Bit of This and That No 8 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Cuckquean

These two terms were frequently used in medieval times. It wasn't uncommon for a man with an unfaithful wife, once it became common knowledge, to hear the occasional call of "Cuckoo, cuckoo!" as he walked by. This, of course, was in reference to the cuckoo bird, a little creature prone to laying its eggs in the nests of other birds. Perhaps unfairly so, the cuckolded man was looked upon as somewhat of a weakling by his peers, one who was unable to hold onto his wife's affections.

Not so much the cuckolded woman, however.

She usually was looked upon in a more sympathetic light.

Answer: An outside dunny

A dunny is possibly a word you may be unfamiliar with, as well. They both mean a toilet. A thunderbox or dunny in Australia was a term commonly applied to outside toilets before the advent of indoor plumbing. This noble edifice was normally placed some distance away from the home for health and aesthetic reasons.

It was usually a very small hut, inside of which was a toilet seat built over a large can. When one had finished the usual, it was customary to sprinkle sawdust on the result to hide the aroma and to keep the flies away.

This can was collected once a week by the "dunny men", unfortunate beings who worked for the council responsible for the health of the populace.

Answer: Sets of Spock ears

There they are in a photograph in the book, all the serious-minded scientists carefully studying their screens - and each one wearing a set of Spock ears. Mr Spock was the Vulcan scientist on the first of the "Star Trek" science fiction series "Star Trek" which ran from 1966 to 1969. Leonard Nimoy played the role of the inscrutable Mr Spock, with the talented and amusing William Shatner playing Captain James T. Kirk, Captain of the starship Enterprise. Mariner V was a vessel in NASA's 1967 Mariner space program. Its purpose was to investigate as much as possible about the planet Venus.

This can be found on page 359 in the book "Inside Star Trek The Real Story" by Herbert F. Solow and Robert H. Justman. It was published by Pocket Books, New York, in 1996.

Answer: Her hair was glued to her chest

Brooke was only fifteen years old when this movie was made, so this action was more than appropriate. Christopher Atkins, the male star who played opposite Brooke, was nineteen. "The Blue Lagoon" tells the story of two ship-wrecked children who grow up on a deserted island together, fall in love and have a child, before being rescued.

The ending is somewhat enigmatic. By a series of incidents, the small family finds itself adrift in the ocean in a small craft, with nothing but poisonous berries on board.

When they are discovered by a passing ship, we are told they are still alive but sleeping. We are never really sure whether they are indeed sleeping - or if they are dead. It's an unsatisfactory conclusion to an otherwise engrossing story.

Answer: Hang hat on bedpost and drink whiskey until you see two hats

Grippe was the old term for what we know today as influenza. This is an infection that can cause chills, sore throats, high temperatures, cough, the works. Every year appears to produce even stronger strains of this affliction. In the olden days of Kentucky, the cure that was recommended to ease its symptoms was to hang your hat on the bedpost. Then you had to begin drinking whiskey until your vision began to blur, and you saw, not one, but two hats on the bedpost. That's quite a cure.

Information for this question can be found on the website Chestofbooks.com.

Answer: True

This bread is so dark in colour that it's almost black. It originated in Germany. The longer it is baked, the darker it becomes. Pumpen is the old German word for describing flatulence. This bread is known for that. Because Germans also associated the word nickel with Old Nick, pumpernickel the bread thus became known as the devil's fart.

Answer: Motley

In medieval times there was a form of woolen cloth that was made with different strands of wool. Known as a motley fabric, it was used to make clothing for court jesters. The uniform of the jester then took on the word in its own right. Neither that wool pattern, nor a jester himself, could be put into any particular class. Because of the strict laws at the time involving class related acceptable behaviours, this gave the jester the freedom to say and do things that would be completely unacceptable coming from anyone else. Being a court jester was a genuine occupation.

They were known as professional fools.

Answer: Drunken Noodles

This dish is said to be delicious. It is made with spices, herbs, garlic, noodles, soy sauce, fish sauce, meat and vegetables. It can be made with chicken and tofu, and there is also a vegetarian recipe as well. Quite possibly it should be followed by a chaser of bicarbonate of soda.

Answer: The Colosseum

The Colosseum in fact was too run down to allow the show to go ahead there, but Buffalo Bill did manage to stage one of his shows at a Roman amphitheater elsewhere in Italy. Such was the demand for the performances from this great showman, he was invited to give command performances for Queen Victoria, the German Kaiser, and even Pope Leo XIII. Everywhere he went his shows were sold out. Born in 1846, Bill died in 1917. During his life, he was a fine soldier, a hunter, trapper, Pony Express rider, a great showman, and a very successful and astute businessman. He used his fame to speak out for the rights of American Indians, supported women's rights, and fought for the protection of the American landscape and its wild life. He was, in fact, everything that the Great American Dream represented. Yet, though Bill was born in Iowa, his parents were in fact Canadians.

Quotes and information used in this question were obtained from Wikipedia.org.

Answer: Strong winds blew her back in on the 85th floor

How absolutely amazing is that? The winds blew this woman back inside the Empire State Building's 85th floor - and all she suffered from her experience was a broken hip. After she recovered from the fracture, Elvita took up a new career as a successful stand up comic.