstiles are at waist height, but there also exist full-height turnstiles to prevent
people from jumping over. Such turnstiles operate in a manner similar to
revolving doors, but look more like a set of spikes emanating from a central
pole. By what name, bringing to mind a similar-looking medieval device, are

8 full-height turnstiles also known? Iron Maiden
Complete this baseline from an ad that had Shilpa Shetty in a body-hugging

9 tiger-striped suit: "Beaten, Lonely and Abused. Boycott The _____". Circus
10 A saddle point between Mount Everest and Lhotse, which is the pass that
usually serves as the site for the final base camp for climbers approaching

* Everest from the Nepal route? South Col
Marcel Bloch, a French industrialist, was deported to Buchenwald during World
War II for refusing to work with German aviation. After the war, he switched to
a surname that was the pseudonym (derived from char d'assaut, the French
term for 'tanks') of his brother, a General in the French resistance. Give his
new surname, which we would know in India in connection with certain IAF

11 fighter planes. Dassault
Magi / Magus /
Mage (Magician /
In antiquity, this word was used to describe a follower of Zoroaster. Its usage Magic not
soon extended to include anyone practicing astrology, alchemy and the occult, acceptable as they
from which another word in English gets its origin. However, its current are the new words
meaning is derived from the way it is used in the Gospel of St. Mathew. What and not the

12 is this word? antiquated word)
Who is the only Indian to win a BAFTA acting award, for a supporting role in a

13 movie that dominated the Oscar sweepstakes in 1982? Rohini Hattangadi
One night at a bar, an old friend tells Ari about a recurring nightmare in which
he is chased by 26 vicious dogs. Every night, he sees the same number of
beasts. The two men conclude that the dream is connected to their Israeli

14 Army mission in the first Lebanon War of the early eighties. Ari is surprised that Waltz with Bashir

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 he cannot remember anything about that period of his life. Intrigued by this
riddle, he decides to meet and interview old friends and comrades around the
world. What was made as a result?
A clipped form of this animal's name (from Algonquin, meaning 'the one which
rubs, scrubs and scratches with its hands') is an ethnic slur. Identify this Raccoon / Coon /

15 'masked bandit', which remains much sought after for its fur. Procyon
The Darwin Medal is awarded by the Royal Society every alternate year for
"work of acknowledged distinction in the broad area of biology in which Charles
Darwin worked". Who was the first winner of this award, in 1890, "for his
independent origination of the theory of the origin of species by natural Alfred Russel

16 selection"? Wallace
In Wisden's list of the 'Greatest Cricketers of the Century', who is the only

17 cricketer in the top five who has not been knighted yet? Shane Warne
Who was the eldest son of Yayati who is believed to have started one of the
five main clans of Aryan India, in which Lord Krishna was born many Yadu (Yadava not

18 generations later? acceptable)
This 19th Century Maharaja who died at the young age of 33 was known less
for his administrative skills and more for his contribution to Carnatic music,
having composed more than 400 songs in his very short lifetime. Some well Swati Thirunal /
known compositions of his include Padmanabha Pahi, Sarasijanabha and Swati Thirunal

19 Deva Deva. Who? Rama Varma
20
Which political personality, supposedly the inspiration for a well known Nandini Satpathy /

* Bollywood movie, translated Taslima Nasreen's Lajja into Oriya? Nandini Panigrahi
The second busiest airport in Denmark after Copenhagen is in Billund, a small
town of population 6000. The air traffic is primarily freight, though tourists also
constitute a significant chunk. All this air traffic can be attributed to something

21 that began operations from this small town in the 1930's. What? Lego
It was built to counter the Lorenz SZ 40/42. After World War II, Winston Colossus /
Churchill ordered it to be destroyed into "pieces no bigger than a man’s hand". variants of

22 A team led by Tony Sale finished rebuilding it in 2007. What? Colossus
To travel from one side to the other, you have to cross the following points:
Gatún, Trinidad Turn, Bohío Turn, Orchid Turn, Frijoles Turn, Barbacoa Turn,
Mamei Turn, Gamboa Reach, Bas Obispo Reach, Las Cascadas Reach,
Empire Reach, Culebra Reach, Cucaracha Reach, Paraiso Reach, Pedro

23 Miguel, Miraflores and Balboa Reach. What? Panama Canal
When supermodel Claudia Schiffer first hit the ramp in the early 90s, her initial
fame rested on the fact that she bore a striking resemblance to which siren of

