Question 1: What was the pen name used by author Eric Blair?
Question 2: If a vehicle's engine is described as an "L4", what does the "L" indicate?
In an L4 engine, also known as an inline-four engine, the four cylinders are arranged in a straight line along the crankshaft. This is a common configuration for many passenger vehicles due to its compact size and good balance of power and efficiency.
Question 3: How many different types of whiskey are there?
There are 3 main types of whiskey - Scotch whisky, American whiskey (which includes bourbon), and Irish whiskey. Each type has its own distinct characteristics based on the grains used, production methods, and aging processes.
Question 4: When was the first successful human-to-human heart transplant performed?
The first successful human-to-human heart transplant was performed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard in Cape Town, South Africa, on December 3, 1967. The patient, Louis Washkansky, received the heart of a young woman who had died in a car accident.
Question 5: Which scale is used to measure wind speed?
The Beaufort Scale is an empirical measure that relates wind speed to observed conditions at sea or on land. It was created by Francis Beaufort, an Irish hydrographer, in 1805. The scale ranges from 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane).
Question 6: Where would you find the lion as a prominent national symbol?
The lion is a prominent national symbol in Singapore, featured on the country's coat of arms, currency, and the iconic Merlion statue. The lion represents Singapore itself, which is known as the "Lion City" or Singapura, meaning "lion city" in Malay.
Question 7: Which element is denoted by the chemical symbol Hg?
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is commonly known as quicksilver and is the only metallic element that is liquid at standard conditions for temperature and pressure.
Question 8: In Greek mythology, who was the goddess of the rainbow and a messenger of the gods?
In Greek mythology, Iris was the personification of the rainbow and a messenger of the gods, particularly of Hera. She was often depicted with wings, carrying a pitcher of water from the River Styx.
Question 9: Which famous actor received the honorary citizen of Paris award in 1998?
Martin Scorsese, the acclaimed American filmmaker, was made an honorary citizen of Paris in 1998. He is known for his influential films such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Goodfellas, many of which star frequent collaborator Robert De Niro.
Question 10: If a book is published posthumously, what does this mean?
A posthumous publication refers to a book that was published after the author had died. Famous examples include The Diary of Anne Frank, Virgil's Aeneid, and many of Emily Dickinson's poems which were published by her sister after Emily's death in 1886.
Eric Blair, better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English novelist, essayist and journalist. He is best known for his novels Animal Farm (1945) and Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), which are acclaimed for their keen political insight and condemnation of totalitarianism.