Deaf World Trivia Quiz

Answer: Marlee Matlin

Marlee Matlin was pronounced legally deaf at the age of 18 months old but this did not stop her from following a successful career in acting. Starting at an early age, she first appeared on the Chicago stage when she was seven years old in "The Wizard of Oz".

She won the best actress Oscar when she was just 21 years old for her role in "Children of a Lesser God" which also starred Piper Laurie and William Hurt, the latter who she went on to have a two year relationship with. The film told of a deaf cleaner at a school for the deaf, and her turbulent relationship with a teacher who wanted her to learn to speak.

Answer: Thomas Edison

One of history's most brilliant inventors, Thomas Edison, was most noted for his research in creating over 2,000 patents worldwide, mainly in the field of electrical devices. These included the motion picture camera, phonograph, the first commerically viable eletric light-bulb and even a tattoo machine.

There are different theories as to how he lost his hearing, ranging from scarlet fever when he was a child, to being boxed around the ears by a bus conductor. Regardless of which, his brilliance led a shining example to other people faced with a hearing disability.

Answer: First deaf lip reader to work undercover for the FBI

Sue Thomas started her four year career with the FBI in 1979. She initially examined fingerprints, but an opportunity arose to carry out undercover work when a colleague became aware she could lip read. Based roughly on her experience with the FBI, a 56 episode television series was aired from 2002 called "Sue Thomas: F.B. Eye" which starred deaf actress, Deanne Bray. Sue Thomas continued to promote public awareness on behalf of deaf people, even after facing a further personal challenge in 2001 when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

Answer: Lou Ferrigno

Lou Ferrigno suffered with several ear infections when he was an infant resulting in near deafness. Like a lot of other people before and after him, this did not stop him from achieving a successful career. His determination to succeed in body building and acting led him to worldwide prominence. He is most fondly remembered for playing the "The Hulk" in the 1980s television series which also starred Bill Bixby as his alter ego.

Answer: Johnnie Ray

Johnnie Ray was a talented musician from an early age, playing the piano as well as singing and dancing to the music of the early forties. An accident at scout camp left him partially deaf and he was issued with a hearing aid to wear. During adulthood, he became a household name with his songs "Cry" and "The Little White Cloud That Cried". An operation in his mid-twenties left him totally deaf in one ear but he still carried on entertaining until his popularity dwindled by the late 1970s.

Answer: Rob Lowe

Rob Lowe has certainly had a colourful career and personal life, appearing in films alongside Demi Moore, Patrick Swayze and Mike Myers. He was linked to "Little House in the Prairie" star, Melissa Gilbert, actress Nastassja Kinski and Princess Stephanie of Monaco before marrying makeup artist Sheryl Berkoff in 1991.

Despite his personal life being troubled by a lawsuit and sex tape scandal, he has still maintained his status as an 'A' rate star of film, television and stage.

Answer: Evelyn Glennie

Evelyn is a world renowned percussionist who has played in front of millions of people. Her appearances have been very diverse and these have included playing at the opening ceremony at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games, London 2012 Summer Olympic Games and on the television programme "Sesame Street", playing garbage cans alongside Oscar the Grouch.

She can often be seen performing barefoot as she "hears" through sound vibration. She was awarded Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2007.

Answer: Girl Scouts of the United States of America

Juliette "Daisy" Gordon Low did not have very good hearing when she was growing up. It is believed that a grain of rice lodged in her ear during her wedding caused an infection and irreparable damage to her hearing. She first met and became friends with Englishman, Robert Baden-Powell, in 1911, who was already known as the "father" of the boy scout movement.

This meeting determined the rest of her life when a year later she founded the Girl Scouts of the United States of America. By the time of her death from cancer in 1927, there were well over 140,000 members.

The current membership stands at over three million including children and adults.

Answer: Domestic violence

Halle Berry played the wife of a death row inmate in "Monsters Ball". After his death, she started a relationship with another man, played by Billy Bob Thornton who, unbeknown to her, was the prison guard who led her husband to his death. In real life, Halle Berry and her mother were subject to domestic violence when she was a child at the hands of her father.

Her relationships in adult life have not been plain sailing, with one of her partners causing her to go deaf in one ear by striking her violently.

Answer: Belly

Beethoven constantly suffered with diarrhoea and bowel problems and it was this which he thought had caused his loss of hearing. He tried different treatments for his ailment including tonics and he made a slight improvement when he started taking a luke warm bath.

His hearing deteriorated and by the time of his death he was completely deaf. His autopsy showed that his ear cartilage was large and irregular.