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General Knowledge Quiz #86

Can you answer these random trivia questions?
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: September 15, 2019
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First submittedSeptember 21, 2013
Times taken82,729
Average score55.0%
Rating3.91
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Question
Answer
What country is sometimes known as Cathay?
China
What is the animal with the longest gestation period - up to 22 months?
Elephant
What is the common name of the clavicle?
Collarbone
Whose "locker" can be found at the bottom of the sea?
Davy Jones's
What taxonomic rank comes between Family and Species?
Genus
What country inspired Starbucks - but had no Starbucks locations until 2018?
Italy
What did my true love give to me on twelfth day of Christmas?
Twelve Drummers Drumming
What hip hop group is named for traditional tabletop condiments?
Salt-n-Pepa
What is the world's largest coral reef system?
Great Barrier Reef
In addition to sine and cosine, what is the third main function of trigonometry?
Tangent
What word is repeated before "toil and trouble" in "Macbeth"?
Double
What could Jack Sprat's wife not eat?
Lean
What language is most commonly spoken in Flanders?
Dutch
What was the middle name of author Arthur Doyle?
Conan
What word means to pay 10% of your earnings to a church?
Tithe
What city is the "Gateway" to the American West?
St. Louis
Traditionally, when a man bows what will a woman do?
Curtsey
What does a menorah hold?
Candles
What boy band was Harry Styles a member of?
One Direction
What is the name of this typographical symbol: †
(hint: a weapon)
Dagger
+13
Level 58
Dec 24, 2013
I was very confused about the Starbucks question. I was thinking the name Starbucks comes from Moby Dick, which is American. I'm pretty sure there are more than a few Starbucks in the U.S.
+5
Level 82
Dec 24, 2013
The first Starbucks was in Seattle but the high-end bar with high-quality coffee roasted in Italian fashion along with espresso (Italian) and cappuccino (Italian) served by "baristas" (Italian word) with European-sounding size names... this was inspired by similar coffee bars in Italy that existed before the first Starbucks.
+8
Level 33
Jun 20, 2016
Sorry, but that's not correct.

Starbucks was started by a couple of guys who journeyed down to Berkeley, California, where a Dutch immigrant named Alfred Peet had opened a store in the mid-Sixties. That was the first attempt to present high-quality regular coffee; there had obviously been Italian cafés in New York and San Francisco for decades, but they served espresso and the like (not regular coffee).

The guys from Starbucks came down to work at Peet's (as the store was called), then returned north.

The previous commenter was correct; the chain was named for the character in Melville.

You should probably re-word the question to something general about Italian coffee styles, because as worded, it is incorrect.

+4
Level ∞
Nov 1, 2023
The question is correct . You are assuming that because Starbucks was inspired by Peet's it can't also be inspired by other things.

This is an example of what I like to call the tomato fallacy – the assumption that because a tomato is a fruit it can't also be a vegetable.

The Starbucks we know to today is absolutely inspired by Italian coffee.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Schultz

1982, at age 29, Schultz was hired at Starbucks as the director of retail operations and marketing.[19] Schultz was exposed to coffee in Italy on a buying trip to Milan, Italy in 1983.[19] On his return, he worked to persuade company owners Jerry Baldwin and Gordon Bowker to offer traditional espresso beverages in addition to the whole bean coffee, leaf teas, and spices.
+8
Level 60
Jun 20, 2016
Nowhere does the question ask what the chain is named for.
+2
Level 82
Jun 20, 2016
There had been Italian cafes in San Francisco for decades? Oh really? So... in what way were those Italian cafes not Italian?
+5
Level 82
Aug 20, 2017
but they served espresso and the like (not regular coffee).

Espresso is not regular coffee? So American :)

