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Quiz about Mangled Metaphors Malapropisms and More
Quiz about Mangled Metaphors Malapropisms and More

Mangled Metaphors, Malapropisms, and More! Quiz


This quiz is made up of some of the more oft-quoted remarks of famous people. Can you identify the people these mangled statements are attributed to?

A multiple-choice quiz by scarlettmw. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
scarlettmw
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
104,381
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Difficult
Avg Score
5 / 10
Plays
3990
Last 3 plays: cinnam0n (10/10), holetown (8/10), Coachpete1 (10/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. "Cocaine isn't habit forming. I should know--I've been using it for years." Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. To whom is the famous statement, "A verbal contract isn't worth the paper it's written on" attributed? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. "It isn't pollution that is harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it." To whom is this quote, rightly or wrongly, attributed? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. "If your parents never had children, chances are you won't, either." Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. "Let us drink to the queer old dean." Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. "In my young days, I used to pick up sluts. I don't mean that nastily...it's more a term of endearment, really, for girls who know how to speak their minds." Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. "If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life." Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. "Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever." Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. "Even Napoleon had his Watergate." Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. "A key to foreign policy is to rely on reliance." Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Oct 28 2024 : cinnam0n: 10/10
Oct 21 2024 : holetown: 8/10
Oct 17 2024 : Coachpete1: 10/10
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Sep 17 2024 : Suber: 3/10
Sep 12 2024 : moonraker2: 10/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. "Cocaine isn't habit forming. I should know--I've been using it for years."

Answer: Tallulah Bankhead

Tallulah Bankhead (1902-1968) appeared in over twenty films, including "The Tarnished Lady" and "Die! Die! My Darling." The quote "My father warned me about booze and men, but he never mentioned a word about cocaine and women," is also attributed to her.
2. To whom is the famous statement, "A verbal contract isn't worth the paper it's written on" attributed?

Answer: Samuel Goldwyn

Samuel Goldwyn (1879?-1974) produced more than seventy films, including "Guys and Dolls" and "Pride of the Yankees." Known for "Goldwynisms," or butchering the English language in his own special way, he is also reported to have said, "Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist ought to have his head examined," and "It's more than magnificent--it's mediocre."
3. "It isn't pollution that is harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it." To whom is this quote, rightly or wrongly, attributed?

Answer: Dan Quayle

Former Vice President James Danforth Quayle (1947- ) has been extensively quoted in the media. Among his more interesting gaffes are: "Verbosity leads to unclear, inarticulate things," and "I stand by all the misstatements that I've made." There is some debate as to whether or not he actually said the statement in the question, but it is often attributed to him.
4. "If your parents never had children, chances are you won't, either."

Answer: Dick Cavett

Talk-show host and entertainer Dick Cavett (1936- ) was nominated for eleven Emmys and won three. Cavett is also known for having said, "It's a rare person who hears what he doesn't want to hear."
5. "Let us drink to the queer old dean."

Answer: William Spooner

The Reverend William Archibald Spooner (1844-1930), known for his unusual brand of malaprops (called "Spoonerisms"), meant in this instance to say "Let us drink to the dear old queen." Some other Spoonerisms are "When the boys come home from France, we'll have hags flung out," and "Pardon me, madam, you are occupewing my pie. May I sew you to another sheet?"
6. "In my young days, I used to pick up sluts. I don't mean that nastily...it's more a term of endearment, really, for girls who know how to speak their minds."

Answer: Kevin Costner

Actor Kevin Costner (1955- ) has produced, directed, or acted in over 85 films to date.
7. "If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life."

Answer: Brooke Shields

Brooke Shields (1965- ) has acted in movies and on TV. She started her career in a commercial for Ivory soap.
8. "Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever."

Answer: Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) was born in Corsica, but became Emperor of France.
9. "Even Napoleon had his Watergate."

Answer: Yogi Berra

"Berraisms," such as "Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical," "Sometimes you can observe a lot by watching," and "It ain't over 'til it's over" are the linguistic creations of Yankee catcher Yogi Berra (1925- ).
10. "A key to foreign policy is to rely on reliance."

Answer: George W. Bush

Forty-third President of the United States George W. Bush (1946- ) is quoted--and analyzed--in detail in "The Bush Dyslexicon: Observations on a National Disorder," by Mark Crispin Miller.
Source: Author scarlettmw

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor coolupway before going online.
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