The Pearl Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Pearl

This 1947 work from the pen of John Steinbeck tells the story of Kino, an Amerindian pearl fisher whose son is bitten by a scorpion. Kino is unable to afford medical treatment for Coyotito until he discovers a giant pearl, which he plans to sell to pay the doctor (and expects to have plenty of money left over - it is a giant pearl).

The subsequent actions of those around them, inspired by greed and envy, have tragic consequences, and Kino eventually throws the pearl back into the sea.

Answer: Pearl

Released after her death at the age of 27, Janis Joplin's 'Pearl' ended up being her album with the most sales, and included one of the songs with which her name is immediately connected, her cover of Kris Kristofferson's 'Me and Bobby McGee'. The 1979 film 'The Rose', loosely based on her life, was originally planned to follow her actual life more closely, and use her nickname of Pearl as its title, but the producers were unable to secure the rights to do so.

Answer: Pearl of the Atlantic

Many subtropical areas seem to attract the designation of being a pearl, perhaps in an attempt to lure visitors with a suggestion of elegance. The Portuguese archipelago of Madeira is part of Macaronesia, which also includes the Azores, the Spanish autonomous community of the Canary Islands, and the independent nation of Cabo Verde. Madeira is a popular tourist resort, with a climate that is usually described as modified subtropical.

Its proximity to the Gulf Stream, and the height of the mountains which give access to cooler environments, mean there is something for almost anyone.

Answer: Pearl S. Buck

Pearl Sydenstricker Buck was born in China in 1892, as the daughter of a missionary family, and she spent most of the first 30 years of her life there. 'The Good Earth', published in 1931, was the first novel in a trilogy dealing with life in a Chinese village during the early part of the 20th century.

Not only was it a runaway best seller, but it also won her the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1932, and the trilogy were a major factor in her becoming the first American Woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1938.

Answer: Pearl of the Adriatic

The Croatian seaport of Dubrovnik, located near the southern tip of that country's Adriatic coastline, is another place designated as a pearl of its region, and a popular destination for tourists. The city, founded in the 7th century, originally achieved prominence due to participating in the Mediterranean sea trade, reaching the height of its power in the 17th century.

Despite its seaside location, Dubrovnik is not especially known for its beaches; rather, the many historical sites which caused the city to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 are the drawcard that has led to the city taking steps to reduce the number of visitors at any one time (primarily by making sure that all the cruise ships don't schedule their arrivals on the same day). Those who haven't been there may still be familiar with the famous city walls, which were used for location shots of King's Landing for the televisions series 'Game of Thrones'.

Answer: The Pearl of Great Price

'The Pearl of Great Price' is a collection of reflections and Biblical re-translations from Joseph Smith, founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Its title comes from a parable in the Gospel of Matthew, which compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a pearl, so valuable that one would sacrifice everything to attain it.

It was first compiled in 1851 by Franklin D. Richards, but subsequent revisions have been extensive, primarily in removing content that was duplicated elsewhere in the 'Doctrine and Covenants'.

Answer: Minnie Pearl

Minnie Pearl was the stage persona of Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon, an act which she performed at Nashville's Grand Ol Oprey from 1940 until 1991, and also on the television country music show 'Hee Haw' between 1969 and 1991. The character was first created in 1939, and the famous straw hat with a $1.98 price tag dangling was purchased just before that performance.

After opening with a hearty "Howdee!", she produced humor based on gently poking fun at herself (a 'down home' mountain woman) and an array of fictitious family members, along with singing novelty songs.

Answer: Pearl of the Orient Seas

This title was first bestowed on the Philippines by the Spanish missionary Fr Juan Delgado in 1751, and was used by the Filipino nationalist Dr. José Rizal his 1896 poem 'Mi último adiós', written as he was awaiting execution by firing squad. A shortened form of the nickname, Pearl of the Orient, is often applied to the city of Manila, capital of the Philippines. Of course, there are other cities and regions which claim to be the Pearl of the Orient, including Shanghai, Hong Kong, Saigon, the Malaysian state of Penang, the Indian state of Goa, and the country of Sri Lanka.

Answer: Girl with a Pearl Earring

This 17th century oil painting shows the head of a young woman wearing a turban that has a striking blue lower portion, and sporting a massive spherical earring. Whether it is made of pearl or metal has been the subject of some debate, and the painting has not always been known by a title referring to the earring.

It was 'lost' for many years, before being rediscovered near the start of the 20th century, when it was called 'Jeunne Fille' ('Young Girl'). Subsequent references to the work have given it such titles as 'Head of a Young Girl', 'Young Girl with Turban', and variants on that.

It was not until the second half of the 20th century that the pearl earring came to be seen as the significant feature of the painting. This painting was the inspiration for the 1999 historical novel 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' by Tracy Chevalier, which focuses on the relationship between the painter and the servant he used for a model, posing in his wife's earrings.

Answer: Pearl Krabs

Pearl is a young sperm whale whose father, a crab named Eugene H. Krabs, runs the Krusty Krab restaurant, which employs SpongeBob. Her mother, whom she presumably resembles in shape if not in size, has been absent since she was a young child, although we don't know any details. (I am absolutely not going to get involved in contemplating the genetics of this family - as my daughter often tells me in similar contexts, it's a cartoon.) Mr Krabs wants his daughter to take over the business when she grows up; meanwhile, she is occasionally working there, but also works at the Bikini Bottom Mall, as well as attending school, where she is good at mathematics and is a cheerleader.

The character is voiced by Lori Allan on the series, as well as in several SpongeBob movies and video games.