29th November Quiz Hard
Last updated
1. An American author was born on 29 November 1832, and her father, a well-known teacher and philosopher, was born on the very same day of the year. Name the author and her most famous novel.
2. Which author was born in Belfast on 29 November 1898, and what was the first of his Narnia books to be published?
3. An Austrian physicist born in Salzburg on 29 November 1803 gave his name to the change in pitch you hear as an ambulance siren passes by. Who was he?
4. An Italian opera composer born in Bergamo on 29 November 1797 wrote one of opera's most famous "mad scenes", for a Scottish bride driven out of her mind. Name the composer and the opera.
5. Giacomo Puccini died in Brussels on 29 November 1924, leaving his last opera unfinished. Name the opera, its most famous aria, and the composer who completed it.
6. Which Beatle died on 29 November 2001? Name the supergroup he formed in the late 1980s with Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne.
7. On 29 November 1929, the American explorer Richard Byrd became the first person to fly over the South Pole. What nationality was his chief pilot, Bernt Balchen?
8. On 29 November 1972, a simple tennis-style arcade game was released and helped launch the video game industry. Name the game, the company, and the company's co-founder who is often called the father of the industry.
9. On 29 November 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson set up a commission to investigate the assassination of John F. Kennedy. It was named after its chairman. Who was he, and what was his job?
10. British racing driver Graham Hill died in a plane crash on 29 November 1975. He is still the only driver to win the so-called "Triple Crown of Motorsport". Name the three races that make it up. Bonus: which of his sons became Formula One world champion in 1996?
ANSWERS
1. Louisa May Alcott ("Little Women"). Her father was Amos Bronson Alcott.
2. C.S. Lewis. The first Narnia book was "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe".
3. Christian Doppler (the Doppler effect)
4. Gaetano Donizetti. The opera is "Lucia di Lammermoor".
5. "Turandot". The aria is "Nessun dorma", and it was completed by Franco Alfano.
6. George Harrison. The supergroup was the Traveling Wilburys.
7. Norwegian
8. Pong, by Atari. The co-founder was Nolan Bushnell.
9. Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the United States (the Warren Commission)
10. The Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500 and the Le Mans 24 Hours. The bonus answer is Damon Hill.
How was this quiz?
Thank you, that helps Paul balance future quizzes.