471 trivia questions
Trivia questions with answers, ready to play.
General knowledge with one clear, checkable answer: geography, science, space, history, words, food and holidays. Every question has four options, and most explain why the answer is right.
Short answer
- 1.
What is the capital of Australia?
- ASydney
- BCanberra
- CMelbourne
- DPerth
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Canberra
Sydney is bigger, but Canberra was purpose-built as the capital, partly as a compromise between Sydney and Melbourne.
- 2.
Which is the longest river in South America?
- AOrinoco
- BParaná
- CAmazon
- DMagdalena
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Amazon
It also carries more water than any other river on Earth.
- 3.
In which country is the ancient city of Petra?
- AEgypt
- BLebanon
- CTurkey
- DJordan
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Jordan
Petra was carved into rose-colored sandstone cliffs by the Nabataeans.
- 4.
Mount Kilimanjaro is in which country?
- ATanzania
- BKenya
- CUganda
- DEthiopia
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Tanzania
Tanzania, close to the border with Kenya. It's the highest mountain in Africa.
- 5.
What is the smallest country in the world by area?
- AMonaco
- BSan Marino
- CVatican City
- DLiechtenstein
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Vatican City
Vatican City, at about 0.44 square kilometers. Monaco is the second smallest.
- 6.
Which is the largest ocean?
- AAtlantic
- BPacific
- CIndian
- DSouthern
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Pacific
It covers more area than all of Earth's land put together.
- 7.
What is the chemical symbol for gold?
- AAg
- BGd
- CGo
- DAu
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Au
Au, from the Latin 'aurum'. Ag is silver, from 'argentum'.
- 8.
How many bones are in the adult human body?
- A206
- B186
- C226
- D256
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206
Babies are born with more, around 300, and some fuse as they grow.
- 9.
Which is the largest planet in our solar system?
- ASaturn
- BNeptune
- CJupiter
- DUranus
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- 10.
Which gas do plants take in from the air for photosynthesis?
- AOxygen
- BCarbon dioxide
- CNitrogen
- DHydrogen
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Carbon dioxide
Plants use it with water and sunlight to make sugar, and release oxygen.
- 11.
Which mineral scores 10, the top of the Mohs hardness scale?
- AQuartz
- BTopaz
- CCorundum
- DDiamond
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Diamond
Corundum (ruby and sapphire) is 9, topaz 8 and quartz 7.
- 12.
How many hearts does an octopus have?
- AOne
- BTwo
- CThree
- DFour
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Three
Two pump blood through the gills, one pumps it around the body.
- 13.
Who painted the Mona Lisa?
- ALeonardo da Vinci
- BMichelangelo
- CRaphael
- DBotticelli
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- 14.
In which year did people first walk on the Moon?
- A1965
- B1967
- C1969
- D1972
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1969
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed with Apollo 11 on July 20, 1969.
- 15.
Which language has the most native speakers?
- AEnglish
- BMandarin Chinese
- CSpanish
- DHindi
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Mandarin Chinese
Mandarin Chinese, by a wide margin. Spanish comes second for native speakers. Count second-language speakers too and the ranking shifts, which is why this question asks about native speakers.
- 16.
Who wrote Romeo and Juliet?
- AChristopher Marlowe
- BJane Austen
- CCharles Dickens
- DWilliam Shakespeare
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William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare, in the 1590s. The play is set in Verona.
- 17.
Which of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World is still standing?
- AGreat Pyramid of Giza
- BColossus of Rhodes
- CHanging Gardens of Babylon
- DLighthouse of Alexandria
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Great Pyramid of Giza
The Great Pyramid of Giza, the oldest of the seven and the only one left.
- 18.
How many players does each team have on the field in a soccer match?
- A9
- B10
- C11
- D12
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- 19.
What does 'cc' stand for in an email?
- ACarbon copy
- BCopy check
- CContact copy
- DCommon circle
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Carbon copy
Before photocopiers, a sheet of carbon paper between two pages made a copy as you typed.
- 20.
Which company created the Post-it Note?
- AIBM
- BXerox
- C3M
- DStaples
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3M
The weak, reusable glue was discovered by 3M scientist Spencer Silver; his colleague Art Fry saw its use as a bookmark.
- 21.
Which of these words can you type using only the top row of letters on a keyboard?
