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100+ of the Best General Knowledge Quiz Questions

Not counting the Earth, which is the only planet whose largest moon is named after a female figure? Which country has coastlines on the Caspian Sea, the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf? See how you fare against these trivia questions!

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Andrew Cotter's viral videosPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

BBC sports commentator Andrew Cotter has made popular home videos featuring contests between whom?

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Andrew Cotter's dogs, Olive and MabelPhoto: via YouTube.com

Answer: His two dogs, Olive and Mabel

The videos, which went viral during the COVID-19 lockdown, have amassed more than 50 million views on YouTube!

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Name the sportPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

The 2020 winner of the Oscar for Best Documentary (Short Subject) features Afghan girls performing what sport?

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SkateistanPhoto: Facebook.com/Skateistan

Answer: Skateboarding

The Oscar-winning doc is titled Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl).

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Geographic featuresPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

What geographic features does IKEA usually name its bathroom products after?

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Lake in SwedenPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: Scandinavian bodies of water

Take a sneak peek at IKEA’s new LEGO collection!

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Name the demoPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

According to a 2013 survey, what demographic asks nearly 300 questions per day?

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Two young siblingsPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: Young children

Here are the Canadian women you didn’t learn about in school!

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Name the board gamePhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

What board game is purportedly not played by the British royal family because it makes the players too vicious?

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Monopoly board gamePhoto: txking/Shutterstock

Answer: Monopoly

Take a look at Prince Philip’s life in 50 photos!

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Lush "naked" productsPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

The international cosmetics retailer Lush sells “naked” products, which don’t include what?

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Lush storePhoto: Min Jing/Shutterstock

Answer: Packaging

Thirty-five per cent of Lush’s products are package-free! “Naked” items include solid shampoo bars, conditioners and bath oils.

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Name the rock starPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

After a hiatus in gospel, who returned to rock ’n’ roll in the early 1960s, with The Beatles as his opening act?

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Little Richard in concert in 2007Photo: Anna Bleker/Wikimedia Commons

Answer: Little Richard

During this time, Richard reportedly taught Beatles frontman Paul McCartney his distinctive singing style.

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Name the province or territoryPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Which Canadian province or territory has the highest proportion of elected female legislators?

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Yellowknife, Northwest TerritoriesPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: The Northwest Territories

Discover the strangest fact about every Canadian province and territory.

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South Korea sends 10,000 face masks to...Photo: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Where did South Korea recently send coronavirus-protection gear, out of gratitude to Korean War veterans?

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Navajo veterans of the Korean WarPhoto: Lev Radin/Shutterstock

Answer: The Navajo Nation

The U.S. supported South Korea during the Korean War—members of the Navajo Nation used their language as an unbreakable code for radio messages.

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Name the historical figurePhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Who said: “A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true”?

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Martin Luther King Jr.Photo: Rowland Scherman/Wikimedia Commons

Answer: Martin Luther King Jr.

Read up on these powerful quotes on racism from history’s most inspiring activists.

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Name the cityPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

In which city can you ski down the sloped roof of an electricity-producing incinerator?

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CopenHill in Copenhagen, DenmarkPhoto: Oliver Foerstner/Shutterstock

Answer: Copenhagen

First conceived in 2011, the CopenHill boasts an impressive 450-metre ski slope.

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Name the planetPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

NASA has tested equipment in Chile’s Atacama Desert, because it’s similar to which planet?

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Atacama Desert, ChilePhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: Mars

Fun fact: the Atacama is 50 times more arid than California’s Death Valley!

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Name the threatPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Which poses a greater threat to undersea fibre-optic cables: sharks or fishing boats?

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Two fishermen on a fishing trawlerPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: Fishing boats

Check out the creepiest things you can find at the bottom of the ocean.

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Name the countryPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Which country called its 2019 national budget “The Wellbeing Budget” because it focused on areas such as mental health?

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Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New ZealandPhoto: photocosmos1/Shutterstock

Answer: New Zealand

The budget has also committed billions to tackling child poverty and family violence.

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Name the cartoon characterPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

What cartoon character drew inspiration from Charlie Chaplin and turns 92 this November?