24 yesteryears? Brigitte Bardot
Sadi Carnot's 1824 paper Reflexions sur la puissance motrice du feu, or Thermodynamics
Reflections on the Motive Power of Fire is considered as the origin for what (no variants

25 branch of science? acceptable)
A Mouthful of Sky was the first serial in English to be produced in India. It was
about five MBAs who reunite 13 years after graduation to confront a macabre
secret from the past, which a group of enemies uses against them. The thriller
includes sub-plots about urban Indians and the conflict between their Indian-
ness and their Westernized outlook. The serial was directed by Mahesh Bhatt

26 amongst others, but who wrote the story? Ashok Banker
So far, this artist has self-published five books which feature his writings and
photographs of his art. They are titled Existencilism, Banging Your Head
Against a Brick Wall, Cut It Out, Pictures of Walls and Wall and Piece. His real
identity is not known, and his works are often treated as vandalism by city

27 councils. Who? Banksy
The city of 's-Hertogenbosch (yes, it starts with an apostrophe!) gets its name
from the contraction of a Dutch phrase meaning 'the Duke's forest'. Which
painter, to whom only about 25 paintings have been attributed, lived all of his Hieronymus

28 life in or near this city? Bosch
He first got attention with his 1951 album Rocket 88. Then, after a teenage girl
grabbed the mike at one of his shows, the two collaborated on many hits.

29 Name the duo. No half points. Ike & Tina Turner

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 The tree with the botanical name Albizia saman is one of the most widespread Rain tree (Monkey
30 trees in the world. It has many names, but which English name was coined in Pod tree and other
India with reference to a tendency which is due to the wet discharge from names not

** cicadas feeding on its leaves? acceptable)
A type of carriage in India; also known as the Friendly Islands (on account of
the friendly reception accorded to Captain Cook on his first visit in 1773); an
island-dwelling villain in one of the Sherlock Holmes novels; Intel's first Mobile

31 Pentium II chip. What is the common word? Tonga
India Post (P&T /
Indian Postal
This Indian entity has more than 150,000 offices, more than half a million Service not
employees, and celebrated 150 years of existence in 2004. It unveiled a new acceptable as they
red & yellow logo on 23rd September 2008. What brand name has it adopted are not the brand-

32 over the recent years? name)
Literally, it means 'The Way of the Warrior'. Its origins go back to the 9th
century AD and it has seven key principles: Rectitude, Courage, Benevolence,

33 Respect, Honesty, Honour and Loyalty. Which code of conduct? Bushido
A genus of spiders that are roughly 2mm in length, and the square-cube law in
biomechanics which is used to explain how water but not land can support
gigantic animals like the blue whale, both owe their name to which fictional

34 island? Lilliput
In 1717 Peter the Great of Russia visited Versailles, where he was impressed
by a château that Louis XIV had built as his retreat where he could be alone.
When Peter built his own Peterhof, he too included a small out-building named
after this retreat. Then, when Catherine the Great built an extension to the

35 Winter Palace, she did the same. What is this extension known as? Hermitage
The apt name for which class of molluscs, which includes the nautilus,
octopuses, squid and cuttlefish, is Greek for 'head-feet' as they are

36 characterized by a large head, no body to speak of, and tentacles? Cephalopod
A three-day event, dubbed ‘The Sale of the Century’, was held at the Paris
Grand Palais in February 2009. It was not really a sale but an auction of the art
(including works by Duchamp, Matisse and Mondrian) collected by a famous
(now deceased) designer and his business and former life partner Pierre Yves Saint

37 Bergé. Name the designer. Laurent / YSL
When Emerson, Lake and Palmer were putting their band together as a
keyboard-bass-drums trio, they talked about adding one more instrument to
the mix. The press was printing articles saying the band would be called HELP,
but circumstances of September 1970 came in the way. Who was to be the

38 fourth? Jimi Hendrix
In politics, it is used to describe a small region where political tendencies, such
as the result of an election, match those of a wider area. It comes from the
practice of placing a certain object around the neck of a ram leading its flock of
sheep, so that the flock could be heard well before being sighted. Name the

39 term, which is also used in sociology in a similar way. Bellwether
40
A common first name for women in the Arab world, and the etymological root

* of a well known fragrant flower, what is Persian for 'gift from God'? Yasmin / Jasmine
Most historians trace the origin of these in the US to the frontier artist George
Catlin who in 1932, after a tour sketching the tribes of the Great Plains,
expressed hope that the government might set aside a vast section of the National Parks /
West for a “______ _____, containing man and beast, in all the wild and National Parks of

41 freshness of their nature’s beauty!”. What? USA
The name comes from the plural of an Arabic word for pepper. It is a fried ball
or patty made from spiced fava beans and/or chickpeas, and is a popular form
of fast food in the Middle East. It may be eaten whole or crushed, topped with
salads, pickled vegetables and sauces, and often filled into flat bread. The
Egyptian variation uses fava beans and the Israeli version uses chickpeas.

