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About This Quiz
Many people pride themselves on their trivia and general knowledge skills.
And it's not only one of those things that come in handy down at your local trivia night. A good general knowledge and a strong trivia background show a deeper understanding of the world around us, of events past and present, of politics or even economics.
Having a good general knowledge isn't just about knowing about things that interest you but also have a good idea of what's going on in subjects outside your frame of reference. It's about hearing a fact that catches your attention and pulling it out of your brain some point further down the line when needed. In a nutshell, it's knowing lots of facts and being able to remember them.
In this quiz, we are going to test your general trivia knowledge to the limit. A wide range of questions about many different subjects will have you scratching your head for answers! We have U.S. presidents, authors, sport, geography, TV, music, and war. In fact, if you can think about it, there is probably a question relating to it in this quiz.
But you know you have them, so let's see if you can ace this.
Good luck!
Of the coast of which continent would you find the Great Barrier Reef?
Australia
The largest coral reef in the world, the Great Barrier Reef is made up of over 3,000 individual reefs. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it is considered to be one of the seven wonders of the natural on planet Earth.
Asia
North America
Europe
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In literature, which author created the character Pennywise the clown?
C.S. Lewis
Ray Bradbury
Stephen King
Pennywise the clown is a creation of author Stephen King. He appeared in King's novel, "It," which was published in 1986 making it the 22nd book by the author. There have been two Hollywood adaptations of the book, the first in 1990 and the second in 2017.
Dean Koontz
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Do you know which of these is the tallest building in the world?
Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower
China Zun
Burj Khalifa
Opened in 2010, the Burj Khalifa is found in Dubai. It measures 2,722 ft tall at its highest point. The highest floor tops out at 1,918 ft. The Burj Khalifa cost $1.5 billion to construct.
30 Hudson Yards
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True or false? The Caspian Sea is the largest lake in the world.
True
Despite its name, the Caspian Sea is considered to be a lake. It is the largest body of water that is enclosed on all sides found on earth. It is around 143,000 square miles in size. Interestingly, it is salty but only about a third as much as the sea.
False
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“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” Which book starts off with this line?
1984
Written in 1949 by George Orwell, 1984 is a story about the future. Unsurprisingly set in 1984, it tells the tale of Winston Smith and how he begins to fight a world ruled by three super states. Orwell also wrote another recognized classic, "Animal Farm."
Dune
The Martian
Ender's Game
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In sport, where were the 1988 Olympics held?
Beijing
Los Angeles
Seoul
The 1988 Olympics were held in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. Over 8,000 athletes from 159 nations came to compete in 237 events. Perhaps the thing that people remember most about these games was the disqualification of Canadian Ben Johnson after he had won the 100m sprint. Tests later found traces of anabolic steroids in his blood.
Athens
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Rick Astley's massive hit, "Never Going to Give You Up" was released in what year?
1982
1985
1987
Released in July 1987, "Never Going To Give You Up" was a massive hit for Rick Astley. Produced and written by Stock, Aitken and Waterman, it reached the number 1 spot on the Billboard charts in March 1988 as well as 25 other countries worldwide.
1990
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What is the fastest flying bird in the world?
Sparrow
Eagle
Hummingbird
Peregrine Falcon
Without a doubt, the Peregrine Falcon is the fastest bird on Earth. In horizontal flight, it can reach 68 mph. In a dive, however, it is capable of speeds of up to 242 mph. That is simply incredible!
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Which country offers the Rand as currency?
Algeria
Russia
South Africa
South Africa used to use British currency in the form of pounds, shillings, and pence. In 1961, when the country declared itself a republic, they instituted their own form of currency, called the Rand, where 100 cents is one Rand.
Zimbabwe
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True or false? The Blue Whale is the heavist creature on Earth.
True
Yes, indeed. Blue Whales are massive; their heart alone weights around the same amount as your car! Overall, a Blue Whale tips the scales at around 440,000 pounds. The largest of these beautiful creatures ever measured was 107 feet long!
False
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Do you know what baby goats are called?
