Bovines: The Male of the Species Quiz

Answer: Phoenician

"Aleph" is the first letter of most Semitic abjads (writing systems that do not include vowels). Its origins lie in an Egyptian hieroglyph that depicted an ox's head, adopted to describe the initial sound of the word meaning "ox" in various Semitic languages, such as Hebrew and Phoenician. The pictograph, which represented the strength and power associated with oxen, later became stylized, looking like an upper-case "A" lying on one side. Both the name and the shape of the Greek "alpha" come from the Phoenician letter: while the upper-case letter kept the shape of the Phoenician letter, the lower-case one suggested the original pictograph that included horns. Alpha was also reinterpreted as a vowel, while "aleph" was a glottal stop occurring at the beginning of a word.

Phoenician is a Semitic language of the Canaanite branch, thus closely related to Hebrew. Though not much is known about it, as very few written texts remain, its alphabet was for the most part derived from Egyptian hieroglyphs.

Answer: energy drinks

Taurine, or tauric acid, is the common name of 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, an organic compound that is one of the main constituents of bile. In 1827, German scientists Friedrich Tiedemann and Leopold Gmelin isolated this substance from ox bile - hence its name. In mammals, taurine is naturally synthesized in the pancreas from cysteine; it has an essential role in many of the human body's metabolic processes, especially cardiovascular and skeletal muscle functions. Taurine occurs naturally in breast milk, and is often added to infant formula; it also occurs in meat, fish, and dairy.

Most commercial energy drinks contain taurine, some of them in large concentrations; this has led to claims of taurine being able to improve mental performance, though this has not been scientifically proven. Given its role in the healthy development and functioning of skeletal muscle, taurine is also commonly found in dietary supplements for athletes. However, the consequences of long-term taurine use are still unclear, and - as always when dietary supplements are involved - caution is advised.

Answer: Luke

In many artistic depictions Luke the Evangelist is accompanied by a winged ox, a likely reference to the theme of Christ's sacrifice on behalf of humankind that is central to the Gospel attributed to him. In the ancient world, oxen were common sacrificial animals, and also symbols of service and strength; the Gospel of Luke begins and ends in the Temple, where sacrifices were offered. In Christian iconography, it was common practice to replace the Evangelists with their symbols - the winged ox for Luke, a winged man (or angel) for Matthew, a winged lion for Mark, and an eagle for John. When the four symbols appear together, the image - mentioned in the book of Ezekiel (1:4-11) and the book of Revelation (4:6-8) - is known as a Tetramorph (Greek for "four forms").

Traditionally regarded as the author of Acts of the Apostles, Luke is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations; his feast is celebrated on 18 October. A follower of Paul, he is widely believed to have been a physician and an artist, the first painter of icons. He is also venerated as the patron saint of bachelors, students and butchers.

Answer: Knossos

The site of Knossos on the Greek island of Crete was first discovered in 1878, and later (starting in 1900) excavated by a team led by English archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans. The core feature of the site is a magnificent palace, founded circa 2000 BC, with about 1,300 rooms connected by corridors. The fresco panel known as the Bull-Leaping or Taureador Fresco - dating from around 1450 BC - was destroyed in an earthquake, and its fragments were found lying on the ground when the site was excavated. Painstakingly reconstructed, it is held at the Archaeological Museum in Heraklion, the capital of Crete, while a reproduction is displayed in the Palace. The vividly hued fresco - painted in relief on a stucco panel - depicts an acrobatic scene in which a human figure vaults over a galloping bull's back, while another holds the animal by the horns, and a third watches from behind.

As illustrated by various Greek myths, such as the one about Theseus and the Minotaur, bulls were central to Minoan culture: a number of artifacts depicting bulls and bull-leaping ("taurokathapsia" in Greek) scenes have been found in various parts of the islands. Another striking example of bull-themed Minoan art is the stunning bull's head "rhyton", a drinking vessel made of black steatite, jasper, and mother of pearl, which was also found in Knossos.

Answer: The Who

Born in London in 1944, John Alec Entwistle was one of the founding members of The Detours, the band that became The Who in 1964, together with guitarist Pete Townshend and lead singer Roger Daltrey. His nickname "The Ox" allegedly stemmed from his strong constitution, which enabled him to eat, drink, and do other things in higher amounts than the average person. "The Ox" is also the title of the closing track of The Who's debut album, "My Generation" (1965), an improvised instrumental piece featuring pianist Nicky Hopkins. While his stoic stage presence sharply contrasted with the pyrotechnic antics of the other three members, his ground-breaking approach to bass playing - which earned him the nickname of "Thunderfingers" - was one of the band's driving forces. He also contributed to songwriting, his output being characterized by a rather dark sense of humour (as exemplified by the song "Boris the Spider"). Entwistle also released a number of solo albums, and had a thriving side career as a visual artist.

Entwistle was a member of The Who from 1964 to their breakup in 1982, and then again from their reformation in 1999 to his death in 2002. He was 57 years old when he unexpectedly passed away of a heart attack (partly brought about by cocaine use), the day before the start of The Who's US tour.

