Cool Zooms, Part XXXIX Trivia Quiz

Answer: Porpoise

With a name meaning "little cow", the vaquita (Phocoena sinus) is the world's smallest cetacean (some species of: dolphins, porpoises, whales) growing only to 1.4-1.5m long. Residing exclusively in the shallower waters at the northern end of the Gulf of California, it is critically endangered. Their imminent demise is largely due to being by-catch in fishing nets.

This question is sadly inserted into this quiz by MikeMaster99 whose day job is trying to introduce more aquatic science into the management of precious marine and freshwater environments, where stories such as that of the vaquita are far too common.

Answer: Missing in Action

Solution: This is how you spell the word 'action'. You take away the 'in' from the word and it is "missing in" or, as we have put it...act o.

Missing in Action is a term to describe a member of the armed forces who cannot be traced to confirm if their status is either dead or alive.

"Missing in Action" is also a 1984 film that stars Chuck Norris as Colonel Braddock, a Vietnam War veteran who had escaped from a prisoner of war camp. The film is set ten years later, and Braddock returns to Vietnam in a bid to track down US soldiers who had been listed as "missing in action". The film was criticised for cashing in on the "Rambo" franchise; however, it did not stop it from being successful and it would spawn two sequels.

Many at Phoenix Rising have often felt that pollucci19 is usually missing in action but he managed to surface and put this question together.

Answer: Japanese

As well as her fine acting skills, Natalie Portman is renowned for her intelligence and her desire to learn. It was revealed by Thomas Feller in his book "Great Lives From History: Jewish Americans" (2010) that Hebrew is her native language, "Female First" magazine, in 2005, revealed her skills in speaking German, and "Business Insider" showcased her abilities in Spanish in 2013. She took on the role (pun not intended) as a UN ambassador and has been known to have delivered speeches, fluently, in all of the above languages. She is more than just a pretty face.

This question was written by Phoenix Rising's pollucci19 who is proud of the fact that he speaks Western Australian, can cope with Tasmanian and South Australian as a language, can muddle his way through Victorian and New South Welsh but he cannot come to grips with the Queensland dialects.

Answer: Givenchy

What is a future British Royal doing buying her wedding dress from a French fashion house?! Not to worry, she wasn't being disloyal as the designer she chose, Claire Waight Keller, is a British designer. Miss Markle chose her because she "wanted to highlight the success of a leading British talent who has now served as the creative head of three globally influential fashion houses - Pringle of Scotland, Chloé, and now Givenchy".

The dress itself was white, simple, and elegant. An immense amount of detail going into the 5-metre-long veil which was decorated with embroidery depicting the California poppy (representing Meghan), Wintersweet (a flower found at Kensington Palace, representing Prince Harry), and a flower for each of the 53 Commonwealth countries.

smpdit draws a veil over the ongoing rumpus over the status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and wishes them well.

Answer: Anna Hibiscus

Anna Hibiscus is the creation of Nigerian-born storyteller and author None Atinuke. Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa, amazing Africa, with her very large extended family. She is featured in a series of simple, relatable, family-oriented stories introducing African culture and touching on some important life lessons. The series of eight books was published under the following titles: "Anna Hibiscus", "Hooray for Anna Hibiscus!", "Welcome Home, Anna Hibiscus!", "Good Luck, Anna Hibiscus!", "Have Fun, Anna Hibiscus!", "You're Amazing, Anna Hibiscus!", "Go Well, Anna Hibiscus!", and "Love from Anna Hibiscus!".

This question submitted by JCSon, who laughed often and shed a tear or two while reading this charming series to his two little girls.

Answer: Hollow

We did try to help out a little here by stressing the word 'meaningless', which is synonym for 'hollow'. Hopefully, it wasn't pyrrhic assistance.

"The Gilmore Girls" is a television series that ran from 2000 to 2007. The show focuses on the lives of Lorelai Gilmore and her daughter Rory who live in Stars HOLLOW in Connecticut. Loretta Lynn is a country music legend who was born in Butcher HOLLOW, Kentucky. Ichabod Crane is a character who appears in Washington Irving's 1820 story "The Legend of Sleepy HOLLOW". And "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows", J.K. Rowling's 2007 novel about the boy wizard, sees our protagonist seeking answers in a village called Godric's HOLLOW.

