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Kipling Trivia Quiz

How well do you know Kipling? Answers are to be found in his works. All spellings are as used by him, strictly for READERS of Kipling, or for people taking an interest in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, or Kipling's American experiences.

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

Author
flem-ish

Time
7 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
64,883

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
9 / 20

Plays
735

Last 3 plays: pennie1478 (7/20), Guest 49 (5/20), Guest 103 (6/20).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. What did Kipling's parents name him? Hint

John Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Lockwood Kipling

Joseph Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard John Kipling

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Question 2 of 20

2. Kipling's home in Vermont was named Naulakha. What is the derivation of that name? Hint

A distance along the Grand Truck Road

A hill station in India

A sum of money in rupees

The Hindi name for a villa

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Question 3 of 20

3. Mahbub Ali is a horse trader featured in the story 'Kim'. What Ballad by Kipling also features Mahbub Ali? Hint

'Ballad of the King's Jest'

'Ballad of Jakko Hill'

'Ballad of East and West'

'Ballad of the King's Mercy'

4. In 'Captains Courageous', Harvey Cheyne's millionnaire father and his mother make a dash by rail, in their private railroad carriage, to be reunited with Harvey. From where to where did the journey take them? Hint

San Diago to Gloucester

Chicago to Baltimore

Chicago to Boston

San Francisco to New York

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Question 5 of 20

5. On 6th March 1899 Rudyard's daughter Josephine died at the age of six from pneumonia. Where did she die? Hint

Hotel Grenoble, New York

Brattleboro, Vermont

Naulakah, Vermont

'The Buck' Hotel, Philadelphia

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Question 6 of 20

6. In the poem 'Bobs' who is Bobs Bahadur? Hint

Lord Roberts of Kabul

Lord Roberts of Kohistan

Lord Robertsof Kasur

Lord Roberts of Khandahar

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Question 7 of 20

7. In the poem 'Arithmetic on the Frontier' what is said to be enough to pay for all the school expenses of any Kurrum Valley scamp? Hint

One sword knot

One tulwar

One jezail

One rupee

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Question 8 of 20

8. In the story the 'Maltese Cat' , what did the Maltese Cat say his employment was before becoming a polo pony? Hint

A child's pony

An undertaker's horse

Pulling a vegetable cart

A milkman's horse

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Question 9 of 20

9. In the story 'With the Night Mail'( a story of 2000 AD !) the reporter , Kipling, was to fly with Postal Packet 162. What was the route of this packet? Hint

From London to New York

From London to Quebec

From London to Montreal

From London to Washington

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Question 10 of 20

10. In the story 'the Miracle of Puran Bhagat', Sir Purun Dass is awarded the K.C.I.E. . What is the correct title of that honour? Hint

Knight Captain of the Imperial Elite

Knight Companion of the Indian Empire

Knight Commander of the Indian Empire

Knight Commander of the Imperial Empire

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Question 11 of 20

11. In one of his Ballads, Kipling lets the main character assert that 'Four things greater than all things are'. What are those four things he refers to? Hint

Women and horses and power and war

Women and power and riches and war

Women and horses and riches and war

Women and power and horses and war

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Question 12 of 20

12. In 'the Maltese Cat' , on which polo ground was that match supposedly played? Hint

Multan

Lahore

Umballa

Peshawar

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Question 13 of 20

13. Of which city did Kipling write....'is a mad city - inhabited for the most part by perfectly insane people whose women are of a remarkable beauty.'? Hint

Cape Town

Paris

San Francisco

Sydney

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Question 14 of 20

14. After seven years with the Pioneer newspaper of India, Kipling took leave and went on travels. These he wrote about under the title 'Letters of Marque'. In which two-volumed book were 'Letters of Marque' published? Hint

'From Shore to Shore'

'From Sea to Sea'

'From East to West'

'From West to East.'

