ROUND 1

1.

Three British Prime Ministers have had the same first name, and not used it, whilst another did use this same name when it was actually his middle name.  Identify the name and three of the 4 PMs to which this question refers.

2.

Only one British Prime Minister has been in office under three different monarchs.  Who was he, and who were they?

3.

Which viral illness (or group of illnesses) are named after the Greek word for creeping or snakelike?

4.

Which bacterial illness is named after the Greek word for coal?

5.

Which wine region/appellation is directly across the river from Pouilly­Fumé?

6.

Which grape is characteristic of wine from the Pouilly-Fuissé appellation?

7.

Which American singer/songwriter was born in January 1941 to a Mexican father and a Scottish mother?

8.

Which footballer who has been a player and coach at both international and club level was born in October 1959 to an Ecuadorian father and a Northern Irish mother?

ROUND 2 - Picture Round - 'Beards (or lack of them)'

1.

Who is this young man?

2.

Who is this young man?

3.

Who is this?

4.

Name the person in the centre of this 80s tribute act.

5.

Name the guy at the centre of this band (he is the drummer).

6.

Who is this?

7.

Who is this young man?

8.

Who is this young man?

ROUND 3 - Hidden theme

1.

Which award winning lyricist wrote the words for the songs Moon River and Days of Wine and Roses?

2.

Which tenor saxophonist named Billie Holiday 'Lady Day' and was referred to by her as 'Pres'?

3.

What was the title of John Betjeman's blank verse autobiography?

4.

Which physician and writer was the author of The White Company, an adventure story set during the hundred years war?

5.

In the film Harvey, which character has a Pooka, an invisible six-foot three-and-one-half-inch tall rabbit as his best friend?

6.

Which piece of music by Stravinsky was commissioned by Robert Bliss and named after his house in Washington DC, which was also the venue for the 1944 conference that led to the formation of the United Nations?

7.

Which English born actor won an Oscar for his part in A Double Life in 1947?

8.

Which singer who sang with the Benny Goodman band between 1941 and 1943 wrote lyrics for Disney's Lady and the Tramp?

ROUND 4

1.

Give a year in the life of Claudio Monteverdi.

2.

Where is the canyon system of Valles Marineris?

3.

In which Shakespeare play will you find the quotation "the course of true love never did run smooth"?

4.

Which type of grape is used to make red Burgundy wine?

5.

Botrytis cinerea is a fungus that attacks grape skins, causing the grapes to become super-concentrated owing to dehydration.  This is essential when making which type of wines?

6.

In which Shakespeare play will you hear the speech which begins: "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players ..."?

7.

A chain of sand banks, called 'Adam's Bridge', links which two countries?

8.

Give a year in the life of Gioacchino Rossini.

ROUND 5

1.

A mondegreen is the mishearing of a phrase giving rise to an entirely new meaning.  Which 1967 song by which artist contains the mondegreen "'Scuse me while I kiss this guy"?

2.

Which 1969 song by which US band contains the mondegreen "There's a bathroom on the right"?

3.

Which composer (1854-1928) wrote the Glagolitic Mass, which is sung in the Old Church Slavonic language?

4.

Which composer and musicologist (1879-1957) is best known for his collections of orchestrated folksongs from the Auvergne region?

5.

Which UK politician was quoted as saying "When your back's against the wall it's time to turn round and fight"?

6.

Which UK politician said "It's great to be back on terra cotta."?

7.

James Fox is the father-in-law of which actress?

8.

James Fox is the uncle of which actress?

ROUND 6

1.

Which EU Member State has a silhouette of the country on its flag? 

2.

What is the stage name of Michael Pennington, the comedian and actor?

3.

Which catastrophe was caused by phytophtora infestans?

4.

What recent technological invention has the same name as the nickname of King Harald I of Denmark (910-985)?

5.

Which crime novelist was given a life peerage in 1997 and sits on the Labour Benches in the House of Lords?

6.

Of all the clubs ever relegated from the Football League only 2 have played in the top division (i.e. Division 1 or the Premiership).  One is now in the Conference and the other is currently in League 1.  Name either of them.

7.

Rock n' Roll is currently on at the Library Theatre.  Who wrote it?

8.

Which American President was the only one elected for 2 non-consecutive terms?

