Trust
me, this is a good test. Many of the questions are tantalising. You
should be able to get at least 3 or 4, but you have to be a genius to
get 10/12. Question (2) is especially tricky. I first posted this
donkey's years ago (Add this if you like, who, how and where did this
expression originate, and why 'donkey' s and not other animal's years?)
(Answers supplied when you have completed) But don't cheat; brain exercise is interesting and necessary.
(1)
There's one "sport" in which neither the spectators nor the
participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends. What
is it?
(2) What famous North American landmark is constantly moving backward?
(3)
Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for
several growing seasons. All other vegetables must be replanted every
year. What are the only two perennial vegetables? (Biennials don't
count.)
(4)
Name the only sport in which the ball is always in possession of the
team on defence, and the offensive team can score without touching the
ball?
(5) What fruit has its seeds on the outside?
(6)
In many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy, with a real pear
inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is
genuine; it hasn't been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the
bottle?
(7) Only three words in standard English begin with the letters "dw." They are all common. Name two of them.
(8)
There are fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar. Can you name
half of them? And do you know when to use each, correctly?
(9) Where are the lakes that are referred to in the "Los Angeles Lakers?"
(9a) For English readers, What is the Vale referred to in Vale Park.
(10)
There are seven ways a baseball player can legally reach first base
without getting a hit. Being designated a pinch-runner is one way. Name
the other six.
(10a)
For readers in cricket playing countries there are 10 ways of being
out in Cricket. Hit the ball twice is one. Can you name the other 9.
(11)
It's the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned,
processed, cooked, or in any other form but fresh. What is it?
(12) Name six (or more) things that you can wear on your feet that begin with the letter "S."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I could be mean and say I'll tell you tomorrow, but no, I am not a mean person. So here are you answers: -
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
1. Boxing. (Possibly Ice Skating)
2.
Niagara Falls. The rim is worn down about two and a half feet each
year because of the millions of gallons of water that rush over it every
minute.
3. Asparagus and rhubarb.
4. Baseball.
5. Strawberry.
6.
The pear grew inside the bottle. The bottles are placed over pear buds
when they are small, and are wired in place on the tree. The bottle is
left in place for the whole growing season. When the pears are ripe,
they are snipped off at the stems.
7. Dwarf, dwell, and dwindle.
8.
Period (full stop), comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe,
question mark, exclamation point, quotation marks, brackets,
parenthesis, braces, and ellipses.
9. In Minnesota. The team was originally known as the Minneapolis Lakers and kept the name when they moved west.
9a. Port Vale Football club play at Vale Park.
10.
Batter hit by a pitch; passed ball; catcher interference; catcher
drops third strike; fielder's choice; and being 'Walked' by the
pitcher.
10a
Cricket: Bowled, Stumped, LBW, Run Out, Caught, Hit ball twice, Hit
wicket, Handled ball, Obstructing the fielder, and the one everyone
forgets - Out of time.
11. Lettuce.
12. Shoes, socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, snowshoes, stockings.
