FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Quiz about Swinging on a Star
Quiz about Swinging on a Star

Swinging on a Star Trivia Quiz


In the world of fantasy fiction, the fate of the characters can swing on the movement of a star; in fact, some of the characters may actually be stars!

A multiple-choice quiz by SBH. Estimated time: 4 mins.
  1. Home
  2. »
  3. Quizzes
  4. »
  5. Literature Trivia
  6. »
  7. Fantasy

Author
SBH
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
350,504
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
209
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. In Anne McCaffrey's "Dragonriders of Pern" series, it's important for Pernese inhabitants to keep track of the movements of the Red Star. What happens when it passes close to the planet? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. In J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series, one of the pure-blood wizard families has a tradition of naming its children after stars. Which one? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. In "Mary Poppins" by P.L. Travers, Jane and Michael Banks help a girl named Maia go Christmas shopping for her family. As it turns out, Maia is one of a group of seven stars with what name? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. In "Mary Poppins Comes Back" by P.L. Travers, the Banks children find themselves attending a performance in the night sky put on by all the stars and constellations. What kind of a spectacle is it? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. In "Prince Caspian" by C.S. Lewis, the young prince is given an astronomy lesson during which he witnesses the conjunction of two stars: Tarva, the Lord of Victory, and Alembil, the Lady of Peace. Who shows him this sight? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. In "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" by C.S. Lewis, we encounter a star who has been sentenced for an unnamed crime to care for a race of one-legged dwarves. What is his name? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. In J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" series, Aragorn's love interest Arwen is known by the second name of "Undomiel". What does this Elvish word mean? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. In J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" series, Frodo is protected on his journey into Mordor by the light of a Star-glass given to him by Galadriel. Name the legendary half-Elvish mariner whose starlight was contained in the glass. Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. In which book do Ronnie and his sister Gillian ride their apartment building elevator into the sky to watch an archery competition between Orion and Sagittarius, and get a tour of the celestial zoo led by Castor and Pollux? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Which character from George R.R. Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire" series expects that, when he dies, he will spend eternity as a star in the sky? Hint



(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

arrow Select a User ID:
arrow Choose a Password:
arrow Your Email:




Most Recent Scores
Nov 25 2024 : shvdotr: 4/10
Nov 01 2024 : Guest 86: 5/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. In Anne McCaffrey's "Dragonriders of Pern" series, it's important for Pernese inhabitants to keep track of the movements of the Red Star. What happens when it passes close to the planet?

Answer: It brings a deadly threat to life on Pern.

Pern, third planet in the Rukbat system, resembles our planet Earth in many ways, and can support human life. However, every 250 turns (years), the Red Star (actually a planet) causes a 50-year intermittent bombardment of mycorrhizoid spores to the planet's surface.

These spores not only devour plant life, but also cause severe injury to any humans or animals they touch. (Luckily, this "thread" can be destroyed by fire-breathing dragons, which also happen to exist on Pern!)
2. In J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series, one of the pure-blood wizard families has a tradition of naming its children after stars. Which one?

Answer: The Blacks

Sirius Black is named after the brightest star in the sky, which is also known as the Dog Star (this is funny because Sirius is an animagus who can turn into a dog). He is the brother of Regulus Arcturus Black, named after the brightest stars in the two constellations Leo (the Lion) and Boötes (the Herdsman). Their cousin Bellatrix is named after a star in the constellation Orion (the Huntsman). Other members of the family have the names of full constellations, such as Draco, Orion and Cygnus.
3. In "Mary Poppins" by P.L. Travers, Jane and Michael Banks help a girl named Maia go Christmas shopping for her family. As it turns out, Maia is one of a group of seven stars with what name?

Answer: The Pleiades

The Pleiades cluster can be seen in the constellation of Taurus. They are also known as the Seven Sisters, for the mythical daughters of Atlas. In the story, Maia buys gifts for the other six stars: a toy oven for Electra, a skipping rope for Taygete, a book for Alcyone, a hoop for Celaeno, a top for Sterope, and a duck for Merope. Mary Poppins gives Maia something for herself too: her own gloves.
4. In "Mary Poppins Comes Back" by P.L. Travers, the Banks children find themselves attending a performance in the night sky put on by all the stars and constellations. What kind of a spectacle is it?

Answer: A circus

Orion the Huntsman takes their tickets, which are sparks. Among the other performers and participants are Draco the Dragon, Saturn the Clown and the Twins Castor and Pollux. The ringmaster, of course, is the Sun.
5. In "Prince Caspian" by C.S. Lewis, the young prince is given an astronomy lesson during which he witnesses the conjunction of two stars: Tarva, the Lord of Victory, and Alembil, the Lady of Peace. Who shows him this sight?

Answer: Doctor Cornelius

Doctor Cornelius has actually brought Caspian to the high tower so he can tell him the truth about the true nature of the kingdom of Narnia and the survival of its magical inhabitants, who were thought to be extinct. He also reveals that he himself is not a normal human, but a "half-Dwarf".
6. In "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" by C.S. Lewis, we encounter a star who has been sentenced for an unnamed crime to care for a race of one-legged dwarves. What is his name?

Answer: Coriakin

Ramandu is also a star: a retired one, who grows a little younger every day when he eats a fire-berry brought to him by a bird. Prince Caspian marries Ramandu's daughter. Drinian and Octesian are lost lords of Narnia.
7. In J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" series, Aragorn's love interest Arwen is known by the second name of "Undomiel". What does this Elvish word mean?

Answer: Evenstar

Arwen is the daughter of Elrond. On her mother's side, she is also the granddaughter of Galadriel. She is known as Evenstar for her unusual beauty, but also because of her place in history, at the very end of the time of the elves.
8. In J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" series, Frodo is protected on his journey into Mordor by the light of a Star-glass given to him by Galadriel. Name the legendary half-Elvish mariner whose starlight was contained in the glass.

Answer: Earendil

Eärendil sails through the sky on his ship Vingilot, with the light of the Silmaril shining on his brow. As the morning and evening star, the star of Eärendil is the equivalent of our planet Venus. (Elwing is Eärendil's wife. Elladan and Elrohir are the two sons of Elrond.)
9. In which book do Ronnie and his sister Gillian ride their apartment building elevator into the sky to watch an archery competition between Orion and Sagittarius, and get a tour of the celestial zoo led by Castor and Pollux?

Answer: "The Thirteenth is Magic" by Joan Howard

In the 1950 book "The Thirteenth is Magic", oddly magical adventures start to occur on the thirteenth of every month after a mysterious black cat named Merlin adopts Ronnie and Gillian, two children who live in a Manhattan apartment.
10. Which character from George R.R. Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire" series expects that, when he dies, he will spend eternity as a star in the sky?

Answer: Khal Drogo

We are told in "A Game of Thrones" that, "When a horselord dies, his horse is slain with him, so he might ride proud into the night lands. The bodies are burned beneath the open sky, and the khal rises on his fiery steed to take his place among the stars. The more fiercely the man burned in life, the brighter his star will shine in the darkness." (It is known!)
Source: Author SBH

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor looney_tunes before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
12/22/2024, Copyright 2024 FunTrivia, Inc. - Report an Error / Contact Us