QUIZ - 90

Last week I was in the Great Rann of Kutch with a group of birders. Here are 10 questions about birds:

1. What term describes birds that have two toes projecting forwards and two projecting backwards?

2. Measuring 2.5 inches long and weighing 1.6 grams, what is the smallest bird in the world?

3. Many birds have a gland located at the base of their tail, which secretes an oil that the birds use for preening themselves. What is the name of this gland?

4. What term is used to describe birds that have their eyes open at hatching and leave the nest almost immediately after hatching to find food for themselves?

5. With cruising speeds of 65-90 km/hr which is the fastest bird on earth?

6. What is Warbler Neck?

7. What term is used to describe birdwatchers who travel long distances to see a rare bird that can then be ticked off a list?

8. Which bird lays the largest egg weighing as much as 1.4 kg?

9. What is the name of the vocal organ of birds located at the base of the windpipe?

10. Name the bird order that accounts for more than half of all bird species

Answers to Quiz - 89

1. The increase in concentration of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is the reason for global warming. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is presently 385 ppm. What was the 19th Century pre-industrial level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

280 ppm

2. The loss of ice from the Petermann and Jakobshavn glaciers are one of the most closely monitored signals of global warming. Where are these two glaciers located?

Greenland

3. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was adopted in 1992 at a UN conference in Rio de Janeiro. By what popular name is this conference known?

Earth Summit

4. What is the popular term used by energy experts for household gadgets that waste power while on standby mode?

Vampires

5. One of the key strategies that will be a major focus at the Copenhagen Conference is REDD, presently not covered under the Kyoto Protocol. What is REDD?

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation

6. The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 passed in June 2009 is the first attempt of the US Congress to address climate change through legislation. By what popular name, after its authors, is this act known?

Waxman-Markey Bill

7. As a consequence of massive de-industrialisation that followed the fall of communism, Russia and other East European countries have a huge accumulated pile of unused pollution credits granted by the Kyoto Protocol. What is the popular term for this surplus credit that reportedly runs into billions?

Russian Hot Air

8. What term describes jobs in the environment friendly sector of the economy?

Green Collar Jobs

9. Commissioned by the British Government and released in October 2006, what is the name of the biggest and most widely discussed report on the economic impact of climate change?

The Stern Review

10. What target level above the pre-industrial times has been proposed for limiting the global warming?

2 degree Celsius

QUIZ - 89

The UN Conference on Climate Change in currently in progress at Copenhagen. 10 questions on climate change and global warming:


1. The increase in concentration of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is the reason for global warming. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is presently 385 ppm. What was the 19th Century pre-industrial level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

2. The loss of ice from the Petermann and Jakobshavn glaciers are one of the most closely monitored signals of global warming. Where are these two glaciers located?

3. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was adopted in 1992 at a UN conference in Rio de Janeiro. By what popular name is this conference known?

4. What is the popular term used by energy experts for household gadgets that waste power while on standby mode?

5. One of the key strategies that will be a major focus at the Copenhagen Conference is REDD, presently not covered under the Kyoto Protocol. What is REDD?

6. The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 passed in June 2009 is the first attempt of the US Congress to address climate change through legislation. By what popular name, after its authors, is this act known?

7. As a consequence of massive de-industrialisation that followed the fall of communism, Russia and other East European countries have a huge accumulated pile of unused pollution credits granted by the Kyoto Protocol. What is the popular term for this surplus credit that reportedly runs into billions?

8. What term describes jobs in the environment friendly sector of the economy?

9. Commissioned by the British Government and released in October 2006, what is the name of the biggest and most widely discussed report on the economic impact of climate change?

10. What target level above the pre-industrial times has been proposed for limiting the global warming?

Answers to Quiz - 88

1) Government of India has banned cell phones that do not have the IMEI number with effect from 1st December. What does IMEI stand for?

International Mobile Equipment Identity

2) The Bandra-Worli Sea Link is the country’s longest cable-stayed bridge. Name the company owned by Ajit Gulabchand that built this bridge.

Hindustan Construction Company

3) To which town in Gujarat did Tata Motors shift their facility to manufacture NANO after the prolonged agitation in Singur?

Sanand

4) Name the Canada based company that manufactures Blackberry phones

RIM (Research in Motion)

5) This year the CAT for IIM went online. Name the company headquartered in Baltimore, USA which provides this online testing.

Prometric

6) What unique distinction is shared by Bishwanath Das, F.A.Khonglam and Madhu Koda?

