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Quiz about It Was a Dark and Stormy Night

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night Quiz

Never heard of Edward Bulwer-Lytton? Chances are you have heard the opening lines of his novel, "Paul Clifford": "It was a dark and stormy night..." The questions which follow all relate to Bulwer-Lytton's famously florid opening.

A multiple-choice quiz by Dreamcoat. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Dreamcoat

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
362,867

Updated
May 16 24

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
439

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page

Question 1 of 10

1. A well known children's rhyme begins with, "The night was dark and stormy, the _____
_____ was blind..."

Which of the following options best completes the phrase? Hint

rabid toad

billy goat

giant mouse

vampire bat

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell _____".

The opening lines to Edward Bulwer-Lytton's novel "Paul Clifford" have come to represent the ultimate in 'purple prose'. Which of the following completes the actual phrase used by the author? Hint

in torrents

like Niagara

in buckets

without ceasing

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. Madeleine L'Engle used the opening line "It was a dark and stormy night..." in her popular novel "A Wrinkle in Time".

It continued:
"Behind the trees clouds scudded frantically across the sky. Every few moments the moon ripped them, creating wraith-like shadows that raced along the ground."

Which of the following options could L'Engle have used as a synonym of "wraith-like"? Hint

ghostlike

dragonlike

toadlike

haglike

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. "The night was dark and stormy..." was the opening line of choice for no less a literary giant than Snoopy of "Peanuts" fame.

You probably know Snoopy was a beagle, but where did he do his writing? Hint

In the kite-eating tree

On top of his kennel

On Charlie Brown's baseball mound

At Schroeder's piano

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. "It was a dark and stormy night..."

Such nights can conjure up all sorts of mental images. Perhaps a cocktail to still the nerves? What is the principal spirit used in making the trademarked Dark 'n' Stormy? Hint

Vodka

Brandy

Gin

Rum

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. Joni Mitchell's song "Crazy Cries of Love" opens with the line "It was a dark and stormy night..."

Which of the following choices correctly completes the title of the album on which the song is found: "____ the Tiger"? Hint

Taming

Trying

Tosser

Talbot

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. Believe it or not, there's a board game called "It Was a Dark and Stormy Night".

Which of the following best describes the aim of the game? Hint

Players attempt to name well-known weather disasters

Players have to identify a book by title or author

Players enact a murder scene

Players regale each other with ghost stories

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Some might label novels which begin "It was a dark and stormy night..." a certain type of writing. Synonymous with "rubbish", which six-letter word might they apply? Hint

Gritty

Trying

Snotty

Trashy

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. "Dark and Stormy Night" was the title of a 2009 B-grade spoof movie. Not surprisingly, it involved the reading of a rich man's will, a dysfunctional family and a sadistic murderer.

In what setting did the film take place? Hint

An isolated mansion

A haunted house

A spooky graveyard

A decommissioned mortuary

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. "It was a dark and stormy night..."

Dark stormy nights in literature and film seem to go hand-in-hand with horror themes. Invariably we find a menacing black-caped figure seated, playing what kind of instrument? Hint

French horn

goatskin bongo

tubular bells

pipe organ

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. A well known children's rhyme begins with, "The night was dark and stormy, the _____ _____ was blind..." Which of the following options best completes the phrase?

Answer: billy goat

"The night was dark and stormy, the BILLY GOAT was blind. He backed into a barbed wire fence, and scratched his poor behind!"

This somewhat irreverent children's rhyme drew its inspiration from Edward Bulwer-Lytton. His opening line from the novel "Paul Clifford" ("It was a dark and stormy night...") has become more famous than the actual book, with many variations on the theme in a range of fields other than literature.

2. "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell _____". The opening lines to Edward Bulwer-Lytton's novel "Paul Clifford" have come to represent the ultimate in 'purple prose'. Which of the following completes the actual phrase used by the author?

Answer: in torrents

Edward Bulwer-Lytton's opening begins: "It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents - except at occasional intervals..."

