Question 1: In which Shakespeare play does the character Mercutio appear?
Question 2: Where was the famous playwright William Shakespeare born?
Born on April 23, 1564, William Shakespeare is widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language. His birth and childhood were spent in Stratford-upon-Avon, which is now a significant cultural tourism spot due to his legacy.
Question 3: The term "Beatlemania" is associated with which phenomenon?
Beatlemania was the intense fan enthusiasm directed towards the English rock band The Beatles in the 1960s. It first emerged during the band's UK tour in 1963, and by the time they arrived in the United States in 1964, it had become a significant part of the "British Invasion" of the American music scene.
Question 4: 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.
Question 5: What musical features the characters Jean Valjean, Fantine, and Javert?
Les Misérables is a critically acclaimed musical, based on Victor Hugo's novel of the same name. It has been performed worldwide and is known for its iconic songs like "I Dreamed a Dream" and "One Day More".
Question 6: Why does the Southern Hemisphere experience winter when the Northern Hemisphere is in summer?
When the Earth's axis points towards the Sun, it is summer for that hemisphere. When the Earth's axis points away, it is winter. This results in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres experiencing opposite seasons.
Question 7: If viewed from Earth, which planet appears to spin backwards?
Venus rotates in the opposite direction to most other planets (retrograde rotation). From Earth, this makes it appear as though Venus is spinning backwards on its axis compared to the other planets in our solar system.
Question 8: Who is considered the "father of modern chemistry"?
Antoine Lavoisier, a French chemist, is widely regarded as the "father of modern chemistry." He discovered the role of oxygen in combustion, helped to establish the law of conservation of mass, and helped to reform chemical nomenclature.
Question 9: What is the name of the only opera Mozart wrote in German?
Die Zauberflöte, or The Magic Flute, is the only opera that Mozart composed in German. It premiered in 1791, just months before Mozart's death, and features a fantastical story filled with Masonic symbolism and memorable arias like the Queen of the Night's "Der Hölle Rache."
Question 10: When is Canada Day celebrated?
Canada Day celebrates the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the Constitution Act, which united the three separate colonies of the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick into a single Dominion within the British Empire called Canada.
Mercutio is Romeo's close friend and kinsman to Prince Escalus in Romeo and Juliet. He is known for his witty and often bawdy sense of humor, as seen in his famous "Queen Mab" speech in Act 1, Scene 4.