December 16, 2011 | QM print friendly version 1 Which famous British Army officer died after a motorcycle accident in Dorset, England in May 1935? Lieutenant Colonel T.E. Lawrence 2 What is the name of the long iron-tipped staff used by mountain climbers and hikers? Alpenstock 3 Which African country is regarded as the spiritual home of the Rastafari religious movement? Ethiopia 4 In economics, which four countries are known as the BRIC countries? Brazil, Russia, India, China 5 A peregrine is what type of bird? Falcon 6 James Baskett, who sang the song ‘Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah’, played which character in the 1946 Disney film ‘Song of the South’? Uncle Remus 7 Who became the Royal Ballet’s youngest principal dancer in 1989, at the age of 20? Darcey Bussell 8 The Spratly Islands lie in which body of water? The South China Sea 9 Nadezhda Konstantinovna Krupskaya was married to which Russian politician? Vladimir Lenin 10 Which English chemist and physicist invented the dynamo? Michael Faraday 11 In Indian cookery, what is gingili better known as? Sesame 12 In humans, the deficiency of which vitamin causes pellagra? B3 13 Sila and Majella are national parks in which European country? Italy 14 Saffron and Bubbles are characters in which UK tv comedy series? Absolutely Fabulous 15 Which play by Arthur Miller opened on Broadway in New York in January 1953? The Crucible 16 The original Guggenheim Museum is in which city? New York 17 In which year did South Africa leave the Commonwealth to become a republic? 1961 18 Clidro, Pipeline and Backdoor are terms that are used in which sport? Surfing 19 In the Harry Potter series of books, what is the name of Harry’s pet owl? Hedwig 20 Which US state has borders with Kansas, Illinois, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Iowa, Nebraska and Oklahoma? Missouri 21 What is the name of the highly toxic protein obtained from the pressed seeds of the castor oil plant? Ricin 22 Which former British Prime Minister played cricket for Middlesex? Sir Alec Douglas-Home 23 Which English poet died in 1915 from septicaemia after being bitten by a mosquito? Rupert Brooke 24 What is the name of the dog in the children’s tv programme ‘The Herbs’? Dill 25 How many lines usually make up a limerick? Five 26 What is Cockney rhyming slang for stairs? Apples and pears 27 Taxus is the Latin name for which tree? Yew 28 What is the name of the official Scottish residence of the British monarch? The Palace of Holyroodhouse 29 How many points are scored for a drop-goal in rugby union? Three 30 Steve Martin and which other actor hosted the 2010 Academy Awards? Alec Baldwin