General Knowledge 21

Question 1

To which American President did Marilyn Monroe sing ‘Happy Birthday’ in May 1962?

Answer 1

John F Kennedy

Marilyn Monroe famously sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to John F. Kennedy at a birthday celebration in Madison Square Garden.

Question 2

What H is the name of the crustacean which lives in empty seashells?

Answer 2

Hermit crab

Hermit crabs use discarded shells for protection as they grow.

Question 3

Which mausoleum was built by Shah Jahan in Agra, India?

Answer 3

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is considered a symbol of love.

Question 4

Which 60s band from Liverpool, managed by Brian Epstein, was the first to reach Number 1 in the UK charts with their first three singles?

Answer 4

Gerry and the Pacemakers

Their hit singles include ‘How Do You Do It’, ‘I Like It’, and ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.

Question 5

Name any five chemical elements with names beginning with the letter S.

Answer 5

Sodium, Silicon, Sulphur, Scandium, Selenium, Strontium, Silver, Samarium, Seaborgium

These elements can be found on the periodic table.

Question 6

What is the main colour of the middle stripe on the flag of Spain?

Answer 6

Yellow

The flag of Spain features three horizontal stripes: red, yellow, and red.

Question 7

Which British motorway will take you from London to Oxford?

Answer 7

M40

The M40 is a major motorway in England connecting London with Birmingham.

Question 8

In which sporting competition do the winners travel backwards, while the losers travel forwards?

Answer 8

Tug of War

In Tug of War, the winning team pulls the opposing team across a designated line.

Question 9

If you were in Italy and asked for “mela” from a shop, what would you be hoping to receive?

Answer 9

Apple

‘Mela’ is the Italian word for apple.

Question 10

Name any five of the US States that have a unique first letter, i.e. start with a letter that no other state begins with.

Answer 10

Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island

These states are identified by their unique initial letters.

Question 11

What colour was the boat in which ‘The Owl and the Pussy-Cat’ went to sea, in the poem by Edward Lear?

Answer 11

Pea green

The boat is described as being ‘a beautiful pea green boat’.

Question 12

What word can be a vehicle, a group of offspring, rubbish and an absorbent indoor material?

Answer 12

Litter

‘Litter’ can refer to various meanings depending on the context.

Question 13

How many letters are there in the modern Greek alphabet?

Answer 13

24

The modern Greek alphabet consists of 24 letters.

Question 14

True or False? The final goal in the 1930 FIFA World Cup final was scored by a man called Hector Castro, who lost his right forearm in a tragic sawing accident when he was 13.

Answer 14

True

Hector Castro was indeed a notable player for Uruguay and scored in the final.

Question 15

Which five cities in the United Kingdom have a single letter postcode (apart from London)?

Answer 15

Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield

These cities are known for their unique single-letter postcode designations.

Question 16

Which of the tropics passes through Mexico?

Answer 16

Tropic of Cancer

The Tropic of Cancer is one of the five major circles of latitude.

Question 17

Which American who grew up in Australia won an Oscar playing a Scotsman in a film shot in Ireland?

Answer 17

Mel Gibson (in ‘Braveheart’)

‘Braveheart’ is a historical drama film that depicts the life of William Wallace.

Question 18

In Scrabble, how many points would you score with the word Quiz placed on a double word score?

Answer 18

44

The letter Q is worth 10 points, U is worth 1, I is worth 1, and Z is worth 10, totaling 22 points, doubled to 44.

Question 19

Which store was founded in Southampton in 1969 by Richard Block and David Quayle?

Answer 19

B&Q

B&Q is a British multinational DIY and home improvement retailing company.

Question 20

Name five official James Bond films with one word titles.

Answer 20

Goldfinger, Thunderball, Moonraker, Octopussy, Goldeneye, Skyfall, Spectre

These films are part of the iconic James Bond franchise.