Two Bi- Two Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bifocal

Bifocals were originally made up of two separate lenses combined in a frame and Benjamin Franklin is generally credited with inventing them. The bottom half was used for correcting farsightedness and the top half for short sightedness. With a reading segment moulded into the primary lens, modern day glasses are far more progressive.

Answer: Bicameral

Legislature is defined in the "Encyclopędia Britannica" as the "law making branch of the government". They further describe a bicameral system as the legislature being made up of two houses or chambers, meaning that there are two groups of people or assemblies that debate important issues and make laws.

The United States Congress is an example of such a system, made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The "Collins" dictionary states that the word is derived from the Latin 'camera', which means chamber.

Answer: Bifurcate

The "Merriam-Webster" dictionary defines bifurcate as, "to divide into two branches or parts" of which fork is a synonym. It can be applied in numerous ways, a bifurcated stream, road, branch or even a bifurcated tongue as many reptiles have. "Merriam-Webster" tells us that the word comes from the Latin 'bifurcus' meaning 'two pronged' which in turn is made up of the prefix 'bi-' which we know means two and 'furca', meaning 'fork'.

Answer: Bipolar

Bipolar does not only relate to bipolar disorder, it generally refers to anything having two poles or charges. The earth itself is bipolar, having a north and south pole. The definition of bipolar disorder, is defined as "A mood disorder characterized by manic or hypomanic episodes typically alternating with depressive episodes.

It is also called manic-depressive disorder", as per the "American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition".

Answer: Biennial

Biennial simply means something that either lasts for two years or that happens every second year according to the "American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition". Botanically, it is used to define a plant that completes its life cycle in two growing seasons.

It will form an arrangement of leaves in its first year and flower in its second before dying. According to the "Collins" dictionary, biennial comes from the Latin 'biennium', which means 'two years'.

Answer: Bigamy

Bigamy is illegal in most countries and can be prosecuted with imprisonment being the penalty. It is legal in many countries though. In South Africa it is legal under the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act, 1998. Second marriages are deemed to be invalid under civil law, but it is not deemed to be a criminal act. According to the "Merriam-Webster" dictionary, the word is taken from 'bi-' meaning two and the Greek 'gamos' meaning marriage.

Answer: Bisect

Speaking geometrically, to bisect is to cut or divide into two equal parts. Bisection in general language, refers to dividing or cutting into two parts as well, but the rules for equality of parts do not appear to be as stringent. For instance, the Berlin Wall bisected the city of Berlin, but the western side was certainly bigger than the eastern.

The origin of the word, found in the "Merriam-Webster" dictionary is Latin. 'Bi-', meaning 'two' and '-sect' comes from the Latin 'secare' meaning 'to cut.'

Answer: Bipedal

Any animal that walks on two feet is bipedal, as opposed to a quadruped, which walks on four feet. This may well be the only thing that an ostrich, my mother, and a Tyrannosaurus Rex have in common. The origin of the word is Latin '-ped' taken from the Latin 'pēs', meaning 'foot', according to the "Collins" dictionary.

Answer: Bicephalous

Bicephalous has a combined etymology, 'bi-' from the Latin for two and '-cephalous' taken from the Greek '-kephalos' meaning head as per the "American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition." Bicephaly is not common amongst animals, but does occur. Tricephalic animals are mentioned in mythology, the most famous of these being Cerberus, the three headed dog guarding the entrance to Hades.

Answer: Biaxial

'Axial' is defined in the "American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition" as "Relating to, characterized by, or forming an axis". An axis is defined in the same dictionary as "A straight line about which a body or geometric object rotates or may be conceived to rotate".

The plural of 'axis' is 'axes'. So in this regard, giving the answer as "well armed" would be completely incorrect.