1.

Which two countries were the losing semi-finalists in this year’s World Cup?

2.

Which two football clubs contested this year’s Champion’s League final?

3.

The TV character Alan Partridge works for a radio station in which city?

4.

In which town is the TV comedy The Office based?

5.

If x is equal to negative 3 what is the value of x cubed?

6.

If two dice are rolled what is the probability that the total score is 12?

7.

Which fish and which herb are usually associated with the dish gravad lax?

8.

Which herb and which type of nut are usually associated with pesto sauce?

ROUND 2 - 'Poets etc.'

Thursday 10^th was National Poetry day

1.

Who wrote La Belle Dame Sans Merci?

2.

What was the name of WB Yeats’ painter brother?

3.

George Crabbe was an East Anglian poet who wrote a poem about Peter Grimes.  Which composer made it into an opera?

4.

A Shropshire Lad has been set to music many times.  Who wrote the poems?

5.

William Langland is thought to be the author of which English 14th century poem?

6.

Who wrote Stop the Clocks?

7.

Which Ulster poet has translated Beowulf?

8.

Who was the poet laureate before Andrew Motion?

1.

In prehistory what type of animal was a smilodon?

2.

Which prehistoric animal’s name means dawn horse?

3.

In Physics whose constant is defined as the energy of one quantum of electromagnetic radiation divided by the frequency of its radiation?

4.

In Chemistry whose constant is equivalent to the number of molecules in one mole of gas?

5.

Which current film directed by Christopher Nolan stars Al Pacino and Robin Williams?

6.

In which Hitchcock film of 1958, set in San Francisco, did Kim Novak play two characters?

7.

What is the capital of Madeira?

8.

What is the capital of Gran Canaria?

1.

Which English Cathedral has the second highest mediaeval spire after Salisbury?

2.

What name is usually given to the second phase of English Church Architecture (about 1250 to 1350)?

3.

How much is 20 euro rounded up to the nearest £?

4.

How much is US$20 rounded up to the nearest £?

5.

What is the name of the Henley based brewery whose buildings and plant are up for sale?

6.

Which Dutch brewing giant is trying to scale down production at Strangeways brewery?

7.

What is on the Euston Road, in London was designed by Thomas Cubitt and is 150 years old this autumn?

8.

What has its main entrance on Great Russell Street is 200 years old next year and is not being baled out by the Government?

1.

According to Law 3 of the Laws of Football, what is the minimum permitted number of players on either side at the start of a match?

2.

During play, what is the maximum number of participating players who can be on a cricket field?

3.

Which classic sauce is made by creating a hot emulsion of egg yolks and melted butter?

4.

Which classic sauce can be defined as a reduction of white wine, emulsified with egg yolks and flavoured with shallots and tarragon?

5.

Who recently resigned as editor of Radio 4’s Today programme, after controversy over an article he wrote in The Guardian?

6.

Who recently presented the first (and apparently last) atheist Thought for the Day on Radio 4’s Today programme?

7.

Whose novels include The Glass Key, The Maltese Falcon and The Thin Man?

8.

Whose novels include The Big Nowhere, LA Confidential and American Tabloid?

ROUND 6 - ‘Beat the Intro’

Name the songs of which these are the first lines

1.

"I sing myself to sleep"

2.

"Dirty old river, must you keep rolling?"

3.

"Come gather round people"

4.

"Your baby doesn’t love you anymore"

5.

"They pulled in just behind the fridge"

6.

"It’s been 7 hours and 13 days"

7.

"I live in an apartment on the ninety ninth floor of my block"

8.

"In the day we sweat it out in the streets"

1.

Name the WW2 plane.

2.

Name the WW2 plane.

3.

Identify the US state.

4.

Identify the US state.

5.

Name the British sea duck.

6.

Name the British sea duck.

7.

Name the classic album.

8.

Name the classic album.

1.

Which two American golfers won Ryder Cup singles matches this year?

2.

Which two European players remained unbeaten throughout the Ryder Cup?

3.

Name the Rumanian president overthrown when the communist regime fell.

4.

Name the East German president overthrown when the communist regime fell.

5.

Charlene was a one hit wonder in the 1980s with which record?

6.

Which duo had a hit covering The Everley Brothers Dream and Walk Right Back?

7.

Who are this season’s shirt sponsors / advertisers of Arsenal?

8.

Who are this season’s shirt sponsors / advertisers of Manchester City?

1.

Which exam board was at the centre of the re-grading problems?

2.

Why has Paul Burrell been in the news this week?

3.

Who is the president of Indonesia?

4.

What is the name of the South East Asian terrorist organisation thought to be behind the Bali bombing?

5.

What percentage of the votes cast did Saddam Hussein receive in the Iraq referendum?

6.

Which European treaty is the subject of the upcoming referendum in the Irish Republic?

7.

Where is Dick Cheney?

1.

Which two countries were the losing semi-finalists in this year’s World Cup?

South Korea and Turkey

2.

Which two football clubs contested this year’s Champion’s League final?

Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen

3.

The TV character Alan Partridge works for a radio station in which city?

Norwich

4.

In which town is the TV comedy The Office based?

Slough

5.

If x is equal to negative 3 what is the value of x cubed?

- 27

(-3 x –3 x –3 )

6.

If two dice are rolled what is the probability that the total score is 12?

1 / 36

(1/6 x 1/6)

7.

Which fish and which herb are usually associated with the dish gravad lax?

Salmon and dill

8.

Which herb and which type of nut are usually associated with pesto sauce?

Basil and pine nuts

ROUND 2 - 'Poets etc.'

Thursday 10^th was National Poetry day

1.

Who wrote La Belle Dame Sans Merci?

John Keats

2.

What was the name of WB Yeats’ painter brother?

Jack B Yeats

3.

