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The Science of Discworld Quiz Challenge - How Much Do You Know? | Pratchett, Terry

This is a quiz on Terry Pratchett's wonderful book "The Science of Discworld", which is written about the Roundworld and the wizards, with science lessons in between chapters. This quiz is only on the story, not the lessons. I hope you like it!

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

Author
discworldfan

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
251,705

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
273

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What causes the Roundworld universe to begin to grow? Hint

A spell made by Ponder Stibbons

Mustrum Ridcully yelling at it

Hex

The Dean wiggling his fingers in it

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. What do the wizards use as a collector of specimens?

Answer: (Two Words(The first, unnecessary word is "the"))

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. What do the crabs build statues out of? Hint

Sand and Spit

Sand

Stone

Shells

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. Where is Ponder Stibbons's machine for splitting the Thaum located? Hint

The High-Energy Magic (HEM) Building

The Squash Court

The Great Hall (The Dining Hall)

The University Grounds

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. What type of animal does the Librarian kill before teaching the ape-creatures about fire? Hint

A Monkey

A Wolf

A Cat

A Bird

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. After the Librarian taught the ape-creatures about fire, what are most of the firey glows on the Roundworld? Hint

Bonfires

Forests

The ape-creatures

A new civilization

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. Who is supposed to cut the rope that will shut down the machine if it gets out of control? Hint

Ponder Stibbons

The Bursar

Adrian Turnipseed

Mustrum Ridcully

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Who made the orb for the Roundworld Project? Hint

Ponder Stibbons

The Dean

Mustrum Ridcully

Hex

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. Who do the wizards send to the Roundworld?

Answer: (One Word (His hat says "Wizzard"))

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. Which Roundworld species looks the most like Mustrum Ridcully? Hint

The Bears

The Crabs

The Koalas

The Fish

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What causes the Roundworld universe to begin to grow?

Answer: The Dean wiggling his fingers in it

The Roundworld Project indeed began when the Dean wiggled his fingers in the orb. He believed that because of this, he was a god. But, as Ponder Stibbons pointed out, wiggling your fingers and saying "Ooo, it tingles" is not particularly god-like.

2. What do the wizards use as a collector of specimens?

Answer: The Luggage

The Luggage is capable of bringing back many specimens, and will do it if none of them threaten its owner, Rincewind, in any way.

3. What do the crabs build statues out of?

Answer: Sand and Spit

The crabs are the most advanced Roundworld civilization, having invented rafts, cities, war, statues, and religion. That is, they are until a meteor plummets out of the sky and squashes and boils them.

4. Where is Ponder Stibbons's machine for splitting the Thaum located?

Answer: The Squash Court

The machine is located in the Squash Court, although it does have cables linking it to the HEM building and Hex. In Wizard's Squash, the wall that you try to bounce the ball off of is not always going to be the one it bounces back from. This makes it totally different from real Squash.

5. What type of animal does the Librarian kill before teaching the ape-creatures about fire?

Answer: A Cat

It is a giant wildcat. The Librarian grabs it by the tail, pulls it around, and hits it with a rock. Then he teaches the ape-creatures about fire.

6. After the Librarian taught the ape-creatures about fire, what are most of the firey glows on the Roundworld?

Answer: Forests

Most of the fires are indeed forests, as the apes haven't gotten very good at controlling fire. This species is wiped out by a natural disaster, just like almost all of the others.

7. Who is supposed to cut the rope that will shut down the machine if it gets out of control?

Answer: The Bursar

The Bursar is trusted with the task of cutting the rope. However, they have a safety officer, Adrian Turnipseed, who, when told to by Ponder, will yell at the Bursar until he cuts the rope. The wizards believe this to be safe.

8. Who made the orb for the Roundworld Project?

Answer: Hex

It would have taken the wizards themselves several months to create the orb. Hex, however, had the orb ready rather quickly. It knew how to make the orb because Ponder and the students had programmed all of the basic spell structures into Hex so that it could help them more than it could already.

9. Who do the wizards send to the Roundworld?

Answer: Rincewind

Rincewind is appointed Egregarious Professor of Cruel and Unusual Geography in exchange for visiting the Roundworld. He can't actually teach, but he gets free coal and is allowed to show up at mealtimes, if he is quiet.

10. Which Roundworld species looks the most like Mustrum Ridcully?

Answer: The Bears

Ridcully believes that the bears were the best Roundworld species, as he tended to side with whatever resembled him the most. Koalas are not mentioned in the story and the crabs and fish don't particularly resemble anyone.

Source: Author discworldfan

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