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A Quiz You 'Quill' Remember

Let's have some fun with quills, just don't get poked!

A multiple-choice quiz by Leah457. Estimated time: 2 mins.

Author
Leah457

Time
2 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
419,967

Updated
Jun 07 25

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
8 / 10

Plays
60

Last 3 plays: Guest 205 (8/10), Guest 76 (6/10), james1947 (10/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Who said: "Feathers shall raise men even as they do birds towards heaven: That is by letters written with their quills"? Hint

Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo DiCaprio

Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Tennyson

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Question 2 of 10

2. Chris Pratt plays a bumbling anti-hero in "Guardians of the Galaxy" who is fond of introducing himself as Star Lord, but his Earth name is which of the following? Hint

David Quill

Peter Quill

Peter Groot

Adam Quill

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Question 3 of 10

3. Which mammal has the longest quills? Hint

Hedgehogs

Tenrecs

Echidnas (Spiny Anteaters)

African crested porcupines

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Question 4 of 10

4. What are quills made of? Hint

carrageenan

carrotin

keratin

carobean

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Question 5 of 10

5. Shakespeare holds a record for his proliferant use of the word "quill".

True

False

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Question 6 of 10

6. Quills were the primary writing instrument in the Western world for over a thousand years-right up until which century, when steel nib pens took over? Hint

20th

19th

17th

18th

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which was the most common feather to be used as a quill pen? Hint

goose

peacock

sparrow

pigeon

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Question 8 of 10

8. In the 2020 "Sonic the Hedgehog" movie, who plays the villain, Dr. Robotnik, who is always trying to get Sonic's quills? Hint

Jim Carrey

Drew Carrey

George Carlin

Jim Morrison

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Question 9 of 10

9. When was the international high school journalism Quill and Scroll award founded? Hint

2016

1986

1926

2006

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Question 10 of 10

10. The word quill comes from which of these languages? Hint

Middle English

Chinese

Arabic

Hebrew

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Most Recent Scores

Today : Guest 205: 8/10
Today : Guest 76: 6/10
Today : james1947: 10/10
Today : Calicokitten: 9/10
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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Who said: "Feathers shall raise men even as they do birds towards heaven: That is by letters written with their quills"?

Answer: Leonardo da Vinci

I especially love the imagery this quote evokes, drawing the link between the flight of feathers and the flights of fancy of authors with their tools, which seems fitting coming from Leonardo da Vinci given his world famous early designs for flight machines.

2. Chris Pratt plays a bumbling anti-hero in "Guardians of the Galaxy" who is fond of introducing himself as Star Lord, but his Earth name is which of the following?

Answer: Peter Quill

"Dance off, bro. Me and you."
"Guardians of the Galaxy" Vol. 1, Peter Quill.

Quote comes from a pivotal moment in the movie and highlights Quill's ability to leverage his unique charisma to embody and really become a Guardian of the Galaxy.

3. Which mammal has the longest quills?

Answer: African crested porcupines

The quills of the African crested porcupine quills can grow up to 20 inches (50 cm) long!
These long, thick quills are found on their back and tail and are hollow and lightweight, making them both intimidating and useful as a defense mechanism.

4. What are quills made of?

Answer: keratin

Quills are made of the same material as a human finger nail, and with their hollow structure they are even stronger.

5. Shakespeare holds a record for his proliferant use of the word "quill".

Answer: False

While Shakespeare certainly evokes the image of an author holding a quill pen, but he virtually never used the word in his writing.

6. Quills were the primary writing instrument in the Western world for over a thousand years-right up until which century, when steel nib pens took over?

Answer: 19th

Quill pens had to be trimmed and sharpened frequently. Scribes carried special knives called "penknives" to keep the nib sharp (and yes, that's where the word penknife comes from!).

7. Which was the most common feather to be used as a quill pen?

Answer: goose

The image of a large plume in the hand of Shakespeare is a common one, it was likely a goose feather, as goose feathers are historically the most used feather to make quill pens. Other types of feathers used for quill-pen making include those from the crow, turkey, eagle, owl, and hawk, with crow being used for the smallest lettering.

8. In the 2020 "Sonic the Hedgehog" movie, who plays the villain, Dr. Robotnik, who is always trying to get Sonic's quills?

Answer: Jim Carrey

In the first "Sonic the Hedgehog" movie,from 2020, Dr. Robotnik (played by Jim Carrey) discovers that Sonic's quills contain a tremendous amount of energy. He collects a single blue quill left behind by Sonic and uses it to power his machines and weapons, giving them a supercharged boost.

9. When was the international high school journalism Quill and Scroll award founded?

Answer: 1926

This contest invites high school students to submit entries in various categories such as editorial writing, feature stories, and photography. Winners receive the prestigious Quill and Scroll National Award Gold Key and are eligible to apply for scholarships.

10. The word quill comes from which of these languages?

Answer: Middle English

The Middle English word quille or quil, meaning "a large feather or the hollow stem of a feather," came from the Middle Low German word "quille" or "quille(n)" meaning "stalk" or "reed." Some sources also connect it to Old High German "quillan," meaning "to surge" (referring to a spring or well), but that's a less direct link.

Source: Author Leah457

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