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Uncommon Sense Trivia Quiz

Sometimes, the most obvious answer isn't the right one. The following questions will test your ability to stop and think when necessary. Just to keep it interesting, not all of these questions involve such trickery.

A multiple-choice quiz by kclukz. Estimated time: 7 mins.

Author
kclukz

Time
7 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
133,299

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
9 / 20

Plays
1608

Last 3 plays: Guest 175 (7/20), Guest 96 (3/20), Guest 104 (9/20).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. In normal operating mode, what direction does a ceiling fan motor turn the blades to produce a downward draft? Hint

Counterclockwise

Clockwise

Clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and Counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere

Counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and Clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere

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Question 2 of 20

2. Which city is furthest south? Hint

Cape Town, South Africa

Santiago, Chile

Sydney, Australia

Buenos Aires, Argentina

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Question 3 of 20

3. Which of the following inventions was not in use by the Aztecs prior to the arrival of the Spanish? Hint

Air Conditioning

Corrective Lenses

Wheeled Carriages

Indoor Plumbing

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Question 4 of 20

4. In which U.S. State would you find the easternmost point in the United States? Hint

Hawaii

Maine

Alaska

Florida

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Question 5 of 20

5. We know that the world is made up of approximately 70% water. Of that water, how much of it is fresh water? Hint

11%

25%

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Question 6 of 20

6. Where would you find Abraham Lincoln's most famous address? Hint

Gettysburg

Philadelphia

Springfield

Washington DC

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Question 7 of 20

7. The President of which country lives in a pink house? Hint

Morocco

Bermuda

Argentina

Jamaica

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Question 8 of 20

8. The largest Portuguese speaking country in the world is Portugal.

True

False

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Question 9 of 20

9. Brazil shares a common border with all other South American countries except: Hint

Argentina

Chile and Ecuador

Peru and Ecuador

Bolivia and Chile

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Question 10 of 20

10. The Elgin Marbles are: Hint

The world's oldest known toys

Carved frescos from the Parthenon

Naturally round and smooth boulders in front of the Acropolis

The #1 attraction at the British Museum

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Question 11 of 20

11. What are the final words of Shakespeare's "Hamlet?" Hint

...Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead.

To be, or not to be.

Goodnight, sweet prince.

Go, bid the soldiers shoot.

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Question 12 of 20

12. In each of the following cities, you can take the subway/connecting train to and from the main international airport except for: Hint

Atlanta

Paris

London

Montreal

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Question 13 of 20

13. In which of the following coastal cities would you be most likely to enjoy the view of the sea while sipping a pisco sour? Hint

Genoa

Valparaiso

Casablanca

Puerto Vallarta

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Question 14 of 20

14. Where would you go to ride a Shotover jetboat? Hint

Amazon River Basin

New Zealand

British Columbia

Netherlands Antilles

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Question 15 of 20

15. The British drive on the left side of the road because... Hint

Coach drivers in the middle ages engaged shotgunners who sat on the left side to protect from highway robbers.

Henry VIII chose to be different from the rest of Europe in protest of the Catholic Church's refusal to allow him to get divorced.

Knights jousted from the left to favor their strong arm.

The first British car makers mis-read the design plans and built everything on the wrong side.

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Question 16 of 20

16. If you were served "deep fried cuy" in a restaurant, you would be eating... Hint

a Peruvian Guinea pig

a Chinese dumpling

a Vietnamese snake dish

a Middle Eastern pita bread stuffing

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Question 17 of 20

17. Which of the following would an Italian chef serve for dessert? Hint

Cannelini

Canneloni

Cannoli

Canola

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Question 18 of 20

18. Piccadilly Circus is... Hint

...an actual circus

...a zoological park

...a traffic circle

...an entertainment complex

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Question 19 of 20

19. Pizza originated where? Hint

Naples

Sicily

New York

ancient Rome

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Question 20 of 20

20. Which of the following was not the creation of Benjamin Franklin? Hint

Odometer

Lightning Rod

Saturday Evening Post

Bifocals

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 12 2024 : Guest 175: 7/20
Nov 11 2024 : Guest 96: 3/20
Oct 29 2024 : Guest 104: 9/20

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In normal operating mode, what direction does a ceiling fan motor turn the blades to produce a downward draft?

Answer: Clockwise

When you look at a ceiling fan, it is rotating in a counterclockwise direction (regardless of hemisphere!). However, the motor is turning the fan in a clockwise direction.

2. Which city is furthest south?

Answer: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Santiago, Cape Town and Sydney are all located at 33 degrees south latitude. Buenos Aires is one degree further south at 34.