Phoenix Rising's pollucci19 produced this question and he hopes you didn't find it useless...I mean, hollow.

Answer: The Bahamas and The Gambia

This issue came to a head in 2012 when Ukraine co-hosted Euro 2012, an international soccer tournament where the British Press reported the host country as "The Ukraine", to which the Ukrainian people took offense. "'Ukraine' is both the conventional short and long name of the country", said Oksana Kyzyma of the Embassy of Ukraine in London. "This name is stated in the Ukrainian Declaration of Independence and Constitution."

The use of the article refers to before independence in 1991, when Ukraine was a republic of the Soviet Union known as the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Since independence, it should be merely Ukraine. 'Ukraine' means "Borderland", so it was logical to have an article preceding it. After independence, Ukrainians thought that the article denigrated their country by identifying it as a part of Russia. Hence, any reference to an article was dropped.

Country names that are frequently referred to, with 'the', include Congo, Gambia, Yemen, Lebanon, Sudan, Netherlands, Philippines, and Bahamas. Only two countries, The Bahamas (Commonwealth of the Bahamas) and The Gambia (Republic of the Gambia), should officially be referred to with the article.

Frequently, definite articles are attached to areas where they have a mixture of geophysical names and a physical entity; for example, one does not go to Maldives but "the Maldives" (where the article is lower case). Countries like the United States of America and the United Kingdom also utilise the definite article because both are compound nouns with adjectives.

Question written up by Phoenix Rising team member The 1nn1 who drops the article as he prefers informality.

Answer: Portuguese pirates set the city ablaze

Singapore has been inhabited since the 2nd century and established itself as an international trading port. Once known as Temasek (Tamasik) meaning "sea port", the name was changed to Singapura by a Sumatran prince who was shipwrecked there in the 13th century. Singapore was controlled by regional empires and Sultanates until the Portuguese arrived in the 16th century. Portuguese pirates burnt the port to the ground in 1613 and the rest of the island was then deserted. No more was heard of Singapore until 1819 when Stamford Raffles created a British trading post on the site. Despite several attempts by other countries to claim the island, Singapore has become a self-governing, autonomous, and prosperous state.

Phoenix Rising's leith90 was lucky enough to visit Singapore several times prior to 2020 and has sipped a Singapore Sling in Raffles Hotel.

Answer: Hangi

"Hangi" is a traditional form of Maori cuisine, utilising heated rocks in an earth oven called an "umu". Hangi food (meat and vegetables cooked together) has a unique and distinctive flavour produced by a combination of smoking, steaming, and baking.

Hangi food is usually prepared for special occasions, as putting down a hangi is a process taking many hours. Special stones are heated by an open fire before being transferred to an earth pit. Separate baskets of prepared meat and vegetables and even desserts are laid over the stones, watered and covered with wet sacks and earth. Steam and pressure cook the food for about three hours before the meal is uncovered and served.

The word 'umu' is not unique to Maori but is used in many Polynesian cultures as a name for earth ovens. The Hawaiian "Kalua" is a cooking method using an earth oven known as an "imu". A "lovo" is a Fijian cooking pit.

Phoenix Rising's psnz spent several decades working in New Zealand's education system where sales of hangi meals proved a regular and popular school fundraising method.

Answer: Parmenides of Elea

Bit of a mind-bender that one, am I right? Parmenides held that all reality is, despite appearances, one uniform unchanging thing (your senses deceive you!). Change is impossible because nothing is impossible - that is, what we call "nothing" cannot be part of reality. Let's dissect the statement in the question: "what is cannot not be and what is not cannot be". The first part ("what is cannot not be") might be rephrased as "that which is cannot fail to exist" or more simply "what is is". The second part ("what is not cannot be") asserts that "nothing cannot be something".

This question has always been by and is Phoenix Rising's JCSon, whose philosophy professor once stated that since one cannot think or speak truthfully about nothing, all one has left to do is wiggle one's little finger.