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Mickey MousePhoto: ilikeyellow/Shutterstock

Answer: Mickey Mouse

Add these classic movies on Netflix Canada to your watch list!

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Name the phenomenonPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Moraines, eskers and drumlins are all landforms that were created by what phenomenon?

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View of glaciers from dronePhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: Retreating glaciers

Fun fact: Antarctica’s Lambert glacier is the largest in the world. It measures 96 kilometres wide and 434 kilometres long.

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Name the foodPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

What vegetarian product is known for “bleeding” meat-like juices?

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Impossible BurgerPhoto: Steve Heap/Shutterstock

Answer: The Impossible Burger

The Impossible Burger first launched in 2016.

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Name the showPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

David Tennant and Michael Sheen starred in what recent TV release about the antics of demons and angels?

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Good Omens on Amazon Prime VideoPhoto: Amazon Prime Video

Answer: Good Omens

Here are more underrated shows on Amazon Prime Canada worth binge-watching!

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Name the organizationPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Henry Dunant shared the first Nobel Peace Prize, in 1901, for founding what life-saving organization?

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International Committee of the Red CrossPhoto: Janossy Gergely/Shutterstock

Answer: The International Committee of the Red Cross

Dunant shared the prize with Frédéric Passy, a French economist and founding member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

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Name the lunar eventPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

What lunar event promises to make 2020’s Halloween especially spooky?

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Full moonPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: A full moon

Don’t miss these fascinating facts about the moon!

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Name the prizePhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

What prize is so revered by hockey fans that it has its own “keeper,” responsible for safeguarding it wherever it goes?

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Stanley CupPhoto: Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock

Answer: The Stanley Cup

New to hockey? Consider this guide to Canadian hockey slang essential reading.

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Name the painterPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Han van Meegeren was a Dutch art forger. One of his successes, The Supper at Emmaus, was proclaimed by scholars to be a masterpiece by whom?

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Hans van MeegerenPhoto: Wikimedia Commons

Answer: Johannes Vermeer

It’s estimated that van Meegeren (pictured above) duped buyers out of more than US $30 million in 1967’s money.

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Name the objectsPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

As late as the 1930s, what unwelcome objects were sometimes found in toilet paper?

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Splinters from a tree stumpPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: Splinters

Check out these funny photos of grocery store items no one wants to panic-buy.

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Name the actorPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Michael Myers’s mask from Halloween is based on the face of what Canadian actor of Star Trek fame?

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William ShatnerPhoto: Featureflash Photo Agency/Shutterstock

Answer: William Shatner

Learn the real reason why you hate scary movies.

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Name the linkPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Misère versions of games such as nim, sprouts and poker have what in common?

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Four cards showing AcesPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: The players try to lose

Lowball, for example, is a type of poker in which one’s lowest-scoring hand wins.

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Name the paintingPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

What did the graffiti artist Banksy paint on his own bathroom walls during the COVID-19 lockdown?

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Installation by BanksyPhoto: Instagram.com/Banksy

Answer: Rats

These hilarious pranks made headlines around the world!

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Name the lightPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

The glow called St. Elmo’s Fire appears when electrical voltage affects gases in the sky. What do we call it when we purposely make the same thing happen inside glass tubes?

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Neon lightsPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: Neon lights

The first neon lights were made in 1911 by French chemist Georges Claude.

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Name the bookPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

A childhood candy-tasting job inspired what book by Roald Dahl?

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Classic movies on Netflix - Willy Wonka & The Chocolate FactoryPhoto: Facebook.com/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory

Answer: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

There are two film versions of Dahl’s novel: the first released in 1971 (starring Gene Wilder), and the second released in 2005 (starring Johnny Depp).

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Name the traitsPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Hawaii has a statute called the Aloha Spirit law, which encourages public officials to contemplate which character traits?

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Hawaii beachfrontPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: Kindness, unity, agreeableness, humility and patience

Here are the 50 things you won’t believe are banned in the United States.

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Name the vegetablePhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

What were the original jack-o’-lanterns carved from in Ireland and Scotland, before those places started importing pumpkins?

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TurnipsPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: Turnips

Discover how Halloween is celebrated around the world.

