Mixup of Plumbing Girls Trivia Quiz

Answer: pilgrim

"The Pilgrim's Progress" is an allegory in two parts written by John Bunyan in 1678 and 1684.
In part 1, the omniscient author has a dream in which he sees Christian fleeing from the City of Destruction and going on a pilgrimage. In part 2, Christiana has a vision and goes on a similar pilgrimage with her sons, and with her neighbour, Mercy.

The hymn "He Who Would Valiant Be" (also known as "To be a Pilgrim") uses words taken from John Bunyan's book.

Answer: spring

Examples of a spring force include pendulum, tampoline, rubber band, bungee cord, spring mattress, and diving board. When a spring is compressed or stretched, it stores potential energy. When the force holding it in place is taken away, it releases kinetic energy. Its original position is restored.

Answer: gnu

A gnu is a large African antelope.

In 1957, Flanders and Swann released a song called "The Gnu Song". In the song, one man wrongly identifies the gnu as a h-elk; another man wrongly identifies the gnu as a bison. The gnu takes offence in each case. In the second chorus he sings, "I'm a g-nu. I'm a g-nu, a g-nother g-nu. I wish I could g-nash my teeth at you".

Answer: imp

The Suez Crisis of 1956 caused a petrol shortage in the UK. The automobile manufacturer Rootes Group was only producing large and medium cars. They decided that this was the right time to design and produce a more economical saloon.

By the late fifties, they needed one that could compete with the 1959 Mini and bubble cars. They wanted to design a four-cylinder engine with room for four adults. They produced a prototype called Little Jim, followed by the Slug, and then Project Apex. In May 1963, the Hillman Imp was born.

Answer: pugilism

Pugilism is another word for western boxing, a combat sport in which two people throw punches at one another. The winner is decided by either a knockout, or a decision to end the fight prematurely for other reasons, or by the adding up of points gained within a set time. The word "pugilism" comes from the Latin word "pugnus" meaning "fist".

In 1867, an acceptable set of rules for boxing was published called the Marquess of Queensbury Rules. This included the instruction for the fighters to wear cushioned gloves.

Answer: bullring

In Spanish-style bullfighting, the ritual takes place in a stadium called a bullring. The bullfighters are collectively called toreros who perform different tasks. Matadors and banderilleros are on foot. Picadors ride on horseback and carry barbed lances to pierce the bull's neck.

Bullfighting (in the form of killing animals for entertainment) seems to be losing its popularity due to animal welfare and ethical concerns.

Answer: slump

In 2020, a year of lockdowns and other ramifications of the Covid-19 pandemic, the UK economy was hit by a record slump. Its gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 9.9%, the worst fall since the Great Frost of 1709. A century before that, in 1921, there was a 9.7% decline in the economy as a result of World War One and the Spanish flu pandemic. It's not all doom and gloom. A slump can often be followed by economic recovery.

In baseball, if a hitter (like Yogi Berra) has fewer or no hits, and is going through a below average period, this is called a slump.

Answer: slurp

According to American author and socialite Emily Post's 1922 book "Etiquette In Society", one has to learn how to eat one's soup the proper way. Under the heading "Avoid Slurping Soup", she writes, "The noise is both distracting and unpleasant for the other people at the table. Generally, people slurp because the soup is hot. Instead of slurping to cool the soup, try gently and quietly blowing on the soup in the spoon before taking it into your mouth".

In Hong Kong and Japan, it is seen as a compliment to the chef to loudly slurp your noodles or soup.

Answer: uprising

The 2001 television war film "Uprising" is set during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1943. The Polish engineer in charge of the ghetto, Adam Czerniakow, is faced with the ethical dilemma of obeying the orders of the Nazi government, or saving lives. When the Jews in the ghetto find out that they are going to be deported to Treblinka concentration camp, they plan an uprising.

The running time of "Uprising" is nearly three hours. It was first shown in two parts on consecutive nights.

Answer: plumb

Since ancient times, centuries before the invention and widespread use of the spirit level for checking horizontal structures, a weight called a plumb bob (or plumb line) was used to check their verticality. The weight could be made of stone, wood, ivory, bone, lead, brass, or any other suitable metal. It would typically have a pointed tip at the bottom as it was suspended from a piece of string.

In 1997, the alternative rock singer/songwriter Plumb released her debut album called "Plumb".