- AKeyboard
- BTypewriter
- CComputer
- DTelephone
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Typewriter
Every letter is on the Q W E R T Y U I O P row.
- 22.
What does PDF stand for?
- APrinted Data File
- BPublic Document File
- CPortable Document Format
- DPage Design Format
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Portable Document Format
Portable Document Format, created by Adobe so a document looks the same on any computer.
- 23.
In which decade was the first email sent between computers on a network?
- A1970s
- B1950s
- C1960s
- D1980s
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1970s
Ray Tomlinson sent it on ARPANET in 1971, and chose the @ sign to separate the user from the computer.
- 24.
What does URL stand for?
- AUniversal Reference Link
- BUnified Routing Line
- CUser Resource Link
- DUniform Resource Locator
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Uniform Resource Locator
Uniform Resource Locator, the address of a page or file on the web.
- 25.
Which company's search engine was first called 'BackRub'?
- AGoogle
- BYahoo
- CAmazon
- DeBay
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Google
Larry Page and Sergey Brin's project was called BackRub because it ranked pages by their backlinks.
- 26.
LEGO comes from a Danish phrase meaning what?
- ABuild together
- BPlay well
- CLittle bricks
- DLet's go
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- 27.
In which country was IKEA founded?
- ADenmark
- BNorway
- CFinland
- DSweden
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Sweden
Sweden, in 1943, by Ingvar Kamprad. The name comes from his initials plus the first letters of the farm and village where he grew up.
- 28.
When Nintendo was founded in 1889, what did it make?
- AToys
- BRadios
- CPlaying cards
- DBicycles
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Playing cards
Nintendo made hanafuda, traditional Japanese cards, long before video games.
- 29.
What does IBM stand for?
- AInternational Business Machines
- BIntegrated Binary Methods
- CIndustrial Business Machines
- DInternational Banking Machines
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International Business Machines
International Business Machines, the name it took in 1924.
- 30.
Amazon started out selling only what?
- AMusic CDs
- BBooks
- CElectronics
- DToys
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Books
Jeff Bezos launched it as an online bookstore in 1995.
- 31.
How many minutes are in a 40-hour work week?
- A2,400
- B2,000
- C2,800
- D3,600
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- 32.
In ROI, what does the R stand for?
- ARevenue
- BRate
- CReturn
- DRisk
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- 33.
How many is a baker's dozen?
- A12
- B13
- C14
- D15
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13
Bakers added an extra loaf so they'd never be accused of selling short.
- 34.
What does KPI stand for?
- AKey Process Item
- BKnown Progress Index
- CKey Planning Input
- DKey Performance Indicator
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Key Performance Indicator
Key Performance Indicator, a number that shows whether you're on track for a goal.
- 35.
Which day of the week is named after the Norse god Thor?
- ATuesday
- BWednesday
- CThursday
- DFriday
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Thursday
Thursday, Thor's day. Wednesday is named after Woden (Odin) and Friday after Frigg.
- 36.
How many hours are there in a year that isn't a leap year?
- A8,760
- B5,840
- C9,125
- D10,080
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- 37.
In 'The Twelve Days of Christmas', what is given on the fifth day?
- AFive calling birds
- BFive gold rings
- CFive turtle doves
- DFive maids a-milking
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Five gold rings
Calling birds are day four, and the turtle doves come in a pair on day two.
- 38.
Who wrote 'A Christmas Carol'?
- ALewis Carroll
- BHans Christian Andersen
- CCharles Dickens
- DMark Twain
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Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens, in 1843. He wrote it in about six weeks.
- 39.
In the film 'Home Alone', where is the McCallister family flying when they leave Kevin behind?
- ALondon
- BNew York
- CRome
- DParis
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- 40.
What is the name of the Grinch's dog?
- AMax
- BBuddy
- CRex
- DSpot
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Max
Max, who gets a single antler tied to his head to play a reindeer.
- 41.
Who first sang 'White Christmas' in the 1942 film 'Holiday Inn'?
- AFrank Sinatra
- BBing Crosby
- CDean Martin
- DNat King Cole
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- 42.
In the film 'Elf', what is the name of Will Ferrell's character?
- AWalter
- BJovie
- CBuddy
- DLeon
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Buddy
Walter is his father, Jovie works at the department store, and Leon is the snowman.