George Crabbe was an East Anglian poet who wrote a poem about Peter Grimes.  Which composer made it into an opera?

Benjamin Britten

4.

A Shropshire Lad has been set to music many times.  Who wrote the poems?

A E Houseman

5.

William Langland is thought to be the author of which English 14th century poem?

The Vision of Piers Ploughman

(accept Piers Ploughman)

6.

Who wrote Stop the Clocks?

W H Auden

7.

Which Ulster poet has translated Beowulf?

Seamus Heaney

8.

Who was the poet laureate before Andrew Motion?

Ted Hughes

1.

In prehistory what type of animal was a smilodon?

Sabre-toothed tiger

2.

Which prehistoric animal’s name means dawn horse?

Eohippus

3.

In Physics whose constant is defined as the energy of one quantum of electromagnetic radiation divided by the frequency of its radiation?

Planck’s

4.

In Chemistry whose constant is equivalent to the number of molecules in one mole of gas?

Avogadro’s

5.

Which current film directed by Christopher Nolan stars Al Pacino and Robin Williams?

Insomnia

6.

In which Hitchcock film of 1958, set in San Francisco, did Kim Novak play two characters?

Vertigo

7.

What is the capital of Madeira?

Funchal

8.

What is the capital of Gran Canaria?

Las Palmas

1.

Which English Cathedral has the second highest mediaeval spire after Salisbury?

Norwich

2.

What name is usually given to the second phase of English Church Architecture (about 1250 to 1350)?

Decorated

3.

How much is 20 euro rounded up to the nearest £?

£13

(a euro is 63p)

4.

How much is US$20 rounded up to the nearest £?

£13

(near as dammit the same as a euro)

5.

What is the name of the Henley based brewery whose buildings and plant are up for sale?

Brakspears

6.

Which Dutch brewing giant is trying to scale down production at Strangeways brewery?

Interbrew

7.

What is on the Euston Road, in London was designed by Thomas Cubitt and is 150 years old this autumn?

King’s Cross Railway Station

8.

What has its main entrance on Great Russell Street is 200 years old next year and is not being baled out by the Government?

The British Museum

1.

According to Law 3 of the Laws of Football, what is the minimum permitted number of players on either side at the start of a match?

Seven

2.

During play, what is the maximum number of participating players who can be on a cricket field?

Fifteen

(11 fielders, 2 batsmen, 2 runners)

3.

Which classic sauce is made by creating a hot emulsion of egg yolks and melted butter?

Hollandaise

4.

Which classic sauce can be defined as a reduction of white wine, emulsified with egg yolks and flavoured with shallots and tarragon?

Bearnaise

5.

Who recently resigned as editor of Radio 4’s Today programme, after controversy over an article he wrote in The Guardian?

Rod Liddle

6.

Who recently presented the first (and apparently last) atheist Thought for the Day on Radio 4’s Today programme?

Richard Dawkins

7.

Whose novels include The Glass Key, The Maltese Falcon and The Thin Man?

Dashiel Hammett

8.

Whose novels include The Big Nowhere, LA Confidential and American Tabloid?

James Ellroy

ROUND 6 - ‘Beat the Intro’

Name the songs of which these are the first lines

1.

"I sing myself to sleep"

Sit Down

(James)

2.

"Dirty old river, must you keep rolling?"

Waterloo Sunset

(The Kinks)

3.

"Come gather round people"

The Times They Are a-Changing

(Bob Dylan)

4.

"Your baby doesn’t love you anymore"

It’s Over

(Roy Orbison)

5.

"They pulled in just behind the fridge"

Young Americans

(David Bowie)

6.

"It’s been 7 hours and 13 days"

Nothing Compares 2 U

(Prince / Sinead O’ Connor)

7.

"I live in an apartment on the ninety ninth floor of my block"

Get Off my Cloud

(Rolling Stones)

8.

"In the day we sweat it out in the streets"

Born to Run

(Bruce Springsteen)

1.

Name the WW2 plane.

(de Havilland) Mosquito

2.

Name the WW2 plane.

(Bristol) Blenheim

3.

Identify the US state.

Hawaii

4.

Identify the US state.

Alaska

5.

Name the British sea duck.

Shelduck

6.

Name the British sea duck.

Eider

7.

Name the classic album.

Rumours

(Fleetwood Mac)

8.

Name the classic album.

Born to Run

(Bruce Springsteen)

1.

Which two American golfers won Ryder Cup singles matches this year?

Scott Verplank and David Toms

2.

Which two European players remained unbeaten throughout the Ryder Cup?

Colin Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer

3.

Name the Rumanian president overthrown when the communist regime fell.

(Nicolae) Caesescu

4.

Name the East German president overthrown when the communist regime fell.

(Erich) Honecker

5.

Charlene was a one hit wonder in the 1980s with which record?

I’ve Never Been To Me

6.

Which duo had a hit covering The Everley Brothers Dream and Walk Right Back?

Glen Campbell and Bobbie Gentry

7.

Who are this season’s shirt sponsors / advertisers of Arsenal?

O2

8.

Who are this season’s shirt sponsors / advertisers of Manchester City?

First Advice

1.

Which exam board was at the centre of the re-grading problems?

Oxford, Cambridge and RSA

2.

Why has Paul Burrell been in the news this week?

Princess Diana’s former butler, standing trial accused of stealing her private letters etc.

3.

Who is the president of Indonesia?

Megawati Sukarnoputri

4.

What is the name of the South East Asian terrorist organisation thought to be behind the Bali bombing?

Jemaah Islamiyah

5.

What percentage of the votes cast did Saddam Hussein receive in the Iraq referendum?

100%

6.

Which European treaty is the subject of the upcoming referendum in the Irish Republic?

Nice

7.

Where is Dick Cheney?

?????