The Tenreads Kaikuu College Quiz Fest 2015

The General Quiz

Prelims

Thank you!

Content

Sameer Dharur

Acknowledgements

Major Chandrakant Nair

Navin Rajaram

Rohan Naidu

Rama Subramanian

Madhusudan Sampath

40 questions.

1 point per correct answer.

Part points wherever applicable.

Questions 11-30 are starred and will resolve ties.

No negatives. Feel free to take guesses for every question.

Malpractice is too much effort. Don’t bother trying.

Good luck!

The Colossus of Rhodes (artistic impression follows) was a gigantic statue of the Greek titan-god of the sun Helios erected in ancient Greece which figured among the Seven Wonders Of The Ancient World.

In early 2014, a large group of production designers working under leading Indian art director Sabu Cyril was assigned the task of constructing a 45 foot tall gold statue inspired by the Colossus of Rhodes, with the intention of replicating the size and grandeur on celluloid.

Where would you have recently seen such a construction?

1.

The Answer is …

2.

Constructed by the Norwegian government in 2008, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a long-term underground storage facility for seed samples from around the world secured in case of a global disaster.

Just 7 years after its opening, it received a request last month for withdrawal of seeds by a certain country – in the wake of the tough times it is currently going through. As many as 1/3rd of the country’s 325 boxes of seeds have been requested for, and will soon be sent out.

Which country is this?

The Answer is …

Syria.

3.

The following are a few recently released artistic impressions, based on scientifically current renderings.

Where would you be, if you were to take in these sights?

The Answer is …

Pluto.

4.

Turnitin is a recent cloud based Software as a Service (SaaS) based out of Broadway that is quickly gaining traction from professors and students in universities world over – a boon to one of them and a bane to the other.

What service does the software offer?

The Answer is …

Plagiarism checks.

5.

In which city outside India would you find this street, named after the person you see in this statue?

The Answer is …

Tashkent.

6.

In a recent interview, when asked about his current role as an American politician on a TV series, this famous actor responded referring to his previous role that lasted for close to 8 years and said – “I can’t remember any of the lines at all but when ‘action’ is shouted I start limping. I’m like a dog that’s been prodded with electrodes.”

Who?

The Answer is …

Hugh Laurie.

7.

The following are a set of before-and-after images from a certain place that capture the contrast between today’s times and those that prevailed about 7 decades ago.

Which place(s)?

The Answer is …

Hiroshima – Nagasaki.

8.

As commonplace as these things are today, they were only founded in the 1930s by Swedish inventor Gideon Sundback, who tried to come up with a modern and quicker alternative to an everyday activity.

The tool came to be named after a comment made by an owner of a clothing company who said, “What we need is an action word, something that will dramatize the way the thing ____, so why not call it a _____?”

What commonly used tool, that now bears the acronym of a Japanese company which has a monopoly on its production?

The Answer is …

Zippers.

9.

Discovered recently in the walls of this famous location during its renovation, these hand-written notes of a pioneering process in the field of Computer Science are reminder of the struggles endured by this team working in crude conditions and under strict security rules, which enhances the value of their achievement in the 1940s.

Whom did these notes belong to?

The Answer is …

Alan Turing.

In the earlier drafts of the screenplay written in the mid-70s, this director chose to name his chief character ‘Starkiller ’.

However, he had second thoughts during filming as he felt the name suggested a cult leader on the lines of Charles Manson who had shot to limelight for all the wrong reasons around the same time. The name was eventually changed.

What famous surname resulted?

10.

The Answer is …

Skywalker.

Starred Questions Begin.

11.

With its invention in 1841, the eponymous inventor sought to combine the subtlety of woodwinds with the power of big brass in a manner that was unlike anything the world had ever heard.

An ideal tool to inspire nationalism, it pleased military bands who struggled to match the bombast of politicians in an era of rampant nationalism. For classically trained musicians, however, this amounted to a heart-ache and was dubbed one of the most disruptive innovations in music.

Which instrument is being talked about?

The Answer is …

The Saxophone.

12.

A few key features of a part of the human body –

It holds the distinction of being the only body tissue with no blood vessels, as their presence would adversely effect its vital function.

It holds the highest concentration of nerve endings on the body’s surface, so much so that injury to a single cell on the surface would be enough to cause pain.

Since the same part of the shark’s body is very similar to a human’s, several such transplants have been carried out.

How do we better know this part of the body, whose medical terms often appropriately start with the Greek word for ‘horn’?

The Answer is …

The Cornea.

13.

Using the blanks in the title as a clue, identify the subject of this infographic.

The Answer is …

14.

i. What is the name given to this special kind of shot that you see in the video?

ii. To whose credit is this pioneering innovation, whose movies you see in the clip?

The Answer is …

The Point-Of-View shot, by the Coen Brothers.

15.

Proposed to be operational in 2017, this 2000 foot tall hotel will be largest in the world boasting of the most exquisite facilities and also project a dazzling green laser show at night.