+14
Level 76
Sep 18, 2018
"Starbucks" and "high-quality coffee" don't belong in the same sentence, unless there's the verb in the middle that's something along the lines of "isn't".
+1
Level 73
Apr 15, 2024
It's not particularly good, but vastly superior to that stewed/percolated stuff you get in most places across the US
+4
Level 73
May 27, 2019
I have to say that Peet's remains far superior to Starbucks.
+4
Level 72
Nov 1, 2019
I agree with the original commenter. The whole lore of Starbucks is that the two original owners were inspired to start their own coffee shop after they worked for Peet's in SF, and the name was inspired by the coffee loving first mate in Mobey Dick. Yes, it is true that Howard Schultz was inspired to buy a coffee shop that he could turn into an espresso bar chain after visiting Italy, but it should be clearer about which part was "inspired."
+3
Level 70
Nov 1, 2019
I would agree with Starbucks not being high quality coffee, but when compared to the Folgers and what-not that most Americans drank before Starbucks, it was definitely a step up.
+2
Level 72
Nov 1, 2019
it's not just American, I hate espresso. Real coffee is made with a french press
+1
Level 75
Sep 8, 2014
Genus...I typed genes, genre, genesis, genas...brain not working this morning. Time for coffee.
+1
Level 28
Nov 2, 2019
Make sure it's a Starbucks!!!
+1
Level 70
Nov 22, 2014
the only one i got is the harry styles questions I LOVE HIm
+5
Level 74
May 11, 2015
That's the only one I missed. I've never heard of him or of One Direction.
+7
Level 74
Aug 3, 2015
God I envy you...
+3
Level 93
Jul 16, 2019
I see a lot here about them but honestly i could not even give you one line of their songs. Literally no one has ever referenced a song of theirs to me either, so presumably I'm not missing out.
+1
Level 75
Nov 5, 2019
Also the only one I missed.
+2
Level 69
Jul 18, 2019
Hasn’t One Direction finally bitten the bullet and declared themselves broken up yet?
+1
Level 75
Feb 20, 2021
1D were just a pop band, some good songs, some mediocre ones, and you don't need to get involved in any of the hype or personal lives of them.

Story of My Life is a nice tune.

+1
Level 77
Jan 6, 2022
I don't know if asking whether they announced a breakup is getting involved in hype or their personal lives.
+1
Level 53
Apr 17, 2024
Decided to listen to Sign of the Times today after not listening to it for like 5 years, and then this question appears...
+5
Level 83
Sep 14, 2015
I very nearly put "tangerine" instead of "tangent". As in, sine, cosine, tangerine.
+1
Level 55
Jun 20, 2016
Oh my God. I nearly spit out my cookie. That's hilarious. I would have enjoyed math more if tangerine had been an answer.
+1
Level 58
Sep 16, 2015
You should accept 'Barrier Reef'.
+1
Level ∞
Jul 15, 2019
Okay
+4
Level 71
Dec 11, 2015
I know most of us think of an animal as a land animal and therefore the Elephant is correct at 22 months. But for interest sake the 'Frilled Shark' is pregnant for 42 months before birth.
+2
Level ∞
Mar 8, 2016
Good to know. Changed the quiz.
+1
Level 75
Feb 20, 2021
Yeah specifying land animal would've been much better than specifying the gestation period. Not a big deal though.
+1
Level 53
Apr 17, 2024
But then the question would just be "What is the land animal?"
+4
Level 55
Jun 20, 2016
Holy crap! Dear God that is such a long time. Wow.
+4
Level 74
Apr 27, 2016
On the 12th day of Christmas, the gifts included drummers, lords, maids, rings, etc and one more partridge in a tree.
+1
Level 71
Jun 20, 2016
If that is correct, you would finish with 12 partridges in 12 pear trees, 22 turtle doves, 30 French hens, 36 calling birds, 40 Golden rings ............ etc :o)
+2
Level 85
Jul 16, 2019
Wikipedia: "Assuming the gifts are repeated in full in each round of the song, then a total of 364 items are delivered by the twelfth day."
+2
Level 60
Jul 3, 2016
I grew up with 12 lords a leaping, 11 ladies dancing, 10 pipers piping, and 9 drummers drumming. But I guess I've heard it other ways too, so whatever.
+5
Level 60
Feb 18, 2018
Never a dull moment, let me tell you
+2
Level 55
Jun 20, 2016
Are there really no Starbucks in Italy? I mean, I'm not saying there should be, but I'm just surprised they haven't gotten there yet.
+1
Level 67
Jun 21, 2016
There have been rumors about a Starbucks opening in Milan. But Italians just love their espressos too much. :)
+5
Level 69
Jan 5, 2017
Also, their pride and self-respect.
+3
Level 31
Jun 23, 2016
I knew trigonometry in school would one day come in handy....
+1
Level 59
Dec 11, 2016
magasine?
+5
Level 45
Sep 18, 2018
Well, Italy has a Starbucks now.

(Also this question is so confusing : the brand is inspired by a dutch guy, the name from an American book and the logo from a nordic drawing...)

+1
Level 73
May 28, 2019
But the names of the sizes are all Italian words (although they don't make much sense). And the people working there are called baristas.
+1
Level ∞
Jul 15, 2019
The question has been amended to reflect the new Starbucks location.
+8
Level 60
Jun 9, 2019
when a man bows, a woman arrows. come on everybody knows that
+2
Level 77
Jan 6, 2022
And the child apples?
+1
Level 80
Aug 24, 2022
It sounds so counterintuitive that way
+5
Level 89
Jul 16, 2019
Isn't Arthur his first name?
+1
Level 82
Jul 16, 2019
This one lost me, too.
+3
Level 91
Jul 16, 2019
His birth name appears to be Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle. I think maybe the clue is mis-worded?
+1
Level ∞
Jul 16, 2019
Yes, clearly. Now fixed.
+1
Level 75
Jul 17, 2019
Dutch is the mother language of Flanders but Flemish is the dialect. I think that should be counted as well.
+2
Level 88
Jul 18, 2019
No. The dialects spoken in Flanders differ as much from each other as they do from the standard language. There is only one common language, which is Dutch.
+1
Level 67
Jul 12, 2022
I'm Belgian and i have to agree with @Spoolygoo : Flemish should be accepted

the dialects spoken in flanders indeed differ a bit from each other and from standard dutch but here they're all called flemish.

