1.

What is the name of the J K Rowling book due for release in June?

2.

Which series of children’s books is written by Terry Deary?

3.

The virus that may cause SARS belongs to which group of viruses?

4.

What is the new name for the family of viruses that has shut down much of Hope Hospital with gastroenteritis?

5.

Who was the first celebrity voted out of the jungle this week in the TV programme I’m a Celebrity - Get Me Out of Here?

6.

Who did a ‘runner’ from the same show this week?

7.

Which town do the rugby league team, the Vikings, represent?

8.

Which town do the rugby league team, the Giants, represent?

1.

Who is the leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party?

2.

Who is the leader of Plaid Cymru?

3.

In the local elections in England, Labour took control of 4 councils.  Name two.

4.

In Manchester, Labour lost 6 wards to the Liberal Democrats.  Name two.

5.

Why was Vanessa Hall in the local news this week?

6.

What was the name of the defeated BNP candidate in Chadderton North?

7.

What constituency does ex-Tory minister, Crispin Blunt, represent?

8.

What constituency does suspended Labour MP, George Galloway, represent?

1.

Taken in the seventies, who was this new-wave band from Salford?

2.

Taken in the eighties, who was this band, whose lead singer (now deceased) was from Macclesfield?

3.

In the news at present, of where is this the flag (adopted in 1997)?

4.

Also in the news at present, of which American State is this the flag?

5.

Who is this South African politician who died this week?

6.

Also a supporter of the ANC, who is this guitarist who died of a heart attack in December 2002?

7.

Celine Dion (pictured here) represented which country in the Eurovision Song Contest?

8.

Tatu (pictured here) are appearing in the Eurovision Song Contest this year.  Which country are they representing?

ROUND 4

1.

In which capital city is this year’s Eurovision Song Contest being held?

2.

In which capital city was last year’s Eurovision Song Contest held?

3.

One African country has taken part in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1980.  Which one?

4.

Which country has the record of most occasions with a total of nil points in the Eurovision Song Contest?

5.

Dana International was the first transgender winner of the Eurovision Song Contest.  Which country did he/she represent?

6.

Which is the smallest country ever to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest, winning in 1971, but not appearing since 1980?

7.

This picture shows the first winner of the Eurovision Song Contest.  In what year was the first competition?

8.

This picture shows the last UK winner of the Eurovision Song Contest.  In what year was this?

1.

Who is currently Solicitor General?

2.

Who is currently Lord Chief Justice?

3.

In the John Grisham film The Client who plays the female lead character?

4.

Name the female Pathologist created by Patricia Cornwell.

5.

In which Italian city does the fictional detective Brunetti work?

6.

In which Italian city does the fictional detective Zen work?

7.

What is the punishment bastinado?

8.

What is the punishment 'peine forte et dure'?

1.

What are the 2 main ingredients of zabaglione?

2.

What, apart from salad leaves, are the 2 ingredients commonly found in salad nicoise?

3.

Which celebrity chef used to be a professional footballer?

4.

Which celebrity chef features in the adverts for Sainsbury’s?

5.

Name the Two Fat Ladies.

6.

Name the Galloping Gourmet.

7.

According to the Government how many portions of fruit or veg should one have in a day?

8.

According to current advice (in this country) how many units of alcohol is it safe for a woman to drink in a week?

1.

What is a philomel?

2.

What is a halycon?

3.

What is a percheron?

4.

What is a mouflon?

5.

What is emmer?

6.

What is mumm (and we don’t mean a type of champagne - points deducted for anyone admitting being able to afford it)?

7.

What are flettons?

8.

What is fescu?

1.

Alistair MacLean borrowed the title of one of his books from Macbeth, what is it called?

2.

Thomas Hardy took the title of this novel from Gray’s Elegy in a Country Churchyard.  What is it?

3.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson inspired the title of this Agatha Christie tale.  What is it?

4.

