Which city is called the “Land of Seven Hills”?
- (a) Rome
- (b) Venice
- (c) Shiraz
- (d) Babylon
- (a) Rome
Rome is also known as the “Land of Seven Hills,” in recognition of its ancient heritage, which was built on and around seven hills that are located to the east of the Tiber River. The seven hills are the Aventine Hill, Caelian Hill, Capitoline Hill, Esquiline Hill, Palatine Hill, Quirinal Hill, and Viminal Hill. According to Roman legend, Romulus founded the city on the Palatine Hill in 753 BCE.
Which is the highest military award of Italy?
- (a) Medal of Honour
- (b) Medal for Valour
- (c) Military Cross
- (d) Iron Cross
- (b) Medal for Valour
The highest award for military valor in Italy is the Gold Medal of Military Valour (Medaglia d’oro al valor militare, MVOM), which is a crucial element of the Medal for Valour series of awards. Although the Military Order of Italy is the highest order of merit, the Gold Medal is the most prestigious award for valor.
Football World Cup 2010 was won by:
- (a) Spain
- (b) France
- (c) Italy
- (d) Brazil
- (a) Spain
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was won by the Spain national football team. Correct answer: (a) Spain. They defeated the Netherlands national football team with a score of 1-0 in the final match, which was held in Johannesburg, with the winning goal scored by Andrés Iniesta in extra time.
In human body, flat bones are found in:
- (a) neck
- (b) skull
- (c) legs
- (d) chest
- (b) skull
If there were no atmosphere, what would be the colour of the sky?
- (a) Red
- (b) Blue
- (c) Black
- (d) White
- (c) Black
If the Earth had no atmosphere, the color of the sky would appear to be black. This is because there would be no particles in the atmosphere to scatter the sun’s light, meaning that the sun’s rays would not spread out, causing the sky to remain dark, as if you were on the Moon.
“Contours” are lines connecting places having:
- (a) Equal temperature
- (b) Equal pressure
- (c) Equal height
- (d) Equal rain fall
- (c) Equal height
Contours, or contour lines, are conceptual lines on a map that connect points of equal elevation relative to a reference datum, which is typically mean sea level. Contours are essential in topography to represent the shape and inclination of the land. A closely spaced contour represents a steep slope, while a widely spaced contour represents a gentle slope.
“Our sweetest songs are those that tell us of saddest thoughts”. These words are attributed to:
- (a) Keats
- (b) Wordsworth
- (c) Shelley
- (d) Milton
- (c) Shelley
The famous line, “Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought,” is taken from Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem “To a Skylark.” This poem, written by the English Romantic poet in 1820, explores the idea that human happiness is often accompanied by sorrow, establishing the boundaries of human emotion against the carefree nature of the skylark.
Who created the famous character of “Dracula”?
- (a) Stanley Kubrick
- (b) John Polidori
- (c) James Cameron
- (d) Bram Stoker
- (d) Bram Stoker
The legendary Count Dracula was created by Irish author Bram Stoker in his 1897 Gothic horror novel, Dracula. Written in the epistolary format, the novel revealed the vampire to the literary world and established the many conventions of the modern vampire mythology.
“White goods” are:
- (a) Basic raw materials
- (b) Durable consumption goods
- (c) Cosmetic articles
- (d) Goods imported from western countries
- (b) Durable consumption goods
The correct option is (b) Durable consumption goods. White goods are the large and rugged appliances that were once painted with white enamel. They are made to last and come with a steeper price tag than non-durables. Examples of white goods include washing machines, refrigerators, dishwashers, air conditioners, and stoves/ovens.
America’s Cup is associated with which of the following sports?
- (a) Canoeing
- (b) Yachting
- (c) American Football
- (d) Paragliding
- (b) Yachting
The correct option is (b) Yachting. The America’s Cup is the oldest international sporting event still being contested and the greatest prize in sailing. The America’s Cup has been in existence since 1851, when it was named after the yacht America, which won the first race around the Isle of Wight. The America’s Cup is a match racing competition between two sailing yachts: the defender and the challenger.