|
|
|
| ||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
Tuesday, 1 January 2013 |
|
|
|
The origin of quizzing goes back to 'pub quizzes' -- the impromptu testing of trivial (mostly sporting related) knowledge over a drink in that quintessentially British setting for socialising. Bar tenders often had to arbitrate in disputes. Of course, the practice has become widely adopted in both educational and recreational situations. In recent years, it has evolved its own world body and global rankings.
It was radio and TV that helped globalise quizzing, which remains one of the most popular formats of info-tainment programming. As we complete 100 compilations of Wiz Quiz this week, we present a set of questions about the fascinating world of quizzing -- its many variations, players, umpires, and pop culture byproducts. Thank you for being part of our weekly mind journeys! 01) BBC TV's Mastermind is widely regarded as the most rigorous and intellectual British quiz show. The first edition of "Mastermind" was recorded at Liverpool University and aired on BBC TV in 1972. Contestants receive no money for winning -- they compete for a Caithness Glass bowl and the honour of being crowned as Britain's "Mastermind". During its first 25 years (1972 - 1997), the show was hosted by an iconic quizmaster -- a former journalist, author and broadcaster whose signature style has defined high brow quizzing around the English speaking world. Who was he? 02) Who is this acclaimed Lankan Quizmaster? An outstanding teacher, he earned a Masters degree in education from the University of Birmingham, UK, and served as Principal of Richmond College, Galle, and of Wesley College, Colombo. He was a man of many parts: apart from being a chorister, debator, dramatist, athlete, musician, cricketer and scholar, he also became Sri Lanka's first TV quizmaster. He compiled and hosted the country's first televised quiz series, Dulux Do You Know, on Rupavahini from 1982 for several years, and set the tone and standard for this genre in the nascent medium. 03) Hailing from a family of artistes, he was both a public servant and veteran broadcaster. After hosting radio quizzes for many years, he compiled and presented the first quiz series in Sinhala language on Lankan TV. Named Soyamu Pilithuru, it was broadcast on Rupavahini during 1984. Who was this quizmaster?
04) Among the earliest radio quiz shows on Radio Ceylon was 'Quiz Kids' hosted by the well known broadcaster Jimmy Bharucha during the 1950s. It involved a panel of senior schoolboys who faced questions - some sent in by listeners - week after week. A star performer on Quiz Kids went on to excel at Oxford and Harvard Universities, qualifying as a barrister.
He entered politics in the 1970s and held various portfolios as minister of trade, national security, education and agriculture. He is remembered today for progressive policies and laws he introduced, as well as for setting up the Mahapola Fund which has provided scholarships to thousands of needy university students. Who was he? 05) The World Quizzing Championship is an individual quiz contest organized by the International Quizzing Association (the umbrella organization of various quizzing organizations from more than 25 countries). The competition has been staged annually since 2003. All the top winners of WQC from 2003 to 2012 have come from a single country that has a strong quizzing tradition. Which country? 06) The world's longest running TV quiz show is an American one that has been on airing regularly since it launched on October 7, 1961. It is America's foremost high school quiz programme, which in 2012 had its 51st season on channel NBC4. In over half a century of quizzing, the show has won many accolades, including eight Emmy Awards and three Golden Mikes. What is this show, which involves outstanding, high-achieving American teenagers? Its alumni include Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, New York Senator Charles Schumer and political commentator George Stephanopoulos? 07) Jeopardy is an American TV quiz show created by Merv Griffin in 1964. Unlike many other quizzes, it has a unique answer-and-question format in which contestants are presented with clues in the form of answers, and they must phrase their responses in question form. The original version debuted on NBC on March 30, 1964. On September 10,1984, Jeopardy returned to TV as a daily syndicated series. Since then, this version has gone on to win a record 30 Daytime Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award, and has been ranked as the second greatest game show of all time. In addition, the program has gained a worldwide following with many international adaptations. Name the famous Jeopardy host who has been hosting the original US show for a record 28 years (and still continues as 2012 ends).
