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Classic and Iconic Science Fiction quiz

This is quiz on classic and iconic Science Fiction. There are some interesting bits and bobs of information in the results.

A multiple-choice quiz by Tielhard. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Tielhard

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
99,711

Updated
May 01 23

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
12 / 15

Plays
2882

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 47 (13/15), Steelflower75 (15/15), Guest 174 (12/15).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. The word 'Grok' now seems to be firmly established in the English language. In which seminal Robert Heinlein novel of the 1960s was it coined? Hint

Stranger in a Strange Land

The Moon is a Marsh Mistress

Red Planet

I Will Fear No Evil

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Question 2 of 15

2. Which author first wrote about the three laws of robotics? Hint

John Sladek

Eando Binder

Isaac Asimov

Karel Capek

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Question 3 of 15

3. Darth Vader first appeared in which film? Hint

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Star Wars

Dogma

Starship Troopers

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Question 4 of 15

4. Paul Atreides is the hero of what Frank Herbert novel in which most of the action takes place on a desert planet? Hint

The Eyes of Heisenberg

The Sheik

The Dragon in the Sea

Dune

5. 'A for Andromeda' was a collaboration between a controversial British astronomer and John Elliot. It started life as a 7 part TV serial for the BBC in 1961 and then became a novel. What was the astronomer's name? Hint

Patrick Moore

Arthur Clarke

Fred Hoyle

Fred Sanger

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Question 6 of 15

6. The film 'Blade Runner' was based on which book by Philip K. Dick? Hint

The Zap Gun

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said

The Three Stigma of Palmer Eldritch

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Question 7 of 15

7. 'John Carter of Mars' was a character created by which prolific author who was also responsible for the creation of an ape man? Hint

Edgar Rice Burroughs

L. Sprague de Camp

William Buroughs

Fritz Leiber

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Question 8 of 15

8. The Martian invasion of Earth described in H.G. Wells' 'War of the Worlds' is defeated by what? Hint

The torpedo ram Thunder Child

The Royal Artillery

Yankee ingenuity

Humble microbes

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Question 9 of 15

9. This novel about a planet-wide intelligent ocean was written by a Polish SF writer. It was the basis for the film of the same name made by the Soviet film maker Andrey Tarkovsky. What is it? Hint

Solaris

Aniara

Roadside picnic

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Question 10 of 15

10. Richard O'Brian's 'Rocky Horror Show' features a dance in which "you take a step to the left, then a step to the right ..." what is its name? Hint

Haka

The Transylvanian two-step

The time warp

Frankenfurter

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Question 11 of 15

11. The dominant star travelling culture in many of Ian M. Banks's SF books is known as what? Hint

The Bridge

The Player of Games

Feersum Endjinn

The Culture

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Question 12 of 15

12. This writer was married to the Poet Shelley and wrote a seminal science fiction work. Who was she? Hint

Mary Shelley

Mary Percy

Mary Frankenstein

Mary Seymour

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Question 13 of 15

13. Which of the authors below is most associated with the sub-genre of Cyber Punk? Hint

Harry Turtledove

Michael Moorcock

William Gibson

Alan Moore

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Question 14 of 15

14. Which of these is not a science fiction or fantasy award? Hint

Hugo

Prix Aurora

Nebula

Fields Medal

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Question 15 of 15

15. Winston Smith meets his worst fears (rats) in room 101 towards the end of '1984'. Who wrote this dystopian novel? Hint

Boris Pasternak

Harry Martinson

Samuel Beckett

George Orwell

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Most Recent Scores

Apr 21 2024 : Guest 47: 13/15
Apr 17 2024 : Steelflower75: 15/15
Apr 01 2024 : Guest 174: 12/15
Mar 16 2024 : Guest 174: 15/15
Mar 15 2024 : Guest 23: 15/15
Mar 14 2024 : Little Alfie: 14/15
Mar 14 2024 : Guest 209: 13/15
Mar 12 2024 : Guest 165: 14/15
Mar 05 2024 : Guest 62: 11/15

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The word 'Grok' now seems to be firmly established in the English language. In which seminal Robert Heinlein novel of the 1960s was it coined?

Answer: Stranger in a Strange Land

All of the other answers are also Robert Heinlein Novels. 'Grok' seems to have become widely coined because of its association with the murderer Charles Manson.

