Pick n' Mix: Part SEVENTEEN Trivia Quiz

Answer: Rowing

A coxswain in rowing is the person of the crew who is in charge of steering the boat as opposed to rowing it with the oars. Without a coxswain, the rowers would have trouble steering the boat and would likely crash, as they face with their back toward the direction they are rowing in, whilst the coxswain faces forward.

It is often women who are designated the task of being a coxswain, as it is desirable for the coxswain to weigh less so the boat can travel quicker.

Answer: Pioneer 11

Launched in 1973, Pioneer 11 became the first space probe to visit around Saturn by 1979, flying around 12,000 miles (20,000 km) atop the clouds surrounding the planet. The photographs were not clear enough to capture the nature of Saturn's surface, almost crashing into one of Saturn's moons in the process, flying within 2,500 miles (4,000 km) of it. The probe remains in space, with the last decipherable data reaching Earth from it in 1995.

In 1974, Pioneer 11 became the second space probe to fly by Jupiter.

Answer: San Francisco earthquake

On April 18 1906, the San Francisco earthquake devastated California, resulting in three days of fires ravaging the area.

Arnold Genthe (1869-1942) was born in Berlin and moved to California in 1895 to work as a teacher. The earthquake and fire obliterated his photography studio, which he would rebuild at a later date. Knowing how important it was to capture the history and showcase the devastation of the disaster, Genthe photographed the aftermath of the earthquake. "Looking Down Sacramento Street, San Francisco, April 18, 1906" is the most well known of the photographs he took of the event.

Answer: Corpus callosum

Meaning "tough body" in Latin, the corpus callosum is a group of nerve fibres that serve to join the left and right hemispheres of the brain. It has four main parts: the splenium, the genu, the trunk and the rostrum, which are all nerve tracts responsible for connecting different areas of the brain hemispheres. Without the corpus callosum, the two hemispheres of the brain would be unable to communicate nerve signals with each other.

The corpus callosum forms around 74 days when a baby is in utero, and forms completely within around 115 days. People with severe epilepsy are sometimes subject to corpus callosotomy, which is an operation that splits the corpus callosum.

Answer: Mick Mars

Born Robert Alan Deal in 1951 in Terre Haute, Indiana, Mick Mars is part of the glam rock/metal band, Mötley Crüe, which were established in 1981. He became associated with other members of the band by placing a personal advert in the now defunct newspaper, "The Recycler" in Los Angeles, purporting to offer his services as "a loud, rude and aggressive guitar player." The other members of Mötley Crüe were impressed with his eccentric style, coining him "Cousin Itt from The Addams Family." It was Mick Mars who would come up with the name "Mötley Crüe" for the freshly formed band.

While Mötley Crüe became infamous for their drug use and wild partying, Mick Mars preferred to drink alcohol and developed an addiction to that instead. Mars' time with the band was not without problems, culminating in a 2022 lawsuit against the others, accusing them of cutting him off from performing with them and not giving him due credit for the work that he did.

Beginning around age 14 and continuing throughout his adult life, Mick Mars has suffered from ankylosing spondylitis (AS) which is a axial spondyloarthritis, in which the spine and surrounding areas of the human body suffer from severe inflammation. Although the condition is painful, Mars has asserted that he remains grateful that it does not effect his hands, meaning that he can still play guitar. The condition however did exacerbate his drinking problem and also led to him becoming addicted to painkillers. It also led to him undergoing hip replacement surgery in 2004, and by 2013 he could hardly move his neck, making it impossible for him to drive a car.

Answer: Khepri

Khepri is the god of the rising sun and rebirth. He is depicted as either wholly as a scarab beetle or as a man with a scarab for a head. He did not have a cult as the Ancient Egyptians saw Khepri as a version of their more well-known sun god, Ra.

Scarab beetles were considered sacred in Ancient Egypt. Scarab beetles hatch from eggs inside dung balls, eating through the dung and emerging. The Ancient Egyptians observed this and concluded that scarab beetles arise into existence from nothing, and are therefore holy.

Answer: Cyan

Usually found in metamorphic rocks, kyanite normally forms the shape of a jagged crystal and its colour ranges between blue and green (cyan). It is also referred to as "cyanite" or "disthene" which means "two strengths," called so because of the relative hardness of the mineral. Its hardness and shape makes it a problematic mineral to cut as a gemstone. Although usually cyan in colour, there are rare forms of kyanite that are black, purple and clear.

Because kyanite is heat resistant, it has uses within the railway and automotive industries. This includes the use of a type of calcined kyanite (mullite) to make parts of clutches for cars. Although kyanite is heat resistant, it can expand to twice its original size when heated.