Beside, standard dutch is not much spoken in flanders

+1
Level 39
Jul 17, 2019
Are you sure the question "What hip hop group's is named for traditional tabletop condiments?" is spelled entirely correctly? Are you sure there's not an erroneous 's in there?
+1
Level ∞
Jul 18, 2019
This has been corrected
+2
Level 72
Nov 1, 2019
Can you please accept tithing for tithe?
+1
Level 65
Jul 6, 2023
I tried that at first too
+2
Level 67
Nov 1, 2019
I did not get the One Direction question correct, and hence believe I am entitled to bonus points.
+2
Level 40
Nov 1, 2019
Salt is a mineral and pepper is a spice. Condiments are sauces and the like.
+3
Level 75
Nov 5, 2019
According to the Google definition, a condiment is anything such as salt or ketchup that adds flavor to food.
+1
Level 71
Nov 1, 2019
Couple minor things: Davy Jones' locker

(To form the possessive, add apostrophe + s to the noun. If the noun is plural, or already ends in s, just add an apostrophe after the s.)

And "land" is still missing from the animal (elephant) question.

Enjoyed it!

+5
Level 67
Nov 1, 2019
Both AP and Chicago-style editing prefer adding apostrophe+S to singular nouns ending in S. Some authorities prefer omitting the possessive S, but that's not the norm. "Davy Jones's locker" is correct.
+1
Level 77
Jan 6, 2022
Both terms have been used historically. But you're wrong about AP style. AP style says to use just an apostrophe for proper nouns that end in "s". Smithers' tuxedo is dirty. Davy Jones' Locker. Another problem with this line is that both Chicago and AP will make exceptions for longstanding convention. You wouldn't write Achilles's Heel, now, would you? No, Achilles' Heel is correct. Davy Jones can have the "s" or not and both are equal... but without the "s" is certainly common. Merriam Webster says Jones's and says to pronounce it with an extra /əz/ for pluralization at the end, which just sounds wrong to me. Anyway, everything you ever wanted to know about Jones's versus Jones'.
+1
Level 53
Apr 17, 2024
How many people named Davy Jone are there? And why would they all share one locker?
+1
Level 66
Nov 11, 2020
rip one direction :(
+1
Level 67
Aug 18, 2021
Haha I just saw Davy Jones' locker in the death cliches quiz. Italy was kind of just common sense cuz coffee. Been meaning to listen to more Salt n Pepa
+1
Level 67
Aug 18, 2021
Menorah could use more acceptable spellings like Minorah
+1
Level 33
Jun 8, 2022
IMHO, as a jew, chanukiah/hanukkiah should also be accepted
+4
Level 66
Oct 18, 2021
"The twelve days of Christmas" is virtually unknown outside of the US
+3
Level 67
Jul 12, 2022
indeed but they'll say, again and again, that this is an english website and yada yada yada
+2
Level 80
Aug 24, 2022
If it makes you feel any better I'm from the US and it was still one of the few I missed
+2
Level 73
Apr 15, 2024
Incorrect. It is one of the four or five most recognisable carols here in Australia, and probably has origins in the UK anyway...
+1
Level 61
Dec 8, 2021
Me frantically trying different variations of Independence, Missouri for the gateway question

I feel like that should be accepted

+2
Level 66
Jan 28, 2022
Tithing should be accepted for Tithe
+1
Level 65
Jul 6, 2023
Menorah sounds like Men-Or-Uh. I always heard it as Min-Or-ah
+3
Level 55
Feb 16, 2024
I know there's only a couple on these general knowledge quizzes but I hate the 12 days of Christmas questions. I feel like everyone's heard the song but barely anybody actually remembers any of the words.
+1
Level 67
Apr 14, 2024
I heard "of" the song is almost all I can say I know sentences end with "in a peartree" and that people argue if it is gold or golden rings.
+1
Level 27
Apr 17, 2024
Pop culture is probably my biggest trivia weakness. My knowledge of celebrities, songs, and sports is awful.
+1
Level 53
Apr 17, 2024
sqrt(-1) saw the cos*tan