What's Up in this Quiz? 8

Answer: False

The elephant is the largest living land animal and can be found in different types of habitats, with its most common presence in savannas, grasslands, and forests. Of the living species of elephant, the largest is the African bush elephant. Elephants are characterized by their elongated proboscis, named "trunk", tusks, pillar-like legs, and huge heads with wide and flat ears. Elephants are generally gray, although some species look brown or reddish depending on the color of the mud in which they roll; as their skin is sensitive, they roll in the mud to protect themselves from the heat and insect bites. The largest elephants can weigh between 5.2 to 6.9 tons, which prevents them from jumping or galloping, but they are good swimmers.

Elephants, as other mammals, can swim. They swim by moving their four legs and their massive body allows them to float. They swim submerged, keeping their head above the water and their mouth below. The elephant's trunk is an advantage over other mammals because it works like a snorkel, which allows them to breathe normally and swim for hours on end. Many Asian elephants are domesticated and their ability to swim is put to good use. In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India, they often transport people and goods from one island to another.

Answer: Canberra and Wellington

The greatest distance between these capitals is between Canberra, the capital of Australia, and Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. Flying the distance is 2331 km (1,448 mi). Wellington is the world's southernmost and most remote capital city. It has a population of over 203,000, is highly educated, and has the highest earnings in New Zealand. Canberra was founded in 1913. It has a population of around 457 thousand inhabitants and is the site of many important institutions of the federal government, museums, and national monuments. Canberra has been ranked among the world's best cities to live in.

Fifty-five kilometers (34 mi) separate Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, and Vienna, the capital of Austria, with a wide range of transport options between these two points. The flying distance from London to Paris is 344 km (214 mi) and the distance by car is 456 km (283 mi). By flying the distance from Washington DC to Ottawa is 733 km (455 mi) and driving this distance is 922 km (573 mi).

Answer: 13

The Canada-United States territorial border is 8,891 km (5,525 mi) and is the longest international border in the world. It is also the longest unprotected border in the world.

There are thirteen American states that border Canada: Alaska, Michigan, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New York, Washington, North Dakota, Ohio, Vermont, New Hampshire, Idaho and Pennsylvania. The land border has two sections. One section is the border with Alaska in the west and the other section is with the 12 remaining states. The longest border is with Alaska in the west, 2,475 km (1,538 mi), and the shortest is with Pennsylvania at 68 km (42 mi).

Answer: False

Cayo Santiago, also known as "Santiago Island" or "Monkey Island" is located about one mile off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico. Since 1938, the island has hosted a large population of rhesus macaques. Visitors are not permitted unless approved by the university.

The history of the Cayo Santiago (CS) rhesus monkey colony began with the establishment in 1926 of the School of Tropical Medicine of the University of Puerto Rico under the sponsorship of Columbia University, and with the decision of several scientists to establish in Cayo Santiago a free-ranging colony of gibbons and rhesus. The monkeys were purchased in India and transported to Puerto Rico. The objective was to establish a colony of disease-free monkeys to carry out different types of research. Cayo Santiago is known as a research center for obtaining information on genetics, demographics, behavior, population, and management practices.

Answer: Tora! Tora! Tora!

The film "Tora! Tora! Tora!", 1970, an epic film that portrays the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, was a Japanese and American production. The film was produced by Elmo Williams and directed by Richard Fleischer, Toshio Masuda, and Kinji Fukasaku and featured a cast of artists from both countries.

The film did not please all critics, who were, however, unanimous regarding its historical accuracy and attention to detail. The word "Tora" literally means "tiger" but is actually a two-syllable code word (totsugeki raigeki means "lightning attack"). "Tora Tora Tora" was the Japanese code for the signal to begin the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Answer: He was a film and theater actor

The English Sir Guy Standing (1873 - 1937) was awarded military Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his military services in World War I. He served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve reaching the rank of commander. He became a well-known actor in British and American theater. He participated in several films in Hollywood such as "Bulldog Drummond Escapes" (1937), "Death Takes a Holiday" (1934), and "The Eagle and the Hawk (1933). His best-known role is of Colonel Stone, in "The Lives of a Bengal Lancer".

His career was cut short at the age of 63 when he passed away from a heart attack. There were rumors suggesting that he had died as a result of a black widow spider or rattlesnake bite, but this information turned out to be false.

Answer: 7 provinces and 1 territory

Seven of the ten provinces and one of the three Canadian territories share a land border with the United States. Exceptions are the provinces of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, and the territories of Nunavut and Northwest Territories.

Most of Alaska's border is with the Yukon Territory. The provinces of Ontario and British Columbia account for almost 55% of the 8,891 km (5,525 mi) border between Canada and the United States. The province of Alberta shares the smallest border at 298 km (185 mi). It is interesting to remember that a large part of the Canadian population lives close to the US border and that the busiest international crossing, based on trade volume, is the Ambassador Bridge that connects Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario.

Answer: They won league titles in four countries

David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic won league titles in four countries. Ibrahimovic who was born on October 3, 1981, is Swedish of Bosnian and Croatian descent. He played for the Swedish national team from 1999 to 2023 and in Swedish, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, French, English, and American football before his retirement was announced in June 2023. He won league titles in four countries: France (PSG), Italy ( AC Milan), Spain (Barcelona), and the Netherlands (Ajax).

David Robert Joseph Beckham, known as David Beckham, was born on May 2, 1975, in London, England. He played for the England national team from 1992 to 2009 and in English, Spanish, American and French football. He won league titles in four countries: England (Manchester United), Spain (Real Madrid), France (PSG) and the USA (LA Galaxy).

It's worth remembering that they weren't the only ones to win league titles in four different countries. As of 2023, 33 players have managed to accomplish this feat, two of whom have won in five countries: Serbian Mateja Kezman and Brazilian Robson de Souza, known as Robinho.

Answer: True

True. The painting "Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window", by Johannes Vermeer, on display at the Old Masters Picture Gallery in Dresden since 2021, is different from the one exhibited before the start of the restoration process that took place in the period 2018 and 2021. In a process described by Stephan Koja, director of the gallery, as "a detective story and an adventure", the background of the painting was drastically changed. After almost three centuries a naked Cupid was exposed in a painting on the wall. The same Cupid appears in other Vermeer paintings, for example in the painting "Young Woman Standing at a Virginal".

The mystery remains as to who and why the change was made to the painting and has also created speculation about the possibility that a change was also made to Vermeer's work "Woman With a Pearl Necklace". In this painting, a large part of the painting has white walls.

Answer: True

True. On December 31, 2023, Queen Margrethe II, at age 83, surprised everyone when she announced her abdication in favor of her son Crown Prince Frederik. The announcement was made on live television in her New Year's Eve address. The queen claimed growing health problems were preventing her from carrying out her duties as monarch. The abdication ceremony was held on January 14, 2024, the 52nd anniversary of her accession to the throne. She was succeeded by her elder son Crown Prince Frederik who became Frederik X and his wife Princess Mary, née Mary Elizabeth Donaldson (Tasmania, Australia), became "HM The Queen".

Her abdication surprised everyone because she had made numerous statements that she would never renounce the throne.