Hamlet asked the players “Do you know the Murder of Gonzago?” thus inspiring Lady Mallowan to choose another of her titles.  What is it?

5.

In which play was Quince inspired to write The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisbe?

6.

What play was written, produced and performed for Chistopher Sly, a tinker?

7.

Noel Coward was always short of ideas for titles.  Which title did he take from Shelley?

8.

Hamlet, in his soliloquy, wondered “to sleep perchance to dream” thus giving another great idea for a title.  To whom?

1.

What was Mr Balfour’s Poodle?

2.

In which of Shakespeare’s plays does Queen Kathryn have a vision of six personages in white with bays and laurels?

3.

Which famous painting features bottles of Bass?

4.

What bird is the symbol of Cornwall?

5.

Apart from brandy what are the ingredients of Brandy Alexander?

6.

What are the three divisions of the High Court in England and Wales?

7.

Who lives at No 12 Downing Street?

8.

How many seats did Labour gain in Manchester on May 1^st?

1.

What is the name of the J K Rowling book due for release in June?

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

2.

Which series of children’s books is written by Terry Deary?

The Horrible Histories

3.

The virus that may cause SARS belongs to which group of viruses?

Coronaviruses

(also contains common cold)

4.

What is the new name for the family of viruses that has shut down much of Hope Hospital with gastroenteritis?

Noroviruses

(was originally called Norwalk virus)

5.

Who was the first celebrity voted out of the jungle this week in the TV programme I’m a Celebrity - Get Me Out of Here?

Sian Lloyd

6.

Who did a ‘runner’ from the same show this week?

Daniella Westbrook

7.

Which town do the rugby league team, the Vikings, represent?

Widnes

8.

Which town do the rugby league team, the Giants, represent?

Huddersfield

1.

Who is the leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party?

John Swinney

2.

Who is the leader of Plaid Cymru?

Ieuan Wyn Jones

3.

In the local elections in England, Labour took control of 4 councils.  Name two.

(two from)

Barrow-in-Furness, Oldham, Sheffield, Plymouth

4.

In Manchester, Labour lost 6 wards to the Liberal Democrats.  Name two.

(two from)

Burnage, Central, Cheetham, Longsight, Rusholme, Whalley Range

5.

Why was Vanessa Hall in the local news this week?

The first Green councillor in Manchester

(representing Hulme)

6.

What was the name of the defeated BNP candidate in Chadderton North?

Nick Griffin

(‘Party’ leader)

7.

What constituency does ex-Tory minister, Crispin Blunt, represent?

Reigate

8.

What constituency does suspended Labour MP, George Galloway, represent?

Glasgow Kelvin

1.

Taken in the seventies, who was this new-wave band from Salford?

The Buzzcocks

2.

Taken in the eighties, who was this band, whose lead singer (now deceased) was from Macclesfield?

Joy Division

3.

In the news at present, of where is this the flag (adopted in 1997)?

Hong Kong

4.

Also in the news at present, of which American State is this the flag?

Tennessee

5.

Who is this South African politician who died this week?

Walter Sisulu

6.

Also a supporter of the ANC, who is this guitarist who died of a heart attack in December 2002?

Joe Strummer

(The Clash)

7.

Celine Dion (pictured here) represented which country in the Eurovision Song Contest?

Switzerland

8.

Tatu (pictured here) are appearing in the Eurovision Song Contest this year.  Which country are they representing?

Russia

ROUND 4 - 'Eurovision is upon us'

1.

In which capital city is this year’s Eurovision Song Contest being held?

Riga

(Latvia)

2.

In which capital city was last year’s Eurovision Song Contest held?

Tallinn

(Estonia)

3.

One African country has taken part in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1980.  Which one?

Morocco

4.

Which country has the record of most occasions with a total of nil points in the Eurovision Song Contest?

Norway

(4 times)

5.

Dana International was the first transgender winner of the Eurovision Song Contest.  Which country did he/she represent?

Israel

6.

