A practice quiz hosted by me on the occasion of Boxing Day.

1. BOXING
DAY QUIZ
PUT TOGETHER BY,
PRABHJOT SINGH A.K.A. PRABHI

2. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
1. 1. THE QUIZMASTER’S DECISION IS FINAL IN
ALL THE MATTERS OF THIS QUIZ.
2. 2. THERE ARE 25 QUESTIONS IN TOTAL.
3. 3. PLEASE DON’T GOOGLE!

3. ALL THE BEST!

4. Q1.
1. The origin of this strange practice is believed to be from medieval France,
though the origins of this convention remain obscure.
2. It is possible that clock faces were used in the activity, and for each
achievement the hand moved a quarter in favour of the achiever. When the
hand reached the 12 O’ clock mark, the activity moved on to the next phase.
3. But because of the two partakers in the activity reaching the 12 O’ clock mark
simultaneously would be a problem, the 3rd and the subsequent movements
were reduced to only one-sixth of the total rotation. This ensured a just
encounter.
4. What practice am I talking of?

5. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

6. ANSWER =
The Scoring
in Lawn
Tennis

7. Q2.
1. Gattaca is a 1997 Sci-Fi/Romance film starring Ethan Hawke, Uma
Thurman and Jude Law.
2. The film shows a glimpse of a futuristic society driven by the belief of
improving the genetic quality of human population, where potential
children are conceived through genetic manipulation to ensure they
possess the best hereditary traits of their parents.
3. The naming of the film’s title is based on the same precinct.
4. What is the funda behind the naming of the film?

8. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

9. ANSWER = The
name is based
on Guanine (G),
Adenine (A),
Thymine (T) and
Cytosine (C), the
four
nucleobases of
DNA

10. Q3.
1. The imperial amazon parrot, also known as the sisserou parrot, is
found specifically within the 90 km square of the mountainous
rainforest near the Morne Diablotins and Morne Trois Pitons National
Park.
2. This parrot, endemic to an island nation, is an endangered species
with a population of only 250-300 individuals.
3. A related species, the Jaco or red-necked parrot, is also a endemic to
this island. Both birds are rare and protected by the government.
4. The sisserou is the national bird of which country?

12. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

13. ANSWER
=
Dominica

14. Q4.
1. According to folklore, in 1670, in Cologne, Germany, the choirmaster
at Cologne Cathedral, wished to remedy the noise caused by children
in his church during the Living Creche tradition of Christmas Eve, and
so he asked a local sweet maker to help him.
2. In order to justify the practice of giving sweets to children during
worship services, he made a certain alteration which would help
children remember the shepherds who visited the infant Jesus.
3. In addition, he used the white colour of the sweets to teach children
about the Christian belief in the sinless life of Jesus.
4. What did he end up creating?

15. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

16. ANSWER =
Candy
Canes

17. Q5.
The Hedgehog and the Fox is a popular essay written by philosopher Isiah Berlin.
Written in the 1930s, the essay views writers and thinkers as divided into two
groups – hedgehogs, who view the world through a single idea or concept, and
foxes who draw on a variety of experiences and do not rely on a single idea.
In a recent football podcast, famous tactician Jonathan Wilson uses this
comparison to highlight the one dimensional football Manchester United find
themselves stuck with. He refers to them as hedgehogs and then says when was
the last time a football team equivalent of a hedgehog won a major tournament.
However he immediately followed up by saying in light of recent history, this
might not have been the best comparison to make.
Why was his comparison ironic?

18. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

19. ANSWER =
Leicester City
winning the
2015-16 Premier
League ; the
irony is that they
are nicknamed
“The Foxes”

20. Q6.
1. Spotted Harlequin Phalaenopsis is a variety of orchid, which are easy
to cultivate, and requires windowsill light and consistent moisture.
2. In a certain TV series back in news, the lead character takes a aconite
(a poisonous plant) from his girlfriend’s garden. His girlfriend later
visits him and gives him a spotted harlequin phalaenopsis mentioning
that he took the wrong plant with him. Now this phalaenopsis has a
symbolic meaning connected to him and so she gifted it to him.
3. Which TV show?
4. How is this symbolic?

22. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

23. ANSWER =
Dexter ; Dexter
is a blood
spatter analyst
and the flower
looks like a
blood spatter

24. Q7.
1. This condition has shown a high heritability (>80%), and is one which cannot
be treated, but managed. There is a strong male predominance, and there is
no discernible brain injury or lesion, dismissing popular beliefs.
2. A breakthrough study in brain imaging studies came in 2002, when
connectivity deficits were identified. Specifically the left SLF, a data highway is
thinner in people with this condition, putting forward the idea that the
condition is a result of abnormal auditory-motor-integration.
3. Many famous people have had this condition, with a famous Greek orator
treating it with pebbles. Another in news individual growing up in the late
1940s/early 50s, was given a nickname “Bye-Bye” due to the condition, and
used Emerson and Yeats to get out of it.
4. What condition and who is being talked about?

25. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

26. ANSWER =
Stuttering ;
Joe Biden

27. Q8.
1. X had fearsome reputation as a dogfighter when it was
introduced, but as enemy technology caught up and its own
ingrained design weaknesses, like the absence of a hydraulic
ailerons or rudder, which made it manoeuvrable at higher
speeds, which caused it to eventually fail and be forgotten.
2. Give X, that despite its name had a kill ratio of 12 to 1 in early
years.
3. What was X eventually used for once it was no longer suited
for dogfighting?

28. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

29. ANSWER =
Mitsubishi
Zero ;
Kamikaze
Attacks

30. Q9.
1. Their contents have provoked endless discussion and even a book by
author Phil Dampier. Manufactured exclusively by Launer, they
perform a role well beyond the obvious.
2. Often packed with mints, a handkerchief and a fountain pen, the item
in question possesses a portable hook for it to hung underneath
tables.
3. When placed on the table it signifies that it is time to leave while
placed on the floor is an indication of availability and interest to talk.
4. What am I talking about?

31. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

32. ANSWER =
The Queen’s
Handbag

33. Q10.
1. Originally planned to help host the Beijing Olympics in 2008, the
Guangdong Olympic Centre Stadium or Aoti Main Stadium is a multi-
purpose stadium in Guangzhou, China. Built at the former site of the
Hangcun airport, it was opened to the public for the 9th National
Games in 2001.
2. What major global sporting event was the stadium eventually used
for?
3. Have a good look at the image (in the next slide) and tell what is the
shape of the stadium supposed to represent as per designer Jon
Neimuth?

35. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

36. ANSWER =
Asian and
Para Asian
Games 2010 ;
An image of a
runner
breaking the
tape

37. Q11.
1. In the summer of 1884, X complained of a sore throat but put off seeing a
doctor until late October, when he learned it was cancer, possibly caused by
his frequent cigar smoking. He chose not to reveal the seriousness of his
condition to his wife, who soon found out from his doctor.
2. X was nearly broke and worried constantly about leaving his wife a suitable
amount of money to live on. Century magazine offered a book contract with a
10 percent royalty, but his friend Y understanding how bad his financial
condition was, made him an offer for his memoirs which paid an unheard-of
75 percent royalty.
3. Give X, whose miseries have been chronicled as thus.
4. Who is Y, the Sudama-esque friend, who went on to state that the memoirs
were a literary masterpiece?

38. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

39. ANSWER =
Ulysses S.
Grant ;
Mark Twain

40. Q12.
1. Rats, also known as Rats NYC, is a 2016 American
documentary/horror film directed by Morgan Spurlock.
2. Based on a book by Robert Sullivan and distributed by the Discovery
Channel, the film chronicles rat infestations in major cities throughout
the world.
3. Spurlock also travels to India to a very specific site as a part of the
journey to a place where over 35k black rats are revered by devotees
who believe them to be reincarnated human beings.
4. Where?

41. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

42. ANSWER =
Karni Mata
Temple,
Deshnoke,
Rajasthan

43. Q13.
1. A port-wine or nevus flammeus is caused by a vascular anomaly (a
capillary malformation in the skin) and is almost always a birthmark.
2. A famous individual was subject to a lot of caricature courtesy the
anomaly. Though some suggested that he might have the mark
surgically removed, he opted not to, as once he was publicly known
to have the mark.
3. This reluctance stemmed from the fact that he did not want people to
believe he paid too much attention to his appearance in light of other
pressing issues.
4. Who is this famous individual?

44. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

45. ANSWER =
Mikhail
Gorbachev

46. Q14.
1. In France, a certain operator was already being used to make Roman
Numerals more readable, so they switched to something more
readable, so they switched to something that 24% of the world uses
today. The influence of French mathematicians at that point of time
ensured it’s spread across Europe.
2. But this usage would be unusual for most people in this part of the
world, as is understandable.
1. What are these two operators and what am I talking about?

47. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

48. ANSWER = This is
why a certain set
of countries use
commas to
separate the
decimal while
others use a dot

49. Q15.
In 2014, SD Eibar were Liga Adalente champions and made their
way to the La Liga for the first time in their history.
Celebrations following the last game of the season usually
involves confetti, and for a change, Eibar’s management didn’t
buy their share of confetti from the market, but from an unusual
source.
Who sold the confetti to Eibar?

50. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

51. ANSWER = FC
Barcelona, who
lost to Atletico
Madrid on the
final day of the
2013-14
season of La
Liga

52. Q16.
1. The Bowen knot (also known as the heraldic knot in symbolism) is not
a true knot, but is rather a heraldic knot. It is named after the
Welshman James Bowen, and is also called true lover’s knot.
2. It consists of a rope in the form of a continuous loop laid out as an
upright square shape with loops at each of the four corners. Since the
rope is not actually knotted, it would in topological terms be
considered an unknot.
3. Where would you see the most famous example of this knot?

53. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

54. ANSWER = On
the command
key on Apple
keyboards

55. Q17.
1. Christopher Evan Welch was an American actor who died due to
complications of lung cancer on December 2, 2013.
2. Apart from cameos in Law and Order, The Sopranos and roles in the
2008 films What Just Happened, Vicky Christina Barcelona, and
Synecdoche, New York, his major claim to fame was a role he
portrayed in a TV series, right before his untimely death. This also led
to the on screen death of the character he was playing.
3. Which character/TV series and who is the supposed inspiration for
the same?

56. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

57. ANSWER =
Peter
Gregory ;
based on
Peter Thiel

58. Q18.
Alcor, a faint star has a high place in Indian traditions. It is believed that
when someone is nearing the death, one can’t see Alcor with naked eye
due to its faintness. It also symbolises love, loyalty, and affection. Not
only a dying person, but even most young couples can’t see when they
are asked to do so!
What is the Indian name of Alcor?
Hint:- This name is also the name of a very famous Indian author who
has won the Man Booker Prize.

59. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

60. ANSWER =
Arundhati
(The author
being
Arundhati
Roy)

61. Q19.
1. The Great Western Garment, is a Levi Strauss acquired denim and
western wear clothing company founded in 1911 in Edmonton,
Canada.
2. During the 1950s they developed a technique for its products,
increasing the softness and flexibility of the rigid denim fabric.
3. Identify the technology still popular in the textile manufacturing
process? And what is the modern day purpose behind the
technology?

62. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

63. ANSWER =
Stonewash ;
used to give
newly
manufactured
cloth garment a
worn-out
appearance

64. Q20.
There was a remarkable spike in the usage of a term in Singapore in
April 2020 when it was adopted by Singaporeans as a name for their
government’s stay-at-home regulations. A few months later, in
September and October, the term became a much-used term in British
English, describing a short, fixed term set of restrictions which
scientists recommended the government should implement in order to
stem another incoming tide of coronavirus infections.
Identify the term that was initially described by Thomas Alva Edison in
1879 and now considered by the Oxford English Dictionary as one of
the “Words of an unprecedented war.”

65. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

66. ANSWER =
Circuit
Breaker

67. Q21.
1. X (“Surge Fist” or “Wave Motion Fist”) is a special attack in the anime
Y.
2. It is often referred to as a “fireball” due to its appearance, despite
few instances of the move actually producing flames.
3. X is a surging punch in which a fighter’s willpower is utilized to focus
energy into and through the palms. As the palms are thrust outwards
towards the target, a surging energy wave is expelled that results in
a punching force travelling through the air in the opponent’s
direction.
4. If X is inspired by the classic series Z, name X, Y and Z.

68. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

69. ANSWER =
Hadoken ;
Street
Fighter ;
Dragon Ball
Z

70. Q22.
1. In the naming of the electric locomotives of India the following syntax is
followed:-
2. The first letter indicates the gauge (broad, metre and narrow).
3. The second letter indicates the motive power (diesel, DC electric, AC electric
and both DC and AC).
4. The third letter indicates the job type (goods, passenger, mixed, shunting,
multiple unit and railcar).
5. So according to this syntax, a certain series of locomotives, manufactured by
the Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) came into news in 2020 for a
completely different reason.
6. What is the name of this locomotive series which gained worldwide attention
in 2020?

71. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

72. ANSWER =
WAP (Wide
AC electric
passenger)

73. Q23.
1. To X is to endure a painful or otherwise unpleasant situation that is seen as
unavoidable.
2. The phrase was first recorded by Y in his 1891 novel “The Light that Failed.”
3. It has been suggested that it is derived historically from the practice of having
a patient ________ in their teeth as a way to cope with the pain of a surgical
procedure with anesthetic, though evidence for X is sparse and it is seen that
leather strap was mostly used.
4. It has been speculated to have evolved from the British expression which used
cartridge, which dates back to the Indian Rebellion of 1857. A 1975 American
Western film X shows this activity in its literal sense.
5. Give X and Y.

74. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

75. ANSWER =
Bite the
bullet ;
Rudyard
Kipling

76. Q24.
1. Bir Tawil, literally meaning “tall water well”, is a 2600 km square area of land
along the border between Egypt and the Sudan.
2. When spoken of in association with the neighbouring Halaib Triangle, it is
sometimes referred to as the Bir Tawil Triangle, despite the area’s
quadrilateral shape; the two triangles border at a quadripoint.
3. Bir Tawil has no settled population but the land is used by Bedouins who roam
the area.
4. What makes Bir Tawil unique as explained by the author Alastair Bonnett in
2014? Also give me the exact term X, which was a principle sometimes used in
international law.

77. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

78. ANSWER = The
only habitable
place on Earth
unclaimed by
any recognized
government ;
Terra Nullius
meaning
“Nobody’s Land”

79. Q25.
Connect:-

80. AND THE
ANSWER
IS ->

81. ANSWER =
Prashant
Bhushan

82. THANKS!