42 Name the food item. Falafel / Felafel
The first word that Anne Sullivan taught a student in March 1887 was 'doll'.

43 The second was 'water'. Who was that student? Helen Keller

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 In formal logic, it is an argument whose conclusion does not follow from its
premises. In conversations or literature, it is a comment which, due to its lack
of meaning relative to the comment it follows, is absurd to the point of being

44 humorous or confusing. Literally, it is Latin for 'it does not follow'. What? Non sequitur
Solanaceae is informally known as the nightshade family or potato family. It
includes the deadly nightshade, capsicum, potato, tomato, eggplant, tobacco Mandrake /
and petunia. Another member of this family has oddly shaped roots which Mandragora /
resemble human figures, and used to be associated with magical powers in Luffah / Beid-el-

45 ancient times. Name it. djinn
According to Vedic myths, this God's first victory was against Vritra, the demon
of drought who was holding captive in his mountain fortress a herd of cattle
belonging to the Aryans. Mankind entreated the aid of Gods, and he
impulsively seized the nectar of the gods, Soma, and drank a deep draught.
Then he snatched up his weapon which had been fashioned by the divine

46 artisan Twashtri and went about subduing Vritra. Who? Indra
The name of which blue pigment is Latin for 'beyond the sea' because it used

47 to be imported from Asia by sea? Ultramarine
Nymphaea are the national flowers of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. They have
been the subjects of a series of more than 250 paintings, one of which was
sold recently for more than US $80 million. What is the common name of this

48 flower? Water Lily
In 1859, a rancher named Thomas Austin released 24 of them in Australia
because he noted, “the introduction of a few _______ could do little harm and
might provide a touch of home, in addition to a spot of hunting”. By 1907, the
nuisance caused by their high population had led to more than 2000 miles of
fences, as they did not have natural predators in the continent. Fill up the

49 blank. Rabbits
Though he is most associated with Big Bang cosmology and is well known for
his popular science writing, in the last years of his life he turned his attention to
50 genetics and came up with the first attempt to decipher the genetic code.
Though his system has since then been proved incorrect, it still remains

* seminal in the field of genetics. Identify the scientist. George Gamow
This term was first used to refer to experimental plays produced on low
budgets in small theatres. Such plays grew in importance after 1952 with José

51 Quintero’s productions. Identify this two-word term. Off-Broadway
He was a journalist, columnist, cartoonist, short story writer and novelist rolled
into one. Early in his career he worked as a cartoonist for Shanker's Weekly.
When Parkinson's overtook him in the 1990s, he had been drawing for The
Statesman. Identify this Padma Bhushan awardee, whose first novel is
considered to divide his state's literature into pre-Khasak and post-Khasak

52 eras. OV Vijayan
Yao Ming / Yao
(Ming is not
acceptable
His father, Y Zhiyuan, is 6' 7" (201 cm); his mother, Fengdi Fang, is 6' 3" (190 because in
cm). The boy's parents were the tallest couple in China at the time of his birth Chinese Yao is

53 in 1980. Name the child. the surname)
In 1998, who was awarded a special silver plaque by the International
Mathematical Union, because he was not eligible for the Fields Medal, as he

54 was then more than 40 years old? Andrew Wiles
He once saved a family of serpents trapped in an ascetic’s fire due to which
they became his protectors. That is why in sculpture and paintings, this Jain
Tirthankara is frequently depicted with a canopy of snake hoods over his head.

55 Name him. Parshvanath
Which giant of science, known for his kinetic theory of gases and an
associated constant named for him, probably suffered from bipolar disorder,

56 explaining his rapid mood swings, one of which led to his suicide in 1906? Ludwig Boltzmann
Kalidasa has written a play and Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar' a Jnanpith award
winning poem, both based on a celestial maiden who married Pururavas, an

57 ancestor of the Kauravas & Pandavas. Name her. Urvashi

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 Whose F1 career reads as follows: mechanic for March Engineering in 1976,
machinist for the new Williams team in 1978, technical director of Benetton in
1991, technical director of Ferrari in 1996, technical director of Honda in 2007