Kyanite is also used in the production of porcelain, particularly porcelain that needs to be heat resistant, for example, a spark plug's white porcelain insulator. Other applications in the porcelain industry includes bathroom furniture (sinks, toilets, etc), dishes, electrical insulators and dentures for teeth.

Answer: Leeches and earthworms

The clitellum is the circular area of glandular tissue found in some types of annelids, such as leeches and earthworms. Once breeding has taken place, the clitellum produces a cocoon that functions as a sack to hold the sperm and eggs, which become fertilized.

Located between segments of the body, the clitellum can be used to indicate what type of earthworm one is observing, depending on how many segments compose its clitellum. The clitellum is usually a lighter colour than the rest of the body, and is only observable in earthworms once the earthworm has reached sexual maturity. The clitellum of a leech is only visibly observable during mating season.

Answer: Arizona

Residing mainly on the Hopi Reservation (the area of which is encompassed wholly by the Navajo Nation), the Hopi language is fortunately not one of the many Native American languages that have become extinct, with around 6,000 people speaking it according to a 2015 census. The language, however, is considered endangered. The Hopi Cultural Preservation Office is situated on the reservation, and is committed to preserving the Hopi language and culture.

Hopi culture sees children being born into the clan their mother is from, and given their names by the women belonging to the clan of their father. Over 40 names can be bestowed on a child, but one main name is decided on. In terms of religion, most Hopi religious beliefs state that Tawa is the creator and is a spirit of the Sun.

The Hopi were first discovered by Europeans in 1540. Spanish priests were largely unsuccessful in converting the Hopi to Catholicism, and the Hopi were persecuted for their religious beliefs. They were enslaved and not only forced to hand over their possessions and land, they were forced into labour upon threat of death. One recorded incident states that Salvador de Guerra, a Franciscan missionary, bludgeoned a Hopi to death in 1655 (with one record stating that he used his horse to run him over) for refusing to convert to Catholicism, and was notorious for his brutality among the tribe he was attempting to subjugate.

Answer: Hōshō

Constructed between 1920-22, "Hōshō" translates from Japanese to "phoenix flying." Hōshō was one of the first ships in the world to be specifically designed for the purpose of carrying aircraft. Alongside other notable Japanese aircraft carriers, Akagi and Kaga, Hōshō was involved in the infamous 1932 Shanghai Incident, which saw over 10,000 Chinese civilians killed, around 4,000 Chinese soldiers killed, as well as the deaths of between 700-3,000 Japanese soldiers.

Hōshō was not a particularly large ship, usually carrying only around 15 planes. This led to Hōshō being relegated to being placed on reserve, and demoted to becoming a training ship for the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1939. However, Hōshō was involved in World War II, having a small part in the 1942 Battle of Midway between Japan and the U.S.A. Upon Japan's loss during World War II, Hōshō was eventually scrapped between 1946-47.

Answer: Bulgaria

Discovered in 1944, the Tomb of Kazanlak has stood since around 4 BC, in the centre of Bulgaria near the town of Kazanlak. The tomb was discovered by accident when soldiers fighting in the Second World War were digging to gain shelter from aircraft bombers. The tomb is said to be that of a chief of the Odrysae tribe, and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

The tomb is located only around 5 miles (8 km) from Seuthopolis, the remnants of an ancient city established by King Seuthes III between 325-315 BC. What was once the capital city of the Odrysian kingdom is now located at the bottom of the Koprinka Reservoir.

The tomb is part of a large necropolis coined "Valley of the Thracian Rulers" where it is speculated that around 1,500 tombs could exist. The paintings decorating the tomb have been dated to around 3 BC, making them Bulgaria's most well-preserved pieces of art dating from the Hellenistic period. Due to the age and delicacy of these paintings, the tomb is not open to the public.

Answer: Peter Camenzind

Hermann Hesse (1877-1962) had published some short works before the release of his first major novel, "Peter Camenzind" in 1904, which is written in a lyrical and poetic style, detailing the protagonist, Peter Camenzind, leaving his small village in the mountains to find himself and explore the world.

The theme of finding oneself and broadening one's horizons is a theme that regularly appears in Hesse's later works. The novel also deals with the themes of death, alcoholism and love. The novel ends with Peter going back to his village to care for his elderly father.

Answer: Stephano

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is widely considered to be one of the most prolific playwrights of English history. He wrote "The Tempest" around 1610-11, which is a play featuring both tragedy and comedy.

Stephano is often intoxicated and expressive in "The Tempest." He finds himself pulled into a plot to take over the island in which the play is set. He (perhaps in a deluded fashion) believes that he can seize power on the island and marry Miranda, the daughter of Prospero, the Duke of Milan.