Answer: The Dodo

"Alice in Wonderland" or "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" (1865) to give the novel its full title, was written by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832-1898) using the nom-de-plume Lewis Carroll. In this book, Alice is a young girl who falls down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world filled with anthropomorphic creatures.

The Dodo which appears in Chapters 2 and 3 is supposed to represent the author. It is believed that with his stammer, Dodgson would introduce himself as "Do-do-dodgson". The dodo is an extinct, flightless bird from the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.

In the story, Alice represents Alice Liddell (1852-1934) who was an acquaintance of Dodgson during her childhood. Others participating in the boating expedition when Dodgson told the story are represented by birds. The Lory and the Eaglet were her sisters, Lorina and Edith, while the Duck was Rev. Robinson Duckworth.

After everyone is wet following a swim, the Dodo suggests a "Caucus Race" to get dry. Participants run about in different patterns, starting and finishing when they feel like it, and everyone wins. This was a satire of the caucus system frequently used in politics.

In completing this question for the quiz, Phoenix Rising's psnz was relieved that there was no shouting of "Off with his head!"

Answer: Hayley Mills

The Academy Juvenile Award, known informally as the Juvenile Oscar and referred to by Bob Hope as the "Oscarette", recognized performers under the age of eighteen for "outstanding contributions to screen entertainment". It was first awarded at the 7th Academy Awards (1934) to Shirley Temple and discontinued after Hayley Mills was honored at the 33rd Academy Awards (1960). Judy Garland received hers at the 12th Academy Awards (1939). A total of twelve juvenile actors received the award at ten ceremonies. After its discontinuation, Patty Duke became the first juvenile to win an Academy Award in a competitive category (Best Supporting Actress) against her adult counterparts. She was honored for her performance in "The Miracle Worker" (1962) as a 16-year-old. Apparently, she also holds the record for the shortest acceptance speech, uttering a simple "thank you".

This question accepted by JCSon, who would like to thank FunTrivia for hosting, the big man (Terry) for being the brainchild behind this site, my amazing team (Phoenix Rising), my wife and two lovely daughters (you complete me!), and all of you lovely people for taking this quiz.

Answer: Beethoven's "Ode to Joy"

"Ode to Joy" is the fourth and final movement in Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. It is set to German poet Friedrich Schiller's ode of the same name. It is the only piece among Beethoven's many compositions that contains lyrics. The poem expresses Schiller's idealistic vision of a united human race. In 1985, the EU adopted "Ode to Joy" sans lyrics as its anthem to symbolise European ideals of freedom, peace, and solidarity.

This question was composed in symphony by Phoenix Rising team members JCSon and purelyqing.

Answer: Swim one mile in the polar Antarctic Circle

Cath Pendleton, aka the Merthyr Mermaid, is from Troedyrhiw in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. The single mother of two prepared for the challenge by training in a chest freezer full of ice water in her shed. She, along with others are embarking on the Ice Sevens challenge whereby the participants endeavor to swim one mile in icy water on seven continents.

Phoenix Rising member mike32768 likes ice in a drink, and not his swimming pool.

Answer: Jethro of Midian

The Druze people primarily reside in the Middle East with the largest population living in Syria. Their religion is based on the text "The Epistles of Wisdom" which was first compiled in 1479. The Druze people view Jethro of Midian, Moses's father-in-law, as their true prophet who communicated directly with God and then imparted his knowledge on to Moses. The Druze religion is notable for its adherents' belief in theophany (observable manifestation of a deity) and reincarnation.

This question was manifested into the quiz by Phoenix Rising team member Triviaballer who may be the spiritual founder of picking a regrettable and unchangeable player profile name on FunTrivia.

Answer: Pennsylvania

The Carboniferous period is a geologic period and system that spans from the end of the Devonian Period 359 million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Permian Period, 299 Mya. In what was to become the North American part of the northern supercontinent called Laurasia, the Carboniferous is further divided into two geological periods, the earlier Mississippian and the later Pennsylvanian periods. (In Europe, the same time frames are called Upper and Lower Carboniferous periods). The periods are so divided as the earlier period described the laying down of massive coal deposits in a lush marshy sub-tropical environment where the latter period refers to the formation of the Appalachian Mountains in a much colder environment as Laurasia migrates with Gondwana towards their respective poles.