2. Which author first wrote about the three laws of robotics?

Answer: Isaac Asimov

All of these authors wrote about robots. Karel Capek first coined the term in his play 'R.U.R.' Eando (Earl and Otto) Binder wrote 'Adam Link - Robot'. John Sladek wrote about a robot named Roderick. Asimov first wrote about the three laws of robotics but he is supposed to have attributed them to Campbell.

3. Darth Vader first appeared in which film?

Answer: Star Wars

Darth Vader appears in 'Star Wars' (which the author has never seen). It was originally released under that title, but as the series and franchise expanded, it was retitled 'Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope'.

The other answers are all films the author has seen and enjoyed. 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' is the Mickey Mouse sequence from 'Fantasia'. 'Dogma' is Kevin Smith, Silent Bob and Jay crucifying Roman Catholic theology and 'Starship Troopers' is a magnificent film parody of the Robert Heinlein novel of the same title.

4. Paul Atreides is the hero of what Frank Herbert novel in which most of the action takes place on a desert planet?

Answer: Dune

'Dune' is the correct answer. 'The Eyes of Heisenberg' and 'The Dragon in the Sea' are also by Herbert. 'The Sheik' was a Rudolph Valentino film of 1921.

Answer: Fred Hoyle

Fred Hoyle's most controversial hypotheses are the extra terrestrial origin of life and the steady-state universe. Arthur Clarke is a science fiction writer who has predicted a number of technological developments. Fred Sanger is a chemist and double Nobel laureate. Patrick Moore is an amateur astronomer who has presented "The Sky at Night" on the BBC since TV was black and white.

6. The film 'Blade Runner' was based on which book by Philip K. Dick?

Answer: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

The other three answers are also books by Dick.

7. 'John Carter of Mars' was a character created by which prolific author who was also responsible for the creation of an ape man?

Answer: Edgar Rice Burroughs

ERB is responsible for both Tarzan and John Carter amongst others. De Camp and Leiber have both written Sword and Sorcery books. William Burroughs is not an SF writer, he is the author of 'Junk' and 'The Naked Lunch'.

8. The Martian invasion of Earth described in H.G. Wells' 'War of the Worlds' is defeated by what?

Answer: Humble microbes

9. This novel about a planet-wide intelligent ocean was written by a Polish SF writer. It was the basis for the film of the same name made by the Soviet film maker Andrey Tarkovsky. What is it?

Answer: Solaris

'Solaris' was written by Stanislaw Lem. 'Aniara' is a poem (SF) written by the Swede Harry Martinson. 'We' was written by Yevgeny Zamyatin. 'Roadside Picnic' was written by the brothers Strugatsky.

10. Richard O'Brian's 'Rocky Horror Show' features a dance in which "you take a step to the left, then a step to the right ..." what is its name?

Answer: The time warp

The Haka is a Maori war dance familiar to anyone who has seen the All Blacks play. The other two alternatives are spoilers.

11. The dominant star travelling culture in many of Ian M. Banks's SF books is known as what?

Answer: The Culture

The other three answers; 'The Bridge', 'Feersum Endjinn' and 'The Player of Games' are all books by Banks, 'The Bridge' is not SF.

12. This writer was married to the Poet Shelley and wrote a seminal science fiction work. Who was she?

Answer: Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley wrote 'Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus'. Her father was William Godwin; her mother was Mary Wollstonecraft whose most famous work was 'A Vindication of the Rights of Woman'.

13. Which of the authors below is most associated with the sub-genre of Cyber Punk?

Answer: William Gibson

Gibson wrote the seminal Cyberpunk trilogy 'Neuromancer', 'Count Zero' and 'Mona Lisa Overdrive'. Michael Moorcock is associated with the New Wave, Alan Moore writes comics and Harry Turtledove writes alternative histories.

14. Which of these is not a science fiction or fantasy award?

Answer: Fields Medal

The Hugo is awarded at the Worldcon, the Nebula by the Science Fiction Writers of America and the Prix Aurora by the Canadian SF & F Association. The Fields medal is given for outstanding work in the field of mathematics.

15. Winston Smith meets his worst fears (rats) in room 101 towards the end of '1984'. Who wrote this dystopian novel?

Answer: George Orwell

The other three answers are all Nobel Laureates in literature.

Source: Author Tielhard

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
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