Purple prose: Writing so extravagant, flowery or ornate as to draw excessive attention to the wording rather than the message those words aim to convey.

3. Madeleine L'Engle used the opening line "It was a dark and stormy night..." in her popular novel "A Wrinkle in Time". It continued: "Behind the trees clouds scudded frantically across the sky. Every few moments the moon ripped them, creating wraith-like shadows that raced along the ground." Which of the following options could L'Engle have used as a synonym of "wraith-like"?

Answer: ghostlike

"Wraith" has its origins in the Scottish word for "ghost" or "spirit."

Despite using the cliched opening, "A Wrinkle in Time" went on to win the Newbery Medal - awarded for "the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children" - in 1962.

4. "The night was dark and stormy..." was the opening line of choice for no less a literary giant than Snoopy of "Peanuts" fame. You probably know Snoopy was a beagle, but where did he do his writing?

Answer: On top of his kennel

Certain dog breeds have an above-average risk of developing noise phobias, which can include fear of thunderstorms, firecrackers, and gunshots. Among those most at risk are collies, German shepherds, basset hounds...and beagles - of which Snoopy is arguably one of the most famous.

No wonder he was so focused on this opening phrase!

5. "It was a dark and stormy night..." Such nights can conjure up all sorts of mental images. Perhaps a cocktail to still the nerves? What is the principal spirit used in making the trademarked Dark 'n' Stormy?

Answer: Rum

A simple mix of Gosling's Black Seal rum and ginger beer, with a wedge of lime and ice, is all you need. Apparently a more volatile combination replaces the ginger beer with ginger wine, creating the Turbo Dark 'n' Stormy.

Cocktail mixes can vary widely in the making, but a true Dark 'n' Stormy aficionado will insist on using the trademarked product.

6. Joni Mitchell's song "Crazy Cries of Love" opens with the line "It was a dark and stormy night..." Which of the following choices correctly completes the title of the album on which the song is found: "____ the Tiger"?

Answer: Taming

Mitchell's co-lyricist, Don Fried, convinced her to include the opening line due to a story-writing challenge issued to the public by "The New Yorker". Apparently he was interested only in the challenge of including it in the lyrics, and the end result was never submitted to the competition.

7. Believe it or not, there's a board game called "It Was a Dark and Stormy Night". Which of the following best describes the aim of the game?

Answer: Players have to identify a book by title or author

The board game "It Was a Dark and Stormy Night" asks players to identify the title or author from an opening line or two of text. Its subject matter covers novels, poetry, mysteries, children's books, science fiction, books made into movies, and six other categories.

Its creators no doubt hoped it would create a thirst for literary knowledge. In the words of one reviewer, "You'll know more than you think, and you'll get introduced to some great new reads along the way!"

8. Some might label novels which begin "It was a dark and stormy night..." a certain type of writing. Synonymous with "rubbish", which six-letter word might they apply?

Answer: Trashy

The term "trashy novel" is open to interpretation, but it doesn't necessarily involve gratuitous sex scenes. It can be a novel that is sensationalist, formulaic and not particularly well-written.

Answer: An isolated mansion

Old manors, mansions, and castles seem to be obligatory for anything related to the "dark, stormy night" genre. In this case, it's accompanied by death threats, a serial killer at large, and a 300-year-old ghost.

10. "It was a dark and stormy night..." Dark stormy nights in literature and film seem to go hand-in-hand with horror themes. Invariably we find a menacing black-caped figure seated, playing what kind of instrument?

Answer: pipe organ

The soundtrack is often one of the keys to a movie's success, and this can be particularly so in the case of horror films. Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D minor" seems to be the "go-to" music for such occasions.

German organist Hermann Keller, writing in 1948, described the opening passages as "descending like a lightning flash, the long roll of thunder of the broken chords of the full organ, and the stormy undulation of the triplets" - perfect for a dark and stormy theme!

Source: Wikipedia.org

Source: Author Dreamcoat

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