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Question 15 of 20

15. In his report titled 'City of Dreadful Night', to which city did Kipling apply that title? Hint

Bombay

Peshawar

Calcuttta

Lahore

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Question 16 of 20

16. In which two-volumed book does the story 'City of Dreadful Night' appear? Hint

'From Shore to Shore'

'From Sea to Sea'

'From East to West '

'From West to East '

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Question 17 of 20

17. Where does Kipling write that his first encounter with the United States Cavalry took place? Hint

The Grand Canyon

Yellowstone National Park

Fort Worth

Fort Laramie

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Question 18 of 20

18. In the poem 'A Smuggler's Song' from Puck of Pook's Hill, what should be done by those who wake at midnight, and hear a horse's feet because "the Gentlemen" go by? Hint

ask them questions

go looking in the street

warn King George's men

watch the wall

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Question 19 of 20

19. The expression 'White Man's Burden' is taken from Kipling's first line of a poem, the line being 'Take up the White Man's burden'. To whom did he address that line and poem? Hint

England

The newly formed Dominion of Australia

The United States of America

White South Africans

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Question 20 of 20

20. A recent biography of Kipling, by Marghanita Laski, bears the title 'From Palm to Pine'. Which of Kipling's works provides that title? Hint

The Book 'Plain Tales from the Hills'

The Book(s) 'From Sea to Sea'

The poem 'Recessional'

'The Jungle Books'

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Most Recent Scores

Oct 27 2024 : pennie1478: 7/20
Oct 19 2024 : Guest 49: 5/20
Oct 03 2024 : Guest 103: 6/20

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What did Kipling's parents name him?

Answer: Joseph Rudyard Kipling

John Lockwood Kipling was his father. His mother was the sister of Lady Burne- Jones.

2. Kipling's home in Vermont was named Naulakha. What is the derivation of that name?

Answer: A sum of money in rupees

900,000 rupees refers to the supposed cost of a building in Lahore. Kipling lived from 1892 to 1896 in Vermont and it is here he wrote the 'Jungle Book', which was published in 1894.

3. Mahbub Ali is a horse trader featured in the story 'Kim'. What Ballad by Kipling also features Mahbub Ali?

Answer: 'Ballad of the King's Jest'

'Kim' was published in 1901. 'The Ballad of the King's Jest' can be found at whitewolf.newcastle.edu.au words authors K KiplingRudyard verse volumeXI Opening lines: When spring-time flushes the desert grass, Our kafilas wind through the Khyber Pass.

Answer: San Diago to Gloucester

The Gloucester that is meant is Gloucester,MA. See www.kipling.org kip_glos1.htm and www.downtosea.com San Diago : spelling as used by Kipling. A 'spoiled-rotten brat' Harvey Cheyne is saved from drowning by a Portuguese fisherman Manuel,(Spencer Tracey in the film version) and has to learn to fight for his survival on board the trawler.

The sort of experience that changes spoiled brats into adult men.

5. On 6th March 1899 Rudyard's daughter Josephine died at the age of six from pneumonia. Where did she die?

Answer: Hotel Grenoble, New York

In 1915 Kipling also lost his only son John who was reported missing and believed to be killed during his first battle on the Western front. The daughter who survived him was Elsie born in 1896. She died childless in 1976, bequeathing his copyrights to the National Trust.

6. In the poem 'Bobs' who is Bobs Bahadur?

Answer: Lord Roberts of Khandahar

Text of ' BOBS' to be found at www.kipling.org.uk . There's a little red-faced man Which is Bobs, Rides the tallest 'orse 'e can - OUR Bobs, etc. Field Marshal Roberts of Kandahar, died in France in 1914.

7. In the poem 'Arithmetic on the Frontier' what is said to be enough to pay for all the school expenses of any Kurrum Valley scamp?

Answer: One sword knot

A great and glorious thing it is to learn for seven years or so, the Lord knows what of that and this, Ere reckoned fit to face the foe- the flying bullet down the Pass, that whistles clear:'All flesh is grass'. .... One sword-knot stolen from the camp Will pay for all the school expenses Of any Kurrum Valley scamp Who knows no word of moods and tenses But being blessed with perfect sight Picks off our messmates left and right.

A jezail is a type of Afghan weaponry (kind of rifle). A tulwar is an Indian sabre.

8. In the story the 'Maltese Cat' , what did the Maltese Cat say his employment was before becoming a polo pony?

Answer: Pulling a vegetable cart

Polo Ponies on line at www.chukka.com

9. In the story 'With the Night Mail'( a story of 2000 AD !) the reporter , Kipling, was to fly with Postal Packet 162. What was the route of this packet?

Answer: From London to Quebec

Notes on this foray of R.Kipling's into the world of Sci Fi at www.wondersmith.com sci.fi mail.htm

10. In the story 'the Miracle of Puran Bhagat', Sir Purun Dass is awarded the K.C.I.E. . What is the correct title of that honour?