Independent legislators who were elected as Chief Ministers

7) What was declared as the most popular English word of 2009?

Twitter

8) Last month Mumbai narrowly escaped being hit by the cyclone Phyan. From what language is the word Phyan, meaning a cherry fallen from tree, derived?

Burmese

9) The most viewed single day sporting event in the world is a race that takes place in England every spring between 2 teams. What is this race which has been held every year since 1856, except during the 2 world wars?

The Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge Universirty on the river Thames in London

10) There is an apocryphal story that William Webb Ellis accidentally invented a new game by committing a foul in another game. Today his name is immortalized with this game by William Webb Ellis Cup being awarded to the World Champions. What game did he invent?

Rugby

11) Which 2 teams compete annually in a Rugby match for the Calcutta Cup?

England and Scotland

12) What term named after a famous Indian cricketer is used to describe the dismissal in which the bowler runs out a non-striking batsman for backing up beyond the crease?

Mankaded after Vinoo Mankad

13) What sport uses the terms - Fletch, Petticoat, Bodkin and Tiller?

Archery

14) Lionel Messi of Argentina has been declared this year's European Footballer of the Year.

What award will be presented to him?
Ballon d'Or or Golden Ball
15) In 1984, Uwe Hohn from the then East Germany threw the Javelin to an amazing 104.8 metres. What change happened as a consequence of this phenomenal throw?
The Javelin was redesigned to keep it within the safe confines of the field and records were restarted
16) On the 2nd Saturday of August every year a spectacular boat race takes place in the Punnamada Lake in Kerala and is witnessed by more than 2 lakh people including foreign tourists. What trophy is awarded to the winners?
Nehru Trophy
17) Who wrote the famous play Charandas Chor?
Habib Tanvir
18) What is the nationality of Hercule Poirot, the famous fictional detective created by Agatha Christie?
Belgian
19) She was born in Russia and her real name was Alisa Rosenbaum. By what name do we know this novelist who achieved cult status with her 2 books that developed the philosophy of objectivism?
Ayn Rand
20) Satyavrat Shastri and Ravindra Kelekar were jointly awarded the Jnanpith Award, India's highest literary prize, for year 2006 (declared in 2008). What 2 Indian languages were recognised for the first time by this award?
Sanskrit and Konkani
21) Which Booker Prize winning novel is written in the form of a long letter to the Prime Minister of China?
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
22) What prestigious awards are conferred annually by Columbia University for achievements in American journalism, literature and music from an endowment created by a Hungarian born newspaper publisher?
Pulitzer Prizes
23) Jaswant Singh stirred up a controversy this year by his book on Jinnah. Name his 2006 book which had stirred up a similar controversy suggesting that there was a mole in PM's office.
A Call to Honour: In Service of Emergent India
24) Who recently wrote the book - The Last Bullet?
Vinita Kamte, wife of police officer Ashok Kamte who died during 26/11 Mumbai attack
25) One of the finest examples of viviparous plants are the Mangroves. What are viviparous plants?
They produce seeds that germinate before they detach from the parent
26) The Seahorse is an important member of the Syngnathidae family, the only family in the entire animal kingdom to exhibit a unique characteristic. What is this unique feature?
Male pregnancy
27) The gender of the offspring in crocodiles is determined not by genetics but in another unique way. How?
Temperature at which the eggs are incubated
28) Cavendish is the most widely grown kind of this very popular fruit. What fruit are we talking about?
Banana
29) What volcano is world's longest erupting volcano? It is called the 'Lighthouse of the Mediterranean' as it has continuously erupted several times an hour for thousands of years, guiding sailors
Stromboli
30) BT Brinjal is India's first genetically modified food. What does BT stand for?
Bacillus Thuringiensis, the soil bacteria from which a gene has been transplanted into Brinjal
31) What is the difference between isthmus and strait?
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger landmasses. A strait is a narrow body of water that connects two larger bodies of water
32) At 2600 m located in the Nilgris, what is the tallest peak of South India?
Doddabetta (Big Mountain)

33) Which actor (male or female) has won the maximum number (4) of Oscars?

Katharine Hepburn

34) He was a Norwegian politician who assisted Nazi Germany to invade Norway and then collaborated with them to form a Government. His name has been immortalized in English language to mean traitor. Who is he?

Quisling

35) Washingon, the capital of USA is named after the first American President George Washington. Which is the only other capital city in the world to be named after an American President?

Monrovia, the capital of Liberia after James Monroe

36) Name the king from Greek mythology who was punished with the endless task of rolling a huge boulder up a hill only to see it rolling back down.

