Hard "This American Life" 1 Quiz / Test | This American Life

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. During his first day on the job, a policeman found himself faced with a wild animal. What did he have to remove from a house on that fateful day?

Answer: Squirrel

The poor man ended up in the midst of a complete fiasco! Called to remove a helpless creature from the attic, the policeman thought he'd be the one to save the day. What happened instead involves blood, fire, upturned furniture and a whole lot of embarrassment! (From the program "First Day").

2. Theorizing that a 24-hour restaurant must be full of interesting tales, the staff decided to interview everyone at every table for an entire day. What was the name of the diner they chose?

Answer: Golden Apple

In fact, they ended up with an interesting patchwork of city life -- from the men who came to flirt with the waitresses (sometimes multiple times a day), to the little kids eating character pancakes, to the after bar crowd. In addition, we learned that pie sells better when it spins. You can't learn something like that every day! (From the program "24 Hours at the Golden Apple").

3. The last week of the summer session took on special significance for the kids at Lake of the Woods Camp. What was the final event which ended the camp season?

Answer: Color Days

It was Blue versus White in this tale of raw emotion, lost voices, and Ouija boards! Some of the challenges: sing while eating peanut butter sandwiches, make and unmake beds, do a math problem, then finally light a rope on fire, Survivor-style, by building the biggest, hottest fire. And I won't give away who wins! (From the program "Notes on Camp.")

4. Commentator David Sedaris had a lot to say about his adventures working in a major metropolitan department store. What was his job?

Answer: Elf

He applied for the job on a dare, but was accepted -- mostly because he fit into the suit! He soon became known as "Crumpet," the Magic Window/Elf Island/"Oh My God!"/Santa Elf. He is forevermore (much to his chagrin) to be connected with Christmas by anyone who hears this show. (From the program "Christmas and Commerce.")

5. Nobody can quite put their finger on it, but there is definitely something quite strange, and kind of frightening, when you find out someone is Canadian. Which of these famous people is NOT Canadian?

Answer: Shannen Doherty

Ms. Doherty was born in Memphis, Tennessee-what could be more American than that? But her "90210" costar Jason Priestley DOES hail from the Great White north -- born August 28, 1969, in Vancouver, British Columbia. The show explores exactly what makes Canadians and Americans so different. (From the program "Who's Canadian?")

6. Starlee and Jonathan vied for bragging rights on a rather unusual karaoke night. What was the key to Starlee's success?

Answer: Comic timing

The two had found a bar that had comedy on its karaoke menu, in addition to the usual "Dust In the Wind" and "We've Got the Beat" standards. Starlee's man-dissing routine got top honors, leading Jonathan to wonder about the true meaning of "chops," (from the program "Lost in Translation.").

7. Danielle and her sister had communicated for well over twenty years in a bizarre and mysterious way. This was:

Answer: With a puppet

It all began when they were children, and the younger sister Ashley was given a puppet named "Duki" (pronounced "Duckie.") Danielle was much nicer to Duki than to Ashley - and so it began, involving the whole family to the point that the Thanksgiving dinner cannot be referred to in any way as a bird, lest Duki become upset. (From the program "Poultry Slam '99.")

8. The staff created a band made up entirely of musicians they found in the classified ads. What song did all of these diverse musicians come together to play, with great success?

Answer: Rocket Man

The musicians jumped right into the project, despite their different tastes and experience. The oddest inclusion into this motley band was a theremin, which is played WITHOUT touching the instrument, instead waving the hands above its antenna to create the sound. This gave the proper "spacey" feel to their rendition of the song. (From the program "Classifieds.")

9. Commentator Sarah Vowell worried that she looked too nice, and decided to get a Goth makeover to rectify the situation. What did she choose as her "Goth Name"?

Answer: Becky

This inspired choice impressed her mentors with its sophistication. "Pinkness" is only for the elite in the Goth world. She went to the head of the class, out to a dark and depressing nightclub, and glimpsed the scarier side...For a little while. (From the program "What You Lookin' At?")

10. Who is the host and creator of "This American Life"?

Answer: Ira Glass

Mr. Glass has had a variety of jobs with NPR. "This American Life" first hit the airwaves in November of 1995. If you're interested to hear more about the shows referred to in the questions, this show is online at thislife.org.

Source: Author aislina

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor DakotaNorth before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

"This American Life" 1 Trivia Quiz

This quiz is a sampling of questions from all years of the radio program "This American Life," broadcast nationwide on Public Radio International and found online at thislife.org. Good luck!

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