You Can Do Magic Trivia Quiz

Answer: Patter

It is important for each magician to develop his own style, and deciding what will be said during different tricks is very important because it might help to create the illusion. For some tricks, there might be a story to tell; for others it might be fun to tell a joke.

The most important thing is to decide what works best for you. Are you funny? Mysterious? If you have a difficult time deciding on your style, you might find some help in magic books. Some tricks actually come with suggested patter.

Answer: Shuffle

Typically the objects that a magician mixes up are cards. There are many ways, however, that a practiced magician can manipulate the card deck without anyone in his audience even noticing. Palming is a technique that can be used to hold a couple of cards until they are needed. Sometimes when it looks like the magician is shuffling, he really isn't.

This technique is called false shuffling and allows cards to be positioned wherever needed in the deck. Sometimes certain cards may be crimped, or marked, in the very slightest of ways so they can be easily found. So you see - just because it appears that random shuffling is taking place, that isn't always the case.

Answer: Telekinesis

Can anyone really move objects with their mind? Uri Gellar became famous for his apparent ability to bend a spoon with his mind. He always claimed that his power was real, but the thing a good magician needs to be able to do is convince people that the power is real.

There are many books that can help magicians with these special tricks. The suggestion has been made that telekinesis tricks should be approached in a serious manner with little talking so that people get the feeling that it is taking the magician quite a bit of effort to perform the feat.

It also might help to appear to be totally exhausted when the trick is over!

Answer: Magician's Wax

Magician's wax is not only very sticky, but it also allows for easy removal without detection. It is perfect for attaching an invisible thread to the wall or sticking a couple of cards together and very difficult for the audience to spot. You don't even have to buy it from the store; it can be made with glue, a candle, a spoon to mix them in, and, of course, a heat source. One hundred per cent beeswax can also be used.

Answer: Inspection

So you have just done a card trick using magician's wax and you want to let your audience examine your prop? Quick, just slide that glue off and show it to them! If it's possible for a magician to allow the audience to examine his props, it makes his magic all the more magical.

The thing to remember is that it's not a good idea to allow the audience to look at the props that have gimmicks. For this you need to understand the difference between a prop and a gimmick. Props are the items you use when you perform a magic trick - like an ordinary deck of cards - but a deck of cards would be a gimmick if they allowed the magician to do tricks that he couldn't do with an ordinary deck.

Answer: Angle

Knowing the angles at which the audience is sitting is very important for a magician because from some directions members may be able to figure out secret tricks. Consequently, it is important for a good magician to practice his tricks from many different angles. Looking into a mirror while practicing may help a magician notice what the members of his audience will also be noticing. Using a video camera to tape performances at different angles is a good idea too. If possible, practice in front of fellow magicians.

They will be sure to notice if too much is revealed.

Answer: Illusion

Of course, magicians rely heavily our false perceptions as they do magic tricks. Many times that is what makes the trick work! Most magic tricks contain "sleights", or special illusions, that must be performed without the audience knowing what they are. Good magicians practice these illusions until they are mastered. That means that whatever is done to make the trick work needs to look just like an innocent movement or gesture. Typically the tricks that require sleight are card tricks and rope manipulations. And, don't forget! A magician will never tell a non-magician how he accomplished a particular illusion. That spoils everything!

Answer: Levitation

There are many types of levitation tricks that can be used by a magician. In the Asrah levitation the magician's assistant lies down and is covered with a cloth. The assistant appears to levitate and then vanishes. This trick is done using a thin wire that is placed over the assistant at the same time the cloth is.

The cloth can then be raised, hiding the assistant's escape. Magician David Copperfield performed a levitation illusion where he appeared to fly on stage; he also performed flips and had wire hoops placed under him to prove that he was not attached to any wires.

He then entered a glass box and appeared to float in it. This type of levitation trick was created by John Gaughan, a manufacturer of magic tricks and acts, who applied for a patent to the trick, where it is explained in detail.

Answer: Penetration

One of the most common forms of the penetration trick is to use a sword to impale the magician's lucky assistant. Typically, the assistant is wearing a special type of corset under the clothes that cannot be seen. The tip of the sword actually goes into the corset, with a dummy sword tip coming out of the front of the person's clothes.

This is a trick where the use of music is very helpful as it can help drown out any noise that is caused by the penetration.

Answer: Abracadabra

Abracadabra is a magic word used by magicians to present their tricks; to the audience it may appear that simply saying the word makes the trick happen. The word was first used in "Liber Medicinalis", a book written in the 3rd century AD by the doctor of the Emperor Caracalla.

He suggested that wearing an amulet with the word inscribed in a triangle might help those who suffered from malaria, and also claimed that it would help other dire diseases go away as well. The origin of the word itself is unknown, however, some believe that it might have come from Hebrew, meaning "I will create as I speak".