Answer: lake

An oxbow is a U-shaped metal frame attached to a yoke that fits around the neck of an ox. Named after this implement's shape, an oxbow lake forms when a meander (wide curve) in a river is cut off from the main stream. Since they are bypassed by the river that has formed them, these U-shaped lakes are stillwater lakes, with no current flowing through them, and eventually become swampy, or dry up completely. An example of this are the Australian billabongs, which fill with water in the rainy season, but are dry for most of the year. Oxbow lakes are generally found in low-lying plains, near the mouth of a river. They often host thriving ecosystems, which, however, can be damaged or even destroyed by the sediment and runoff that oxbow lakes - acting almost as filters - remove from the main river flow.

Many oxbow lakes are found along the course of large rivers such as the Amazon and the Mississippi. A large bend in the Connecticut River, home to many bird species, and immortalized in a large painting by American artist Thomas Cole (1836) is simply known as "The Oxbow".

Answer: Lamborghini

Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. was founded in 1963 by Ferruccio Lamborghini, who wanted to compete with Ferrari, Italy's leading sports car brand. In 1972, he retired and sold the company, which went bankrupt a few years later. Now the brand is owned by Audi, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. One of Lamborghini's most distinctive features is its association with the world of bullfighting. Shortly before starting his company, Ferruccio Lamborghini visited the ranch of the Miura family in Andalusia, where prized fighting bulls were bred. He was so fascinated by those powerful animals that he adopted the image of a charging bull (also his star sign, Taurus) as the emblem of his automaking business. One of the earliest, and most famous, Lamborghini models, produced between 1966 and 1973, was named Miura. The bullfighting connection has been a constant in the company's history, with cars named after individual bulls (such as Islero and Diablo) or notable bull breeds (such as Jalpa or Urraco).

Spanish fighting bulls ("toros de lidia") are large, highly aggressive animals bred on large estates in Spain, Portugal, France and Latin America. Though controversial, the bullfighting tradition is still strong in many Spanish-speaking countries, as well as in southern France.

Though founded by an Italian, Bugatti is based in France.

Answer: Kaunas

Located in the central-southern part of Lithuania, Kaunas (formerly known as Kovno, the Russian form of the name) was probably founded around the 10th century at the confluence of the two largest Lithuanian rivers, the Neris and the Nemunas. The first mention of the city's name, however, dates from 1361. In the period between the two World Wars, Kaunas served as Lithuania's temporary capital, after Vilnius had been seized by Poland. The city's varied architecture bears witness to its rich historic past and thriving cultural life; in particular, Kaunas is famed for its many Art Deco buildings. It is also home to a number of universities and other institutions of higher learning.

The white aurochs bull that appears on the city's coat of arms is the original heraldic symbol of Kaunas, dating from the early years of the 15th century, when Kaunas was first granted city rights. The coat of arms was re-established in 1993 by a special presidential decree; during the Soviet era, the aurochs had been replaced by a European bison (wisent). The aurochs (Bos primigenius) is considered the ancestor of modern cattle: it was a massive animal, with distinctively shaped horns, whose wild subspecies went extinct in the 17th century.

Kyiv (Kiev) is the capital of Ukraine, Krakow is in Poland, and Karlsruhe in Germany.

Answer: tomato

Oxheart tomatoes are very similar to beefsteak tomatoes (the bovine connection being still there), though the latter lack the distinctive pointed bottom, due to a mutation, to which oxheart tomatoes owe their name. These tomatoes are very meaty, with thin skin and few seed cavities, and can grow to very large sizes: weights of half a kilo (about 1 lb) are normal, and some specimens can hit the 1.5 kg (3 lb) mark. Juicy and flavorful, they make excellent slicing tomatoes for sandwiches or salads; they also lend themselves well to being stuffed and baked in the oven. Oxheart tomatoes ripen from the end of July to early October; they come in different colours, such as pink, yellow and orange, besides the traditional red.

Though often associated with Italy, these tomatoes are believed to have originated in Russia in the late 19th century - as implied by the names of varieties such as "Anna Russian" and "Orange Russian". Like tomatoes, pumpkins are fruits in a botanical sense, but generally prepared as vegetables.

Answer: Ernest Hemingway

Published in 1932, "Death in the Afternoon" is Ernest Hemingway's tribute to the Spanish tradition of bullfighting, which he had come to know and love in the previous decade. His first novel, "The Sun Also Rises" (1926), was inspired by his experience of witnessing the renowned Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, which also provides the setting for the story. "Death in the Afternoon", on the other hand, is a sort of guide book, in which the author explores the practice of bullfighting, presented as a religious ceremony and an art form, as well as a meditation on bravery, cowardice, and the meaning of life in general. The main section of the book is divided in twenty chapters; the second section contains photos of bullfighting events, while the third is dedicated to a very detailed glossary of bullfighting terms. The title of the book comes from the custom of holding bullfights in the afternoon, usually at 5 or 5:30 pm (as stated in Chapter 3).

Well known for his penchant for strong drink, Hemingway also created a cocktail named after the book, a mix of absinthe and champagne.

Of the three authors listed as wrong choices, only F. Scott Fitzgerald did not win the Nobel Prize in Literature.