However, the project hasn’t gone down very well with the locals. There are growing murmurs of dissent on how it inappropriately symbolizes riches in a city of austerity, apart from shutting out several regular tourists because of its price.

Where exactly is this hotel being constructed?

The Answer is …

Mecca.

16.

Excerpt from Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest.

At which famous location of global importance has this sequence been filmed?

The Answer is …

The UN headquarters in New York.

17.

This facility, containing a 36 by 20 foot dome and located near a barren volcano in Hawaii, is now home to a team of 6 voluntary individuals comprising a French astrobiologist, a German physicist and 4 Americans.

In many ways, the effort is similar to a famous one carried out at the Russian Academy of Sciences between 2007 and 2011.

What is the purpose of this facility?

The Answer is …

Isolation experiments for a manned

Mars mission.

18.

The following is a clip from a recent BBC show on which famous televised event of the early 1960s?

The Answer is …

The trial of Adolf Eichmann.

19.

Starting in the 1950s through an international competition won by Danish architect Jorn Utzon, the construction of this renowned structure was halted midway and Utzon was expelled after completing just the external structure.

The insides were then handed over to local architects who had done such a messy job of it that it has always been known as an acoustic nightmare. It is thus often said that the place is great to the eye but terrible to the ear.

Owing to its distinctive structure, alternative arrangements also needed to be made for its air conditioning systems which would otherwise ordinarily take the help of a chimney to release heat.

Which popular tourist location is being talked about?

The Answer is …

The Sydney Opera House.

20.

Released in 1973, this Hollywood film was a phenomenal success in its time amongst the masses as well as the critics, notching up a whopping 7 Academy Awards.

A heist film set in the 30s, the film follows the complicated plot by two professional scammers to con a mob boss into submission – inspired by a real life story perpetrated by brothers Fred and Charley Gondorff.

Apart from its own fame, the film popularized a certain term that would come to be associated with deeds such as the ones carried out by the protagonists.

What is the term?

The Answer is …

Sting.

21.

Many historians speculate that this book was inspired by the story of an 18th

century cabinet maker in Edinburgh, Scotland named Deacon Brodie, a respectable town councilor and an extremely successful craftsman. His job gave him access to the keys of the rich and famous, which he made copies of in order to rob them at night. After a string of heists, he was eventually caught and hanged.

Brodie's story fascinated the people of Edinburgh. The future writer grew up with a Brodie cabinet in his room, and in 1880, he co-wrote a play called Deacon Brodie, or the Double Life as a precursor to his book.

Which literary classic of the late 19th century is being talked about?

The Answer is …

22.

Tracing its origins to Ancient Greek and making its way into the English language in the 1600s, this word derives from a form of the local word for ‘within’.

Those who were deemed wise and worthy enough to attend Aristotle’s learned discussions were referred to by this word. Since this was material not easily comprehensible to outside observers, it eventually acquired the meaning of ‘difficult to understand’ and has since been a commonly used English word.

Which word’s origins are thus described?

The Answer is …

23.

In the initial days of playing this sport, it was observed that balls which were used and beaten appeared to yield much better results.

Over the years, aerodynamic analysis has suggested that this was due to the nicks and cuts acting as ‘turbulators’ that introduce a disturbance in the adjacent layer of air – which achieves the desired effect. Eventually, a formal, symmetric way of generating this turbulence was found and currently exists in the form of 380 to 432 of these on every ball.

What is this an explanation for?

The Answer is …

Dimples on golf balls.

24.

The current Governor of Rajasthan Kalyan Singh recently made a few comments on the national anthem that kicked up some controversy. Citing that its lyrics were outdated, he called for the replacement of a word that referred to the erstwhile British rulers and felt the anthem should not be honouring them.

Which word?

The Answer is …

25.

Discovered in 1820 on an Aegean island, this entity was bought out from a local farmer – who was unaware of its true value – for a paltry price and taken to its current habitat where it has been preserved since 1821.

While initially assumed to have originated from the Greek classical era, it was later found out that the piece was produced as early as 100 BC enhancing its value manifold. Speculated to have once adorned metal jewelry and colouredpaint, a few historians suggest that an 1820 fight between Turkish and French sailors is responsible for its current state of handicap.

What artefact is being talked about?

The Answer is …

Venus de Milo.

26.

The Retina display is one of the defining features of Apple’s products that enhances the user experience of its touch-screen devices.

According to a recent report that revealed a few ironic findings, the largest manufacturer of Apple’s retina display screens currently accounts for 62% of all iPad shipments. Apart from this, the company also manufactures all of Apple’s custom A-series processors at its famous chip fabrication facility in Austin, Texas. However, experts suggest this association is unlikely to last for much longer.

Which company is this?

The Answer is …

Samsung.

27.

The following are a few images from a Gothic structure in India constructed over a 10 year period starting in 1878.

When plans for its construction were being drawn out, one of the hotly discussed topics at the time was the architectural style for civic buildings across the British Empire. Although the Industrial Revolution was in full flow at the time, its designs and styles weren’t great favourites. Since the goal was to build grand, timeless buildings, officials chose to emulate England’s grandest cathedrals and thus chose the Gothic style of architecture for this construction – fused with several Indian motifs.