ROUND 7

1.

Why would the prominent actress born Beatrice Stella Tanner, much admired by George Bernard Shaw, appear to be a good match for the third Baron Glenavy, well-known captain of a team in a former BBC quiz game?

2.

Big Boy, Early Girl, Mortgage Lifter, Three Sisters and Box Car Willie are all types of what?

3.

What is the name given to the shape taken up by a rope secured at either end and hanging under the effect of gravity alone?

4.

Mariska Hargitay, the actress who stars in Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, survived the 1967 car crash that killed her mother.  What was the name of her actress mother?

5.

"Arghhh Jim lad"!  Which actor who played the role of Long John Silver in the 1950 Disney film of Treasure Island was credited with introducing the pirate voice into films?  He also played Bill Sykes in David Lean's Oliver Twist and died of alcoholism in 1956.

6.

Four Australian Test cricketers retired either during or immediately after the 2006-7 Ashes series.  Name any 3 of them.

7.

In London Clifford's, Barnard's, Clement's, Furnival's, Thavie's and Serjeants are no longer active but used to be what type of institution?

8.

What is Ben & Jerry's 'Barack Obama-inspired' ice-cream flavour, based on one of his slogans?

ROUND 8

1.

President Obama had to take the oath of office twice.  Which English king had to have a second coronation at Westminster Abbey as Pope Honorius III ruled that the first coronation at Gloucester was invalid?

2.

What term, which describes a bold, vigorous, exuberant style in architecture and art generally, was originally a jeweller's term for a rough pearl?

3.

What links the Andrews sisters, Craig-y-Nos Castle near Swansea, Homer Simpson's sister-in-laws and the Symbionese Liberation Army?

4.

Which is the only men's track and field event that Great Britain has won more times than the USA in the Summer Olympics since the war?

5.

Zoar, Zeboim, Admah are part of a group mentioned in the Old Testament.  What are the two other members of this group?

6.

The animal kingdom is divided into about 24 large groups one of which is Porifera.  What is the common narne for the primitive, predominantly marine, animal forming the entire group?

7.

This city was the old capital of Castile, the burial place of El Cid and was the capital of Franco's nationalist government during the Spanish Civil War.  What is its name?

8.

Two prominent male actors have won the Oscar for best actor in two consecutive years, one before the war and one more recently.  Name either actor.

Spares

1.

Who is this?

2.

What is the name of the largest lake contained wholly within Switzerland?

3.

Thomas Hardy's The Convergence of the Twain described what?

4.

The Firth of Thames is in which country?

5.

Which French Post-Impressionist painted The Card Players?

6.

There are two pairs of African capital cities which have the following characteristics:

• Each pair contains two six letters words with four letters in common

• The words in one pair start with the same two letters; the words in the other pair start with the same three letters

Name either pair.

ROUND 1

1.

Three British Prime Ministers have had the same first name, and not used it, whilst another did use this same name when it was actually his middle name.  Identify the name and three of the 4 PMs to which this question refers.

James

James Harold Wilson; James Ramsay McDonald; James Gordon Brown; Leonard James Callaghan

2.

Only one British Prime Minister has been in office under three different monarchs.  Who was he, and who were they?

Stanley Baldwin

and

George V;

Edward VIII;

George VI 

3.

Which viral illness (or group of illnesses) are named after the Greek word for creeping or snakelike?

Herpes

(from the Greek word herpein, from which we also get the word herpetology - the branch of zoology concerned with creeping things i.e. amphibians & reptiles - this is because in herpes the skin lesions seem to creep across the skin)

4.

Which bacterial illness is named after the Greek word for coal?

Anthrax

(from the Greek word anthrakis from which we also get the word anthracite - because of the black skin lesions experienced in anthrax)

5.

Which wine region/appellation is directly across the river from Pouilly­Fumé?

Sancerre

6.

Which grape is characteristic of wine from the Pouilly-Fuissé appellation?

Chardonnay

7.

Which American singer/songwriter was born in January 1941 to a Mexican father and a Scottish mother?

Joan Baez 

8.

Which footballer who has been a player and coach at both international and club level was born in October 1959 to an Ecuadorian father and a Northern Irish mother?

Lawrie Sanchez

(apparently he was invited to play internationally for Ecuador but declined as it was too far away) 

ROUND 2 - Picture Round - 'Beards (or lack of them)'

1.

Who is this young man?

Fidel Castro 

2.

Who is this young man?

Luciano Pavarotti

3.

Who is this?

Robbie Williams 

4.

Name the person in the centre of this 80s tribute act.

Angus Deayton

(the other two are Philip Pope and Michael Fenton Stevens) 

5.

Name the guy at the centre of this band (he is the drummer).

Frank Beard

(who - with some irony - was the only member of ZZ Top with no beard - he now sports a goatee) 

6.

Who is this?

Joaquin Phoenix

7.

Who is this young man?

Eric Clapton

8.

Who is this young man?

Abraham Lincoln

ROUND 3 - Hidden theme

1.

Which award winning lyricist wrote the words for the songs Moon River and Days of Wine and Roses?

Johnny Mercer

2.

Which tenor saxophonist named Billie Holiday 'Lady Day' and was referred to by her as 'Pres'?

Lester Young

3.

What was the title of John Betjeman's blank verse autobiography?

Summoned by Bells

4.

Which physician and writer was the author of The White Company, an adventure story set during the hundred years war?

Arthur Conan Doyle

5.

In the film Harvey, which character has a Pooka, an invisible six-foot three-and-one-half-inch tall rabbit as his best friend?

Elwood P Dowd

(only the surname is required)

6.

Which piece of music by Stravinsky was commissioned by Robert Bliss and named after his house in Washington DC, which was also the venue for the 1944 conference that led to the formation of the United Nations?

Dumbarton Oaks

7.

Which English born actor won an Oscar for his part in A Double Life in 1947?

Ronald Colman

8.

Which singer who sang with the Benny Goodman band between 1941 and 1943 wrote lyrics for Disney's Lady and the Tramp?

Peggy Lee

ROUND 4

1.

Give a year in the life of Claudio Monteverdi.

1567-1643

2.

Where is the canyon system of Valles Marineris?

Planet Mars

3.

In which Shakespeare play will you find the quotation "the course of true love never did run smooth"?

A Midsummer Night's Dream

(Act l , Scene 2)

4.

Which type of grape is used to make red Burgundy wine?

Pinot Noir

5.

Botrytis cinerea is a fungus that attacks grape skins, causing the grapes to become super-concentrated owing to dehydration.  This is essential when making which type of wines?

Sweet White Wines

(the words 'sweet' and 'white' must be in the answer)

6.

In which Shakespeare play will you hear the speech which begins: "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players ..."?

As You Like It

(Act 2, Scene 7) 

7.

A chain of sand banks, called 'Adam's Bridge', links which two countries?

India and Sri Lanka

8.

Give a year in the life of Gioacchino Rossini.

1792 -1868

ROUND 5

1

A mondegreen is the mishearing of a phrase giving rise to an entirely new meaning.  Which 1967 song by which artist contains the mondegreen "'Scuse me while I kiss this guy"?

Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix

("Sense me while I kiss the sky")

2.

Which 1969 song by which US band contains the mondegreen "There's a bathroom on the right"?

Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival

("There's a bad moon on the rise")

3.

Which composer (1854-1928) wrote the Glagolitic Mass, which is sung in the Old Church Slavonic language?

Leoš Janàček 

4.

Which composer and musicologist (1879-1957) is best known for his collections of orchestrated folksongs from the Auvergne region?

Joseph Canteloube 

5.

Which UK politician was quoted as saying "When your back's against the wall it's time to turn round and fight"?

John Major

6.

Which UK politician said "It's great to be back on terra cotta."?

John Prescott 

7.

James Fox is the father-in-law of which actress?

Billie Piper

(married to Laurence Fox, the 'other one' in Lewis) 

8.

James Fox is the uncle of which actress?

Emilia Fox

(best known as the new girl in Silent Witness) 

ROUND 6

1

Which EU Member State has a silhouette of the country on its flag? 

Cyprus

2.

What is the stage name of Michael Pennington, the comedian and actor?

Johnny Vegas

3.

Which catastrophe was caused by phytophtora infestans?

The Irish Potato Famine 

4.

What recent technological invention has the same name as the nickname of King Harald I of Denmark (910-985)?

