What is the origin of the tradition of carving pumpkins?
A A Native American ritual
B A Halloween superstition
C An Irish legend about Stingy Jack
Fact: The tradition of carving pumpkins stems from an Irish legend about a figure named Stingy Jack, who was said to roam the Earth with a carved turnip, leading immigrants to adopt pumpkins for this purpose in America due to their size and ease of carving.
Correct Answer: An Irish legend about Stingy Jack
Which type of pumpkin is known for being the preferred variety for carving?
A White Pumpkin
B Sugar Pumpkin
C Connecticut Field Pumpkin
Fact: The Connecticut field pumpkin is favoured for carving due to its large size, smooth skin, and bright orange colour, making it ideal for creating jack-o’-lanterns compared to other types.
Correct Answer: Connecticut Field Pumpkin
Which celebrity was the mayor of Carmel, California?
Jerry Springer
Sonny Bono
Clint Eastwood
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Fact: In 1986, Clint Eastwood was elected mayor of his adopted hometown, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. The small, affluent seaside community was known for its artistic charm, scenic beauty, and strict local ordinances. During his two-year term, Eastwood made good on a campaign promise to repeal a quirky town law that banned eating ice cream cones in public. Despite his political duties, he continued his prolific Hollywood career, directing two films during his time in office — one of which earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Director.
Correct Answer: Clint Eastwood
What historical activity took place in the Martimoaapa Mire Reserve during Finland’s Prohibition era?
A Smuggling liquor from Sweden
B Hunting rare birds
C Mining for peat
Fact: During Finland’s Prohibition from 1919 to 1932, smugglers used the Martimoaapa Mire Reserve as a route for transporting liquor from Sweden. This historical detail highlights the significance of the landscape in illicit trade.
Correct Answer: Smuggling liquor from Sweden
What is a notable archaeological discovery at the Martimoaapa Reserve?
A Ancient cave paintings
B Brackish pits for meat storage
C Roman artefacts
Fact: Archaeologists have found brackish pits at Martimoaapa that were once used for storing meat, indicating the area’s historical importance and its use by early inhabitants.
Correct Answer: Brackish pits for meat storage
Which of the following wildlife species is NOT mentioned as nesting in Martimoaapa?
A Cranes
B Penguins
C Kestrels
Fact: Nearly 100 bird species, including swans, cranes, and kestrels, nest in Martimoaapa. However, penguins do not inhabit this boreal environment, making this the incorrect option.
Correct Answer: Penguins
Which 19th-century American author wrote the classic novel The Scarlet Letter?
Walt Whitman
Herman Melville
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Henry David Thoreau
Fact: Published in 1850, The Scarlet Letter was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, one of the most influential figures in early American literature. Set in 17th-century Puritan Massachusetts, the novel tells the story of Hester Prynne, a woman shunned by her community after bearing an illegitimate child. Through its themes of sin, guilt, and redemption, Hawthorne explored the tension between individual morality and societal judgment. The novel’s symbolism helped establish Hawthorne as a central voice in the American Romantic movement.
Correct Answer: Nathaniel Hawthorne
Who was the first person to travel into outer space?
John Glenn
Alan Shepard
Buzz Aldrin
Yuri Gagarin
Fact: On April 12, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin made history as the first human to journey into outer space. His historic 108-minute flight aboard Vostok 1 marked a major milestone in the Space Race, completing one full orbit around Earth at an altitude of about 187 miles. His iconic exclamation “Poyekhali!”—meaning “Let’s go!” in Russian—became a lasting symbol of human exploration. Gagarin was given a triumphant hero’s welcome upon his return to Earth. Monuments constructed in his honor can still be found throughout Russia.
Correct Answer: Yuri Gagarin
Who served as George Washington’s Vice President?
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson
James Madison
Alexander Hamilton
Fact: John Adams served as the first Vice President of the United States from 1789 to 1797 under President George Washington. Although Adams was a prominent Founding Father and a key figure in drafting the Declaration of Independence, he found the vice presidency frustrating and largely ceremonial—famously calling it “the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived.” His invaluable political experience, however, ultimately positioned him to become the nation’s second president after Washington’s retirement.
Correct Answer: John Adams
A feather and hammer were dropped on the moon to honor which scientist?
Isaac Newton
Galileo Galilei
Albert Einstein
Johannes Kepler
Fact: According to legend, Galileo Galilei once dropped two objects of different masses from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to show that gravity pulls all objects downward at the same rate, regardless of weight. More than three centuries later, in 1971, Apollo 15 astronaut David Scott reenacted this idea on the Moon. In the airless lunar environment—free of atmospheric drag—he dropped a hammer and a feather side by side, and they struck the surface simultaneously. The simple yet powerful demonstration paid tribute to Galileo’s groundbreaking insight that, in a vacuum, all objects fall at the same speed no matter their mass.
Correct Answer: Galileo Galilei