Sample questions from Worldquest 2009
Geography of the Americas
Name the highest mountain peak in the Americas, located between Argentina and Chile in the Andes.
A. Azufral
B. Pico da Neblina
C. Cerro Torre
D. Aconcagua
Name the island(s) located about 1,300 kilometers east of the Falkland Islands that is an overseas territory of the UK and is also claimed by Argentina.
A. Isla San Felix
B. Galapagos Islands
C. Easter Island
D. South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Art and Music
Name the Australian Aboriginal musical instrument pictured here that is endemic to the northern parts of Australia. It is usually a straight horn, made from a termite hollowed tree trunk or branch, used in the ceremonial and dance music of Australia's aboriginal people.
A. Krill krill
B. Didjeridu
C. Zither
D. Pandura
One of his earliest works, the creator of this sculpture snuck in and carved his name on Mary’s sash after overhearing a conversation that it was the work of an older and more experienced sculpture. Regretting his brashness, he never signed another of his works again. Name the artist.
A. Leonardo da Vinci
B. Donatello
C. Michelangelo
D. Raphael
History of Asia
The famous Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Shaanxi Province, China are part of the largest mausoleum in the world. Whose tomb is in this mausoleum?
A. Emperor Qin Shi Huang
B. Zheng He
C. Sun Tzu
D. Empress Wu Zetian
After their country gained independence, the Tamil Tigers formed in 1948 due to their fear that their country's unitary government might abuse Tamil rights. In which country do the Tamil Tigers reside?
A. Burma/Myanmar
B. Malaysia
C. Indonesia
D. Sri Lanka
Current Events
Four-month-old Alex Lange was recently denied health insurance coverage under his parent’s plan due to a pre-existing condition, which makes him a “financial risk.” What was the child’s condition?
A. Obesity
B. AIDS
C. Cleft palate
D. Hemophilia
NASA has made some recent progress on analyzing the possibility of water-ice on the moon by doing…what?
A. Sending out a series of satellites to orbit the moon
B. Developing the first experimental moon colony
C. Crashing unmanned spacecrafts into the moon
D. Analyzing a comet that crashed onto the earth
Which came first?
Which spooky fictional creature came first:
A. Bram Stoker’s Dracula
B. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein’s monster
C. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Hound of the Baskervilles
D. Edgar Allan Poe’s Raven
Which of the following cities sees the sun first on any given day?
A. Cairo
B. Kabul
C. Baghdad
D. Istanbul
Culture and Politics in Europe
European futbol is an extremely popular and national sport throughout most of Europe. 2006 was a particularly good year for Europe, when four European teams finished at the top of the FIFA World Cup. Which European country actually won World Cup 2006?
A. France
B. Germany
C. Portugal
D. Italy
Anne Frank, a victim of the Holocaust, famous for “The diary of a young girl,” spent most of her life in what European country?
A. Germany
B. France
C. Holland
D. Poland
Famous Quotes
Who was famously quoted as saying, “I'm President of the United States, and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli!”?
A. Ronald Reagan
B. George H. W. Bush
C. Bill Clinton
D. George W. Bush
What Greek philosopher said, “I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing?”
A. Descartes
B. Aristotle
C. Plutarch
D. Socrates
Bonus Round
Name the now defunct South African prison where political prisoners of the anti-apartheid movement, including Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years of his life there, were held.
A. Pollsmoor Prison
B. C Max
C. Robben Island
D. Drakenstein Correctional Centre
Making history with her democratic election to office in 2006, who is the first elected female head of state of an African country?
A. Wangari Maathai
B. Luísa Días Diogo
C. Rose Francine Rogombé
D. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf