FunTrivia Humanities Mix: Vol 15 Quiz

Answer: 'Mona Lisa' by da Vinci

The odd painting out here is the 'Mona Lisa' by Leonardo da Vinci, which can be found in The Louvre in Paris, one of the largest art galleries in the world. Popular scholarship suggests that the 'Mona Lisa' was completed in France around 1516, and it was definitely hung at the Palace of Versailles by the Sun King Louis XIV.

It has been in the Louvre since the end of the 18th Century, excluding theft and a short sojourn to Napoleon's bedroom. Of the incorrect answers, Jan van Eyck's 'Arnolfini Portrait' is found in the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, Manet's 'A Bar at the Folies-Bergère' is located in the Courtauld Gallery and Franz Hals' 'Laughing Cavalier' is in the Wallace Collection.

Question by player pagea

Answer: R

The letter R can be added to the middle of fa_ce to make farce, meaning a ridiculous situation or event, the middle of bu_st to make burst, meaning break apart or explode, and the middle of sp_at to make sprat, which is a small fish. The letter L can only be added to the middle of sp_at to make a new word (splat).

The letters N and W can't be added to the middle of any of the given words to make a new word.

Question by player ClarkyB

Answer: A coffin

To put on a wooden overcoat simply means to die. Other similar idioms are "bite the dust" and "kick the bucket".

Question by player Trufflesss

Answer: Wear it

Yarmulkes (aka: Kipa) are small, circular shaped, hats that are traditionally worn by Jewish men to signify God's presence above man. They may be worn all day, or only during religious ceremonies.

Question by player doubleoo

Answer: The person is new to surfing

Because of our reputation for sharks, most people here use a bit of common sense when swimming, snorkelling or surfing in the ocean. Some do not, however, or they are simply unaware of any danger signals, or of the safest times to take to the sea. An inexperienced surfer is therefore described as shark biscuit if they are ignorant of safety procedures, or choose to ignore them altogether.

This could see the surfer either attacked by a shark on his or her board, or being injured and drowning - and ending up as shark dinner anyway.

Question by player Creedy

Answer: Dulcinea del Toboso

In Miguel de Cervantes' novel "Don Quixote", the fictional character Dulcinea de Toboso does not appear. In the stage play adaptation "The Man of La Mancha", she does appear at the end. In Jules Massenet's opera "Don Quichotte", she has a principal part.

Their stories are intertwined; there is a monument to Don Quixote and Dulcinea in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. Her name means "sweetness" and she is his imaginary perfection. Her name thereby enters modern English meaning the object of hopeless and unrequited love. Dulcinea is also the name of the band Toad the Wet Sprocket's 1994 record album.

Question by player FatherSteve

Answer: Lute

A person who makes or repairs string instruments is called a luthier. The word is derived from the French word luth which means the lute.

Question by player zorba_scank

Answer: Scotland

"Ken" means "know" in Scottish English. It can also be used at the end of sentence as a discourse marker meaning, "you know" or "know what I mean", as in "That's really messed up, ken?" The word has Germanic roots, as evidenced by its present-day German cognate, "kennen" (to know).

Question by player lingophilia

Answer: Brigadoon

The musical "Brigadoon" appeared on Broadway in 1947, created by lyricist and book writer Alan Jay Lerner and composer Fred Loewe, with choreography by Agnes de Mille. In it, two tourists stumble upon a magic village in Scotland, where one of them, Tommy, falls in love with Fiona.

But the village will disappear after a single day, not to be seen again for 100 years. Some believed "Brigadoon" was based on an earlier story by Friedrich Gerstacker, about a village called Germelshausen, but Lerner claimed there were many folktales about disappearing castles and towns. "Brigadoon" was made into a movie starring Gene Kelly, in 1954. Rip Van Winkle, Atlantis and Shangri La are other stories of myth and fable.

Question by player Godwit

Answer: pasodoble

The term 'pasodoble' (or 'paso doble'), 'double step,' refers to both the dance and its accompanying music. It is a highly stylized performance piece rather than a folk or social dance. Outside the ballroom, pasodoble music is heard during bullfights and military parades. "España Cañí," or "Gypsy Spain," is probably the best known pasodoble tune.

Question by player Lochalsh