08) Jeopardy's record for the all-time longest winnings streak is held by Ken Jennings who competed on the show from June 2 to November 30, 2004, winning 74 matches before being beaten in his 75th appearance. He collected US$ 2,520,700 over his 74 wins as well as a US$ 2,000 second-place prize in his 75th appearance, thus earning the record as the highest money-winner ever on American game show. The biggest money winner on Jeopardy is Brad Rutter who won a cumulative total of US$ 3,455,102 on the show. In early 2011, these two players were invited back to play with an IBM supercomputer in an encounter called the IBM Challenge. At the end, supercomputer easily beat the humans. What was this supercomputer named as? 09) India has one of the most enthusiastic and active quizzing communities in the world. Neil O'Brien conducted the first well-organized, formal quiz at Christ the King Church Parish Hall in Calcutta in 1967. Since then, quizzing has become a popular mind sport in Indian schools, universities and social gatherings. In April 1972, the Bournvita Quiz Contest started as the first radio quiz show in India; it became a TV show in June 1992. The man widely regarded as 'father of TV quizzing in India' started his career in 1977 as a documentary producer, and in 1985, became host of the Quiz Time show on India's national channel, Doordarshan. He has since been Quizmaster of the SAARC Quiz, The India Quiz and The Beanstalk Quiz Summit on Indian TV channels, as well as "Mastermind India" and "University Challenge" quizzes on BBC World TV. Name this versatile quiz personality, who also produced the Indian version of 'Who Wants To Be a Millionaire.' 10) Who Wants To Be a Millionaire is British TV Quiz show which has become popular and adapted around the world -- it is now the most famous game show on the planet. It was launched in Britain in 1998, and soon the United States adapted the format and produced the first millionaire winner of the franchise. Regis Philbin was the American host of the show when, on November 19,1999, an Internal Revenue Service (tax) officer from Connecticut went up to the final question without using a single lifeline (help) and easily won the million dollar prize. Who was this winner? 11) British filmmaker Danny Boyle directed the 2008 movie Slumdog Millionaire, which won 8 Oscar Awards including the Best Picture and Best Director. It was inspired by the Indian version of the TV quiz show Who Wants To Be a Millionaire (known in Hindi as Kaun Banega Crorepati) hosted by Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan. The movie tells the story of a boy from the slums who takes part in this popular show, wins fame and riches, and also gets his true love. The screenplay was adapted from a novel called 'Q and A' written by an Indian diplomat. Who was the author?
12) Quizzing enthusiasts during the 20th century used mostly the print media, radio and TV to enhance their general knowledge. But with the Internet's spreading, accessing knowledge has become easier. Now most quizzers browse online and find quizzes quickly and conveniently. There are many quizzing websites providing free services. But one quiz website stands out as the world's largest trivia website online, with over 2.4 million registered users and over six million guests. It is available in over 100 countries. It boasts a selection of over 110,000 quizzes and over one million questions. What is this website? 13) In December 1979, two Canadian journalist friends, Chris Haney and Scott Abbott, got together for the word game Scrabble. When they found some pieces of set missing, they created their own mind sport -- a quizzing board game in which progress is determined by a player's ability to answer general knowledge and popular culture questions. They soon released it to the market and it became highly popular in Canada and worldwide. As of 2004, some 88 million games had been sold in 26 countries and 17 languages. An online version was launched in September 2003. What is this board game called? 14) An early science fiction novel by Arthur C Clarke, intended for young readers, tells the story of Roy Malcolm, a young space enthusiast who wins a TV game show on aviation, and earns for himself an all-expenses-paid trip to an orbiting Space Station rotating 500 miles above the Earth. Once aboard, Roy learns the effects of zero gravity, and joins the mishaps and adventures of the young crew at the station. What is the title of this novel, first published in 1952 - five years before the Space Age dawned? 15) 'Quiz Show' is a 1994 American historical drama film adapted by Paul Attansasio from Richard Goodwin's memoir Remembering America. The story is based around a scandal of the TV game show called Twenty One in the 1950s. It starred John Turturro and Ralph Fiennes. The film chronicles the rise and fall of the popular contestant Charles Van Doren after the rigged loss of Herb Stempel and Congressional investigator Richard Goodwin's probe of Twenty One's game fixing. Name the Oscar winning director who directed this movie. Apart from being a popular movie star, this director won the Oscar for best director for his movie 'Ordinary People.' Last week’s answers1. Rodney Jonklaas
|
|
