Category: Brain Teasers

Trivia: Club soda is a salted version of what fizzy drink?

Ginger ale
Tonic water
Root beer
Seltzer

Correct Answer: Seltzer

So why is this answer correct? : Seltzer is an unflavored carbonated beverage that was given its name after the spring-rich town of Selters, Germany, in the 18th century. Adding sodium to seltzer produces club soda, though the drink is far from salty, as only a light amount is added to provide a hint of flavoring. The word “soda” originally referred to the sodium content of carbonated water, but when the term “soda water” fell out of our collective lexicon in the late 1940s, “soda” began to describe the sugary, carbonated beverage we know today.

Trivia: Coca-Cola has a distinct flavor specific to what fast-food chain?

McDonald’s
Burger King
Wendy’s
Five Guys

Correct Answer: McDonald’s

So why is this answer correct? : Coke actually does taste different — and many would say better — at McDonald’s restaurants. This is largely due to the way it’s packaged. While the actual flavoring is identical to that in other restaurants, McDonald’s gets its Coke syrup delivered in stainless steel tanks instead of the more common plastic bags, which in turn keeps the syrup fresher.

Trivia: Why is soda considered a “soft drink”?

It contains sugar
It’s non-alcoholic
It’s carbonated
It’s served cold

Correct Answer: It’s non-alcoholic

So why is this answer correct? : The term “soft drink” originally differentiated flavored, carbonated non-alcoholic drinks from hard liquor. Soft drinks were heavily marketed toward Americans and recommended as a substitute for alcohol. While soda is by far the most popular type of soft drink, there are other forms throughout the world. Mineral waters are popular in Europe and Latin America, and Kava (made from the roots of a shrub) is a favorite in the Pacific islands.

Trivia: What were attendants who worked at soda fountains called?

Soda jerks
Candy stripers
Soda poppers
Bottle boys

Correct Answer: Soda jerks

So why is this answer correct? : This nickname, due to the jerking motion used to pump soda water, was popular from the 1920s through the 1950s. Before soda dispensers came along, the soda jerk’s job was more tedious. The attendant mixed carbonated water and phosphate with flavored syrups at the counter, creating a variety of different sodas from scratch.

Trivia: Where was soda first sold?

Schools
Pharmacies
Amusement parks
Gas stations

Correct Answer: Pharmacies

So why is this answer correct? : The “soda fountain” originated in the 1850s, when patrons would visit pharmacies to purchase fountain drinks to cure their ailments. At the time, soda was a carbonated drink with flavoring and medicines mixed in. By the 1920s, almost every drugstore had a soda fountain, where drinks, milkshakes, and ice cream sodas were sold. The popularity of the soda fountain came around the beginning of Prohibition, when people were thirsty for socialization outside of the home.

Trivia: What carbonated drink is the world’s most widely distributed product?

Red Bull
Coca-Cola
Pepsi
La Croix

Correct Answer: Coca-Cola

So why is this answer correct? : Once marketed as a health tonic, Coca-Cola was first served in 1886 as a fountain syrup created by Dr. John S. Pemberton, a pharmacist in Atlanta, Georgia. It was bottled in 1891 and soon began its reign over the beverage industry. Today, Coca-Cola is the most widely distributed single product in the world. According to the Coca-Cola Company, the soda is sold in over 200 countries and territories throughout the world.

Trivia: What color combination is associated with Coca-Cola?

Red and white
Green and yellow
Blue and black
Purple and pink

Correct Answer: Red and white

So why is this answer correct? : Dr. John Pemberton created the syrup for Coca-Cola in 1886. Thinking that “two Cs would look well in advertising,” Pemberton’s partner and bookkeeper, Frank M. Robinson, suggested the name “Coca-Cola” for the product. Robinson also crafted the logo: “Coca-Cola” written in red Spencerian script against a white background. While there is no official Pantone color for “Coca-Cola red,” the hue has become synonymous with the brand.

What WWI British poet wrote “Dulce et Decorum est,” which depicts the horrific effects of poison gas on soldiers?

Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy
Siegfried Sassoon
Edward Wyndham Tennant
Wilfred Owen
Edmund Blunden

Correct Answer: Wilfred Owen

The first German large-scale attempt to use poison gas during WWI — a mostly unsuccessful effort — occurred at the 1915 Battle of Bolimov against troops from what country?

France
Great Britain
United States
Italy
Russia

Correct Answer: Russia

Which one of the following marked the first time the British used chlorine gas against an opponent during a WWI battle?

Battle of the Frontiers
Battle of Loos
Battle of Messines
Battle of Mons
Battle of Belleau Wood

Correct Answer: Battle of Loos