Linked In Trivia Quiz

Answer: Labyrinth

The original labyrinth in Knossos was constructed to be virtually impossible to escape from - it was used as a prison to hold the monster known as the Minotaur. In modern use, however, it is applied to a maze which only has a single path through it, unlike mazes which have multiple tracks. Labyrinths can be constructed by hedges that form alleys, or they can be simply indicated by stones on the ground that outline the paths. Such labyrinths are often constructed to be used for contemplation as one covers the path.

Answer: Thesaurus

Probably the best-known English-language thesaurus is "Roget's Thesaurus", a list of synonyms published in 1852 by Peter Mark Roget. Most thesauruses do not include definitions of the terms, so care must be used when selecting a word from the list - its connotations may not be what is intended.

Many also include antonyms, words that are opposite (or strongly contrasting) in meaning to the original.

Answer: Russell

Russell Crowe was born in New Zealand, but spent much of his childhood in Australia, and moved there permanently (as permanent as possible for an actor whose work is based in Hollywood) at the age of 21. As well as "Gladiator" (2000) he has appeared in a number of successful movies, including "The Insider" (1999) and "A Beautiful Mind" (2001).

A younger generation may be more familiar with his work as Jor-El, Superman's father, in "Man of Steel" (2013) and as Zeus in "Thor: Love and Thunder" (2022).

Answer: ellipse

An ellipse, which looks like a squashed circle, is another conical section. Some consider a circle to be a special case of an ellipse with both focii at the same point, just as a square can be considered a rectangle with all four sides the same length, instead of two pairs of matching sides. The paths of the planets in orbit are ellipses, with the sun at one focus.

The term oval is less precise, describing any closed curve that resembles the outline of an egg. It can have one end larger than the other, or both the same. One example that may be familiar is the running track in an athletics field, which is formed from two straight sides connect at their ends by semi-circles to form a smooth curve.

Answer: selfish

The word selfish is used to describe someone who lacks generosity in their relationships with others. They appear to be more concerned for their own wellbeing than for that of others. They may also be described as egotistic. Some people who are perceived this way are actually not self-obsessed, they simply lack the social skills to appear to be considerate of others.

Answer: short

This phrase, sometimes reversed (as Shakespeare preferred) to be the short and the long of it, dates from the early 15th century. On one episode of "Midsomer Murders", it was the fact that two people who were supposed to be complete strangers used the unusual phrase 'the short and the tall of it' that led DCI Tom Barnaby to a breakthrough in the case.

The 1961 British war film "The Long and the Short and the Tall" took its title from a soldiers' song ("Bless 'Em All") containing that line that was a popular hit during World War II when released by artists including George Formby, Gracie Fields and Vera Lynn.

Answer: horticulture

Like the word agriculture, which comes from the Latin words for field ('ager') and growing, the word horticulture is based on Latin words for garden ('hortus') and growing. The word was chosen to note the difference between the two types of plant growing. Agriculture is generally large-scale, in fields; horticulture can be considered a category of agriculture, one which deals in small areas, usually with a mixture of plants involved, and no heavy equipment being required.

Answer: urethane

Polyurethane is actually the name for a class of polymers with the monomers linked by carbamate (urethane) units (-NH-(C=O)-O-). Since the monomers can be any of a large range of materials, the resulting polymer can be designed to have a range of properties.

Some are rigid, some flexible; many are turned into plastic foams; spandex is a polyurethane fibre. Varnishes and paints made from polyurethanes are very popular, as they provide a durable covering, but they are not suitable for outdoor use as they deteriorate when exposed to ultraviolet light.

Answer: Nemesis

The Greek goddess Nemesis was entrusted with enacting retribution against those who had shown hubris, arrogant defiance of the gods. The original word meant something akin to justice - the distribution of what was deserved. It then evolved into the need to restore justice when it had been disrupted. "Nemesis" (published in 1971) was the last mystery that Agatha Christie wrote featuring Miss Marple, who is sent on a quest to establish the truth about the disappearance of Verity as part of a bequest from a man who had been impressed by the way she solved "A Caribbean Mystery" (1964) years earlier.

Answer: sister

Siblings are children of the same parents; male siblings are brothers, female siblings are sisters. The word is also used in relation to women who share some common bond, such as the sisters in a sorority. It is also used as the form of address for an Anglican or Catholic nun, and to a nurse (especially a head nurse) in the UK and some Commonwealth countries.