Issue my Challenge! - 2 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Portugal

Portugal is a European country located in the Iberian peninsula, next to the Atlantic Ocean. The nation was once a major leader in the maritime world, giving humanity talented explorers like Vasco da Gama, Bartolomeu Dias, and Ferdinand Magellan. Once Portugal discovered and conquered Brazil and several African countries, they also became a powerful player in spice trade. In the 1970s, many of Portugal's remaining colonies in Africa gained independence, keeping the Azores and Madeira Islands.

Portugal joined the European Union in 1986 and functions as a constitutional republic. There is both a President and Prime Minister, though the latter (appointed by the former) is considered the head of government. The Portuguese Socialist Party is one of the most important political entities in the country, and frequently has members in high-ranking positions within the government. In September 2014, the party made history by being the first in Portugal to hold an open primary between their own candidates. Antonio Jose Seguro, who at the time was serving as general secretary of the party, was surprised by Antonio Costa's decision to challenge him. Costa, who was the mayor of the nation's capital, ended up winning by a landslide and was later appointed Prime Minister by President Cavaco Silva.

Answer: The New York Times

The New York Times was founded in 1851 by Henry Jarvis Raymond (a journalist who once served as a U.S. representative for New York) and banker George Jones. The Times started as a Republican-leaning publication, and its early investors included prominent Republicans like Edwin B. Morgan and Christopher Morgan. Towards the end of the 19th century, the paper transitioned to a more independent editorial line.

The New York Times and its journalists have been recognized on many occasions for their stories and reporting, winning more than 100 Pulitzer Prizes. Some examples of the prize-winning NYT journalists include John Fisher Burns in 1993 for his coverage of the ongoing conflicts in Bosnia, Michael Moss in 2010 for his story about food contamination, and the trio of David Barstow, Susanne Craig, and Russ Buettner in 2019 for their reporting about former President Trump's finances.

Answer: Richard Burton

Elizabeth Taylor is arguably one of the most iconic actresses of her time. Liz Taylor, as she is also known, was born in London but her two parents were American, allowing her to hold dual nationality. She started acting from a very young age, and though initially unsuccessful, she went on to become a celebrated artist. One of her most famous appearances was in the 1963 film "Cleopatra", in which she co-starred with Richard Burton. After Taylor's third husband Mike Todd died in a plane crash, she married singer Eddie Fisher, who in turn ended his relationship with Debbie Reynolds. The pair divorced in 1964 because Taylor began having an affair with Burton. Despite divorcing in 1974, Taylor and Burton got back together and re-married in 1975 (only to divorce again a year later!)

Richard Burton was also a prolific actor, both in theater and film. He acted in several productions of Shakespeare plays like "Hamlet" and "The Taming of the Shrew", and musicals like "Camelot", which earned him a Tony Award. Burton began a relationship with Taylor while filming "Cleopatra"; this was an enormous scandal at the time! Burton, who was known to have problems with alcoholism throughout his life, died in 1984 at the age of 58. Taylor passed away in 2011, aged 79, of congestive heart failure.

Answer: Coronavirus

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that affect the respiratory systems of humans and animals. Viruses in this group are capable of infecting human cells and of reproducing quickly, leading to disease and sometimes death. At the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic, many dubbed the disease as "coronavirus"; however, not all coronaviruses are created equal, and in fact, can cause sicknesses as mild as the common cold. The term comes from the spikes that come out of the virus, which make it look similar to a crown ("corona" in Latin).

Some of the most dangerous known coronavirus-caused diseases include SARS and MERS, both respiratory illnesses that can be lethal. In 2019, a new variant of coronavirus (later called SARS-CoV-2) emerged in Wuhan, China. The virus started spreading in the Asian country, and eventually reached Italy and Spain, after which it traveled to the United States and mostly every other country in the world. This virus, and its subsequent mutations that began appearing in countries like the United Kingdom and South Africa, has a high infection rate but does not affect everyone equally. In fact, asymptomatic carriers may have played an unintentionally important role in spreading the virus to others who might not have strong immune systems.

