The Joy Of Knowledge 7 Trivia Quiz

Answer: The dawn chorus

When light first appears in the morning, a large number of birds seem to take delight in singing their little hearts out, bless them. There is no need to check your alarm clock, as it's always about an hour before you are due to get up for work. When the sky begins to grow light, after the night, and our feathered friends are busy chirping their high-pitched sound, this is known as the dawn chorus.

Answer: The Phil Silvers Show

This comedy has stood the test of time. The television show was created by Nat Hiken and was originally called 'You'll Never Get Rich'. Informally, it is known as 'Bilko' or 'Sergeant Bilko'. Motor pool sergeant, Ernie Bilko (Phil Silvers), is stationed at Fort Baxter, near a town called Roseville, in Kansas.

This American army camp is supposed to be run by Colonel John Hall, played by Paul Ford. Bilko always gets the better of his colonel. Ernie needs to be a sharp operator as he can't resist gambling, at any opportunity.

He gets his platoon interested in raising funds, so he can enter big gambling games, held on camp, much to the annoyance of his colonel. Corporal Rocco Barbella (Harvey Lembeck) and Corporal Steve Henshaw (Allan Melvin) are his henchmen/faithful supporters. Platoon members include Private Paparelli (Billy Sands), Private Fender (Herbie Faye) and super-slob, Private Duane Doberman (Maurice Gosfield). Bilko does seem to have an on/off relationship with Sergeant Hogan (Elizabeth Fraser), but it was his relationship with the colonel's wife, Nell, that gets much laughter. Bilko always implies she is much younger than she is, and didn't he see her in that glossy commercial on the telly last night, while Colonel Hall is trying to keep order by shouting, Bilko, between each of Ernie's compliments to Mrs Hall.

Answer: Joseph

Joseph Francis Keaton (1895-1966) was born in Piqua, Kansas, USA. He was nicknamed 'The Great Stoneface' because of his deadpan expression. The movie, 'The General' (1926), is one of his best silent features. In 1959, he received a special Academy Award for his unique talents he brought to the silver screen. In 1960, he wrote his autobiography called 'My Wonderful World Of Slapstick'.

Answer: Fluke

The name fluke also applies to the barbed head of a harpoon or arrow. Chance, fortuity and lucky break are alternative words for an accidental stroke of luck, otherwise known as a fluke.

Answer: Nemo

bour(NEMO)uth. Captain Nemo appeared in the movie '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea'. James Mason played the role of the captain in this Jules Verne novel, of 1870. This 1954 movie, was directed by Richard Fleischer. It was a Disney fantasy-adventure which won Oscars for both Art Direction and Special Effects.

Answer: Chester, England

Daniel Wroughton Craig was born on 2 March, 1968, in Chester, in England. Casino Royale was the 21st official Bond movie in which Craig made his debut, on 14 November, 2006.

Answer: 1938

On Halloween night in 1938, a brilliant, young, amateur radio presenter tapped into the subconscious minds of the population of America. He convinced many that Martians were invading, which caused mass hysteria. Actually Welles was reciting a dramatic presentation of (H)erbert (G)eorge Wells' novel, 'War of the Worlds', written some forty years earlier, in 1898.

Answer: Slough

Slough is also the name of an industrial town, northeast of Windsor, in southern England. The British television comedy series 'The Office' was a paper merchants, fictitiously based in Slough. Stephen Merchant wrote and directed the show, with Ricky Gervais, who also starred in the programme as character David Brent.

Answer: Mae Questel

Mae Questel(1908-1998) was born Mae Kwestel, in New York City. She provided the voice for cartoon character Betty Boop. In the 1930s, she was the voice of Olive Oyl, in Popeye animated shorts.

Answer: Baked beans on toast

The baked beans are referred to as the skinheads, and the toast, as the raft. For cordon bleu cooks who want to follow the recipe, please read on.
1) Lightly toast your bread on both sides.
2) Empty a can of baked beans into a pan and apply heat, using the ring of the cooker, or place in a suitable container, in a microwave.
3) Pour the warmed beans over the toast.
4) For the connoisseurs/gourmets, add some grated cheese, or simply a splash of Lee and Perrins Worcestershire sauce, purely to overindulge oneself.

Answer: German

Margarete Steiff (1847-1909) was a German seamstress and toymaker. She was confined to a wheelchair due to polio, she contracted as a baby. Initially, she made toy elephants, which were sold as pincushions, to her friends. Eventually she began making stuffed toy dogs, cats and pigs, which were so appealing to children, as they started playing with them.

It was her nephew, Richard Steiff, who designed the famous teddy bear, in 1902. Alas, Margarete died on 9 May, 1909, of pneumonia.

Answer: Robert Adler

Robert Adler holds 180 patents, but he was best known as the pioneer of the television wireless remote control. In 1937, aged 24, he achieved a PhD in physics, at the University of Vienna. Later he emigrated to America, where he joined the Zenith Electronics Corporation.

His wireless remote control used ultrasound frequencies, which are higher than the human ear can detect. This superseded Zenith's 1950s television channel changer, known as 'Lazy Bones'. This was basically a wire from the television set, to the control panel.

This cumbersome lead proved a tripping hazard, and for safety reasons, was inappropriate.This was Adler's chance, and he found a niche in the market, for his particular product. The bougainvillea is a climbing plant, named after French navigator, Louis Antoine de Bougainville, (1729-1811).

Answer: Lorimer

A lorimer also makes the metal parts for the harness of a horse. The harness is an arrangement of leather straps, which are looped together, to enable a horse to pull a cart.
A cooper is a maker or repairer of casks and barrels. The fletcher is an arrowsmith, who makes arrows. An ostler/hostler was a stableman, who took care of horses, at an inn.

Answer: Charles

Robert Frederick Xenon 'Bob' Geldof (KBE) was born on 5 October, 1951. He is an Irish singer, songwriter and political activist. His former jobs included a slaughterman, road navvy and pea canner. He worked in Vancouver, Canada, as a pop journalist, before returning home in 1975, to become lead singer for the group, The Boomtown Rats.

He was so appalled by the television pictures of famine-stricken Ethiopia, that he co-founded the pop charity, 'Band Aid', in 1984. The single, 'Do They Know It's Christmas', raised £8 million for African Famine Relief.

In 1985, both Midge Ure and himself, were co-founders of the world-famous, 'Live Aid' charity concert. He acquired the tag of 'Saint Bob' because of his prolific charity work.

Answer: Muhammad Ali

In 1976, Pol Pot became prime minister of the New Communist government, which promoted a violent campaign of reform. Marcel Marceau was born, Marcel Mangel, on 22 March, 1923, in Strasbourg, France. He was one of the world's greatest mime artists. His act was said to have imitated Charlie Chaplin's silent screen image.

He was proud of the fact that he had the ability to make people laugh or cry without saying a word. Muhammad Ali is the correct answer. Alas, Parkinson's disease caused extensive damage to the former heavyweight boxing champion of the world. Hope you found the quiz both entertaining, and at the same time, learnt something new.