1. This ancient king is believed to have ruled his country for 66 years, and lived much long before the birth of Jesus Christ. Sometimes referred to as the ‘Great Ancestor’, his statue can be found in Abu Simbel. One of his names is the same as a central character in the movie ‘Watchmen’. Name the king.

2. This opaque, metallic, yellow-coloured mineral is also known as ‘fool’s gold’. Chemically, it is a compound primarily comprising iron and sulphur. It is used in solar panels, jewelry and paving of streets. Name the mineral.

3. One of the most well known pandemics in history, it occurred during the 14th century and was caused by a bacteria named ‘Yersinia pestis’. It is estimated to have reduced a significant percentage of the world’s population. It shares it’s name with a 2010 film directed by Christopher Smith.  Name the event.

4. This Oscar winning Australian actor was born in New Zealand. He is one of the owners of a Rugby League team in Australia. He once formed a band known as the ‘Roman Antix’. His first film was ‘Prisoners of The Sun’. Name the actor.

5. This ‘knighted’ film director has been nominated for the Oscars thrice, but has never won it. His younger brother is also a well known director who has made the movie ‘Top Gun’. He won the Best Debut Film Award at Cannes in 1977. Name the director.

Answers:

1. Ramesses II.

2. Pyrite.

3. Black Death.

4. Russell Crowe.

5. Sir Ridley Scott.

1. This weekly newspaper was created in 1631 by Theophraste Renaudot and continued for almost 300 years before being discontinued in 1915. It is considered to be the first ever French newspaper, and was controversial for being the mouthpiece of the royal court which did not cover important events during the French Revolution. Name the newspaper.

2. His second name was Leonidas and was popularly known as ‘El Jefe’. A dictator of a country in the Caribbean, he was responsible for the deaths of thousands of people. The capital city of his country was once named after him, and he was assasinated in 1961. Name the person.

3. This statue was over 10 metres tall and was made using foam and paper with a metal base. A replica is now available in the University of British Columbia. The statue was created as part of the student protests at the Tiananmen Square in China in 1989. Name the statue.

4. Born in Ghana, the middle name of this man is Atta. He is well known for his role in the United Nations, and is also a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. There is also a foundation bearing his name created to promote sustainable development. Name the person.

5. The lead singer of a famous English band, his first name is Michael even though he is better known using a shorter nickname. He once acted in a film on Ned Kelly, and has also received the Knighthood in 2003. Name the singer.

Answers:

1. La Gazette.

2. Rafael Trujillo.

3. Goddess of Democracy.

4. Kofi Annan.

5. Mick Jagger.

1. This bridge is considered to be one of the wonders of the modern world and links a well known city in California to Marin Country. Its construction ran into hiccups due to The Great Depression of the 1930s, but was salvaged by a guarantee from the founder of Bank of America. It was completed in 1937. Which bridge?

2. This organization was established in London in the year 1961 by a man named Peter Beneson. It is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Salil Shetty is the current head of the organization. Name the organization.

3. This work of art was created by an Italian polymath for Duke Ludovico Sforza. It went through a major restoration for 21 years after failed attempts at restoration earlier. It also plays a major role in a novel which created worldwide controversy. Name the work of art.

4. This organization was started in 1901, and one of their claim to fame was being directly responsible for the start of the First World War. They operated as a secret society from Serbia and was led by a man named Dragutin Dimitrijevic. Name the organization.

5. This flag was designed by a man named Tao Ho, and depicts a five-petal flower on a red background. It replaced the Blue Ensign flag in 1997. Which country’s flag are we referring to?

Answers:

1. Golden Gate.

2. Amnesty International.

3. The Last Supper, by Leonardo Da Vinci.

4. Black Hand.

5. Hong Kong.

1. Peter Minuit was the third director of the Dutch Colony called New Netherland in the 17th century. On this day, he purchased something from the native Indian tribe called the Lenape for 60 guilders. What did he buy?

2. This person’s middle name is Finley Breese and he was born in the American state Massachussets in the 18th century. Originally a painter, he went on to make a significant contribution to the field of communication. Name the person and his contribution.

3. Originally called John Brodribb, this British actor was the first theatre personality to win a knighthood. He was the cousin of the famous poet W.H.Davies, and is also considered to be an inspiration for a character in the novel ‘Dracula’ by Bram Stoker. Name the actor.

4. This well known set of aircrafts were created as a result of a treaty between the governments of England and France. They first flew in 1976 but decommissioned in 2003. It’s name was derived from a word which in English means ‘harmony’. Name the aircraft.

5. His middle name was Eugene, but he is better known by his nickname ‘Buzz’. He was the second man on earth to achieve a remarkable feat and appeared in a ‘Transformers’ movie. Who are we referring to?

Answers:

1. The Island of Manhattan.

2. Samuel Morse.

3. Henry Irving.

4. Concorde.

5. Edwin Aldrin.

1. A former President of Venezuela, he is considered to be a key figure in the history of Latin America. He was sometimes referred to as ‘El Libertador’ and was also the first President of another country. A submarine of the US Navy was named after him. Name the person.

2. Born in Scotland, he is one of the most famous pirates in history even though some consider it unjustified. One of the famous ships he captained was the ‘Quedagh Merchant’, the wrecks of which is believed to have been discovered in 2007. He is frequently referenced in popular culture, including a movie where he was played by actor Charles Laughton. Name the person.

3. This ‘index’ has been created by The Heritage Foundation in association with The Wall Street Journal. It ranks countries based on ten major factors which includes ability to own property and movement of labour and capital. Hong Kong tops the list in the 2012 rankings. Which index are we referring to?

4. These two individuals are usually referred together, and their middle names are Elizabeth and Chestnut. They were well known criminals who operated in the United States in the 1930s. They were shot dead in 1934 while travelling in the state of Louisiana. They were immortalized by in a movie directed by Arthur Penn. Name the individuals.

5. This organization served as the secret police for one of the most notorious parties in modern history. It was officially formed in 1933, and was administratively headed by Heinrich Himmler in his capacity as the head of another organization. Rudolf Diels was the first commander of this organization. Name the organization.

Answers:

1. Simon Bolivar.

2. William Kidd.

3. Index of Economic Freedom.

4. Bonny and Clyde.

5. Gestapo.

1. This English word is usually used to indicate trained killers in the modern world. While its origin is debated, it is sometimes said to have derived from an Arabic word meaning “users of hashish”. A group of them were depicted in a negative way in the novel ‘Alamut’ by author Vladimir Bartol. Which word?

2. This English theologist lived in the 14th century, and was considered to be one of the first to push reforms of Christianity. He led the movement to translate the Bible into a common language, and his disciples were known as Lollards. Name the person.

3. This historic country is known to have significantly shaped the history of modern day Germany, and the country was officially abolished as late as 1947. It’s primary symbol was a black eagle on a white background, and its first king was Frederick 1. Name the country.

4. This movement in the United States was popularized by then President Lyndon Johnson. It was primarily a set of programmes aimed at removing poverty and also promote racial equality. Medicare and Medicaid, two programmes recently in the news, were introduced as part of this programme. Name the movement.

5. A Persian polymath who lived in the 11th-12th century, he is the author of one of the most important works on algebra produced during ancient times. The English author Edward Fitzgerald is said to have popularized his poetry in the Western world. He is well known for being the author of a number of ’rubaiyat’. Name the person.

Answers:

1. Assassin.

2. John Wycliffe.

3. Prussia.

4. Great Society.

5. Omar Khayyam.

1. This organization was founded on this day in 1904, and it is the governing body of three different sports internationally. It is famous for having more member nations compared to the United Nations. It’s headquarters are in Zurich in Switzerland. Name the organization.

2. This Brazilian lawyer, born in Rio Di Janeiro, was once the President of the organization in Question 1. He himself appeared in the 1936 Berlin Olympics as a swimmer, but failed to make an impact. He was also a member of the Olympic Committee for for 48 years. Name the person.

3. This group or organization of countries was formed in 1961 to counter the effects of the Cold War. It was the idea of prominent heads of state at that time, including Josip Tito from Yugoslavia, Nehru from India and Sukarno from Indonesia. Mohammed Husein Tantawi is the current secretary general of the movement. Name the group.

4. This American singer cum songwriter’s last name is Sebert, and her first album was called ‘Animal’. She is also known to write songs for other artists, and the song ‘Till the World Ends’ by Britney Spears is written by her. Name the singer.

5. This rapper’s original name is Dwayne Carter. He once accidentally shot himself with a handgun and also founded the music record label ‘Young Money’. How do we know the singer as?

Answers:

1. FIFA.

2. Joao Havelange.

3. Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

4. Kesha.

5. Lil Wayne.

1. This island is located close to Indonesia, and in 1883, an incident in this island this killed over 30,000 people. Considered to be one of the largest explosions ever recorded, the sound produced by the explosion could be heard in far off places like Perth in Australia. Name the island and the incident.

2. Connect the following with one word – a programming language, a cigarette brand from Russia, a French dance form and an island in South East Asia.

3. This American woman was the first to fly alone above the Atlantic Ocean. An author and activist, she formed an organization called the ‘The Ninety-Nines’ to help mentor female pilots. She disappeared while flying in 1937, and the mystery surrounding it has never been solved. Name the woman.

4. This mythical Greek character scripted his own death by ignoring advice not to fly very close to the sun. Today, the major organization to train military pilots in Greece is named after this character. Name the character.

5. This multilingual singer was born in 1977 and her last name is Ripoll. A winner of two Grammy Awards, her song was chosen as the official song of a major international sporting event once. The Pies Descalzos Foundation was created by her. Name the singer.

Answers:

1. Krakatoa, and the volcanic explosion which destroyed it.

2. Java.

3. Amelia Earhart.

4. Icarus.

5. Shakira.