General Interest 1 Flashcards

1
Q

Who is this?

A

Robert E Lee (1807 - 1870)

Confederate General - “brilliant tactical successes in battle after battle against a stronger foe” - Army of Northern Virginia.

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2
Q

For what years was Pluto recognised as a planet, before being recategorised as a “Dwarf plant” following the discovery of Eris?

A

1930 - 2005.

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3
Q

Who won the 1930 World Cup in Montevideo in front on 93,000 fans, defending their 1928 Olympic title?

A

Uruguay.

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4
Q

Who did Manchester United beat 2-1 in injury time to win the Champions League and the Trebble in 1999?

A

Bayern Munich.

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5
Q

For what dates did “Tulip Mania” sweep the Netherlands, before crashing aburtly causing Dutch commerce a severe financial shock.

A

November 1636 - 3 February 1637.

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6
Q

What island did Napoleon heroically return from, to rule for “100 Days” before being cut down at the Battle of Waterloo?

A

Elba, Italy.

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7
Q

What is the capital of Tajikistan?

A

Dushanbe (pop 1.05 million).

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8
Q

In what year were the Napoleonic Code, one of the few documents to “influence the whole world”, first published?

A

1804.

Spread through Europe and survived Napoleon’s defeat.

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9
Q

When was the Treaty of Waitangi signed and what were it key terms?

A

1840.

Soverignty in return for land ownership and British subjects.

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10
Q

What is the name and artist of this painting?

A

Water Lilies (1896 – 1926) by Claude Monet.

250 paintings - last 30 years - “The Sistine Chapel of Impressionism”.

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11
Q

What was the real name of the “Red Baron”, shot down near Amiens, France on 21 April 1918.

A

Manfred von Richthofen.

National hero - 80 combat victories - “kaputt”.

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12
Q

In what battle did Charles Martel (‘The Hammer’) rout the invading Moors without calvery at the high point of the Muslim invasion of Europe?

A

Battle of Tours, 732.

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13
Q

What is the name and artist of this painting?

A

Sunflowers, Vincent Van Gogh (1853 - 1890).

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14
Q

In what year did Hannibal cross the Alps into Italy?

A

218 BC.

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15
Q

What is the generally accepted start and end date of the Renaissance?

A

1300 - 1700.

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16
Q

Which 1933 event gave Hitler a pretense to ban the Communist party, suspend civil liberties and consolidate power?

A

Reichstag Fire, 27 February 1933.

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17
Q

In what year did Napolean lead his disasterous invasion of Russia?

A

1812.

No decisive battle - war of attrition - Russian winter.

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18
Q

In what year did President Nixon resign following the Watergate scandal?

19
Q

Which economic theory states: “Focus on what pays you the most to reduce your opportunity costs”.

A

The Law of Compartive Advantage.

David Ricardo, 1817, English political economist.

20
Q

What is an Achilles heel?

A

A fatal weakness despite overall strength.

Homer’s Iliad - Greece’s greatest warrior - invulnerable except ankle.

21
Q

What is the branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds?

A

Ornithology.

22
Q

What is the technical name for a pipe allowing water to flow under a road?

23
Q

In what year did Blaxland, Lawson, and Wentworth cross the Blue Mountains, opening the Murray Darling Basin to settlement?

24
Q

What is EBITDA and why is it useful?

A

Pripheral expenses - ignored - purest measure of earning ability.

25
What are the pros and cons of **vertical integration**?
They are: 1. **Reduced costs**; but 2. **Expensive** to establish and **diffused specialisation**.
26
What is a **piling crane**?
27
What are the **primary** and **secondary** debt markets?
Issuing **new debt** and trading **existing debt**.
28
What is **internecine**? | (*inter - ni - cine*)
Relating to **conflict within a group**. ## Footnote *"Statistics tell us more than 25% of construction joint ventures end in **internecine** dispute."*
29
What is **heuristic**? | (hu-ristic)
Enabling a person **learn something for themselves**. ## Footnote *"a ‘hands-on’ or interactive heuristic approach to learning"*
30
On what day did the last British soldier leave the beach in Dunkirk after a successful 9 day evacuation?
**3 June 1940.** Halt order - many civial vessels - *"Dunkirk spirit".*
31
In assessing the **Bay of Pigs** invasion in 1961, what did the Joint Chiefs of Staff opinion of ‘*a fair chance of success’* in fact mean?
**30% chance of success.**
32
What is the Roman numeral for 50?
**L.**
33
Instead of returning to Rome after the Conquest of Gual, what did Ceasar utter as he crossed the Rubicon with a single legion in 50 BC
***"The die is cast".*** *(Alea iacta est)*
34
35
What is **"isometric"**?
**3-D technical drawing**.
36
What is "**monolithic**"?
**Formed of a single large block of stone**.
37
What is "**prefortoriary**"?
Serving as an introduction; introductory. ## Footnote *"in his prefatory remarks the author claims that …"*
38
Which **heroic last stand** in 1836 resulted in thousands flocking to the Texan army and defeating the Mexicans in the Texan Revolution?
**Battle of the Alamo**.
39
40
What is **extant**?
Still in existence; **surviving**. ## Footnote *"an extant letter"*
41
In what year did New Zealand and US suspend obligations under the **ANZUS** treaty?
1986.
42
What is **lacuna**?
An unfilled space, **a gap**. "*This legislation fills a lacuna in the law of corporations..."*
43
What is **Bastille Day**?
French National Holiday, 14 July.
44
What is **percolate**?
(of liquid or gas) filter through porous substance. ## Footnote *"the water percolating through the soil ..."*