Which is the smallest country ever to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest, winning in 1971, but not appearing since 1980?

Monaco

7.

This picture shows the first winner of the Eurovision Song Contest.  In what year was the first competition?

1956

(won by Switzerland)

8.

This picture shows the last UK winner of the Eurovision Song Contest.  In what year was this?

1997

1.

Who is currently Solicitor General?

Harriet Harman

2.

Who is currently Lord Chief Justice?

Lord Woolf

3.

In the John Grisham film The Client who plays the female lead character?

Susan Sarandon

4.

Name the female Pathologist created by Patricia Cornwell.

Kay Scarpetta

5.

In which Italian city does the fictional detective Brunetti work?

Venice

6.

In which Italian city does the fictional detective Zen work?

Florence

7.

What is the punishment bastinado?

Beating on the sole of the feet

8.

What is the punishment 'peine forte et dure'?

Pressing a person to the point of death

(by putting heavy weights on a board or door placed on the victim)

1

What are the 2 main ingredients of zabaglione?

Eggs and Marsala

2.

What, apart from salad leaves, are the 2 ingredients commonly found in salad nicoise?

Tuna and eggs

3.

Which celebrity chef used to be a professional footballer?

Gordon Ramsey

4.

Which celebrity chef features in the adverts for Sainsbury’s?

Jamie Oliver

5.

Name the Two Fat Ladies.

Clarissa Dickson Wright and Jennifer Patterson

6.

Name the Galloping Gourmet.

Graham Kerr

7.

According to the Government how many portions of fruit or veg should one have in a day?

5

8.

According to current advice (in this country) how many units of alcohol is it safe for a woman to drink in a week?

14

1.

What is a philomel?

A nightingale

2.

What is a halycon?

A kingfisher

3.

What is a percheron?

A breed of horse

(a type of carthorse or work horse)

4.

What is a mouflon?

A breed of sheep

(found in Provence)

5.

What is emmer?

A type of wheat

6.

What is mumm (and we don’t mean a type of champagne - points deducted for anyone admitting being able to afford it)?

Wheat beer

7.

What are flettons?

Bricks

8.

What is fescu?

A type of grass

1.

Alistair MacLean borrowed the title of one of his books from Macbeth, what is it called?

The Way to Dusty Death

2.

Thomas Hardy took the title of this novel from Gray’s Elegy in a Country Churchyard.  What is it?

Far From The Madding Crowd

3.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson inspired the title of this Agatha Christie tale.  What is it?

The Mirror Cracked From Side to Side

(from The Lady of Shallot)

4.

Hamlet asked the players “Do you know the Murder of Gonzago?” thus inspiring Lady Mallowan to choose another of her titles.  What is it?

The Mousetrap

5.

In which play was Quince inspired to write The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisbe?

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

6.

What play was written, produced and performed for Chistopher Sly, a tinker?

The Taming of the Shrew

7.

Noel Coward was always short of ideas for titles.  Which title did he take from Shelley?

Blithe Spirit

8.

Hamlet, in his soliloquy, wondered “to sleep perchance to dream” thus giving another great idea for a title.  To whom?

Ivor Novello

1.

What was Mr Balfour’s Poodle?

The House of Lords

2.

In which of Shakespeare’s plays does Queen Kathryn have a vision of six personages in white with bays and laurels?

Henry VIII

3.

Which famous painting features bottles of Bass?

The Bar at the Folies Bergère

(by Manet)

4.

What bird is the symbol of Cornwall?

The Chough

5.

Apart from brandy what are the ingredients of Brandy Alexander?

Creme de Cacao, Double Cream and Cracked Ice

(the ice is optional but much nicer)

6.

What are the three divisions of the High Court in England and Wales?

Chancery, Queen’s Bench and Family

7.

Who lives at No 12 Downing Street?

The Government Chief Whip

(and because he is Lord President of the Council - the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council)

8.

How many seats did Labour gain in Manchester on May 1^st?

2