ASKQANCE 2014
THE INTER-MIDDLE SCHOOL QUIZ PRELIMS
Researched and presented by
SANTOSH SWAMINATHAN and VENKATESH SRINIVASAN
on behalf of the
SOME GROUND RULES FOR THE PRELIMS
25 questions, all-written, for Teams of 2
Multiples of 5 are *-marked questions to resolve ties
No negatives, please take guesses
Top 8 teams qualify for finals; only 2 teams/school
1. This father-daughter duo have two touristy locations
in Bangalore named after them. Lying on opposite sides
of the same road, one is a planetarium and the other is a
Musical Fountain. Name both people.
2. Whose statue at the London Natural History
Museum?
3. Identify what this Amul ad released last week is
celebrating.
4. You can see in this picture, a distinctive feature, which
give the reptile its name. Identify the creature.
*5. At the centre of what tourist attraction, first
opened in 1992 as the European branch of a much larger
American attraction, would you find a structure called ‘Le
Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant’?
6. This three-letter word has several uses in the world of
sport apart from the one that is most familiar to us. In
baseball, it is the designation given to a team’s best
starting pitcher. In golf, it is another word for a hole-in-
one. In American Football, it is the name given to an
offensive formation also known as “lone setback” or
“singleback”.
What word, and in which sport is it most
commonly used?
7.
The flowers of the ______
plant, seen here, are
sometimes cooked and eaten
as a vegetable in South-east
Asian cuisine.
What plant, cultivated
around the globe, is this
the flower of?
8.
The first two names of which in-the-news
personality from the world of sports are Mangte
Chungneijang?
9. Which US state takes its name from the mountain
range at its western border, one whose name literally
means “snow-capped mountain range” in Spanish?
Ironically, the state’s most famous city is located in an
area with a hot desert climate.
*10.
A google doodle honouring a famous sci-fi author, who
wrote about and predicted scientific discoveries in his
novels. Name him or the book shown in this
doodle.
11. Identify
12.
The city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA was founded
in 1630 and named in honour of the University of
Cambridge in England. The city has lived up to its name,
as it is home to two of the world’s most prominent
universities, one established in 1636 and the other in
1861.
Name either.
13.
An X Y (also known as a silent Y or Galton's Y) is a type
of Y used to train certain animals. It was invented by
Francis Galton.
X is an animal; Y is an implement.
What is X Y?
14.
Excerpts from a short story published earlier this month.
What is being described? Also, name the author.There are celebrities – and then there are celebrities. We’ve seen many a
famous face from the wizarding world grace the stands here in the
Patagonian Desert – Ministers and Presidents, CelestinaWarbeck,
controversial American wizarding band The Bent-Winged Snitches – all have
caused flurries of excitement, with crowd members scrambling for
autographs and even casting Bridging Charms to reach the VIP boxes over
the heads of the crowd.
But when word swept the campsite and stadium that a certain gang of
infamous wizards (no longer the fresh-faced teenagers they were in their
heyday, but nevertheless recognisable) had arrived for the final, excitement
was beyond anything yet seen. As the crowd stampeded, tents were flattened
and small children mown down. Fans from all corners of the globe stormed
towards the area where they were rumoured to have been sighted, desperate
above all else for a glimpse of the man they still call the Chosen One.
*15.
He was born Melville Louis Kossuth _______ in Adams
Center, New York. An alumni of Amherst College, he
moved to Boston and created and edited Library Journal,
which became an influential factor in the development of
libraries in America.
He was an advocate of the metric system and English
language spelling reform. He was an early promoter of
winter sports in Lake Placid and was active in arranging
the 1932 Winter Olympics there.
What is he most famous for?
16. This is the cover of a 1920
edition of a novel by Gaston
Leroux, first published in 1910,
which shows the title character
in his trademark mask. The novel
has been adapted into film
27 times around the world
(most notably in 2004 by Joel
Schumacher), into a stage play
29 times (most notably in 1986,
as a musical), not to mention
dozens of radio, television and
comic book adaptations
worldwide. Name the novel.
17. Which Bangalore brand is this the logo of?
18. Identify the capital city.
• Named after the title of Arthur Wellesley
• Name in the local language is TeWhanga-nui-a-Tara
• Southern-most capital city in the world
19. Identify this athlete, who was recently upgraded
to a gold medal for her achievement in the 2005 World
Athletics Final in Monte Carlo.
*20. Who tweeted this? What is the blank (6
letters)?
21.
Which primate, classified under the genus Pongo, is
divided into Bornean and Sumatran species?
22. Name please. The magazine date is Jan 1948 and
it says ______ of Pakistan.
23.
The current Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi was
elected to the Lok Sabha from two different
constituencies – one in his home state, and one, a holy
city. Name both.
24. Who or what are these the measurements of?
*25.
Identify the film.
Please hand in your sheets;
Answers will be given out shortly
1. This father-daughter duo have two touristy locations
in Bangalore named after them. Lying on opposite sides
of the same road, one is a planetarium and the other is a
Musical Fountain. Name both people.
The Answer is….
Jawaharlal Nehru
Indira Gandhi
2. Whose statue at the London Natural History
Museum?
The Answer is….
