Tiffany's 'M'-pactive Quiz

Answer: money

The cacao bean was a staple food for the natives of Mesoamerica. They used it to make chocolate, in drink form, as well as to make mole, a chili and chocolate sauce served with meat. The bean was also used as money and the Aztecs would actually receive the cacao beans as tribute.

Answer: modus operandi

A criminal's 'modus operandi' is the method they use while committing crimes. Basically, in English, it means 'mode of operation'. While we mostly hear it used by law enforcement officials, it can be used in a non-criminal sense to describe a person's habits.

Answer: Malinalxochitl

Malinalxochitl means "wild grass flower". While the Aztecs were traveling from their legendary homeplace, Aztlan, she and her followers were abandoned by her brother Huitzilopochtli, the Aztec god of war. She was known to be a sorceress and was the goddess of sorcery, snakes, and insects.

She and her followers are said to have settled in Malinalco after being abandoned. Later, Copil, one of her descendants, fought against Huitzilopochtli.

Answer: Madagascar

In "Madagascar", the animals escape from the zoo and then are sent to Africa. They land on Madagascar and think that they have been transferred to a new zoo. They soon realize that they are actually in the wild, and they try to find a way back to the Central Park Zoo.

Answer: Madrid

Spain was under Muslim rule for about 700 years, and it was in the ninth century during the reign of Muhammad I that a palace was built where modern-day Madrid is located. Today, the Palacio Real of Spain sits on the site of the original palace that Muhammad had built.

Madrid is located in the center of the country on the Manzanares River. Madrid is home to the Spanish monarchy and the royal court was first moved to Madrid in 1561 under King Philip II. Some places to visit include: the Palacio Real, the Prado Museum, the Teatro Real, and the National Library.

Answer: Mary McDonnell

Mary McDonnell was born on April 28, 1952 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Before beginning her movie career, she appeared in several plays on Broadway, including "Execution of Justice", "The Heidi Chronicles", and "Summer and Smoke". Some of her notable film roles include "Dances With Wolves", "Independence Day", and "Passion Fish".

She has also appeared on several television shows as well as being a regular cast member of "Battlestar Galactica".

Answer: Mauve

The color mauve was named in 1856 by the chemist William Henry Perkin. Perkin was trying to create artificial quinine, a treatment for malaria. Mauve was an unexpected discovery for Perkin, who had created the first aniline dye, which is known as mauveine. Mauve soon became a big hit in 1862 after Queen Victoria appeared in a mauve silk gown.

Answer: Martina McBride

Martina was born on July 29, 1966 in Sharon, Kansas. She married John McBride in 1988 and they moved to Nashville in 1990. They both began touring with Garth Brooks and Martina eventually got her own contract and began opening for Garth. Some of her albums include: "The Time Has Come", "Martina", "Timeless" and "Waking Up Laughing".

Answer: Machado-Joseph Disease

Machado-Joseph Disease (MJD) is a rare, progressive hereditary ataxia (a lack of muscle control). Symptoms can appear at any age, and early onset is usually associated with a more severe form of MJD. Some symptoms include weakness in arms and legs, some difficulty in swallowing or speaking, involuntary eye movements, frequent urination, and sometimes dystonia (a sustained contraction of the muscle resulting in rigidity, abnormal positions, or twisting of limbs).

The first families to show symptoms gave the disease its name in the 1970s. These families were of Portuguese/Azorean descent, and the disease is still the most prevalent among those of Portuguese/Azorean descent.

Answer: Mexican Hat Dance

The Mexican Hat Dance is a courtship dance and is considered a Mexican folk dance. The lady wears the 'china poblana' costume. One story about the 'china poblana' tells how a Chinese princess was sold into slavery and bought by a merchant in Puebla, Mexico.

She later fell in love and made her own wedding dress using local fashion, but also including many oriental patterns. While the 'china poblana' costume origin is debated, the Mexican Hat Dance first appeared in the 1700s. In the early twentieth century, Felipa Lopez choreographed it into the standardized form popular today.