On This Day: VII Trivia Quiz

Answer: Andy Warhol

The man, who found art in a soup can, died on the operating table in New York. Warhol was the pope of pop art. In the early 1960s he started reproducing blown up comic strips scenes for New York shop window displays, using a new technique of silk screening outsized photographic enlargements.

His 'factory' churned out mass media images, each slightly different, examples being that of Marilyn Monroe's face. Warhol often hinted that he was taking both the public and the critics for a ride.

Answer: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

Medical workers in the USA identified the human virus HIV. The virus identified by the team of Robert Gallo, working at the US National Cancer Institute, had identified the T-cell lymph tropic virus, Type III, or HTLV-III. A very similar virus had been identified by the French team of Jean-Claude Chermann, Francoise Barre Simoussi and Luc Montagnier of the Pasteur Institute, Paris, and designated lymphadenopathy-associated virus, or LAV.

The discovery raised hopes of finding an anti-AIDS vaccine and the possibility of eventually developing antibodies that could be used to treat patients with full blown AIDS.

Answer: Charles Dickens

Dickens had pushed himself to a punishing schedule which affected his health badly, and he died of a stroke at his home. Dickens continued to write, whilst embarking on a series of tours across Britain and the United States in which he gave readings from his own works to delighted audiences. Dickens' success as an author was partly marred by personal unhappiness.

He and his wife separated in 1859, and his sons failed to live up to his expectations. He died at Gad's Hill Place in Kent, the house he had loved from boyhood and finally owned.

Answer: Greenham Common

The women linked arms around the Berkshire airbase in protest against a planned site to house US Cruise missiles. The women started camping around the base in August 1982 and became a very strong force. Moves to evict them had been unsuccessful, and although several had been jailed, it never deterred them.

The women's plans were to blockade the airbase the following day, and confront US airmen as they arrived for work

Answer: Queen Isabella of Castile

Most of the Jews left rather than abandon their faith, although they had nowhere to go. To Isabella and her husband Ferdinand, both devout Catholics, the offence of the Jews was twofold. In the past they had been an important part of the Arab cultural renaissance in Iberia, contributing to the body of Spanish-Arab work on science, philosophy and other subjects (which are still in use today). Now the royals, who had forced the Arabs from Granada, were eager to sweep away the Jews, too. Encouraged by the monarchs, the Inquisition enforced absolute religious conformity.

Answer: Helen Keller

Born on June 27th 1880, at Tuscumbia, Alabama, Helen could see and hear until she was two, when a tragic illness struck that left her blind, deaf and mute. Her parents employed the services of a special teacher for her, Anne Mansfield Sullivan from the Perkins School for the Blind in Boston, which was a turning point for young Helen. Under the tutelage of this remarkable woman, Helen learned, in the space of two years to read and write in braille.

She also learned to "hear", and to speak again, by placing her fingers on Anne's larynx to feel the vibrations as she spoke.

Helen went on to graduate with distinction from Radcliffe College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and toured the world promoting education for people similarly afflicted. Her life story had been subject to theatre and film, and her work included the 'Story of my life' (1902) and 'Helen Keller's Journal' (1938).

Answer: Rocky Marciano

The former undefeated heavyweight champion of the world, died near Newton, Iowa. Short by heavyweight standards (under 6ft/1.8m) stocky Marciano (born Rocco Marchegiano, in Brockton, Massachusetts) had a remarkable record as a fighter, winning all 49 of his professional fights, 43 of them inside the distance.

A demon in the ring, Marciano was a gentleman outside it, and after retiring in 1956, he devoted himself to his business interests.

Answer: China

The Korean conflict took a devastating turn when 200,000 Chinese troops poured over the River Yalu. Chou En-Lai, the Chinese Foreign Minister had repeatedly warned that his country would resist if the US forces crossed the 38th Parallel into North Korea, but his warnings were ignored by the west.

The US Eighth Army, along with large forces of Marines and South Koreans were left to leave the area in awful weather conditions.

Answer: India

India exploded a device in the Rajasthan desert on that date. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi issued a statement saying that the underground blast was for peaceful reasons, but experts said that there were fears India was developing a military bomb, and that it had the jets to deliver it.

Answer: Martin Peters

The game started with the Germans taking a one goal lead through Haller, only for Hurst to equalise not long afterwards. The game became a tricky affair with England in control for long periods. Then with less than a quarter of the match left Peters struck what seemed to be the winner. However in the last minute of regulation time, Webber made it 2-2 and the final was into extra time.
Hurst scored twice more in the time added and England ran out as World champions.