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#1 Disney's Haunted Mansion is home to a trio of Hitchhiking Ghosts. Which of these is NOT one of them?
Explanation
The three Hitchhiking Ghosts at Disney's Haunted Mansion are Gus (short and fat), Ezra (tall and thin), and Phineas (the bearded one). Harry is not among this iconic trio.
#2 What is the romanized Arabic word for "moon"?
Explanation
'Qamar' is Arabic for moon, while 'Najma' means star, 'Kawkab' means planet, and 'Shams' means sun. The moon holds special significance in Islamic culture and calendar.
#3 Which film star has his statue in Leicester Square?
Explanation
A bronze statue of Charlie Chaplin as his famous 'Tramp' character stands in Leicester Square, London, honoring the British-born comic legend who became a global icon of cinema.
#4 Nephelococcygia is the practice of doing what?
Explanation
Nephelococcygia comes from Greek words meaning 'cloud' and 'cuckoo land.' It describes the common human tendency to see familiar shapes and objects in cloud formations.
#5 Going by the International Code of Signals, which single flag is interpreted as "I require assistance (not distress)"?
Explanation
The Victor flag (red X on white background) signals 'I require assistance' in maritime communication, different from distress signals which indicate immediate danger to life or vessel.
#6 Virtual reality company Oculus VR lost which of it's co-founders in a freak car accident in 2013?
Explanation
Andrew Scott Reisse, a talented programmer and Oculus co-founder, tragically died in a car accident in May 2013, just as the company was gaining momentum before its Facebook acquisition.
#7 According to the 2014-2015 Australian Bureau of Statistics, what percentage of Australians were born overseas?
Explanation
Australia has one of the highest proportions of overseas-born residents globally, reflecting its strong immigration policies and multicultural society established since the post-WWII era.
#8 Which of the following chemicals are found in eggplant seeds?
Explanation
Eggplants contain small amounts of nicotine, as they belong to the nightshade family (Solanaceae) along with tobacco, tomatoes, and potatoes. The levels are much lower than in tobacco.
#9 Which of the following languages does NOT use gender as a part of its grammar?
Explanation
Turkish has no grammatical gender system, unlike German (three genders), Danish (two genders), and Polish (three genders). Turkish also lacks grammatical articles.
#10 Located in Chile, El Teniente is the world's largest underground mine for what metal?
Explanation
El Teniente, operated by Codelco, is the world's largest underground copper mine, reflecting Chile's status as the world's leading copper producer with about one-third of global supply.
#11 This is the correct spelling of "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious".
Explanation
This 34-letter word from the 1964 Disney film 'Mary Poppins' is indeed spelled correctly. It was created by the Sherman Brothers as a nonsense word meaning something wonderful.
#12 What type of dog is 'Handsome Dan', the mascot of Yale University?
Explanation
Handsome Dan has been Yale's English Bulldog mascot since 1889, making it one of the first live college mascots in America. The current dog is Handsome Dan XVIII.
#13 How many notes are there on a standard grand piano?
Explanation
A standard piano has 88 keys: 52 white keys and 36 black keys, spanning 7¼ octaves from A0 to C8. This became the standard in the late 19th century.
#14 How long did it take the motorized window washers of the original World Trade Center to clean the entire exterior of the building?
Explanation
The Twin Towers had over 43,000 windows each. The enormous surface area meant that by the time window washers finished cleaning the entire exterior, it was time to start over again.
#15 Which of the following is not another name for the eggplant?
Explanation
Potimarron is a type of winter squash, not an eggplant. Brinjal (Indian), Guinea Squash (Caribbean), and Melongene (Caribbean) are all regional names for eggplant.
#16 Spoon theory is a theory, utilizing "Spoons" as a metaphor for energy they can use in a day.
Explanation
Spoon theory was created by Christine Miserandino to explain chronic illness. Each 'spoon' represents a unit of physical or mental energy, helping others understand limited daily capacity.
#17 What is the romanized Korean word for "heart"?
Explanation
'Simjang' (심장) means heart in Korean, while 'aejeong' means affection, 'jeongsin' means mind/spirit, and 'segseu' is a loanword meaning sex.
#18 "Number 16 Bus Shelter" was a child's name that was approved by the New Zealand government.
Explanation
In 2008, New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs approved 'Number 16 Bus Shelter' as a legal name, demonstrating the country's relatively liberal naming laws at the time.
#19 Which of the following British Monarchs never appeared on a circulated pound sterling coin?
Explanation
Edward VIII abdicated in December 1936 before any coins bearing his image could be minted and circulated, making him the only 20th-century British monarch not to appear on currency.
#20 In "Resident Evil 3", how many inventory slots does Jill have at the start of the game?
Explanation
In Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, Jill Valentine starts with 8 inventory slots, which can be expanded by finding item cases throughout the game, adding strategic resource management to survival horror.
#21 According to Fair Works Australia, how long do you have to work to get Long Service Leave?
Explanation
In Australia, Long Service Leave typically requires 7 years of continuous employment with the same employer, though specific entitlements vary by state and territory.
#22 What year was Queen Elizabeth II born?
Explanation
Queen Elizabeth II was born on April 21, 1926, and reigned from 1952 until her death in 2022, becoming the longest-serving British monarch in history.
#23 Which musician has collaborated with American producer Porter Robinson and released the 2016 song "Shelter"?
Explanation
French DJ and producer Madeon collaborated with Porter Robinson on 'Shelter,' which became a popular electronic music hit and was accompanied by an acclaimed animated music video.
#24 The word "aprosexia" means which of the following?
Explanation
Aprosexia is a medical term describing the inability to concentrate or pay attention, often associated with certain neurological conditions or extreme fatigue.