Sisyphus

37) He fought in 3 major wars - WWI, WWII and Korean War. President Truman dismissed him for insubordination. He is one of the only 5 men to rise to the rank of General of the Army, the 2nd highest rank in the US Army. One of the most controversial figures in American history, he was nicknamed 'Gaijjin Shogun' (Foreign Military Leader). Name him.

General Douglas MacArthur

38) She had a sweet high pitched voice but during the middle of her career lost it during an illness. When she recovered her voice had acquired a masculine timbre and she continued to sing in a voice that was more powerful than male singers. Name this doyenne of Kirana Gharana.

Gangubai Hangal

39) Name the company founded by Henry, Emanuel and Mayer, the 3 sons of a cattle merchant, after they migrated from Germany to USA in 1850's

Lehman Brothers

40) Who was the first Law Minister of India?

B.R.Ambedkar

41) Bar coding of products is a routine thing today. What was the first product in the world to be bar coded in June 1974?

Wrigley's chewing gum

42) If you ask for Doggy Bag after eating in a restaurant what would you get?

Left over food packed in a bag for taking home

43) What word was crowned as the millionth word of English language in June this year?

Web 2.0

44) What former name of an Indian city also means a lighweight cotton fabric in a checked or striped pattern?

Madras

45) If nano denotes 10 raised to power of minus 9, what is the term for 10 raised to power of plus 9?

Giga

46) What is the name of the symbol & ?

Ampersand

47) What recently became India's highest broad gauge railway station at an altitude of 1722 m?

Qazigund near Srinagar

48) If you have triskaidekaphobia what would you be afraid of?

Number 13

49) Created by an ancient Greek mathematician what is the Sieve of Eratosthenes used for?

For finding prime numbers upto a specified integer

50) A nearly identical eclipse occurs after a period of 18 years 11 days and 8 hours. What is this eclipse cycle called?

Saros Cycle

51) What are the only 2 elements that are liquid at the room temperature of 25 deg C?

Mercury and Bromine

52) Name the endocrine gland in our brain that secretes melatonin, the hormone that regulates our waking and sleeping pattern.

Pineal Gland

53) What is the 10-point Mohs scale used to measure?

Hardness of minerals

54) The 180 million year period during which dinosaurs lived are divided into 3 parts - Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous. What is the collective name for this period?

Mesozoic Era

55) Ceres used to be the largest asteroid in the solar system. But in 2006 after International Astronomical Union redefined the term planet, Pluto and Ceres became dwarf planets. What is currently the largest asteroid after this reclassification?

Vesta

56) What is limnology?

Study of inland waters

QUIZ - 88

This is a special quiz. I asked these questions at an Inter-School quiz competition.


1) Government of India has banned cell phones that do not have the IMEI number with effect from 1st December. What does IMEI stand for?

2) The Bandra-Worli Sea Link is the country’s longest cable-stayed bridge. Name the company owned by Ajit Gulabchand that built this bridge.

3) To which town in Gujarat did Tata Motors shift their facility to manufacture NANO after the prolonged agitation in Singur?

4) Name the Canada based company that manufactures Blackberry phones

5) This year the CAT for IIM went online. Name the company headquartered in Baltimore, USA which provides this online testing.

6) What unique distinction is shared by Bishwanath Das, F.A.Khonglam and Madhu Koda?

7) What was declared as the most popular English word of 2009?

8) Last month Mumbai narrowly escaped being hit by the cyclone Phyan. From what language is the word Phyan, meaning a cherry fallen from tree, derived?

9) The most viewed single day sporting event in the world is a race that takes place in England every spring between 2 teams. What is this race which has been held every year since 1856, except during the 2 world wars?

10) There is an apocryphal story that William Webb Ellis accidentally invented a new game by committing a foul in another game. Today his name is immortalized with this game by William Webb Ellis Cup being awarded to the World Champions. What game did he invent?

11) Which 2 teams compete annually in a Rugby match for the Calcutta Cup?

12) What term named after a famous Indian cricketer is used to describe the dismissal in which the bowler runs out a non-striking batsman for backing up beyond the crease?

13) What sport uses the terms - Fletch, Petticoat, Bodkin and Tiller?

14) Lionel Messi of Argentina has been declared this year's European Footballer of the Year. What award will be presented to him?

15) In 1984, Uwe Hohn from the then East Germany threw the Javelin to an amazing 104.8 metres. What change happened as a consequence of this phenomenal throw?

