1. Charlie Hebdo is the French satiriscal journal that was the target of a recent terrorist attack that killed eight of its staffers. What does the word Hebdo mean?
2. Republic Day and Independence Day are two of the three national holidays in India. Which is the third?
3. Which Indian artist renounced his Indian citizenship in 2010, and was conferred Qatari nationality? In Qatar, he principally worked on two large projects, one on the history of Arab civilisation, and the other on the history of Indian civilisation.
4. Which is one event that men’s gymnastics has that is absent from the women’s events?
5. BMX bikes are used in BMX cross country cycling competitions. What do the letters BMX stand for?
6. This project, considered to be the first largescale basic science experimental project in the country, and to be located in Theni, involves a giant 50,000 tonne magnetised iron calorimetre detector that will be kept under the laboratory to study the properties of subatomic particles. Name the subatomic particles.
7. Who is believed to be living at the White House at the posh Clifton Road locality in Karachi?
8. Which is the largest free literature festival in the world that is held annually at the Diggi Palace in India?
9. This is a famous quote from a classic that was published in 1948, “The Ministry of Truth, which concerned itself with news, entertainment, education, and the fine arts. The Ministry of Peace, which concerned itself with war. The Ministry of Love, which maintained law and order. And the Ministry of Plenty, which was responsible for economic affairs. Their names, in Newspeak — Minitrue, Minipax, Miniluv, and Miniplenty.” Name the novel.
10. Naseeruddin Shah made his Pakistani film debut in which critically-acclaimed and controversial film?
11. After the 9/11 destruction of the World Trade Center in New York, which buildings became the world’s tallest ‘twin towers’?
12. In which Olympic sport would players use a foil, epee, or sabre?
13. If the Sensex and NSE are associated with India, the Straits Times Index is the benchmark for the stock market of which country?
14. Banabhatta is credited with having written the first historical poetic work in Sanskrit chronicling the rise to power of which king?
15.Despite its common name, this snake is not a member of the Naja genus. but the sole member of its own genus Ophiophagus — a name that reflects its habit of devouring other snakes. Which fearsome creature is this?
16. Which ancient philosopher and scientist said this, ‘Give me a place to stand, and a _____ long enough, and I will move the world’? Fill in the blank.
17.What prize does the International Olympic Association award for fair play in sports?
18.What colour chemically is mercuric sulfide and is derived from cinnabar an ore of mercury?
19.With what revolution would you associate Sonora 64 and Lerma Rojo?
20.Which term originates from the Latin root referring to the science of measuring the size and shape of Earth?
answers
1. Weekly
2. Gandhi Jayanti
3. M F Husain
4. Pommel horse
5. Bicycle Motocross (X stands for ‘cross’)
6. Neutrinos
7. Dawood Ibrahim
8. Jaipur Literature Festival
9. 1984 by George Orwell
10. Khuda ke Liye
11. Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur
12. Fencing
13. Singapore
14. Harsha
15. King Cobra
16. Archimedes, lever
17. Pierre de Coubertin medal
18. Vermillion
19. Green Revolution in India (these were the strains of rice used)
20. Geodesy