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Waltz Without Schmaltz Trivia Quiz

Here is a potpourri bound tenuously by the letter Z in the first and last questions...

A multiple-choice quiz by austinnene. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
austinnene

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
370,930

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
487

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What is the early German definition of schmaltz? Hint

Insincere mourning (crocodile tears)

Overweening nerve; bumptiousness

Mixture of hops and barley soaked in liquid

Rendered fat from a chicken or goose, used as a spread on bread

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Question 2 of 10

2. Speaking of Germany, there is an incredibly large species of earthworm, Lumbricus badensis-known as the rainworm, that resides in only one, very famous, area of the country. Where? Hint

Suburban Berlin

Saxony, not far from Dresden

Westphalia

Black Forest

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Question 3 of 10

3. Speaking of worms, what are the primary characteristics of a worm that invades your computer? Hint

It damages or disrupts your computer's functioning, and it reproduces itself to spread to other computers.

It adds unsolicited spyware to your computer's hard drive, and it reproduces itself to spread to other computers.

It damages or disrupts your computer's functioning, but it doesn't reproduce--each affected computer has to be specifically targeted by the sender.

It adds unsolicited spyware to your computer's hard drive, but it doesn't reproduce--each affected computer has to be specifically targeted by the sender.

4. Speaking of computing, which American company, known as Big Blue, arose from a office machine manufacturing concern established in the early 1900s called Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company? Hint

Xerox

Hewlett-Packard

Westinghouse

International Business Machines (IBM)

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Question 5 of 10

5. Speaking of machines (this question is in honor of my 3-year-old granddaughter, who is currently obsessed with the topic), which of the following is NOT a machine? Hint

An automobile

A weed eater

A toaster

A playground slide

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Question 6 of 10

6. Speaking of granddaughters, what famous American comedienne used to close her weekly variety/comedy show by tugging on her ear, to signal to her grandmother that all was well with her? Hint

Carol Burnett

Mary Tyler Moore

Phyllis Diller

Joan Rivers

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. Speaking of ears, which of the following pairs of animals uses theirs to "see" through a process known as echolocation? Hint

Lobsters and Fennec foxes

Whales and bats

Elephants and moths

Alligators and desert mice

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Speaking of echoes, which South Australian site, known for its "Whispering Wall", has such amazing acoustics that one's whisper uttered at one end can be heard at the other, about 140 meters distant? Hint

Barossa Reservoir

Port Arthur Historic Site

Uluru (Ayer's Rock)

Melbourne Cricket Ground

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Question 9 of 10

9. Speaking of walls, St. Stephens Cathedral in Vienna, Austria, has something that is at once very common and very unusual on its outside wall. What? Hint

A mosaic of the prophet Ezekiel and the wheel

Two gold chalices from ancient Rome bolted into small alcoves

A crucifixion figure known as "Christ with a toothache"

An unfinished engraving of the Book of Matthew

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Question 10 of 10

10. And, speaking of Vienna, which of these is a distinguishing feature of a Viennese waltz? Hint

It is written to include a part for a harp or a zither.

The lead shifts from the male to the female partner and back again.

It includes dance moves known as "natural turns", but never "reverse turns".

It is often written in 6/8 time and is faster than other waltzes.

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What is the early German definition of schmaltz?

Answer: Rendered fat from a chicken or goose, used as a spread on bread

"Schmaltz" has a few definitions, but one of the first was as a spread for bread something like butter...Nowadays it commonly connotes maudlin sentimentality. It's difficult to see the link between the two disparate definitions, but some sources suggest that the dripping of the fat morphed into the dripping of tears..

2. Speaking of Germany, there is an incredibly large species of earthworm, Lumbricus badensis-known as the rainworm, that resides in only one, very famous, area of the country. Where?

Answer: Black Forest

The soil of the Black Forest area is too acidic some other types of worms, leaving it open for the rainworm to flourish. This worm, so-called because of its habit of coming to the surface in heavy rains, can reach lengths of up to two feet!

3. Speaking of worms, what are the primary characteristics of a worm that invades your computer?

Answer: It damages or disrupts your computer's functioning, and it reproduces itself to spread to other computers.

A basic difference between a worm and a virus is that the latter attaches itself to a program. Worms don't need to attach to programs to harm your files.

Answer: International Business Machines (IBM)

The company changed its name to IBM in 1924. Its famous motto, "Think", was created during its years as CTR.

5. Speaking of machines (this question is in honor of my 3-year-old granddaughter, who is currently obsessed with the topic), which of the following is NOT a machine?

Answer: A playground slide

While there are a number of different definitions of machine, there are two central ideas common to them: a machine has fixed and moving parts, and it does something, often identified as work. Given these criteria, the only one of the choices that does not meet the definition is the slide.

6. Speaking of granddaughters, what famous American comedienne used to close her weekly variety/comedy show by tugging on her ear, to signal to her grandmother that all was well with her?

Answer: Carol Burnett

The Carol Burnett Show ran from 1967-1978. It featured Carol Burnett, Vicki Lawrence, Harvey Korman, Tim Conway and Lyle Waggoner. The show was known for comedy skits that broke up the players-in particular, Tim Conway could render Harvey Korman nearly helpless with laughter, and Carol Burnett has acknowledged in numerous interviews that the cast actually placed bets on how long it would take Conway to reduce Korman to that state!

Carol Burnett was reared by her grandmother, who passed away during the show's run; but Burnett continued the ear tug as a tribute to her.

7. Speaking of ears, which of the following pairs of animals uses theirs to "see" through a process known as echolocation?

Answer: Whales and bats

The animal uses echolocation to determine the location, size and shape of things in its vicinity. It sends out sound waves and picks up their echoes. Shrews and some cave-dwelling birds also use echolocation to "see". Humans use it, too, but with the aid of instruments-sonar and radar.

Answer: Barossa Reservoir

According to the reservoir's brochure, its dam was constructed between 1899 and 1902. It is a thin curved wall, 36 meters high. The degree of he curve's arc is such that sound waves bounce off it obliquely, allowing them to travel all along its 144 meter length. The Whispering Wall is a tourist attraction particularly loved by children.

9. Speaking of walls, St. Stephens Cathedral in Vienna, Austria, has something that is at once very common and very unusual on its outside wall. What?

Answer: A crucifixion figure known as "Christ with a toothache"

It isn't known for sure how the figure came to be known as "Christ with a toothache", but there are some folk tales about it. One such story goes that three inebriated friends passed by the statue late one night and noticed that someone had placed flowers around his crown of thorns and tied a cloth around his head to keep the flowers in place. The three friends joked that it looked as if "Christ has a toothache" and went home. However, sleep eluded all of them because each developed a severe toothache in the night. They returned to the statue the next day to apologize to the statue, and, miraculously, their pain disappeared!

Of course, another account is simply that the expression on the figure's face is one of agony...

10. And, speaking of Vienna, which of these is a distinguishing feature of a Viennese waltz?

Answer: It is often written in 6/8 time and is faster than other waltzes.

And it's not at all schmaltzy...

Source: Author austinnene

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor trident before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

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