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Question 1: In which Broadway musical will you find the song "Defying Gravity"?
Question 2: If you were standing in St. Peter's Square looking at the Vatican, what would the architectural feature behind you be called?
The colonnade consists of four rows of Doric columns arranged in an elliptical shape. It was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and constructed between 1656 and 1667 under the direction of Pope Alexander VII.
Question 3: What was the name of the first mass-produced programmable computer?
The IBM 650 was introduced in 1953 and became the first mass-produced computer, with almost 2,000 units sold. It used a magnetic drum memory and ran programs from punched cards.
Question 4: If corn is planted in April, in which month is it typically harvested?
The typical life cycle of corn is about 125 days from seed to harvest. Corn is usually ready for harvest around 20 days after the silk first appears on the ear.
Question 5: If a garment has a "crewneck", what does this refer to?
A crewneck refers to a round, collarless neckline, often featured on t-shirts, sweatshirts and other casual tops. The name comes from the shirts worn by rowers and other boat crew members in the early 20th century.
Question 6: If a plant is described as a perennial, what does that mean?
Perennials are plants that live for more than two years, as opposed to annuals which complete their life cycle in one year, and biennials which take two years. Many perennials die back to the ground each winter and regrow in the spring from the same root system.
Question 7: Why was the first movie with sound called a "talkie"?
The first feature-length movie with synchronized dialogue was "The Jazz Singer," released in 1927. It was a major hit and launched the era of sound films, which quickly replaced silent movies. Sound films were colloquially referred to as "talkies."
Question 8: What was the first mass-produced and affordable automobile?
The Ford Model T, introduced in 1908, was the first automobile that was affordable for the masses due to Henry Ford's innovative assembly line production methods. By 1927, over 15 million Model Ts had been produced.
Question 9: When did the first episode of The Simpsons air?
The Simpsons is the longest-running American sitcom and animated program. It began as a series of animated shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show in 1987 before debuting as its own half-hour prime time show in 1989.
Question 10: Who wrote the classic novel "Pride and Prejudice"?
Jane Austen completed the first draft of "Pride and Prejudice" in 1797, initially titled "First Impressions". However, the novel was not published until 1813, after extensive revisions. It has since become one of the most beloved works in English literature.
"Defying Gravity" is the iconic Act 1 closing number in the smash hit musical Wicked, sung by the characters Elphaba and Glinda. The song has become one of the most well-known Broadway showstoppers.