58 and team owner in 2009? Ross Brawn
For thousands of years, a broad treeless land-bridge connected Siberia and
Alaska. It was a corridor which enabled early man, fauna and flora to migrate
east or west. It is named for a foreign-born navigator who served with the

59 Russian Navy for his entire career. Name him. Vitus Bering
It is the capital of the Russian Republic of Tatarstan, and takes its name from
the Tatar word for 'cauldron'. A 2-time Best Director Oscar winner, whose
60 original surname was Turkish for 'son of a cauldron maker' was better known
by this shorter surname meaning just 'cauldron'. So, what is the Tatar / Turkish Kazan (Elia is not

** word? acceptable)
Anchors are of various sizes. What is the largest of them all called, a phrase
often used by cricket commentators to refer to batsmen whose role is to hold

61 the innings together? Sheet-anchor
He was celebrated in his lifetime for his zoological illustrations. Employed as a
draughtsman by the Zoological Society of London, his many paintings include
those of several dozens of parrots. His diagrams were extremely accurate and
in his honour the Indigo Macaw is now also known by his name. Identify this

62 person. Edward Lear
Komagata Maru
(other past/future
Departure from Hong Kong: April 4, 1914. Burrard Inlet near Vancouver: May names of the
23, 1914. Arrival into Calcutta: Sep 26, 1914. Plot for Deepa Mehta’s new same ship not

63 movie, Exclusion. Name the ship. acceptable)
In the late 1930s, he worked as an assistant in the Buenos Aires Municipal
Library. He was dismissed and "promoted" to a lowly position when Juan
Perón became President in 1946. In 1955, the new anti-Peronist military
government appointed him head of the National Library. He resigned as
director when Perón returned from exile to become president in 1973. Name

64 this perennial bridesmaid for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Jorge Luis Borges
When Potti Sriramulu undertook a fast-unto-death for the creation of a
separate Andhra state, which city did he demand be made the capital of the

65 Andhra state? Madras / Chennai
A former princely state of the Rajputana, and the collective name for a dozen
Tamil poet saints of the 6th to 9th century AD share the same anglicized

66 spelling. What? Alwar / Alvar
She has been the subject of a 30-minute Merchant-Ivory documentary titled
_____, Queen of the Nautch Girls and a biography titled Life and Times of an Helen / Helen
H-Bomb. One of her most famous scenes featured an outsized typewriter. Richardson /

67 Who? Helen Khan
What two-word phrase is used to describe companies that do not produce any
goods or services of their own, but exist for the sole purpose of owning shares

68 in other companies? Holding Company
Give a two-word connection: 1967 – Maushumi Chatterjee, 1976 – Rajni Ballika Badhu and

69 Sharma, 2008 – Avika Gor. small variants
Rock singer and drummer Don Henley is involved with quite a few
70 environmental causes, the most notable of which involves the protection of a
lake and the forests surrounding it – a lake that has an irrevocable association Walden / Walden

* with a work of literature published in 1854. Which lake? Pond
He has been called the 'Dickens of Detroit' and has written a famous essay
featuring his Ten Rules of Writing. Many of his novels have been adapted into

71 movies, as also his short story Three-Ten to Yuma. Who? Elmore Leonard
Bullet Train /
Shinkansen /
Japanese Bullet
The first model, called the 0 Series, was introduced in 1964 just ahead of the Train (Just
Olympics being staged in the country. Progress of technology led to the latest “Japanese Train”
N700 Series, causing the 0 Series to be withdrawn in 2008. What are we not acceptable.

72 talking about? Either Bullet or

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 Shinkansen has to
be there)
Janakpur, a city in Nepal just 20km from the Indian border, takes its name from
the most well known mythological king of the Videha kingdom. What was the

73 ancient name of this city? Mithila
This composer's works are usually catalogued by a D number, from D1 to
D998. He worked like a demon. In just 17 years, he wrote more than 600
songs, at least 10 symphonies (finished or otherwise) and numerous other
string quartets, masses, operas, piano sonatas and short dance pieces. He
died aged just 31, apparently of syphilis. He was buried next to Beethoven.