#25 What is the weight of a Gold Bar in Fallout: New Vegas?
Explanation
In Fallout: New Vegas, gold bars found in the Sierra Madre DLC weigh 35 pounds each, making them valuable but extremely heavy to carry, adding strategic difficulty to looting.
#26 What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?
Explanation
This references the famous question from 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail.' European swallows actually fly at about 24 mph, while African swallows are slightly faster.
#27 When was "YouTube" founded?
Explanation
YouTube was founded on Valentine's Day 2005 by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim, former PayPal employees. The first video was uploaded on April 23, 2005.
#28 What is the romanized Chinese word for "airplane"?
Explanation
'Feiji' (飞机) means airplane in Chinese, literally translating to 'flying machine.' 'Qiche' means car, 'zongxian' means switchboard, and 'huojian' means rocket.
#29 The word "astasia" means which of the following?
Explanation
Astasia is a medical term from Greek meaning 'without standing,' describing the inability to stand upright due to muscular incoordination, often neurological in origin.
#30 What is the most commonly used noun in the English language?
Explanation
According to corpus linguistics studies, 'time' is the most frequently used noun in English, appearing in various contexts from scheduling to philosophy to physics.
#31 Which of these cities does NOT have a United States Minting location?
Explanation
The U.S. has mints in Philadelphia (main mint), San Francisco, West Point, and Denver. St. Louis has never hosted a U.S. Mint facility.
#32 How many calories are in a 355 ml can of Pepsi Cola?
Explanation
A standard 12 oz (355 ml) can of Pepsi contains 150 calories, all from high fructose corn syrup and sugar. Diet versions contain zero calories.
#33 Before the 19th Century, the "Living Room" was originally called the...
Explanation
The parlor was the formal receiving room for guests in homes before the 20th century. 'Living room' became popular as homes became less formal and more family-oriented.
#34 Which one of these Swedish companies was founded in 1943?
Explanation
IKEA was founded in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kamprad in Sweden. The name comes from his initials (I.K.) plus Elmtaryd and Agunnaryd, where he grew up.
#35 Who founded the Khan Academy?
Explanation
Salman 'Sal' Khan founded Khan Academy in 2008, starting by tutoring his cousin remotely and eventually creating one of the world's most popular free educational platforms.
#36 Which church's interior in Vatican City was designed in 1503 by renaissance architects including Bramante, Michelangelo and Bernini?
Explanation
St. Peter's Basilica was rebuilt starting in 1506, with Bramante as the initial architect, followed by Michelangelo (dome) and later Bernini (interior decoration and colonnade).
#37 If you planted the seeds of Quercus robur, what would grow?
Explanation
Quercus robur is the scientific name for the English oak tree. It's one of the most common oak species in Europe and can live for over 1,000 years.
#38 The word "abulia" means which of the following?
Explanation
Abulia is a neurological disorder characterized by lack of will or initiative, making it difficult or impossible to make decisions or take action, often seen in depression or brain injury.
#39 Which of the following is an existing family in "The Sims"?
Explanation
The Goth family has appeared in multiple Sims games since the original 2000 release, typically featuring Mortimer and Bella Goth as central characters in the game's lore.
#40 The Swedish word "Grunka" means what in English?
Explanation
'Grunka' is Swedish slang for 'thing' or 'stuff,' similar to how 'thingamajig' or 'whatsit' are used in English when you can't remember the proper name for something.
#41 Which of these banks are NOT authorized to issue currency notes in Hong Kong?
Explanation
Only three banks can issue Hong Kong dollar notes: HSBC, Standard Chartered, and Bank of China. OCBC is a Singapore-based bank not authorized to issue HK currency.
#42 In the MMO RPG "Realm of the Mad God", what dungeon is widely considered to be the most difficult?
Explanation
The Shatters is notorious in Realm of the Mad God for its extreme difficulty, complex mechanics, and high-level enemies that can instantly kill even well-equipped players.
#43 Stagecoach owned "South West Trains" before losing the rights to FirstGroup and MTR in March of 2017.
Explanation
Stagecoach operated South West Trains from 1996 to 2017, when the franchise was awarded to FirstGroup and MTR's joint venture, which became South Western Railway.
#44 Chartreuse is a color between yellow and what?
Explanation
Chartreuse is a yellow-green color named after the French liqueur. It sits between yellow and green on the color spectrum, often described as a bright lime green.
#45 What was Bank of America originally established as?
Explanation
Amadeo Giannini founded the Bank of Italy in San Francisco in 1904 to serve Italian immigrants. It was renamed Bank of America in 1930 and became the nation's largest bank.
#46 What does the Latin phrase "Veni, vidi, vici" translate into English?
Explanation
Julius Caesar reportedly said 'Veni, vidi, vici' after his swift victory at the Battle of Zela in 47 BC, demonstrating the speed and decisiveness of his conquest.
#47 In flight systems, what does the initialism "TCAS" stand for?
Explanation
TCAS is a crucial aviation safety system that monitors airspace around aircraft and provides collision avoidance advisories to pilots when other aircraft get too close.
#48 What year was the RoboSapien toy robot released?
Explanation
RoboSapien was created by Mark Tilden and released by WowWee in 2004, becoming one of the most popular consumer robots with its humanoid design and programmable functions.
#49 The words "bungalow" and "shampoo" originate from the languages of which country?
Explanation
'Bungalow' comes from Hindi 'bangla' (house), and 'shampoo' from Hindi 'champo' (to massage). Many English words entered the language during British colonial rule in India.
#50 Sciophobia is the fear of what?
Explanation
Sciophobia, from the Latin 'scio' meaning shadow, is the irrational fear of shadows. This phobia can be particularly distressing as shadows are omnipresent in daily life.