Trivia Grab Bag 
 

1.      The term “dog days” of summer was coined by Mediterranean peoples because this time of disease and discomfort. . .?

1. Occurred 20 days before and 20 days after the conjunction of Sirius, the dog star.
2. Affected animals the most.
3. Was so uncomfortable all you could do was lay around with your tongue hanging out like a dog.

2.      The Romans renamed their month of Sextillus to honor an emperor. What is the current name for that month?

1. July
2. August
3. March

3. Except for February, most of the months alternate between 30 and 31 days, however, July and August both have 31 days because. . .? 
   1. The Romans did not want Augustus to have an inferior month named after him (July was named for Julius Caesar).
   2. It was a way to make summer last longer.
   3. The cycle of the moon lasts longer during those summer months.

4. Johnny Depp, star of Pirates of the Carribbean, first shot to fame on what television show? 
   1. Miami Vice
   2. Beverly Hills 90210
   3. 21 Jump Street

5. Name the actor who dons tentacles to play Davy Jones in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest? 
   1. Hugh Grant
   2. Ian McKellan
   3. Bill Nighy

6. What activity did the directors refuse to allow Kiera Knightly’s character to perform in the first Pirates of the Caribbean? 
   1. Kissing
   2. Sword fighting
   3. Swimming

7. Which of the following are actual names used by celebrities for their children? 
   1. Kal-El, Jett, Fifi
   2. Peter, Pilot, Fuzzy
   3. Clark, Steward, Kaia

8. Which famous television actor was born Alphonso D’Abruzzo? 
   1. Matthew LeBlanc
   2. Alan Alda
   3. Rudolph Valentino

9. Name the James Bond actor who started his show biz career as a fire-eater in the circus. 
   1. Sean Connery
   2. Roger Moore
   3. Pierce Brosnan

10. What is Clark Kent’s middle name?
    a.      Joseph
    b.      Jonathon
    c.      Jesse

11. What does the X in X-men stand for?
    1. You don’t know what their mutations might be. It’s an X factor.
    2. Professor Xavier is the founder of the X-men.
    3. They’re eXcellent crime fighters.

12. For what paper does Peter Parker (Spiderman) work?
    1. The Daily Planet
    2. The Inquirer
    3. The Daily Bugle

13. ”When in the course of human events. . . .” begins what document?
    1. Declaration of Independence
    2. Bill of Rights
    3. Constitution

14. Which Soviet dictator trained as a priest before discovering Marxism?
    1. Vladimir Putin
    2. Vladimir Lenin
    3. Joseph Stalin

15. In what California city did the last Pony Express ride end?
    1. Los Angeles
    2. San Francisco
    3. Sacramento

16. Name the youngest person ever to be president.
    1. John F. Kennedy
    2. Theodore Roosevelt
    3. Bill Clinton

17. How many atoms lined up fit in one inch?
    1. 1 million
    2. 100 million
    3. 200 million

18. Contact lenses were first worn in what year?
    1. 1930
    2. 1950
    3. 1970

19. A Brannock Device measures what?
    1. Scottish beer
    2. Shoe size
    3. Light energy

20. Which fruit were Hawaiian women once forbidden by law to eat?
    1. Coconut
    2. Pineapple
    3. Mango

To find out the answers, go to the Answer Page.