74 Who? Franz Schubert
The roots of this word ultimately lie in 'venus', thus some etymologists
speculate that the original connotation might have been 'love potion'. What's Venom (Venereal

75 the good word? not acceptable)
Which reptile has a diet made up primarily of snakes, a fact that is reflected in

76 its genus name Ophiophagus? King Cobra
This country gets its Latin name from a Celtic tribe that settled in the region
more than two millennia ago. Although it now has four other official languages, Switzerland /

77 the postage stamps still use this Latin name. Name the country. Helvetia
Which artefact, housed at the Louvre, Paris, is the subject of a joke that has Venus de Milo
endured many generations: "See what will happen if you don’t stop biting your (accept Aphrodite

78 fingernails"? of Milos)
India dominates the world market in the production and export of psyllium. It is
mainly used as a dietary fiber (because is not absorbed by the small intestine)
and a demulcent (an agent which forms a soothing film over a membrane). In Isapgol /

79 India we know it by a name which is Persian in origin. What? Isphagula
This variety of silk is manufactured using the cocoons of silkworms that are fed
80 on sal, arjuna and saja tree leaves as opposed to mulberry leaves. The
Kharsawa / Kuchai area of Jharkhand is the epicentre of the production of this

* variety of silk. Identify this fabric, which sometimes is also known as Kosa silk. Tussar
What is common to the following incidents from Greek mythology – Atalanta's
race against Hippomenes, Hercules' eleventh labour, and the judgement of Golden Apples /

81 Paris? Apples
Who was the journalist who won a Pulitzer in 1970 for exposing the My Lai
massacre? He is a regular contributor to the New Yorker, and has written The
Dark Side of Camelot about JFK, The Price of Power: Kissinger in the White

82 House and Chain of Command: The Road from 9/11 to Abu Ghraib. Seymour Hersh
In 1969, a graduate in sociology was entrusted a job by a committee set up
during the Gandhi centenary celebrations in Patna: to liberate scavengers.
Though the committee failed to make an impact, the sociologist persevered. Bindeshwar
He resigned from the committee and designed a flush toilet which functioned Pathak (Founder
without being connected to the sewerage system. The rest, as they say, is of Sulabh not

83 history. Name him. acceptable)
In 1967, after Francis Chichester completed the first English solo
circumnavigation of the earth, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, who
used the same sword that had been used by Queen Elizabeth I about 400

84 years ago to knight whom for his circumnavigation? Francis Drake
Located in the heart of a capital city of a Southeast Asian country, this park
was originally called Luneta because of its lunar shape. It was later renamed
as Rizal Park in the honour of Dr. José Rizal who was executed here, making
him a hero of the independence movement of this country. Name the capital

85 city where Rizal Park is located. Manila
According to its governing body, there are five recognized non-folk or
International disciplines in this sport. Freestyle, Beach, Submission and Sambo

86 are four of them. Name the last one. Greco-Roman
Born in Pune, this pretty brown-eyed Jewish girl with olive-coloured skin
fulfilled the criteria for the ideal Indian beauty. Name this former telephone Sulochana / Ruby

87 operator who was one of the earliest to play Anarkali on screen. Myers
In Forbes' list of the 100 most powerful women, the same person has topped
the list in 2006, 2007 & 2008. That person wasn't anywhere in the list in 2005,

88 having come into the public eye only in the last couple of months of 2005. Angela Merkel

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 Who?
The passageways of the famous Nataraja temple in Chidambaram are lined

89 with illustrations from which ancient Indian treatise? Natyashastra
Charles Dickens hated him because he showed Christ as a snivelling child of a
90 carpenter. But ironically, Charles Dickens' daughter ended up as the model for
a few of his paintings. Identify this celebrated British painter, who caused a John Everett

** scandal by running off with the wife of his patron, a famous art critic. Millais
Which painter, who was requested by Rabindranath Tagore to head the newly
set up Kala Bhavan in Shanti Niketan, became in 1956 the second person to

91 be elected a Fellow of the Lalit Kala Akademi, after Jamini Roy? Nandlal Bose
The limited overs team of which English first-class cricket club wear a primarily Nottinghamshire /

92 dark green kit, and call themselves the Outlaws? Nottingham
Vijaylakshmi
Sunlight Surround You was a 1970 novel written by three sisters – Nayantara Pandit (Nehru’s
Sehgal, Chandralekha Mehta, and Rita Dar as a tribute to their mother. Who sister not

93 was their mother? acceptable)
On his country's independence in 1960, in a ceremony attended by many
dignitaries including King Baudouin, he delivered a famous speech after being
officially excluded from the event programme, despite being the elected Prime
Minister. His was deposed as PM after barely ten weeks, and murdered four

94 months later. Who? Patrice Lumumba
There are many theories for the origin of its name: from the appearance of a
rolled up wheat tortilla, which vaguely resembles the ear of a donkey, or from
bedrolls and packs that donkeys carried, or from one of its pioneers who used
to sell tacos in a street stand, using a donkey as a transport for himself and the