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General knowledge quiz - Name that toyPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is a very sturdy plastic. That’s why it hurts to step on what Danish-designed ABS toys?

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Lego blocksPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: Lego

Here are the childhood toys that are worth thousands now!

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General knowledge quiz - Name the nursePhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

You may know her better as a nurse, but who became the first female member of the U.K.’s Royal Statistical Society in 1858?

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Florence NightingalePhoto: Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

Answer: Florence Nightingale

Other famous members included English polymath Charles Babbage and Belgian astronomer Adolphe Quetelet.

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General knowledge quiz - Name the political theoristPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Who described Simon Bolivar as “the dastardly, most miserable and meanest of blackguards”?

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Karl MarxPhoto: Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

Answer: Karl Marx

Read up on the historical figures you didn’t know were related.

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Name the movie starPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

What movie star’s first claim to fame was being part of a hip-hop duo called DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince?

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Will Smith at the Cannes Film FestivalPhoto: Andrea Raffin/Shutterstock

Answer: Will Smith

The duo’s most successful single was 1991’s “Summertime,” which peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Check out the most popular songs from the year you were born!

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Name the colourPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

According to peer-­reviewed research, wearing what colour might give an advantage to boxers?

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Red boxing glovesPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: Red

These mind-blowing facts will have you rethinking everything!

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Name the painterPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Besides his most famous portrait, what artist also painted others that included Lady With an Ermine and Ginevra de’ Benci?

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Illustration of Leonardo da VinciPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: Leonardo da Vinci

If you share this one trait with Leonardo da Vinci, you might be a genius.

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Name the eventPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Greta Thunberg’s mother, Malena Ernman, represented Sweden at what event in 2009?

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Malena Ernman at EurovisionPhoto: Wikimedia Commons/Daniel Kruczynski

Answer: The Eurovision Song Contest

Her song, “La Voix,” was the first Swedish entry to contain lyrics in French.

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Name the chancellorPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

What former German chancellor gave Angela Merkel her first cabinet position—and the rather patronizing nickname “mein Mädchen” (my girl)?

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Helmut KohlPhoto: Wikimedia Commons/Christian Lambiotte/European Communities, 1996 – EC

Answer: Helmut Kohl

Kohl served as Chancellor of Germany from 1982 to 1998.

These funny political insults are guaranteed to make you laugh!

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Name the toppingPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Not counting cheese or tomato sauce, what is by far the most popular pizza topping among Americans?

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Pepperoni pizzaPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: Pepperoni

You won’t believe some of the stuff you’ve been swallowing! Read these food facts from our experts before you take another bite.

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Name the animalPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Omura’s whale, the Lord Howe stick insect and the New Zealand storm petrel are all examples of what kind of animal?

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New Zealand Storm PetrelPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: They’re “Lazarus animals”

Meaning, they were thought to be extinct only to be rediscovered.

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Name the TV showPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Although Bea Arthur hated cheesecake, what TV show’s cast ate some 100 of them on camera?

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The Golden GirlsPhoto: Facebook.com/GoldenGirls

Answer: The Golden Girls

In 2014, the Writers Guild of America ranked The Golden Girls at number 69 on their list of the “101 Best Written TV Series of All Time.”

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Name the Disney characterPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Which Disney character’s family name is Fa, even though it was Hua in the source material?

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MulanPhoto: Facebook.com/WaltDisneyMulan

Answer: Mulan

Here are the best shows on Disney+ Canada right now.

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Name the prizePhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

By what name is the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences better known?

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Economics Joseph E. StiglitzPhoto: Wikimedia Commons/Jérémy Barande/Ecole polytechnique Université Paris-Saclay

Answer: The Nobel Prize for Economics

American economist Joseph E. Stiglitz (pictured above) was awarded the prize in 2001.

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What did the armed robbers steal?Photo: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

In early 2020 in Hong Kong, armed men stole 600 of what coveted item?

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Man holding several rolls of toilet paperPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: Rolls of toilet paper

Find out what people used before toilet paper existed.

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Name the Grammy winnerPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Who’s won two Grammys for comedy recordings and three for playing the banjo?

