Quizzes & Puzzles 21

Some new problems with which to exercise the brain. But first a look at answers and solutions to Quizzes & Puzzles 20. New problems below the image (cartoon).

Answer to Quiz 20:1

Who wrote this and from which Victorian novel is it taken?

"It was spacious, and I dare say it had once been handsome, but every discernible thing in it was covered with dust and mould, and dropping to pieces. The most prominent object was a long table with a tablecloth spread on it, as if a feast had been in preparation when the house and the clocks all stopped together. An epergne, or centerpiece of some kind was in the middle of this cloth; it was so heavily overhung with cobwebs that its form was quite undistinguishable; and, as I looked along the yellow expanse out of which I remember its seeming to grow, like a black fungus, I saw speckled legged spiders with blotchy bodies running home to it, and running out from it, as if some circumstance of the greatest public importance had just transpired in the spider community.

I heard the mice too, rattling behind the panels, as if the same occurrence were important to their interests. But the blackbeetles took no notice of the agitation, and groped about the hearth in a ponderous elderly way, as if they were short-sighted and hard of hearing, and not on terms with one another."

The author is one of the greatest English novelists. If you aspire to become an author in English, this is one of the old authors whose use of written language you ought to study.

The author was Charles Dickens and the novel was “Great Expectations”, from 1860-61.

In June 1861 The Times reviewed this novel. They wrote:

"Great Expectations is not, indeed, his best work, but it is to be ranked among his happiest. There is that flowing humour in it which disarms criticism, and which is all the more enjoyable because it belies criticism. Fault there are in abundance, but who is going to find fault when the very essence of the fun is to commit faults?"

Dickens's position in literary England was not at this time what it had been - and that is reflected in the review. Great Expectations is from the later period of his life; it is not one of his best known novels, but - I have to disagree with The Times - it definitely is one of his best.

(Above: Charles Dickens 1858. From "Appreciations and Criticisms of the Works of Charles Dickens" by G. K. Chesterton, Published 1911. Public Domain.)

Dickens has a special ability to use the specific, the individual, to illustrate the general; what made Chesterton call him "a mythologist rather than a novelist". His characters are extremely individual, often on the brink of being caricatures, we feel that we “know” them, yet they never lose in generality.

In the same way, time and location are very specific, Victorian England, while everything also remains universal; it could be anywhere, anytime. This is what makes Dickens a truly great author, in the most profound sense a classic.

Answer to Quiz 20:2

Which country is considered the world's oldest still existing republic?

It is San Marino, or, The Most Serene Republic Of San Marino, a very small country in the Apennines. Its territory has Italy on all sides.

San Marino has a documented existence since 885 AD. The legend tells us that Marino, a stoneworker from Dalmatia, led the first inhabitants to the area.

See more in The Peculiar Diversity of Europe.

Answer to Quiz 20:3

Speaking of republics, do you know that England has been a republic? It lasted only 11 years, before it became a monarchy again. When it was implemented, the king was executed; which king was that, and to which family (dynasty) did he belong?

From 1649 to 1660, England was a republic. It was a result of a civil war, which was won by Oliver Cromwell. As a result, the king, Charles I, was beheaded. Cromwell became Lord Protector of England and gradually ruled more and more like a king himself, although he declined an offer of kingship. When he died, however, everything threatened to collapse in chaos. One of Cromwell's generals, George Monck, realised the danger, and paved the way for a restoration of the monarchy. In 1660, Charles I's oldest surviving son ascended the throne as Charles II.

(Above: King Charles I of England at his trial, January 1649. Painting by Edward Bower. Public Domain.)

So the answer to the quiz is Charles I, and he belonged to the House of Stuart, a family surrounded by a web of romantic legend.

Answer to Quiz 20:4

If you suffer from Bromodosis, what's wrong with you then?

Then you suffer from stinkfoot, or bad-smelling feet.

Answer to Quiz 20:5

In Japanese art, what is Bijinga?

In Oops, she was ugly - How art can influence language, I wrote:

Bijinga literally means "picture of beautiful people" but in practice it means beautiful women and girls. As a genre, bijinga continued beyond ukiyo-e, and the term is still sometimes used about art displaying beautiful females.

If you want a more detailed explanation (with examples), read my article Three Masters of Bijinga from April 2020.

Answer to Quiz 20:6

An animal, or organism, eating mainly meat or animal flesh, is called a “carnivore”. But what is it called if it eats plant material? And what is it called if it eats as well animal as plant material?

An organism eating only plant material is a herbivore, and one eating as well animal as plant material is an omnivore. (@DrPsycho knew this.)

One can also talk about an insect eater as an insectivore or a fish eater as a piscivore.

And now some new exercises for brain & memory...

Quiz 21:1

Pyramids are not unique for Egypt, even if the Egyptian ones are best known. As a matter of fact, the largest pyramid in the world is not found in Egypt. Neither has Egypt the highest number of pyramids. So, I have two questions:

In which country can we find the world's largest pyramid?

Which country has more pyramids than Egypt?

Quiz 21:2

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), one of the most played and most influential composers of European classical music, was almost forgotten during the 80 years following his death. He was re-discovered by a later composer, who did set up one of J. S. Bach's works in 1829, which triggered his return. Who was this other composer, who brought J. S. Bach back to the top where he belonged?

Quiz 21:3

One of the greatest boxers of all time, 3 times heavyweight champion of the world, changed his name when he changed religion. Thus he boxed under two different names; what two names?

Quiz 21:4

Wadjet is a deity from old Egypt. She is associated with an animal. What animal?

She is also associated with a colour. What colour?

Quiz 21:5

Which continent has a name having to do with bears?

Quiz 21:6

So-called Siamese twins, that is conjoined twins, have physically connected bodies. Why are, or were, they called Siamese twins?

You'll find answers and solutions in the next “Quizzes & Puzzles”.

Quizzes & Puzzles has its own label in my Index, where all issues of the series can be found.

In my INDEX, you can find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic.

Copyright © 2022 Meleonymica/Mictorrani.

All Rights Reserved(Cartoon by Christian Dorn/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)