Answer: Knight Commander of the Indian Empire

The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire was founded in 1878 by Queen Victoria, Empress of India. The Order's Motto was 'Imperatricis Auspicus'. The order ceased with the British withdrawal from India in 1947. There were three classes: Knight Grand {Commander;} Knight Commander and Companion.

11. In one of his Ballads, Kipling lets the main character assert that 'Four things greater than all things are'. What are those four things he refers to?

Answer: Women and horses and power and war

Text to be found at whitewolf.newcastle.edu.au words authors K KiplingRudyard verse volumeXI kingsjest.html There is also a popular in this poem about the virtues of mutton stew. ..'and he who never hath tasted the food, By Allah! he knoweth not bad from good.'

12. In 'the Maltese Cat' , on which polo ground was that match supposedly played?

Answer: Umballa

Peshawar and Multan are now in Pakistan.So is Lahore, which may be considered to be Pakistan's most interesting city. The cultural, intellectual and artistic centre of the nation. May be considered to be the capital of the Punjab. Umballa is now called Ambala, and is a large town, in the Indian part of the Punjab, north of Delhi.

13. Of which city did Kipling write....'is a mad city - inhabited for the most part by perfectly insane people whose women are of a remarkable beauty.'?

Answer: San Francisco

One could hardly expect Kipling NOT to praise American women, as he himself was married to one. In 1890 he made a new friend, the American writer and publisher Wolcott Balestier. In 1891 Balestier died from typhoid. On 18th of January, he married Wolcott's sister Caroline.From Caroline's other brother Beatty they bought a plot of land in Brattlesboro. For a nominal sum of money.

In 1896 the Kiplings had a quarrel with Beatty, which ended in court. They left Brattleboro and moved to Torquay in England.

Answer: 'From Sea to Sea'

'Letters of the Marque' was first published in 1891 and re-published in Volume One of 'From Sea to Sea.Letters of Travel'.

15. In his report titled 'City of Dreadful Night', to which city did Kipling apply that title?

Answer: Calcuttta

Bombay is where Kipling himself was born in 1865. Until 1911 Calcutta was the capital of all of India.

16. In which two-volumed book does the story 'City of Dreadful Night' appear?

Answer: 'From Sea to Sea'

Kipling wrote 'A Ballad of East and West', from which the line 'and never the twain' is usually 'misquoted' , because the complete quote should comprise: 'But there is neither East nor West, Border nor Breed, nor Birth When two strong men stand face to face, tho' they come from the ends of the earth.' Which makes it an entirely different message all together.

17. Where does Kipling write that his first encounter with the United States Cavalry took place?

Answer: Yellowstone National Park

A fragment by Kipling on the Yellowstone can be found at eserver.org books american_notes IV the Yellowstone.

18. In the poem 'A Smuggler's Song' from Puck of Pook's Hill, what should be done by those who wake at midnight, and hear a horse's feet because "the Gentlemen" go by?

Answer: watch the wall

The advice is given in the chorus lines:
"Five and twenty ponies,
Trotting through the dark-
Brandy for the Parson,
'Baccy for the Clerk;
Them that asks no questions isn't told a lie-
Watch the wall,darling, while the Gentlemen go by."

19. The expression 'White Man's Burden' is taken from Kipling's first line of a poem, the line being 'Take up the White Man's burden'. To whom did he address that line and poem?

Answer: The United States of America

This poem was published in Mc Clure's Magazine in February of 1899. It appeared at a critical moment in the debate about 'imperialism' within the United States. The Philippine-American War began on February 4 and two days later the U.S. Senate ratified the Treaty of Paris that officially ended the the Spanish-American War , ceded Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the U.S. and placed Cuba under U.S.control. Kipling's poem though warning of the 'costs' involved, seemed to be a plea in favour of empire-building.

20. A recent biography of Kipling, by Marghanita Laski, bears the title 'From Palm to Pine'. Which of Kipling's works provides that title?

Answer: The poem 'Recessional'

Other authors who contributed to the study of Kipling are: Kingsley Amis 'Rudyard Kipling' Thames and Hudson. 1975 Angus Wilson 'The Strange Ride of Rudyard Kipling' Secker and Warburg 1977 David Macaveeny ' Kipling in Gloucester.The Writing of 'Captains Courageous''. More to be found at www.kipling.org.uk bookmart_fra.htm

Source: Author flem-ish

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