Season 3 - Week 1 Flashcards
To pass the Bechdel Test - a measure of the representation of women in fiction - a movie must feature two named female characters having a conversation about something other than a man. Which Best Picture Oscar winner fails this test on account of only having two female roles, namely Maximus’ ill-fated wife and Marcus Aurelius’ daughter, neither of whom speak to another woman?
GLADIATOR
What track by Eminem, released in 2000 as the lead single from The Marshall Mathers LP, was his first UK number one? The chorus of the song suggests that everybody claiming to be him is “just imitating” and exhorts the true figure to “please stand up, please stand up”.
The REAL SLIM SHADY
Which herb is the primary flavouring in a traditional pesto?
BASIL
Seeing it as an intellectual exercise, Brandon Shaw and Phillip Morgan murder their Harvard classmate in which Alfred Hitchcock film, named after the murder weapon? The film notably takes place in real time and uses long takes to give the appearance of a single shot.
ROPE
Opened in 1988 as the National Tennis Centre at Flinders Park, the main arena that hosts the Australian Open tennis final was renamed in 2000 after which former player, who was nicknamed ‘The Rocket’? One of tennis’s all-time greats, this player won all four Grand Slam tournaments in 1969.
Rod LAVER
The highest-selling song in the UK in the 1970s was Mull of Kintyre which was released by which band?
WINGS
Originally launched in 2002 as part of the Gawker Media network, what website, focused on science, design, technology and science fiction, is now part of G/O Media? Its name is inspired by a word meaning ‘gadget’.
GIZMODO
Which sprinter represented Jamaica between 1978 and 2002 before switching to represent Slovenia? She won a total of 30 medals in her career, including nine silver and bronze medals at five Olympic Games between 1980 and 2000.
Merlene OTTEY
Which strategic life simulation game was developed by Maxis and Will Wright and involves the player controlling the titular virtual people? Released in 2000, it proved popular with female and casual gamers and has extended to four versions thus far.
The SIMS
Which gemstone is the birthstone for April on the US birthstone list? These gemstones may be graded by their four Cs, which includes the cut, and the largest clear-cut example of this gemstone features prominently on the Imperial crown.
DIAMOND
(First name or surname acceptable.) Which young girl is the central protagonist of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy? She is raised at the fictional Jordan College, Oxford and is accompanied by a daemon called Pantalaimon.
LYRA BELACQUA or LYRA SILVERTONGUE
“For the past 15 years, I have performed my own dentistry.” Which comedian was given this (true) fact to defend on Would I Lie To You? Recently, he has appeared in the series Gone Fishing with fellow comic Paul Whitehouse.
Bob MORTIMER
Which 1964 anti-war song written by Buffy Sainte-Marie, a cover of which was released by Donovan the following year, argues that ordinary troops - rather than leaders and politicians - are to blame for wars throughout history, as without them no fighting can take place? Due to the time of its release, the song has become particularly linked to the Vietnam War.
UNIVERSAL SOLDIER
Will Kane, marshal of the town of Hadleyville, spends most of which 1952 Western preparing to face the outlaw Frank Miller, who is heading to Hadleyville to kill Kane in revenge for sending him to prison? This film also takes place in real time, counting down towards the film’s title.
HIGH NOON
Which Jamaican sprinter is an eight-time Olympic medallist who in 2008 became the first Caribbean woman to win gold in the Olympic 100 metres, defending that title in 2012? In Tokyo, she became the first athlete to win medals in four consecutive 100 metres finals, claiming silver on that occasion.
Shelley-Ann FRASER-PRYCE (accept FRASER)
In interior design, what term is given to the middle section of railing that runs around the perimeter of a room? This railing sits above the skirting board and below the crown moulding.
DADO rail (accept CHAIR rail or SURBASE)
Another movie to win the Best Picture Oscar yet fail the Bechdel Test is the final part of which film trilogy? Although the three films contain prominent female characters such as Galadriel, Arwen and Eowyn, none of them interact with each other during the trilogy’s 558 minutes of total runtime.
The LORD OF THE RINGS (Accept RETURN OF THE KING)
Which open ended video game was, like The Sims, designed by Will Wright? Launched by Maxis in 1989, in this game players plan and manage the titular urban settlement, and a disastrous 2013 reboot was the last release under this name to date.
SIM CITY
The 1950s saw the start of numerous western series on US TV, some of which ran for many years. Which of these series centred on the lives of cattle drivers and featured a young Clint Eastwood playing Rowdy Yates? It ran from 1959 to ‘65, and Frankie Laine sung its memorable theme tune which had the same title as the show.
RAWHIDE
Which gemstone is the birthstone for May on the US birthstone list? Usually with a green hue, this stone featured prominently in the Greville Kokoshnik tiara that Meghan Markle wanted to wear on her wedding day in 2018.
EMERALD
Certified platinum in both the UK and the US, what 1999 Eminem single brought the character of Slim Shady to mainstream audiences? The chorus repeats the song’s three-word title in the process of introducing Slim Shady.
MY NAME IS
With the Latin name Salvia officinalis, the garden variety of which herb is said to have excellent healing properties? It is commonly paired with onion.
SAGE
First opened in 1988 and used as a major venue for the Australian Open tennis tournament, the arena formerly known as Show Court One was renamed in 2003 after which Australian tennis star? She won 24 Grand Slam singles titles in her career, a record that still stands today.
Margaret COURT (Accept Margaret SMITH)
The second highest selling song in the UK in the 1970s was Rivers of Babylon, which was released by which band?
BONEY M
