What does it mean?

What is the meaning of the word Excalibur, the name of King Arthur’s sword?

A) Dragon-doom
B) “I defend the land”
C) Justice
D) Taken from a stone

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What is Cotopaxi?

Cotopaxi is to be found in Ecuador. What is it?

A) A plant used in making arthritis medicines
B) The highest active volcano in the world
C) An annual celebration featuring a “dance of peace”
D) A river whose temperature reaches 122ºF (50ºC)

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What is it?

What is “Galvayne’s groove”?

A) A popular dance rhythm of the 1940s and 1950s
B) A pattern of wear often seen in generator turbines
C) A groove in the teeth of horses
D) A shallow valley on the near side of the Moon

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The flying ace

Douglas Bader, a World War II British flying ace, had a remarkable and distinguished military career despite a serious physical handicap. Specifically, Bader:

A) Had suffered amputation of both legs
B) Needed chemical stimulants to remain awake more than a few hours
C) Was almost completely deaf
D) Was prone to epileptic fits that could strike without warning

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Which word is it?

Which of these words means “meekness” or “gentleness”?

A) Consuetude
B) Desuetude
C) Hebetude
D) Mansuetude

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Roman holiday

The midwinter festival in ancient Rome was called the Saturnalia. Originally celebrated on December 19, it was extended over time to a full week. During the Saturnalia:

A) Horses and pets were given wine instead of water
B) Marriages could be annulled at the request of either party
C) No one could appear in public before sunset
D) Slaves were temporarily set free

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Milestone in physics

English physicist Sir Joseph John Thomson is best known for an important discovery that he announced in 1896. It was:

A) The “big bang” that gave rise to our present universe
B) The existence of the electron
C) The measurement of the speed of light in a vacuum
D) The unusual behavior of liquid helium

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Great stars above

Like most other constellations, Boötes, which contains the bright star Arcturus, is named for a character in Greek myth. The mythical Boötes was:

A) The first man to make wine by fermenting grapes
B) A friend of Odysseus, killed by the cyclops Polyphemus
C) The inventor of the plough
D) A rejected lover of the huntress Artemis

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First and last

W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan collaborated fourteen times in creating their famous series of comic operas. Their first and last works were:

A) H.M.S. Pinafore and The Yeomen of the Guard
B) The Sorcerer and The Gondoliers
C) Thespis and The Grand Duke
D) Trial By Jury and Utopia Limited

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Why David?

The U.S. presidential retreat at Camp David has often been the scene of international summit meetings, such as those between the Israelis and the Palestinians. After whom was Camp David named?

A) The statue of David by Michelangelo
B) Private Lester B. David, a gunner in World War II
C) American frontier hero Davy Crockett
D) President Dwight Eisenhower’s grandson

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