3. Which of the following inventions was not in use by the Aztecs prior to the arrival of the Spanish?

Answer: Wheeled Carriages

While the mighty Aztec civilization certainly had an understanding of the concept of the wheel, they had no beasts of burden, and so no use of the wheel for transportation.

On the other hand, they had discovered that compressed disks of amber could be used to improve vision, that the concept of syphoning could be used to provide running water indoors, and that channeled air ducts could provide a natural form of cooling indoor air.

4. In which U.S. State would you find the easternmost point in the United States?

Answer: Alaska

This is a tricky one. Upon close inspection of a map, you will find that the international dateline runs through the middle of Little Diomede Island in the Aleutian island chain of Alaska. Therefore, the island represents both the westernmost and the easternmost point in the U.S.

5. We know that the world is made up of approximately 70% water. Of that water, how much of it is fresh water?

Answer: 3%

This is pretty amazing considering that there are more than 6 billion people who need to drink it.

6. Where would you find Abraham Lincoln's most famous address?

Answer: Washington DC

While we all know that Lincoln delivered a famous address in Gettysburg, you won't find it there! You'll find his original written copy of it at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., where you will also find Lincoln's most famous residential address: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

7. The President of which country lives in a pink house?

Answer: Argentina

Who can forget the scenes of the immensely popular Eva Peron speaking to the crowds from the balcony of the famous Casa Rosara (pink house) in the stageplay and movie "Evita." Folks that haven't seen it would still recognize that of these four options, only Argentina has a President. Bermuda has a Premier and Jamaica and Morocco have Prime Ministers.

8. The largest Portuguese speaking country in the world is Portugal.

Answer: False

Ah... a trick question! Portuguese-speaking Brazil has more than 15 times the population and more than 90 times the land mass of Portugal. So no matter how you define "largest" Brazil wins hands down.

9. Brazil shares a common border with all other South American countries except:

Answer: Chile and Ecuador

Brazil also offers arguably the widest range of scenery in the world; ranging from rain forests to deserts to everything in between.

10. The Elgin Marbles are:

Answer: Carved frescos from the Parthenon

The most visited attraction at the British Museum is the Rosetta Stone. The Elgin Marbles would be #2.

11. What are the final words of Shakespeare's "Hamlet?"

Answer: Go, bid the soldiers shoot.

Pretty anticlimactic, huh?

12. In each of the following cities, you can take the subway/connecting train to and from the main international airport except for:

Answer: Montreal

Montreal has a great subway system, but unfortunately (especially in the winter!), it does not serve the airport.

13. In which of the following coastal cities would you be most likely to enjoy the view of the sea while sipping a pisco sour?

Answer: Valparaiso

Pisco is a twice-fermented brandy native to Chile and Peru. A pisco sour is made with pisco, lemon juice, powdered sugar and an egg white. It is shaken until it has a thick, frothy consistency and it goes down way too easily!

14. Where would you go to ride a Shotover jetboat?

Answer: New Zealand

Jet boating on the Shotover River outside of Queenstown, New Zealand is one of the truly adventurous outings you can imagine. These boats reach speeds of up to 90 miles an hour and whip circles within inches of hundred foot high cliffs. Not for the faint hearted!

15. The British drive on the left side of the road because...

Answer: Knights jousted from the left to favor their strong arm.

Most Knights were right handed, and therefore held their lances with their right hands and passed their opponent on their right side so that they had better control over the hit. Interestingly, the most successful jousters were usually left-handed and held their lances across their body and got better leverage.

16. If you were served "deep fried cuy" in a restaurant, you would be eating...

Answer: a Peruvian Guinea pig

Actually, it's quite delicious.

17. Which of the following would an Italian chef serve for dessert?

Answer: Cannoli

Cannoli are deep fried pastry shells filled with sweetened ricotta cheese, chocolate and pistachios. Canneloni are pasta shells stuffed with meat or cheese, and cannelini are large white beans. Canola is a grain which is most famous for its oil.

18. Piccadilly Circus is...

Answer: ...a traffic circle

Actually, it's only a partial circle.

19. Pizza originated where?

Answer: ancient Rome

In the 3rd century BC, the first history of Rome, written by Marcus "Porcius Cato, mentions a "flat round of dough dressed with olive oil, herbs, and honey baked on stones". Further evidence is found in Pompeii, the city "frozen in time" since AD 79, where archaeologists have excavated shops that closely resemble modern pizzerias." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizza)

20. Which of the following was not the creation of Benjamin Franklin?

Answer: Saturday Evening Post

Franklin founded the Philadelphia Gazette, which later became the Saturday Evening Post. However, by that time, he had sold all of his interest in the original newspaper and had nothing to do with the more famous magazine which has published practically every famous American author ever since.

Source: Author kclukz

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ozzz2002 before going online.
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