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Quiz about The City That Never Sleeps
Quiz about The City That Never Sleeps

The City That Never Sleeps Trivia Quiz


It's the Big Apple, the City that Never Sleeps, but how much do you know about NYC?

A multiple-choice quiz by Elanor. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
Elanor
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
78,674
Updated
Dec 18 23
# Qns
15
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
8 / 15
Plays
3904
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Guest 90 (5/15), ranjanbest (13/15), Guest 184 (6/15).
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Question 1 of 15
1. The Empire State Building is one of New York's best loved landmarks. Built in 1930, and completed in just over a year, it cost $24,000,000 to build. How many floors does it have? Hint


Question 2 of 15
2. For someone unused to the US system of street numbering, Manhattan's system seems extremely complicated at first. However, you can soon see that it's very logical. The Avenues run north-south, and the Streets run east-west. The numbers of the Avenues increase as you go west, and the numbers of the Streets increase as you go north. What is the dividing line between east and west, enabling addresses to pinpoint an exact location in the city? Hint


Question 3 of 15
3. New York's most famous landmark is almost certainly the Statue of Liberty. Most of us know that it was a gift from France in 1886, and that it stands in the harbour as a symbol of the freedom that tempted many immigrants to the USA over the years. But what is the statue's full name? Hint


Question 4 of 15
4. By what name is 6th Avenue also known? Hint


Question 5 of 15
5. Many tourists concentrate on Manhattan, but there are many places worth visiting in the other four boroughs. Which of these is NOT a borough of New York City? Hint


Question 6 of 15
6. The building was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, opened in 1959, and is shaped like a giant upside down spiral. Which art gallery is housed here? Hint


Question 7 of 15
7. Times Square is instantly recognisable, thanks to its featuring in so many movies and TV shows. Is it true that all new buildings there are required by law to have massive billboard-style advertisments?


Question 8 of 15
8. Which New York building and tourist attraction was the headquarters of Lex Luthor in the movie 'Superman'? Hint


Question 9 of 15
9. Which famous New York store featured in the title and plot of a 1958 novella by Truman Capote, and a classic 1961 movie starring Audrey Hepburn? Hint


Question 10 of 15
10. New Yorkers love to abbreviate names. For example, SoHo is short for 'south of Houston', TriBeCa is the 'triangle below Canal'. But where is 'DUMBO'? Hint


Question 11 of 15
11. Where does the term 'Big Apple' originate? Hint


Question 12 of 15
12. The name 'Manhattan' is derived from the Native American 'Man-a-hat-ta'. But which tribe lived in the area and gave the land this name? Hint


Question 13 of 15
13. Most of us already know that New York was colonised by Dutch settlers who named their town New Amsterdam. When was the city renamed New York? Hint


Question 14 of 15
14. This New York dance company was founded in 1948 by Lincoln Kirstein and George Balanchine, has its own school, and performs at the Lincoln Center. What is its name? Hint


Question 15 of 15
15. Ol' Blue Eyes sang that 'if you can make it there, you'll make it anywhere', but who wrote the famous 'New York New York'? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 22 2024 : Guest 90: 5/15
Mar 14 2024 : ranjanbest: 13/15
Mar 07 2024 : Guest 184: 6/15
Mar 06 2024 : Guest 152: 8/15
Mar 05 2024 : Guest 5: 5/15
Feb 25 2024 : Guest 172: 12/15
Feb 21 2024 : David598: 4/15

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The Empire State Building is one of New York's best loved landmarks. Built in 1930, and completed in just over a year, it cost $24,000,000 to build. How many floors does it have?

Answer: 102

When the ESB was first opened, it was planned that airships would use it for docking. This turned out to be rather too difficult, however, and the idea was abandoned. There is a public observatory on the 86th floor. The building has 73 elevators, and the journey from street level to the 86th floor takes less than a minute.

The Empire State Building is frequently lit up with appropriate coloured lights. For example, during the run up to 4th July, and following the September 11th tragedy, the top of the building was red, white and blue.
2. For someone unused to the US system of street numbering, Manhattan's system seems extremely complicated at first. However, you can soon see that it's very logical. The Avenues run north-south, and the Streets run east-west. The numbers of the Avenues increase as you go west, and the numbers of the Streets increase as you go north. What is the dividing line between east and west, enabling addresses to pinpoint an exact location in the city?

Answer: 5th Avenue

Numbering on the streets starts at 5th Avenue. So 1 East 34th Street is slightly east of 5th Avenue, and 1 West 34th Street is slightly west of 5th Avenue. The higher the address number, the further from 5th Avenue the address is. Ignore this information when it comes to Greenwich Village though, as logic appears to vanish here! Broadway cuts through the downtown tip of Manhattan on a diagonal line.
3. New York's most famous landmark is almost certainly the Statue of Liberty. Most of us know that it was a gift from France in 1886, and that it stands in the harbour as a symbol of the freedom that tempted many immigrants to the USA over the years. But what is the statue's full name?

Answer: Liberty Enlightening the World

She was sculpted in 1886 by Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi. She is 152ft high, and stands on a 89ft pedestal. 'The New Colossus' is the name of the sonnet by Emma Lazarus quoted on the base. ('Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses...') The statue must have been an awe-inspiring sight to the millions of immigrants who had spent days in squalor in ships travelling to new lives in the USA.

