10 Question People Quiz: Say What?

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. "I think, therefore I am."

Answer: Rene Descartes

Rene Descartes (1596-1650) was a French philosopher and scientist who has often been called the "Father of Modern Western Philosophy". The quote comes from Descartes' treatise, "Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting the Reason,
and Seeking the Truth in the Sciences" (whew!), first published in 1637.

2. "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work"

Answer: Thomas Edison

American inventor Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) is, perhaps, one of the greatest inventors in the history of the world. Among his life-changing inventions are: the phonograph, motion picture camera and the light bulb (the very symbol of an idea!). The comment above was made (around 1910) when a colleague or visitor to his lab expressed sympathy for Edison's many failed experiments.

3. "Fashion fades. Style remains."

Answer: Coco Chanel

French fashion designer Gabrielle Bonheur 'Coco' Chanel (1883-1971) was responsible for creating the Chanel brand in the post World War I era. Discarding the old 'corseted look' for women, she modernized fashion with a new, sporty, casual look, and the addition of the 'LBD' (little black dress).

Her ideas impacted more than just clothing, and extended to jewelry, handbags and fragrance, i.e., Chanel No. 5. Her statement about fashion, made in 1965, still holds true today.

4. "You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist."

Answer: Indira Gandhi

Former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi (1917-1984) was the first woman to hold the office of Prime Minister in India. She was also the daughter of the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. Gandhi uttered the above comment during the Indian-Pakistani conflict of 1971.

5. "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."

Answer: Benjamin Franklin

One of the greatest statesmen the United States has ever had was Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790). A true renaissance man, Franklin was an author, a printer, a scientist and a politician. He was also the first US Postmaster General. His quotes have become universally famous, including the above comment which can be found in "Poor Richard's Almanack" from 1735.

6. "Not all who wander are lost."

Answer: J.R.R. Tolkien

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973) was an author, a poet and a university professor at Oxford, as well as a close friend of writer, C.S. Lewis. Tolkien's works of fantasy, "The Hobbit" and "Lord of the Rings", are partially responsible for helping to revive the genre. The quote above can be found in "Lord of the Rings", published in 1954.

7. "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent"

Answer: Eleanor Roosevelt

Former First Lady of the United States, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), was a politician, diplomat and forceful activist for human rights. She was the longest-serving First Lady in history, serving from 1933 to 1945 (prior to limiting the President to two consecutive terms in office). Eleanor and husband Franklin were fifth cousins, and she was also Teddy Roosevelt's niece.

The wonderful quote was recorded in a 1940 issue of "Reader's Digest".

8. "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."

Answer: Martin Luther King, Jr.

Baptist minister and Civil Rights leader, Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) used non-violent, civil disobedience to help achieve racial equality. Unfortunately, his life was cut short by an assassin's bullet in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968. In 1963, a collection of his sermons was published under the title "Strength to Love"; it is in that book that the above quote can be found.

9. "An unexamined life is not worth living."

Answer: Socrates

We have to go way back in history for this quote. It was made by the great Greek philosopher Socrates who was born circa 470 or 469 BC. A great deal of what we know about Socrates, including the Socratic method, comes from the writings of his student, Plato.

The above comment was made by Socrates at his trial for heresy in 399 BC. In case you hadn't heard, he lost; however, after drinking the hemlock, he remained calm and lucid until the end.

10. "To err is human; to forgive, divine."

Answer: Alexander Pope

Alexander Pope (1688-1744) was a British poet, satirist and translator of Homer (not Simpson). Did you know that Pope is the second most quoted English writer, after Shakespeare? One of Pope's most famous works was the 'mock-epic' poem, "The Rape of the Locke", published in 1712.

However, the above quote is from his 1711 poem, "An Essay on Criticism", written in 'heroic couplet style'.

Source: Author nyirene330

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10 Question People Quiz: Say What? | Quotes

Just match each quote to the correct person.

Questions		Choices
1. "I think, therefore I am."		J.R.R. Tolkien
2. "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work"		Benjamin Franklin
3. "Fashion fades. Style remains."		Thomas Edison
4. "You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist."		Eleanor Roosevelt
5. "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."		Indira Gandhi
6. "Not all who wander are lost."		Rene Descartes
7. "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent"		Socrates
8. "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."		Alexander Pope
9. "An unexamined life is not worth living."		Martin Luther King, Jr.
10. "To err is human; to forgive, divine."		Coco Chanel