14th February Quiz 2 Medium
- 20 questions
- about 25 minutes to run
- published 6 Oct 2024
- updated
1. Which medieval English poet wrote the earliest known work linking St Valentine's Day with romantic love?
2. In that poem, what do the birds gather to do on St Valentine's Day?
3. Relics said to be those of St Valentine are kept in the Whitefriar Street Church in which European capital?
4. In the St Valentine's Day Massacre of 14 February 1929, seven men were shot in a Chicago garage. Which rival of Al Capone was the intended target?
5. Captain James Cook was killed on 14 February 1779 at Kealakekua Bay. On which island?
6. At the Battle of Cape St Vincent on 14 February 1797, Admiral John Jervis and Commodore Horatio Nelson defeated the fleet of which country?
7. On 14 February 1876, Alexander Graham Bell's lawyer filed his telephone patent application. Which rival inventor filed papers for a similar device the same day?
8. Arizona became a US state on 14 February 1912, the last of the 48 contiguous states to join. What was its number?
9. ENIAC, one of the first general-purpose electronic computers, was unveiled on 14 February 1946. At which American university was it built?
10. On 14 February 1989, Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for the death of Salman Rushdie. Which novel prompted it?
11. On 14 February 1990, Voyager 1 turned its camera back and photographed the Earth from about 6 billion kilometres away. Which astronomer had proposed the "Pale Blue Dot" photograph?
12. On 14 February 1984, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean won Olympic gold at Sarajevo with a perfect set of sixes for artistic impression. To which piece of music?
13. Australia switched to decimal currency on 14 February 1966. The new unit was the dollar, but what name had the government originally chosen?
14. Richard II is traditionally said to have died, probably starved, on 14 February 1400, at which Yorkshire castle?
15. An English actor born on 14 February 1970 co-wrote and starred in which 2004 "romantic comedy with zombies"?
16. An England footballer born on 14 February 1951 was twice European Footballer of the Year while playing for which German club?
17. An English director born on 14 February 1944 made a 1976 gangster musical in which every part was played by children. What was it called?
18. An American comedian born on 14 February 1894 claimed to be the same age for decades. Which age?
19. A businessman born on 14 February 1942 founded a financial data company and was mayor of which city from 2002 to 2013?
20. An American union leader born on 14 February 1913 disappeared without trace in 1975. Which union had he led?
ANSWERS
1. Geoffrey Chaucer ("The Parlement of Foules")
Little is known about St Valentine himself. There may have been two or more martyrs of that name, and the romantic legends about him are much later inventions.
2. Choose their mates
3. Dublin
4. George "Bugs" Moran
5. Hawaii (the "Big Island")
6. Spain
7. Elisha Gray
Whose papers arrived first, and what happened at the patent office that day, has been argued about ever since. Bell was granted the patent.
8. The 48th
9. The University of Pennsylvania
10. The Satanic Verses
11. Carl Sagan
12. Boléro (Ravel)
13. The "royal"
The name was so unpopular that the government changed it to the dollar in 1963, before the currency was launched.
14. Pontefract Castle
The date and cause of Richard's death are uncertain. He was held prisoner at Pontefract after being deposed by Henry IV.
15. Shaun of the Dead (Simon Pegg)
16. Hamburger SV (Hamburg) (Kevin Keegan)
17. Bugsy Malone (Alan Parker)
18. 39 (Jack Benny)
19. New York City (Michael Bloomberg)
20. The Teamsters (International Brotherhood of Teamsters) (Jimmy Hoffa)
How was this quiz?
Thank you, that helps Paul balance future quizzes.