Joey's
Goatees
Kids
Don't be fooled, they might be kids, but they will act like kids too. Baby goats love to play, which means headbutting anybody who will let them. But why kids? Well, it comes from the Norse word kizzi, the German word kitze and the Swedish word kidd which were all names for young goats. No, we are not kidding!
None of the above
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Of these cities, which is the capital of Germany?
Bonn
Berlin
After the unification of German in the early 1990s, the capital of the country naturally became Berlin, Before that, Bonn was the capital of West Germany and East Berlin the capital of East Germany.
Frankfurt
Hamburg
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Can you name the 1980's sitcom that starred Tony Danza and Judith Light?
"Married with Children"
"Empty Nest"
"Family Ties"
"Who's the Boss?"
"Who's the Boss" first aired in 1984. Starring Tony Danza, Judith Light and Alyssa Milano, it ran for 196 episodes and 8 seasons. It was one of the most popular sitcoms of the 1980s.
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Of the options below, which is the biggest selling single of all time?
"Candle In the Wind" - Elton John
"White Christmas" - Bing Crosby
It's that old crooner Bing Crosby who can lay claim to the best selling single of all time. The Guinness Book of World Records says that "White Christmas" has sold over 50 million copies since it was released in 1942.
"Thriller" - Michael Jackson
"Like A Virgin" - Madonna
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In art, who painted the portrait of Mona Lisa?
Michelangelo
Raphael
Leonardo da Vinci
It is estimated that Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa portrait sometime between 1503 and 1506. Did you know, initially art scholars thought that Mona Lisa had no eyebrows but recent studies of the painting have concluded that they were painted but faded and were covered by dust over time?
None of the above
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True or false? The original color of Coca-Cola was green.
True
False
This is one of those urban legends which is simply not true. Over the years, a rumor started saying that the Coke was originally green. The Coca-Cola company have squashed the rumor, however, saying the color has not changed since the cool drink was first bottled.
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Mickey Mouse had another name when Walt Disney first drew him. What was it?
Walt
Mortimer
That's right, the Mickey Mouse we all know and love was originally called Mortimer. Just doesn't have the same ring to it, does it? It was Walt Disney's wife that persuaded him to make the change to Mickey.
Frank
Merry
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"The Long Walk to Freedom" is based on which world leader's life?
Gandhi
Nelson Mandela
Imprisoned by authorities in South Africa for 27 years, Nelson Mandela was eventually released in 1990 and became the State President of the country after the first free, and fair elections for all citizens was held in 1994. Mandela remained president for one term, retiring from politics in 1998. Recognized as one of the world's great leaders, Mandela died in 2013.
Fidel Castro
Aung San Suu Kyi
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Butterflys use which part of their body to taste?
Proboscis
Wings
Lips
Feet
Butterflies do indeed taste with their feet! When landing on a flower, their feet will tell them if its what they are looking for as all the taste sensors are located in them. They then extract nectar and juices through their proboscis.
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The Yen is used by which country as a form of currency?
Korea
China
Taiwan
Japan
The Yen was introduced in Japan as a form of currency on June 27, 1871. Today, after the U.S. dollar and the Euro, it is the third most traded currency in the world. Yen means "round object" as the first to be introduced where coins.
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The collective name for a group of crows is called what exactly?
Squadron
Murder
Well, it certainly sounds cooler than a flock of crows. The use of the term can be traced by to the 15th century. Well, crows feed on anything, including the deceased if bodies are not dealt with. That's probably why the term came about.
Crew
Gaggle
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True or false? George H. Bush was a pilot during World War II
True
George H. Bush, the 41st President of the United States, was a member of the U.S. armed forces during World War II. Flying a Grumman TBF Avenger, Bush was shot down by anti-aircraft fire and spent four hours floating in a raft in the Pacific before he was rescued by a U.S. submarine.
False
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In what city would you find St Paul's Cathedral?
Washington
London
St Paul's Cathedral is found in London, England. It is the home of the Anglican church, and a church was built on this site as far back as 604 AD. The construction of Old St Paul's Cathedral was completed in around 1256 while the current building known as New St Paul's Cathedral was completed in 1675.