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Steve Martin performing in concertPhoto: Jo Crebbin/Shutterstock

Answer: Steve Martin

These funny song titles may not have appeared on any top 40 hit list, but they’re sure to put a smile on your face!

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Name the languagePhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

What’s the only Semitic language that’s also an official European Union language?

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Street in MaltaPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: Maltese

Test your knowledge of these English words of Arabic origin.

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Name the actorPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

What actor has played friends to Ford Prefect, Gandalf, Sherlock Holmes and the Black Panther?

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Martin FreemanPhoto: Jaguar PS/Shutterstock

Answer: Martin Freeman

Freeman first became known to audiences while starring in the UK version of The Office.

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Name the SwedePhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

During the Second World War, double agent Juan Pujol García was nicknamed after what Swede?

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Greta GarboPhoto: Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

Answer: Greta Garbo

The reason? Because he could give a convincing performance.

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Name the novelPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

What novel did James Patterson write about a detective named Jamie Patterson, who tries to solve the murder of a horror writer?

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Stephen KingPhoto: George Koroneos/Shutterstock

Answer: The Murder of Stephen King

Patterson ultimately decided not to publish it.

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Name the treatPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Sometimes called a “good luck sweet cookie” in China, what treat was likely invented in the U.S.?

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Fortune cookiesPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer:  The fortune cookie

Speaking of sweets, find out how other countries enjoy ice cream!

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Name the planetPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Not counting the earth, which is the only planet whose largest moon is named after a female figure?

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UranusPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer:  Uranus

The moon is named for the Shakespearean character Titania.

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Name the Nordic countryPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Golfer Annika Sörenstam hails from what Nordic country?

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Golfer Annika SorenstamPhoto: Wikimedia Commons/Keith Allison

Answer: Sweden

These hilarious golf jokes are better than a hole-in-one!

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Name the inventorPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Whose unsolved 1913 death prompted headlines such as “Murdered by Agents From Big Oil Trusts,” because he’d invented a more fuel-­efficient engine?

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Diesel fuelPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: Rudolf Diesel

Are you a classic car expert? Guess these vintage cars.

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Name the singer-songwriterPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Who supplied the music for the musical-­theatre version of the film Waitress?

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Sara BareillesPhoto: Ovidiu Hrubaru/Shutterstock

Answer: Sara Bareilles

Her 2007 hit single, “Love Song,” reached fourth on the Billboard Hot 100.

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Name the countryPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

What African kingdom lists Coca-Cola concentrate among its main exports?

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EswatiniPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: Eswatini

With a total land area of just 17,364 square kilometres, Eswatini is the seventh smallest country in Africa.

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Name the comic stripPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

In 2010, the last panel of what long-­running comic strip saw the title character kidnapped by a war criminal?

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Little Orphan AnniePhoto: Wikimedia Commons/Nash Gordon

Answer:  Little Orphan Annie

Created by cartoonist Harold Gray, the comic made its debut on August 5, 1924.

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Name the actorPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Who is the highest grossing female actor of all time?

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Scarlett JohanssonPhoto: Silvi Photo/Shutterstock

Answer:  Scarlett Johansson

Check out the biggest box-office hit from the year you were born.

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Name the languagePhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

W and Z are worth a lot in many versions of Scrabble, but in which language are they worth only a single point each?

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Scrabble tilesPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: Polish

Memorize the best Scrabble words for a competitive edge at your next game night.

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Name the board gamePhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Klaus Teuber was a dental technician until he created which blockbuster board game?

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The Settlers of CatanPhoto: Wikimedia Commons/Yongkohim

Answer: The Settlers of Catan

First published in 1995, the multiplayer game had sold more than 22 million copies by 2015.

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True or false?Photo: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Historical pirates often buried their treasure. True or false?

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Ancient mapPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: False

Here are more history questions people always get wrong.

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What was their surname?Photo: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

While her brothers were inventing the airplane, Katharine kept their bicycle shop afloat. What was their surname?

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Wright brothers flightPhoto: Shutterstock

Answer: Wright

A graduate of Oberlin College, Katharine also taught Latin in high school.

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Name the layerPhoto: readersdigest.ca/Shutterstock

Trivia Question

Which layer of the earth, normally found between the crust and core, occasionally pushes up to the surface?

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