Charles Darwin
3. Identify what this Amul ad released last week is
celebrating.
The Answer is….
India’s test win at Lord’s after 28 years
4. You can see in this picture, a distinctive feature, which
give the reptile its name. Identify the creature.
The Answer is….
Black Mamba
*5. At the centre of what tourist attraction, first
opened in 1992 as the European branch of a much larger
American attraction, would you find a structure called ‘Le
Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant’?
The Answer is….
Disneyland, Paris
The name translates to “The Castle of the Sleeping
Beauty”
6. This three-letter word has several uses in the world of
sport apart from the one that is most familiar to us. In
baseball, it is the designation given to a team’s best
starting pitcher. In golf, it is another word for a hole-in-
one. In American Football, it is the name given to an
offensive formation also known as “lone setback” or
“singleback”.
What word, and in which sport is it most
commonly used?
The Answer is….
Ace
Tennis
7.
The flowers of the ______
plant, seen here, are
sometimes cooked and eaten
as a vegetable in South-east
Asian cuisine.
What plant, cultivated
around the globe, is this
the flower of?
The Answer is….
Banana
8.
The first two names of which in-the-news
personality from the world of sports are Mangte
Chungneijang?
The Answer is….
MC Mary Kom
9. Which US state takes its name from the mountain
range at its western border, one whose name literally
means “snow-capped mountain range” in Spanish?
Ironically, the state’s most famous city is located in an
area with a hot desert climate.
The Answer is….
Nevada
from the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
*10.
A google doodle honouring a famous sci-fi author, who
wrote about and predicted scientific discoveries in his
novels. Name him or the book shown in this
doodle.
The Answer is….
JulesVerne
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
11. Identify
The Answer is….
Giraffe
12.
The city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA was founded
in 1630 and named in honour of the University of
Cambridge in England. The city has lived up to its name,
as it is home to two of the world’s most prominent
universities, one established in 1636 and the other in
1861.
Name either.
The Answer is….
Harvard
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
13.
An X Y (also known as a silent Y or Galton's Y) is a type
of Y used to train certain animals. It was invented by
Francis Galton.
X is an animal; Y is an implement.
What is X Y?
The Answer is….
Dog Whistle
14.
Excerpts from a short story published earlier this month.
What is being described? Also, name the author.There are celebrities – and then there are celebrities. We’ve seen many a
famous face from the wizarding world grace the stands here in the
Patagonian Desert – Ministers and Presidents, CelestinaWarbeck,
controversial American wizarding band The Bent-Winged Snitches – all have
caused flurries of excitement, with crowd members scrambling for
autographs and even casting Bridging Charms to reach the VIP boxes over
the heads of the crowd.
But when word swept the campsite and stadium that a certain gang of
infamous wizards (no longer the fresh-faced teenagers they were in their
heyday, but nevertheless recognisable) had arrived for the final, excitement
was beyond anything yet seen. As the crowd stampeded, tents were flattened
and small children mown down. Fans from all corners of the globe stormed
towards the area where they were rumoured to have been sighted, desperate
above all else for a glimpse of the man they still call the Chosen One.
The Answer is….
Quidditch World Cup
JK Rowling
*15.
He was born Melville Louis Kossuth _______ in Adams
Center, New York. An alumni of Amherst College, he
moved to Boston and created and edited Library Journal,
which became an influential factor in the development of
libraries in America.
He was an advocate of the metric system and English
language spelling reform. He was an early promoter of
winter sports in Lake Placid and was active in arranging
the 1932 Winter Olympics there.
What is he most famous for?
The Answer is….
Dewey Decimal System
16. This is the cover of a 1920
edition of a novel by Gaston
Leroux, first published in 1910,
which shows the title character
in his trademark mask. The novel
has been adapted into film
27 times around the world
(most notably in 2004 by Joel
Schumacher), into a stage play
29 times (most notably in 1986,
as a musical), not to mention
dozens of radio, television and
comic book adaptations
worldwide. Name the novel.
The Answer is….
The Phantom of the Opera
17. Which Bangalore brand is this the logo of?
The Answer is….
Adiga’s
18. Identify the capital city.
• Named after the title of Arthur Wellesley
• Name in the local language is TeWhanga-nui-a-Tara
• Southern-most capital city in the world
The Answer is….
Wellington
19. Identify this athlete, who was recently upgraded
to a gold medal for her achievement in the 2005 World
Athletics Final in Monte Carlo.
The Answer is….
Anju Bobby George
*20. Who tweeted this? What is the blank (6
letters)?
The Answer is….
Edwin ‘Buzz’ Aldrin
Selfie
21.
Which primate, classified under the genus Pongo, is
divided into Bornean and Sumatran species?
The Answer is….
Orangutan
22. Name please. The magazine date is Jan 1948 and
it says ______ of Pakistan.
The Answer is….
Mohammed Ali Jinnah
23.
The current Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi was
elected to the Lok Sabha from two different
constituencies – one in his home state, and one, a holy
city. Name both.
The Answer is….
Vadodara / Baroda
Varanasi / Benares
24. Who or what are these the measurements of?
The Answer is….
Statue of Liberty
*25.
Identify the film.
The Answer is….
Maleficent
Good Luck! See you in the finals