In March 2020, when COVID-19 was transitioning from an epidemic to a pandemic, the United States was starting to see an uptick in cases, while Mexico seemed largely unaffected. As time passed, China and many European countries began slowly recovering, while the cases (and deaths) in Mexico started rising rapidly. When I looked at that quiz title again while living through the pandemic, so many thoughts came into my head! Surely, that quiz may have been different if written with COVID-19 in mind.

Answer: Strangers

Xenophobia is the fear of strangers and is often associated with prejudiced views about people outside of one's own ingroup. There can be several degrees of xenophobia, from being unwilling to collaborate with colleagues with a different characteristic (such as race, gender, or nationality) to violent and large-scale acts of war and genocide.

While psychologists have left the possibility open that xenophobia could be a true fear in some cases, professionals argue that in most cases, it represents uninformed prejudice that inspires discrimination. Xenophobia could be directed to all strangers (everyone who is not like you) or particular groups, such as immigrants, foreigners, or different cultures.

Answer: Fat

Substances can either be hydrophilic (attracted to water) or lipophilic (attracted to lipids). In some cases, though, amphipathic compounds that have both of these properties can interact together. The phospholipid molecules within the cell membrane's bilayer function well because the hydrophobic/lipophilic regions are bound together, protected from polar substances by the outer hydrophilic heads. This characteristic also allows for permeability, which in turn lets the cell adjust and adapt when necessary.

Lipids are compounds that are not soluble in water. The most common examples are fats and waxes, including everyday items like butter and oil. Lipids help the body digest foods and produce energy, among other functions.

Answer: Franny and Zooey

Jerome David Salinger, better-known as J.D. Salinger, was an American writer who rose to fame with the book "The Catcher in the Rye". The book is about Holden Caulfield, a cynical 16-year-old in New York who feels ostracized by society and doesn't seem to like people being fake, or as he calls them, "phonies". Salinger once stated that in a way, the book was based on his own experiences and thoughts as a teenager. The book was widely praised and, though criticized for its content of foul language, is regarded as a classic work of American literature (and in fact, one of my favorite books!)

Salinger, who served in World War II, also wrote several collections of short stories. One of the most notable ones was "Franny and Zooey", which included stories Salinger had published before in "The New Yorker". It features a similar theme to "The Catcher in the Rye": the main character's disdain for the inauthenticity of other people.

Answer: The Sims

"The Sims" is a simulation game where players are enabled to make continuous choices that affect their character's career and relationships. The game, developed by the company Maxis (which itself was founded by "The Sims" creator Will Wright) became a prolific series with a variety of expansion packs.

These allowed players to explore the lives of their characters in many new environments, such as "University" or "Ambitions". The video game series won a Guinness World Record for "Most Expansion Packs for a Videogame Series". "The Sims" games are designed to be played on mostly any major platform, including PC, Xbox, Playstation, and Nintendo Wii.

Answer: A food

"Huaraches" are an open Mexican sandal typically made of leather. You might commonly find them being worn at a beach, although they have become popular enough to be worn as every-day shoes by people all over the Americas. Interestingly, a "huarache" can also refer to a traditional Mexican dish made of masa (dough), frijoles (beans), and a filling of meat and/or cheese covered by crema and salsa.

The two terms are not unrelated at all, since the food derives its name from the fact that it is shaped just like the sandal.

It is a must-try delicacy if you find yourself tasting Mexican food! (and a comfortable shoe to wear, too).

Answer: Dallas

This was a fun quiz to write because I was able to dig deep into the etymology of places all around the world. A portmanteau word is one that morphs two or more words into a single one. Calexico, for example, is a border city between Mexico and California, in the United States. Gansu combines the Chinese districts Ganzhou and Suzhou; Fairborn (in Ohio) is a mixture of Fairfield and Osborn; Sandton contains parts of the names of South African suburbs Sandown and Bryanston.

Dallas, a name that can refer to the major American city in Texas or a small village in Scotland, is not a portmanteau word. The city in the United States may have been named that because of a person with an eponymous last name. The Scottish village's name is believed to come from Pictish or Welsh words that translate to "meadow" or "abode".