Which famous location is this?

The Answer is …

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.

28.

In August 1499, Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci touched down upon Lake Maracaibo and found indigenous huts such as these, built over stilts on water.

These sights reminded him of a famous location in another country, which lent its name in the local dialect to the country in question.

Name the country and the location it reminded him of.

The Answer is …

Venezuela, from Venice.

29.

Written in September 1975 and circulated at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference held that year, this pamphlet sought to tell the world about the terrible times prevailing in the country.

The author, who included this note in his 2008 autobiography, wrote – “William Shirer’s ‘The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich’ is regarded as a monumental, definitive work on the history of Nazi Germany. Going through it a second time these days, I have been greatly struck by the remarkable but disturbing similarity it portrays with my country. But all of us can do one thing in common – shed fear and speak the truth as we see it. This in itself will be no mean contribution to the cause of democracy.”

Who was the author, one of many imprisoned during the time?

The Answer is …

30.

A German company Cairos Technologies AG in partnership with Adidas is responsible for pioneering this defining feature of the sport.

According to the patent filed by the company, the Cairos system – as it has come to be known – involves embedding thin cables in the turf of the desired area. The electrical current that runs through the cables generates a magnetic field. A sensor measures the magnetic fields as soon as the object comes into contact with them and then transmits the required data to a central computer.

What feature is being talked about, that has finally seen the light of day following an infamous incident in a crucial 2010 game?

The Answer is …

Goal Line Technology.

Starred Questions End.

31.

Deriving from the name of a 7th century BC Athenian legislator who had written a code of law, this commonly used English word has come to denote cruelty and severity following from the legislator’s actions, often referring to disproportionate punishments.

While his code was intended to clarify existing laws, what stood out was the exaggerated nature of penalties in which even a minor offence would be punishable by death, and failure to repay debts could result in slavery.

What word is being talked about, that may remind some of us of a much disliked fictional character?

The Answer is …

Draconian.

32.

Apart from the 3 crore civilians that gathered for this popular event in India this year, it was also visited by top tech innovators like MIT, Nokia, Wikipedia, the Tata Center for Technology and Design, the IITs, Xerox – along with a whole host of startups.

Viewing it as a unique opportunity to work with a very large test group, they intended to study the stresses of rapid urbanization and create innovative solutions in the domains of health, housing, food, payments and transportation. Some of the products created cater to prevention of stampedes, curbing the spread of epidemics, instantly alerting medical personnel – among others.

Which is the event being referred to?

The Answer is …

Kumbh Mela.

Best known for its work on Life Of Pi in 2013, Prana Studios is a 3D, visual effects and animation company whose Mumbai based subsidiary has garnered much praise for an even bigger project this year.

Comprising over 800 employees, the division got down to working on a highly sophisticated brief handed down by one of America’s biggest production houses – to make characters out of creatures.

Apart from the CGI, the studio also made the set in a Spanish location and the crowd extensions for one of the iconic scenes of their project.

What exactly did they create?

33.

The Answer is …

The dragons in Game of Thrones.

34.

Pictured is a recent invention by a group of school students at the Benjamin Benneker Academic High School in Washington DC.

Priced at a deliberately low $15 and resulting from a $6,600 grant from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, it is anything but a profit-oriented product. Lightweight and portable, it is a small, cup-sized plastic cylinder that easily slips over a hydraulic hinge.

What brought about the need for such a device?

The Answer is …

School shootings.

35.

The modern name of this city can be traced back to ancient Hindu scriptures.

It is believed that this land, originally owned by the Pandavas and the Kauravas, was gifted to Dronacharya as a token of gratitude. The land thus came to be known after the relevant local words.

Etymological origins of which popular North Indian city?

The Answer is …

Guru + gaon = Gurgaon.

36.

The following video parodies two prominent Hollywood directors.

Identify both of them, in the right order.

The Answer is …

Quentin Tarantino, Wes Anderson.

37.

What myth, first reported in 1933, is this Google Street View experiment trying to explore?

The Answer is …

The Loch Ness Monster.

Lateral epicondylitis is a condition that is characterized by a visible soreness, owing to the chronic inflammation of the tendons that join the forearm muscles.

This is caused by the repetitive use of the extensor muscles of the forearm and is commonly seen among carpenters and labourers who often swing a hammer or some other tool with it.

What is the common name of this condition, that would have gained popularity in India in the mid-2000s?

38.

The Answer is …

Tennis Elbow.

39.

Following a string of accolades at film festivals this year, identify the inspiration behind this forthcoming film to be released later this month.

The Answer is …

40.

The following are a few recent images of a vintage 19th century structure that most people around the world have seen.

In order to protect the structure from long lasting damage – following an incident last year as well – authorities decided to bring about a change from the way we’ve all known it.

How do we better know this place?

The Answer is …

Pont Des Arts or the lovelocks bridge in Paris.

Finals to begin shortly!