Question 1: Which ball preceded the use of actual basketballs when the game Basketball was invented in 1981?
Question 2: Which Australian Prime Minister once held the record for sculling a yard of beer in 11 seconds at a university?
Bob Hawke left an iconic mark on Aussie history and culture as a beer-drinking champion. In 1954, he achieved a remarkable feat by sculling a yard glass (two and a half pints) of beer in just eleven seconds, which earned him a spot in the Guinness Book of Records.
Question 3: Which non-alcoholic syrup is made from pomegranate juice?
Grenadine syrup is made using pomegranate juice, sugar, and lemon juice. It’s often used as a colourful mixer for cocktails and mocktails, including Tequila Sunrise, Hurricane, and Bahama Mama.
Question 4: In 1966, the Royal Australian Mint introduced a twenty-cent piece featuring which mammal on its reverse side?
The reverse of the 20-cent coin features an image of a platypus, designed by Stuart Devlin. This image has been used since 1966, but some commemorative designs have also been released.
Question 5: The Parthenon in Greece was dedicated to which Greek Goddess?
The Parthenon in Athens was built as a temple to honour the Greek goddess of war, wisdom, arts, and literature: Athena.
Question 6: Which species of bird found in Australia is the second-largest living bird by height after the ostrich?
The Emu is the second-largest living bird by height after the ostrich and is found in Australia. Emus can reach up to 1.9 metres in size and are flightless birds that belong to the ratite family.
Question 7: What does an apiarist keep?
An apiarist is a person who keeps bees, especially for honey production! A place where bees are kept for such purposes, accordingly, is called an apiary. Buzzzzz!
Question 8: Mount Kosciuszko, the tallest mountain in Australia, is located in which state?
Mount Kosciuszko is Australia’s tallest mountain, at 2,228 metres and is located on the main range of the Snowy Mountains in Kosciuszko National Park, part of the Australian Alps National Parks and Reserves, in New South Wales, Australia.
Question 9: Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexico's victory over which nation?
Cinco de Mayo, which directly translates to the fifth of May, is a holiday that celebrates the victory of Mexico over France during the Franco-Mexican War on May 5, 1862.
Question 10: Which infamous world leader was Time Magazine's Man of the Year in 1938?
Adolf Hitler was Time Magazine's Man of the Year in 1938. Shocking, right? But the distinction, forerunner of the more modern Person of the Year, went to Hitler not because of anything great. As explained by the magazine, the Man of the Year applied to newsmakers who affected the world for better — and for worse. Time unflinchingly called out Hitler's aggressive actions in present-day Austria, Czech Republic, and Slovakia, eventually leading to World War II.
Soccer balls were used as the first basketballs for the first few years of the eponymous sport in the Young Men's Christian Academy (YMCA). Another interesting basketball tidbit is that the first rings used were peach baskets wide enough for the balls to shoot in!