95 food. What is this Mexican food item? Burrito
Who is the first in this series: Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Burrino, Carrie

96 Underwood, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks, David Cook? Kelly Clarkson
The recipient had to kneel before the institute's Vice-Chancellor, while this
large item, elaborately hued and emblazoned with poetry, was lowered from
the upstairs balcony of the Senate House. The person had to carry the item off
with him into the distance with as much pathos and equanimity as he could

97 muster. What item? Wooden Spoon
What geographical feature connects Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary,

98 Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine? Danube
He was the second-youngest recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature (after
Rudyard Kipling), the first Africa-born writer to receive the award, and the
shortest-lived of any literature laureate to date, having died in an automobile

99 accident only three years after receiving the award. Who? Albert Camus
Jim Winchester's book The World's Worst Aircraft describes a US defense
100 project that ultimately got cancelled because there was no "valid military use
for an aircraft that could be brought down by a well-aimed bow and arrow."

* Which company constructed the said flying machine? Goodyear
In 1492 the Moors were driven out and Spain was united by Ferdinand of
Aragon & Isabella of Castille. To celebrate this, the local dance called the
paloteao was incorporated into a larger pageant called the moresca, and
performed at the royal court. To some, this is the origin for the name of a

101 particular English folk practice. Which? Morris Dance
Javed Akhtar, in love with actress Honey Irani, requested his partner Salim
Khan to meet her mother Perin Irani on his behalf. The conversation that took

102 place between Salim and Perin was incorporated into which film’s script? Sholay
Robert Capa /
This photographer adopted his surname (Hungarian for 'shark') because he felt Endre Erno
that it would be recognizable and American-sounding since it was similar to Friedman which is
that of a famous film director who himself was famous as "the name above the his real name /

103 title". Which photographer? Andre Friedman
Though principally known for a sonnet she wrote in 1883, she was an
important forerunner of the Zionist movement. Aware of the Russian pogroms
against the Jews, she argued for the creation of a Jewish homeland years

104 before Herzl began to use the term Zionism. Who? Emma Lazarus

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 Complete the list: Dhanvantari, Kshapanaka, Amarasimha, Shanku, Vetal

105 Bhatt, Ghatkarpara, Varahamihira, Vararuchi and _____. Kalidasa
Capri pants, toreador pants, clam diggers, pirate pants and calypso pants are
all similar styles of mid-calf pants that were popular in the 1950s and early
1960s. What other name came from their design, which prevented the pant

106 legs from getting caught in the spokes or the sprocket of a bicycle? Pedal pusher
Easily the most overlooked member of a famous trio, the other bands this
bassist has played for include Eyes Adrift, Sweet 75, No WTO Combo, The
Stinkypuffs, Sky Cries Mary and Aya. He is currently active in politics and even Krist Novoselic
wrote a book titled Of Grunge and Government: Let's Fix This Broken (Nirvana guitarist

107 Democracy. Who? not acceptable)
Bumbro Bumbro
and similar
variants
The first opera to be composed in Kashmiri was _____ ta Yembarzal (meaning (unspecified song
'Bumblebee and Narcissus'), written in 1945 by the Soviet Land Nehru Award from Mission
winning poet Nadim. Which Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy song brought this popular Kashmir not

108 Kashmiri tune into popular consciousness in the year 2000? acceptable)
Voldemort’s wand; symbol of death; longbows; cancer-fighter. Which

109 evergreen tree? Yew / Taxus
110
What sweet dish, a staple of the Madhwa sect of Brahmins, is named after a

* horse-headed deity common to both Hinduism and Buddhism? Hayagriva
On the 31st of December 1600, Queen Elizabeth I granted a Royal Charter to British East India
"George, Earl of Cumberland, and 215 Knights, Aldermen, and Burgesses". Company / East

111 What came out of this? India Company
Set up in 1835 to protect British settlements and plantations, it was called the

112 Cachar Levy. Which is India’s oldest paramilitary force? Assam Rifles
Stars; forks and knives ranging from one to five; black or red symbols for an Michelin Guide
interesting view; grapes for good wine; and coins for those that are below a (Michelin not

113 certain price. Where can one expect to find all of these? acceptable)
What name is shared by a Spanish explorer who was sent by Francisco
Pizarro during the conquest of Peru to meet the Inca leader Atahualpa and a
Peruvian economist known for his work on informal economy and property

114 rights? Hernando de Soto
In 1949 Prof. Naziruddin Ahmed, a member of India's Constituent Assembly,
recommended which language as the official administrative language as it was

