Electrum Posers (2) Trivia Quiz

Answer: Hammer

Released in 1969, Paul McCartney sings the song for the Beatles. The lyrics, in which three people are killed by the silver hammer, reflected McCartney's interest in the work of the French symbolist writer Alfred Jarry. The word "pataphysical", which occurs in the first line of the song, was one of Jarry's creations.

Answer: South Africa

Theories for how the heavier atomic elements were formed include supernova explosions and neutron star collisions. When gold arrived on Earth, so theory goes, the planet was still in its liquid phase and most heavy metals such as gold sank towards the Earth's core.

Jumping forward in time a little to about two billion years ago, an asteroid struck South Africa and formed the Vredefort crater (about 300 km wide), in the process bringing such metals as gold closer to the Earth's surface. The gold was discovered there in 1886.

Answer: Werewolf

There are several methods said to be effective for killing werewolves. The main advantage of a silver bullet is that it can be used from a distance. Although vampires are reportedly affected by silver, the standard methods of killing them are said to involve sunlight or wooden stakes. Now you know.

Answer: Sir Francis Drake

Sir Francis Drake was the first Englishman and first to complete the voyage as leader in a single expedition. Golden Hind/Hinde started off the journey with the name of Pelican and was renamed by Drake in honour of his one of his sponsors.

Magellan died in 1521 during his attempt although some of his crew completed the journey to become the first men to do so in 1522. Loyola completed his trip in 1584. Cook did not do his circumnavigation until the 18th century.

Answer: Tonto

Silver was the name of the Lone Ranger's horse. The silver connection continues as Jay Silverheels was the actor playing Tonto in the TV series which ran from 1949 to 1957. Silver bullets also frequently had a part to play in a number of the Lone Ranger story interpretations.

Answer: Goose

In some versions of the tale, a hen does the laying. The fable has survived in modern times as the proverb 'to kill the goose that laid the golden eggs', meaning to do something unprofitable out of greed. Aesop's Fables are a collection of stories used as a vehicle for passing on lessons in life or morals.

A different slant can be found in Isaac Asimov's short story "Pâté de Foie Gras".

Answer: Silver Linings Playbook

Based on "The Silver Linings Playbook" by Matthew Quick, the film received eight Oscar nominations and was a blockbuster. It is described as a romantic comedy-drama.

Answer: Golden Rule

This maxim has a long history in many cultures and religions as well as exercising many philosophers. It can be expressed negatively ('Do not do to others as you would not have them do to you'), which is more cautionary. This inverse version is called the Silver Rule.

Another version, the Platinum Rule, urges that you 'do unto others as they would do unto themselves'. Tricky unless you are a mind reader.

Answer: Silver birch

Native to Europe and parts of Asia, the silver birch is a pioneer species and Finland's national tree. It has been put to many uses including furniture making, paper pulp and medicinally. The sap can be drunk fresh or used to produce a syrup. The sugar content of the sap is one percent compared to the two to five percent for the various maple trees normally used for maple syrup.

Answer: Carp

The Chinese have been raising freshwater carp as fish food for thousands of years. The goldfish is a relatively-small member of the carp family, is the result of selective breeding and is one of the first fish to be domesticated around a thousand years ago.

They reached Europe in the 17th century and America in the mid-19th century. The closest wild relative is the Prussian carp from Siberia.