Trivia #5

1. What U.S. city was known as Lancaster before it became a state capital in 1867?

Lincoln, Nebraska. Its name was changed to honor President Abraham Lincoln on the day Nebraska attained statehood and moved its seat of government from its territorial capital, Omaha.

2. What is the only celestial body in the universe—besides the sun and moon—that is bright enough to cast shadows on the earth?

Venus.

3. What did legendary aviatrix Amelia Earhart carry with her to keep awake on lengthy flights?

Smelling salts. Earhart, who made a solo transatlantic crossing on the fifth anniversary of Charles Lindbergh’s historic flight, didn’t drink coffee or tea.

4. Which U.S. president had dogs named Tipsy, Tipler, and Drunkard, as well as Sweetlips and Truelove?



George Washington. The dogs were founders of the American foxhound breed, created by Washington when he bred descendants of English hounds with a French foxhound given to him by the Marquis de Lafayette.


5. What ski area is the highest in the United States?


The Arapahoe Basin in Dillon, Colorado, with a summit elevation of 13,050 feet.

6. Who provided the voice of Dory, the kindhearted tang fish with short-term memory loss, in the 2003 animated film Finding Nemo?


Comedian Ellen DeGeneres.

7. What does the mayor of Munich, Germany, traditionally dip into the city’s Fish Fountain (Fischbrunnen) every Ash Wednesday?


A purse. According to local legend, plunging a wallet or purse into the fountain will enrich the city’s coffers in the coming year. Locals follow suit, hoping that their purses will also be replenished.


8. What U.S. city was the first to have a subway?

Boston. Its subway opened on September 1, 1897. London was the first city in the world to have a subway. It opened in 1863.

9. Which state never ratified the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, which established Prohibition?

Rhode Island.

10. How many matches in a row does a player have to win at a Grand Slam tennis event to take home the top trophy?

Seven. The Grand Slam events in tennis are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open.

(from Page-A-Day Calendars)