115 "impartially difficult" for everybody? Sanskrit
He had a problem as director of the film, The Bellboy: he could not view his
scenes through the camera while acting. So he mounted a video camera on
the motion picture camera which allowed him to simultaneously watch each
scene (as a director) and participate (as an actor). His 'Video Assist' system
was a hit with most directors and became a mainstay of film production leading

116 to a patent for his innovation, a rarity for artistes. Who? Jerry Lewis
Dubhe, Merak, Phecda, Megrez, Alioth, Mizar and Alkaid are Arabic words, the Great Bear / Ursa
first meaning 'bear' and some of the others denoting parts of the animal like Major / Plough /
'thigh', 'loins', 'back' and 'tail'. Where will you find them in close proximity to one Big Dipper /

117 another? Saptarishi
Many surgical procedures carried out on the eye begin with the prefix kerat
from the Greek word for horn. For example, keratomileusis, the 'K' in LASIK

118 surgery. What part of the eye is the subject of these operations? Cornea
What phrase owes its origin to the fact that the density of water is 1gm/cc and

119 the density of ice is about 0.92 gm/cc? Tip of the Iceberg
These are three-line compositions – a unique form attributed to Gulzar. The
translation of a typical one:
"After ages I took the hat off the hanger,
120 To discover a long strand of hair on the collar,
I seem to remember, I wore it last winter."

** Name such compositions – the name having some connection to Indian rivers. Triveni
The Mediterranean Sea contains two island nations. One of them is Malta.

121 Name the other. Cyprus

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 In 1974, Giani Zail Singh, the Chief Minister of Punjab, had this person's
remains exhumed about 34 years after his death, and brought to India from
Pentonville Jail in London. It was ceremonially carried on a tour through

122 Punjab, before being cremated in his hometown of Sunam. Whose remains? Udham Singh
Lord Elgin, the British Viceroy of India, wanted this town to be the summer
capital of India. Named after a Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, which town

123 situated at the foothills of the Dhauladhar Range is nicknamed 'Little Lhasa'? McLeodganj
In Hindu mythology, it served as the vehicle for Ganga & Varuna, and also as
the insignia of Kamadeva. Identify this creature which was represented in
many composite animal forms, with the crocodile and river dolphin as common

124 inspirations? Makara
The name of which peninsula is a corruption of 'Goguryeo', the name of an
ancient kingdom that ruled over the region from the 1st Century BC to the 7th

125 Century AD? Korea
Which popular tourist island would you be visiting if you land at the capital town
of Denpasar, bargain for paintings at Ubud, play at the Kuta beach and while

126 away the evening watching a Legong dance performance? Bali
Queen Rania /
Identify based on these facts: winner of the first ever YouTube Visionary Award Queen Rania of
in November 2008; appointed by her husband to the rank of honorary colonel Jordan (Just
in her country's army; has worked for Citibank and Apple; she and her husband Queen of Jordan

127 were on the 'Power Couple' list which came with the 'TIME 100' list for 2006. not acceptable)
For the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed
Forces in the Field, For the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick
and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea, Relative to the Treatment
of Prisoners of War, and Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time
of War. What is the collective phrase used to describe the four documents Geneva

128 whose titles are given above? Conventions
Which country has a community-based power-sharing system where by law
the President has to be a Maronite Catholic Christian, the Prime Minister a

129 Sunni Muslim and the Parliament Speaker a Shia Muslim? Lebanon
The author of a novel described by the Irish Times as "the most important Irish
novel since Ulysses", died in 1981 after choking on a dinner of lamb chops and
130 potatoes. Name the Oscar-winning movie and his autobiography which share a
title, derived from an incident in his childhood, about how he picked up a piece

* of chalk his sister was playing with. My Left Foot
What five-letter word, popularized by George Orwell's 1984, is short for a word
first coined by communist authors who borrowed an ancient Roman term for a

131 citizen of the lowest class? Prole
Which mountain range, located at the junction or knot of the Tian Shan,
Karakoram, Kunlun, and Hindu Kush ranges, has been known for centuries as

132 'The Roof of the World', a direct translation of its name? Pamirs
Recently-hatched fish which have absorbed their yolk sacs and can hunt and
consume live food are known by a specific term. We usually come across the
word in a 2-word phrase referring to persons or things regarded as unimportant

133 or little. What word? Fry (Small-fry)
Henry North Holroyd, 3rd Earl of _____, sponsored and accompanied the WG
Grace led England team that toured Australia in 1891-92. At the end of the
tour, he donated 150 pounds to the New South Wales Cricket Association as Sheffield /

134 the fund to start something that continues to this day. Fill up the blank. Sheffield Shield
He was born in the Jura region of France in 1821 and opened a Malletier shop
in Paris in 1854. In the same year he created innovative pieces of his art to
accommodate the voluminous dresses worn by France's Empress Eugenie,

135 wife of Napoleon III, and his future was assured. Who? Loius Vuitton
Which familiar logo, whose colours may have been taken from the flag of
Spain, is called the Pecten as it is based on the shape of the Great Scallop

136 (Pecten maximus)? Shell / Shell logo
In the early 1980s James Cameron was writing three screenplays
simultaneously: The Terminator, the second Rambo movie and one more.
Sylvester Stallone eventually took over the script of the Rambo movie. The Aliens (Alien is

137 third movie earned an Oscar nomination for the leading lady, whose character WRONG)

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 made it to the cover of TIME magazine and remains a feminist icon. Be precise
in naming the movie.
The population of what is divided into Western Lowland, Cross River, Eastern

138 Lowland, Mountain and Bwindi? Gorilla
Almost fifty percent of the earth’s deposit of this element is in the world’s
largest salt flat of Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia. With this element's importance
suddenly growing due to the emerging need for efficient batteries, there is

139 concern that the oil crisis may get duplicated. Which chemical element? Lithium
140 Which Hugo, Nebula and Pulitzer prize winning novelist helpfully suggests that
people who are confused about how to pronounce his surname should think of

* Shea Stadium and Bon Jovi? Michael Chabon
King Udayana, his queen Vasavadatta, his love interest who uses the
pseudonym Sagarika and a talking bird called Sarika, are the main characters

141 in which 7th century Sanskrit drama written by an emperor? Ratnavali
Folklore has it that Henry VIII wrote it for his future queen Anne Boleyn, though
the song originated later during the Elizabethan age. In one interpretation the
song is about a promiscuous woman, with the title referring to grass stains on
her dress as she had made love outdoors. Identify the song, which had a

142 famous version arranged by Ralph Vaughn Williams. Greensleeves
DEKA R&D's aim is to foster innovation. It has designed wheelchairs, personal
transport devices, prosthetics and a cheap water purifier which was named a
runner-up in TIME magazine's 'coolest invention of 2003' list. Name its

143 founder. Dean Kamen
Under pressure from the Jewish lobby, the president of a European country
was officially deemed persona non grata by the United States throughout his
term (1986-92). Quite ironic, considering the post he held for 10 years starting

144 from 1st Jan 1971. Who? Kurt Waldheim
Large hummingbirds, spiders, monkeys, llamas, fish and lizards sketched in Nazca / Nazca

145 the ground. Unaltered for centuries due to a dry, windless climate. Where? Lines
David
Attenborough
(Just
Attenborough or
Educated as a zoologist at Cambridge, his first television success was Zoo any other
Quest. He went on to become the Director of Programmes for all BBC Attenborough is

146 television for a number of years. Full name please. not acceptable)
Holland /
The 1999 Cricket World Cup was hosted by 5 countries. Name the only host Netherlands /

147 country that is not part of the British Isles? Dutch
Balkh (also known as Bactra) was a major city till it was destroyed by the
Mongols. The city, located in today’s Afghanistan, is near Mazar-e-Sharif. It
was here that a king, after conquering Balkh, married Roxana – the first of his
wives. She bore him a son after his death but both she and the son were killed Alexander the

148 later. Identify the king. Great
On 25 May 1965, in Lewiston, Maine, all that the photographer Neil Leifer
heard was the crowd shouting, “Fake, Fake”. He prayed, “Stay there, stay still”. Mohammed Ali
The outcome was a photograph regarded as the most iconic in that sport. aka Cassius Clay

149 Whom do you see in this photograph? Two names. No half points. & Sonny Liston
What is the Latin word for 'bark' or 'rind' which can mean any of the following:
in anatomy, the outermost or superficial layer of an organ; in botany, the outer
150 portion of the stem or root of a plant; in archaeology, the outer layer of rock
formed on the exterior of raw materials by chemical and mechanical

** processes? Cortex

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
This quiz was set by Dibyendu Das, Thejaswi Udupa, Ochintya Sharma, Avinash Thir umalai and Arun Hiregange (with Arul Mani as
grammarian & guinea pig) of the Karnataka Quiz Association. To contact us, email kqaquizzes@gmail.com.

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