Birmingham
New York
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Do you know author Mark Twain's real name?
John Lange
Richard Bachman
Eric Arthur Blair
Samuel Langhorne Clemens
Born in 1835, Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, introduced us to the world of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. Twain also produced Ulysses S. Grant's memoirs through his publishing house.
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Who wrote the Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers hit, "Islands in the Stream"?
The Gibb Brothers
1983's "Islands in the Stream" was not only a country hit for Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton; it was a crossover hit as well. It went to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as the Adult Contemporary and Country charts. It was written by the Gibb Brothers, perhaps better known as the Bee Gees.
Stock, Aitken and Waterman
Dolly Parton
Kenny Rogers
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Which German ace shot down 80 aircraft during World War 1?
Mick Mannock
Ernst Udet
Eric Ball
Manfred von Richthofen
Manfred von Richthofen, or the "Red Baron" as he was known, was a German aviator during World War I. During the war, he managed to shoot down 80 enemy aircraft, the most by any fighter ace on either side. Von Richthofen was shot down and killed by ground fire in April 1918.
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Can you name the author who wrote the children's book, "The Cat in the Hat"?
Roald Dahl
Dr Seuss
Theodor Geisel or Dr. Seuss as he is known to millions of children around the world wrote a range of children's books. The most famous is "The Cat in the Hat," which was published in 1957. Dr. Seuss sold over 600 million copies of his books around the world.
Beatrix Potter
Enid Blyton
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In soccer, who won the 2018 Word Cup?
France
France was crowned the 2018 Soccer World Cup champions in 2018. They beat Croatia 4-2 in the final played in Moscow with goals from Mario Mandžukić (own goal), Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba, and Kylian Mbappe.
Croatia
Germany
Brazil
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True or false? Tanks were used for the first time during World War I.
True
Warfare changed forever with the introduction of the tank in World War I. The first tanks were used at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette on September 15, 1916. The first German tanks only arrived in 1918.
False
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Which of these is not a position in the sport of rugby?
Centre
Flank
Lock
Sweeper
Centre, lock and flank are all positions in rugby. Two, lock and flank, are forwards while the center is a backline player. A sweeper, however, would be found in soccer. Found between the defensive line and the keeper, the sweeper is tasked with stopping any attacks that break through before they can have a shot at goal.
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If you add the opposite sides of a dice, what number do you get?
Six
Seven
You knew that, right? Modern dice are set out so that opposite numbers, when added, will always equal seven. The configuration is 6+1, 5+2, 4+3.
Eight
Nine
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Who had a hit in 1999 with "...Baby One More Time"?
Christina Aguilera
Britney Spears
"...Baby One More Time" was a massive hit for newcomer Britney Spears in 1999. It went to number 1 in Canada, the U.S. and in the United Kingdom. Interestingly, the song was actually written for the Backstreet Boys.
Brandy
Alicia Keys
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Which book by author J.R.R. Tolkien introduced readers to the character Bilbo Baggins?
"The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring"
"The Silmarillion"
"The Hobbit"
J.R.R. Tolkien, one of the fantasy fictions greatest authors developed the world of Middle Earth over an extended period. In 1937, he wrote "The Hobbit," which told the story of Bilbo Baggins. Tolkien later expanded on that story in the epic three book series, "The Lord of the Rings."
"Farmer Giles of Ham"
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On what continent would you find Timbuktu?
Australia
Africa
A UNESCO World Heritage site, Timbuktu is found in the African country of Mali. It is an ancient city and became a permanent settlement in the 14th century. In the hot summer months, the temperature in Timbuktu can reach 40 degrees Celsius.
South America
Asia
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True or false? A peacock cannot fly.
True
False
Peacocks can indeed fly but often are seen walking around instead of flying. Even with their massive, beautiful tails, a male peacock can get airborne; it just takes some effort with that tail dragging behind them. The tail is important though as it is used to attract females.
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