The copper covering was initially bright and shiny, and only turned into the tarnished green we recognise now after many years' weathering.
4. By what name is 6th Avenue also known?

Answer: Avenue of the Americas

Madison, Lexington and Park are all east of 5th Avenue, while 6th is to the west.
5. Many tourists concentrate on Manhattan, but there are many places worth visiting in the other four boroughs. Which of these is NOT a borough of New York City?

Answer: Harlem

The Bronx was once a symbol of urban decay, but is a fascinating place to visit. It is also home to Yankee Stadium, a real American classic. Queens is the location of JFK airport. For the best views of the Statue of Liberty, take the free Staten Island ferry. Harlem is an area of Manhattan, just uptown from Central Park. The fifth borough is of course Brooklyn.
6. The building was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, opened in 1959, and is shaped like a giant upside down spiral. Which art gallery is housed here?

Answer: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

The ceiling is a 92ft high glass dome. Take the elevator to the top, and walk down the quarter-mile ramp through the spiral structure past the changing exhibits. (Don't try rollerskating down though!)
7. Times Square is instantly recognisable, thanks to its featuring in so many movies and TV shows. Is it true that all new buildings there are required by law to have massive billboard-style advertisments?

Answer: True

In fact, Times Square is not really a square, but the intersection of Broadway with 7th Avenue. It was called Longacre Square, but when the headquarters of the 'New York Times' was moved here on April 9, 1904 the name was changed. The Times Square Ball, which features in the New Year celebrations, weighs 1,070 pounds and is six feet in diameter.
8. Which New York building and tourist attraction was the headquarters of Lex Luthor in the movie 'Superman'?

Answer: Grand Central Terminal

Lex Luthor had a secret headquarters in the flooded basements of the station. Grand Central Terminal, (or Station) is a breathtaking sight, having been fully restored to its Beaux Arts glory. The central concourse has marble floors and sweeping staircases, based on those at the Paris Opera.

It was opened in 1913, and is the busiest rail terminal in the United States. It has featured in many movies. Try some oysters at the beautiful Oyster Bar downstairs, or eat in one of the many other restaurants.

It beats a British Rail egg sandwich any day!
9. Which famous New York store featured in the title and plot of a 1958 novella by Truman Capote, and a classic 1961 movie starring Audrey Hepburn?

Answer: Tiffany's

'Breakfast at Tiffany's' is perhaps the quintessential New York movie. Audrey Hepburn starred as Holly Golightly, and is still seen as a style icon today. Tiffany's jewellery store (more properly called Tiffany & Co.) has been open since 1837, and is famous for stunning window displays, extravagant jewels and the classic Tiffany-Blue gift wrapping, which has also existed since 1837.

The store moved to its current 5th Avenue location in 1950.
10. New Yorkers love to abbreviate names. For example, SoHo is short for 'south of Houston', TriBeCa is the 'triangle below Canal'. But where is 'DUMBO'?

Answer: down under the Manhattan Bridge overpass

It's true! It's an artistic community right under the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges. There is also NoLita, which is 'north of Little Italy'.
11. Where does the term 'Big Apple' originate?

Answer: it was coined by an author in 1909

The use of the term was popularised by jazz musicians in the 1920s and 30s, but it was first used by author Edward S. Martin in his 1909 book 'The Wayfarer in New York'. He said that New York was 'merely one of the fruits of that great tree whose roots go down in the Mississippi Valley, and whose branches spread from one ocean to the other ...

But the big apple, New York, gets a disproportionate share of the national sap.'
12. The name 'Manhattan' is derived from the Native American 'Man-a-hat-ta'. But which tribe lived in the area and gave the land this name?

Answer: Algonquin

The Manhattan Indians were part of the Upper Delawaran groups of Native Americans. These included the Munsee, Unalachtigo, and Unami of the Algonquin speaking tribes. The word 'Manhattan' is the earliest known Munsee place name.
13. Most of us already know that New York was colonised by Dutch settlers who named their town New Amsterdam. When was the city renamed New York?

Answer: mid 17th century

New Amsterdam was attacked and conquered by the British forces of the Duke of York, later King James II. The city was renamed in his honour. At the time the population was a mere 1500, of whom many were slaves.
14. This New York dance company was founded in 1948 by Lincoln Kirstein and George Balanchine, has its own school, and performs at the Lincoln Center. What is its name?

Answer: New York City Ballet

Kirstein wanted to set up a school and a company, so that he could show the full wealth of talent that the US had to offer. The School of American Ballet trains young dancers from the US and other countries for the NYCB. Jerome Robbins was one of the NYCB's key choreographers, and famous dancers who have performed with the company have included Mikhail Baryshnikov, Suzanne Farrell, Merrill Ashley and Melissa Hayden.
15. Ol' Blue Eyes sang that 'if you can make it there, you'll make it anywhere', but who wrote the famous 'New York New York'?

Answer: Kander and Ebb

John Kander and Fred Ebb have written many musicals, most notably 'Cabaret' and 'Chicago'. This famous song has been recorded by many singers, including Frank Sinatra, Liza Minelli and even Queen.
Source: Author Elanor

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