Answer: Ajah Pritchard-Lolo

Born in 2002, Ajah Pritchard-Lolo first began weightlifting during the Corona virus pandemic when she was 18. She has taken part in the sport in countries such as France, Thailand, Saudi Arabia and the Solomon Islands.

In the 87 kg match during the 2022 Commonwealth Games, she came eighth. During the 2023 World Weightlifting Championships in Saudi Arabia (which was an event used to help weightlifting athletes qualify for the Olympic Games) she earned four medals, and qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games, where she ranked 11th out of 13. This was when she became the first woman from Vanuatu to take part in Olympic weightlifting.

Answer: Mary

The eldest son of King Henry III, King Edward I of England (1239-1307) reigned in England from 1272 until his death in 1307. He was married to Eleanor of Castile (1241-1290) at the Las Huelgas monastery near Burgos, Spain, in 1254 and had at least 14 children with her.

Mary of Woodstock (1278-1332) was the seventh (known) daughter of Edward and Eleanor. Mary's paternal grandmother, Eleanor of Provence, encouraged her to take the veil (to the initial resistance of Eleanor). Mary was seven when she became a nun alongside her cousin, Eleanor of Brittany. In 1291, the cousins took their final vows to dedicate their lives to being Benedictine nuns when they were both 12 years old.

Despite her vows, Mary was not subjected to a life of poverty. She had her own apartment at Amesbury Priory and was gifted £100-£200 per year from her parents for living expenses. Although it was forbidden for nuns to travel, Mary came and went as she pleased due to her royal connections. It is even recorded that she was partial to gambling when visiting her parents. Her cousin Eleanor took her responsibilities as a nun much more seriously and tried to reign in Mary's adventures, to no avail.

Mary did however use her royal powers for good. In 1301, she made sure that the tenants of Melksham Manor (which the nuns leased) were able to legally use the grounds' commons to graze their livestock.

Answer: Wyoming

Nellie Tayloe Ross (1876-1977) was born in St. Joseph, Missouri. She met William Bradford Ross in 1900, who would become a Democrat politician and then the 12th Governor of Wyoming in 1922. He died in 1924 after complications arose during an appendectomy.

Following the death of her husband, Nellie Tayloe Ross was elected as Governor of Wyoming in 1925, receiving around 55% of the vote. She held this position until 1927, losing the next election largely in part due to her support for prohibition. She did not deviate much from her husband's policies during her time in office, advocating for financial assistance from the government to farmers who needed it, cuts in taxes, etc.

In 1933, Nellie Tayloe Ross achieved another first for women, becoming the first woman to be the director of the U.S mint. She made her last ever visit to Wyoming in 1972, aged 96. She died in 1977, aged 101.

Answer: Cathare

Hailing from southern France, Cathare is an unpasteurized goat cheese dusted with charcoal on its rind. Its taste is described as light, sweet and gooey.

The south of France is the birthplace of the religion, Catharism, a sect of Christianity declared as heresy by Pope Innocent III (1161-1216). The Moors had conquered the area which is how it was learned to make goat cheese, from Moorish recipes. The French combined their Christian faith and this method of making cheese, leading to the birth of cathare cheese.

Answer: Theseus and the Minotaur

Antonio Canova (1757-1822) was an Italian sculptor, beginning his craft as a child while being in the care of his grandfather, a stonemason. He became an apprentice of renowned Italian sculptor, Giuseppe Bernardi (1694-1773) and then later began to study under Giovanni Ferrari, another Italian sculptor.

Composed of white marble, "Theseus and the Minotaur" was completed by 1782. Although Zulian was the patron of the artwork, Canova acquired the idea from the sculpture from his friend, Scottish painter and archaeologist, Gavin Hamilton (1723-1798). It was bought by London's Victoria and Albert Museum in 1962, and depicts Theseus atop a Minotaur he has slain. Although not his first sculpture, "Theseus and the Minotaur" is what gained Canova fame and a reputation as a talented sculptor.

Answer: Pomegranate

Hailing from Balochi culture, tabaheg consists of thinly sliced cured lamb or goat, salt and pomegranate powder. It is one of the most famous dishes of Balochi culture.

Answer: I Shot Andy Warhol

Born in the town of Bracebridge in Ontario, Canada, Mary Harron made her directorial debut in 1996 with "I Shot Andy Warhol." The film depicts the real life events of 1968 when Valerie Solanas attempted to murder artist Andy Warhol. Starring Jared Harris as Andy Warhol and Lili Taylor as Valerie Solanas, the film received largely positive acclaim, winning several awards. American rock band, The Velvet Underground, created the film's soundtrack.

Mary Harron is more well known for directing "American Psycho" in 2000, starring Christian Bale as investment banker and serial killer, Patrick Bateman.