Bluetooth 

5.

Which crime novelist was given a life peerage in 1997 and sits on the Labour Benches in the House of Lords?

Ruth Rendell

6.

Of all the clubs ever relegated from the Football League only 2 have played in the top division (i.e. Division 1 or the Premiership).  One is now in the Conference and the other is currently in League 1.  Name either of them.

(either)

Oxford United

(or)

Carlisle United 

7.

Rock n' Roll is currently on at the Library Theatre.  Who wrote it?

Tom Stoppard

8.

Which American President was the only one elected for 2 non-consecutive terms?

Grover Cleveland

ROUND 7

1.

Why would the prominent actress born Beatrice Stella Tanner, much admired by George Bernard Shaw, appear to be a good match for the third Baron Glenavy, well-known captain of a team in a former BBC quiz game?

One was Mrs Patrick Campbell and the other Patrick Campbell of Call My Bluff fame

2.

Big Boy, Early Girl, Mortgage Lifter, Three Sisters and Box Car Willie are all types of what?

Tomato 

3.

What is the name given to the shape taken up by a rope secured at either end and hanging under the effect of gravity alone?

Catenary 

4.

Mariska Hargitay, the actress who stars in Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, survived the 1967 car crash that killed her mother.  What was the name of her actress mother?

Jayne Mansfield 

5.

"Arghhh Jim lad"!  Which actor who played the role of Long John Silver in the 1950 Disney film of Treasure Island was credited with introducing the pirate voice into films?  He also played Bill Sykes in David Lean's Oliver Twist and died of alcoholism in 1956.

Robert Newton 

6.

Four Australian Test cricketers retired either during or immediately after the 2006-7 Ashes series.  Name any 3 of them.

(three of)

Shane Warne, Justin Langer, Glenn McGrath, Damien Martyn 

7.

In London Clifford's, Barnard's, Clement's, Furnival's, Thavie's and Serjeants are no longer active but used to be what type of institution?

Inns of Chancery 

8.

What is Ben & Jerry's 'Barack Obama-inspired' ice-cream flavour, based on one of his slogans?

Yes, Pecan 

ROUND 8

1.

President Obama had to take the oath of office twice.  Which English king had to have a second coronation at Westminster Abbey as Pope Honorius III ruled that the first coronation at Gloucester was invalid?

Henry III

2.

What term, which describes a bold, vigorous, exuberant style in architecture and art generally, was originally a jeweller's term for a rough pearl?

Baroque

3.

What links the Andrews sisters, Craig-y-Nos Castle near Swansea, Homer Simpson's sister-in-laws and the Symbionese Liberation Army?

The word Patty

(Patti Andrews, the opera singer Dame Adilena Patti owned the castle, Patty and Selma, Patty Hearst) 

4.

Which is the only men's track and field event that Great Britain has won more times than the USA in the Summer Olympics since the war?

1500m 

5.

Zoar, Zeboim, Admah are part of a group mentioned in the Old Testament.  What are the two other members of this group?

Sodom and Gomorrah

(Cities of the Plain) 

6.

The animal kingdom is divided into about 24 large groups one of which is Porifera.  What is the common narne for the primitive, predominantly marine, animal forming the entire group?

Sponge 

7.

This city was the old capital of Castile, the burial place of El Cid and was the capital of Franco's nationalist government during the Spanish Civil War.  What is its name?

Burgos 

8.

Two prominent male actors have won the Oscar for best actor in two consecutive years, one before the war and one more recently.  Name either actor.

(either)

Tom Hanks

(or)

Spencer Tracy 

1.

Who is this?

Paul Merton

2.

What is the name of the largest lake contained wholly within Switzerland?

Lac Neuchatel

3.

Thomas Hardy's The Convergence of the Twain described what?

The sinking of the Titanic

4.

The Firth of Thames is in which country?

New Zealand

5.

Which French Post-Impressionist painted The Card Players?

Paul Cezanne

6.

There are two pairs of African capital cities which have the following characteristics:

• Each pair contains two six letters words with four letters in common

• The words in one pair start with the same two letters; the words in the other pair start with the same three letters

Name either pair.

(either)

Luanda and Lusaka

(or)

Banjul and Bangui

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