- 43.
In which country is a KFC dinner a popular Christmas tradition?
- ABrazil
- BJapan
- CSouth Korea
- DAustralia
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Japan
It took off after a 'Kentucky for Christmas' campaign in 1974.
- 44.
In Iceland, how many Yule Lads visit children in the nights before Christmas?
- A9
- B12
- C13
- D24
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13
13, one a night. Children leave a shoe on the windowsill for small gifts, or a potato if they've been naughty.
- 45.
In Alpine folklore, which horned, half-goat figure comes to punish naughty children in early December?
- ALa Befana
- BDed Moroz
- CKnecht Ruprecht
- DKrampus
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Krampus
Krampus, who visits on the eve of St. Nicholas Day, December 5.
- 46.
In Italy, which witch-like figure brings gifts on the eve of Epiphany, January 5?
- ALa Befana
- BSinterklaas
- CDed Moroz
- DSaint Lucia
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La Befana
La Befana, who flies on a broomstick and leaves sweets for good children and coal for naughty ones.
- 47.
The poinsettia, a favorite Christmas plant, is native to which country?
- ABrazil
- BSpain
- CMexico
- DEgypt
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Mexico
It's named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S. minister to Mexico, who brought it to the United States.
- 48.
In Dutch tradition, Sinterklaas arrives by steamboat from which country?
- ASpain
- BTurkey
- CGermany
- DFinland
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Spain
Spain, every November. The real Saint Nicholas lived in Myra, in today's Turkey, which makes it a good trap.
- 49.
How many points or sides does a typical snowflake have?
- AFour
- BFive
- CSix
- DEight
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- 50.
'Silent Night' was first performed in 1818 in which country?
- AAustria
- BGermany
- CSwitzerland
- DEngland
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Austria
Austria, in the village of Oberndorf near Salzburg. Joseph Mohr wrote the words and Franz Xaver Gruber the music.
- 51.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer first appeared in 1939 in a booklet for which store?
- AMacy's
- BMontgomery Ward
- CSears
- DCoca-Cola
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Montgomery Ward
Copywriter Robert L. May wrote the story as a giveaway for shoppers.
- 52.
Counting every repeat, how many gifts are given in 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'?
- A78
- B144
- C365
- D364
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364
364, one fewer than the days in a year. 78 is how many arrive on the twelfth day alone.
- 53.
In 'A Christmas Carol', what is the name of Scrooge's late business partner?
- ABob Cratchit
- BFezziwig
- CJacob Marley
- DTiny Tim
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Jacob Marley
Jacob Marley, whose ghost visits first, in chains. Bob Cratchit is Scrooge's clerk.
- 54.
Which of these reindeer does NOT appear in the 1823 poem 'A Visit from St. Nicholas'?
- ARudolph
- BComet
- CCupid
- DVixen
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- 55.
On which date is St. Patrick's Day celebrated?
- AMarch 1
- BMarch 17
- CMarch 21
- DApril 17
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- 56.
Where was Saint Patrick born?
- AIreland
- BFrance
- CBritain
- DSpain
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Britain
Britain, then part of the Roman Empire. He was taken to Ireland as a captive at about 16, escaped, and later returned as a missionary.
- 57.
Which legend is told about Saint Patrick?
- AHe drove the snakes out of Ireland
- BHe built Ireland's first castle
- CHe named every Irish county
- DHe planted Ireland's first oak
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He drove the snakes out of Ireland
He drove out the snakes. It's only a legend: there have been no native snakes in Ireland since the last Ice Age.
- 58.
According to legend, which plant did Saint Patrick use to explain the Holy Trinity?
- AA four-leaf clover
- BA shamrock
- CAn oak leaf
- DA thistle
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A shamrock
The shamrock, with its three leaves on one stem. The four-leaf clover is a luck symbol, not a Patrick one.
- 59.
By tradition, what does March 17 mark in Saint Patrick's life?
- AHis birth
- BHis arrival in Ireland
- CHis death
- DHis first sermon
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His death
His death, traditionally dated to the 5th century.
- 60.
Which color was originally linked with Saint Patrick?
- AGreen
- BGold
- COrange
- DBlue
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Blue
A shade called St. Patrick's blue was used for centuries; green took over later, with the shamrock and the 'Emerald Isle'.
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