This question was drafted by Phoenix Rising team member 1nn1 who, whilst known as a dinosaur, is not quite old enough to remember the Carboniferous Period.

Answer: Wrexham AFC

Wrexham AFC is the oldest club in Wales and third oldest in the world, coming into existence in 1864. The "Racecourse", where their home games are played, is the oldest international football stadium still in use; and the oldest public house in use at any sporting arena in the world is located in the stadium.

The two Hollywood celebrities (Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney) own 100% of the team after talks began with the club's board in early 2019. Wrexham AFC had been owned by fans since 2011, and more than 98% of the members of its Supporters' Trust voted to approve the sale in November 2020 (75% "in favour" votes were required for a successful ballot).

Reynolds and McElhenney indicated they would attend as many matches as possible in person, as far as the dictates of their schedule allowed.

Phoenix Rising member VegemiteKid kicked this question into the quiz - gooooaaaaal!

Answer: Julie Andrews

"Bridgerton" is based on a series of romance novels by US author Julia Quinn about the well-to-do Bridgerton family and their experiences of English high society during the Regency Era. The show is narrated by the mysterious Lady Whistledown (Dame Julie Andrews) whose regular gossip columns report on the various intrigues and scandals surrounding the prominent families of the ton.

The first series was released by Netflix on Christmas Day 2020 and tells the story of Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), the eldest Bridgerton daughter, and her somewhat odd relationship with the aloof, but handsome Simon Bassett, Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page). The show is a modern take on a costume drama production as it deliberately cast actors from a range of ethnic backgrounds in order to depict an alternate history where all levels of society were racially diverse. It also proved to be a major hit, having been viewed by over 80 million households worldwide in the first month after its release.

This question was presented by Phoenix Rising's Fifiona81 who tuned into "Bridgerton" expecting a Jane Austen-style story and discovered something quite different!

Answer: New Horizons

Exclusively available on the Nintendo Switch video game console, "Animal Crossing: New Horizons" is the fifth social simulation game in Nintendo's "Animal Crossing" series. "New Leaf" (2012) was the subtitle of the fourth game. "New World" has numerous uses, including a forthcoming video game from Amazon Game Studios. Likewise, "New Beginnings" is not unique, with "A New Beginning" (2010) being an adventure game from German developers "Daedalic Entertainment".

"Animal Crossing: New Horizons" is an open-ended game involving exploring an island and developing it into a community, with anthropomorphic animals. As well as individual gaming, local and online co-operative gameplay is supported. Regular updates are available, with seasonal and holiday themes.

The game has received critical acclaim, breaking sales records and was the third-ranked game in 2020, behind "Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War" and "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare". Coming at the time of the COVID-19 global pandemic, social distancing and lockdowns, the escapist nature of New Horizons contributed to its widespread popularity.

Phoenix Rising's psnz had the tools and the freedom to explore, customize, and update this question into the quiz.

Answer: The Burlington Arcade in London

My first reaction to this was Milan's Galleria Vittorio or, more precisely, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, but I was wrong. The Vittorio, which was named after the first king to rule over a united Italy, is indeed a grand piece of work and an amazing tourist attraction. It took ten years to build, opening in 1877, but with its vaulted glass ceilings, classic mosaic tiling, and its intricate inlays, it was definitely worth every day it took to build. However, it isn't the oldest, and the one that is, The Burlington Arcade in London, is the one that the Vittorio was modeled on. Nestled in Piccadilly, behind Bond Street, it is arguably London's most famous arcade. This is an upmarket shopping mall and the features that make the "Burly" (trust an Aussie to shorten the name - how rude) stand out are its glazed roof and its narrow lanes. Apart from the Vittorio, the Burlington became the prototype for many covered shopping areas throughout Europe.

The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is definitely an older shopping precinct than any of the above-named options, however, we have excluded it from this quiz because there is dispute as to whether or not it represents a true mall (by definition, a large, enclosed shopping area from which traffic is excluded) or merely a covered market.

This question appealed to Phoenix Rising's pollucci19, not because it related to shopping, but one of the most notorious pubs in his hometown is also called the Burlington.