16) On the 2nd Saturday of August every year a spectacular boat race takes place in the Punnamada Lake in Kerala and is witnessed by more than 2 lakh people including foreign tourists. What trophy is awarded to the winners?

17) Who wrote the famous play Charandas Chor?

18) What is the nationality of Hercule Poirot, the famous fictional detective created by Agatha Christie?

19) She was born in Russia and her real name was Alisa Rosenbaum. By what name do we know this novelist who achieved cult status with her 2 books that developed the philosophy of objectivism?

20) Satyavrat Shastri and Ravindra Kelekar were jointly awarded the Jnanpith Award, India's highest literary prize, for year 2006 (declared in 2008). What 2 Indian languages were recognised for the first time by this award?

21) Which Booker Prize winning novel is written in the form of a long letter to the Prime Minister of China?

22) What prestigious awards are conferred annually by Columbia University for achievements in American journalism, literature and music from an endowment created by a Hungarian born newspaper publisher?

23) Jaswant Singh stirred up a controversy this year by his book on Jinnah. Name his 2006 book which had stirred up a similar controversy suggesting that there was a mole in PM's office.

24) Who recently wrote the book - The Last Bullet?

25) One of the finest examples of viviparous plants are the Mangroves. What are viviparous plants?

26) The Seahorse is an important member of the Syngnathidae family, the only family in the entire animal kingdom to exhibit a unique characteristic. What is this unique feature?

27) The gender of the offspring in crocodiles is determined not by genetics but in another unique way. How?

28) Cavendish is the most widely grown kind of this very popular fruit. What fruit are we talking about?

29) What volcano is world's longest erupting volcano? It is called the 'Lighthouse of the Mediterranean' as it has continuously erupted several times an hour for thousands of years, guiding sailors.

30) BT Brinjal is India's first genetically modified food. What does BT stand for?

31) What is the difference between isthmus and strait?

32) At 2600 m located in the Nilgris, what is the tallest peak of South India?

33) Which actor (male or female) has won the maximum number (4) of Oscars?

34) He was a Norwegian politician who assisted Nazi Germany to invade Norway and then collaborated with them to form a Government. His name has been immortalized in English language to mean traitor. Who is he?

35) Washingon, the capital of USA is named after the first American President George Washington. Which is the only other capital city in the world to be named after an American President?

36) Name the king from Greek mythology who was punished with the endless task of rolling a huge boulder up a hill only to see it rolling back down.

37) He fought in 3 major wars - WWI, WWII and Korean War. President Truman dismissed him for insubordination. He is one of the only 5 men to rise to the rank of General of the Army, the 2nd highest rank in the US Army. One of the most controversial figures in American history, he was nicknamed 'Gaijjin Shogun' (Foreign Military Leader). Name him.

38) She had a sweet high pitched voice but during the middle of her career lost it during an illness. When she recovered her voice had acquired a masculine timbre and she continued to sing in a voice that was more powerful than male singers. Name this doyenne of Kirana Gharana.

39) Name the company founded by Henry, Emanuel and Mayer, the 3 sons of a cattle merchant, after they migrated from Germany to USA in 1850's

40) Who was the first Law Minister of India?

41) Bar coding of products is a routine thing today. What was the first product in the world to be bar coded in June 1974?

42) If you ask for Doggy Bag after eating in a restaurant what would you get?

43) What word was crowned as the millionth word of English language in June this year?

44) What former name of an Indian city also means a lighweight cotton fabric in a checked or striped pattern?

45) If nano denotes 10 raised to power of minus 9, what is the term for 10 raised to power of plus 9?

46) What is the name of the symbol & ?

47) What recently became India's highest broad gauge railway station at an altitude of 1722 m?

48) If you have triskaidekaphobia what would you be afraid of?

49) Created by an ancient Greek mathematician what is the Sieve of Eratosthenes used for?

50) A nearly identical eclipse occurs after a period of 18 years 11 days and 8 hours. What is this eclipse cycle called?

51) What are the only 2 elements that are liquid at the room temperature of 25 deg C?

52) Name the endocrine gland in our brain that secretes melatonin, the hormone that regulates our waking and sleeping pattern.

53) What is the 10-point Mohs scale used to measure?

54) The 180 million year period during which dinosaurs lived are divided into 3 parts - Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous. What is the collective name for this period?

55) Ceres used to be the largest asteroid in the solar system. But in 2006 after International Astronomical Union redefined the term planet, Pluto and Ceres became dwarf planets. What is currently the largest asteroid after this reclassification?

56) What is limnology?