Answer These Questions To See If You Could Impress Alex Trebek
- by Lacey Womack
- – on
- in Mind Twisters
Although Jeopardy! isn't the first game show to air, it is one of the most popular ones. The show has aired over 7,000 episodes and has won 33 Daytime Emmy Awards among other awards and lists of the best TV shows of all time. The show features a quiz-show format in which the contestants are given clues to general knowledge questions in the form of an answer and they have to buzz in first to give their answer in the form of a question. Each segment of the show has six categories, each with five different answers that get harder as they go down in monetary value.
Are you a trivia expert? Many people watch Jeopardy! each evening and pretend they're playing along from their couch and dream of being able to go on the show and blow host Alex Trebek away with their vast knowledge. Although most of us don't get the chance to show him what we know, that doesn't mean you can't test your knowledge now and see if you'd win big or get sent home with nothing!
Take this quick quiz to see if you would impress Alex Trebek if you were standing behind the podium shouting out answers.
In Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, what were the jobs of the seven dwarfs?
The seven dwarfs in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs were mainly known for the fact that they took Snow White in and even gave her a funeral after the evil witch gave her a poison apple! But, do you remember what they were doing before they met her? They sang a song as they walked back to their cottage about whistling while they work, but only someone with a great memory can remember which of these jobs they were whistling during.
How many people have walked on the moon?
Apollo 11 left for space on July 16, 1969 with Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, and Michael Collins on board. When it landed, they became the first people to step foot on the moon. It's been almost 50 years since then and space exploration has advanced far beyond even the wildest dreams of the people working at NASA in 1969. Do you know how many people have walked on the moon in total, including the first astronauts to do so in 1969?
How many dots are on a pair of 6-sided dice?
Dice come in all kinds of shapes, colors, and configurations. Some have special symbols on the sides that relate to a particular game, some have words on them for a fun party game, and some have a ton of sides with numbers on them. Typically, when people think of dice though, they think of the classic 6-sided cubes with dots representing each number. Do you know how many individual dots it takes to make up a single pair of 6-sided dice?
What is Sherlock Holmes' address?
Although Sherlock Holmes is simply the creation of author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, there have been countless people since the first books featuring him were published that have believed he's a real person. Guinness World Records even gave this fictional detective the title of the "most portrayed movie character" in history because of the fact that he's become such a cultural icon. One thing most people know about this iconic character is the address at which he lives. Do you know where it is?
In which bay is Alcatraz Island located?
The small island of Alcatraz island was originally developed to be a lighthouse and military prison, but it operated as a federal prison from 1934 through 1963. Today, it's a historical site and is known for the fact that in 1962, Frank Morris, John Anglin, and Clarence Anglin escaped the prison in one of the most famous and elaborate prison escapes in history and the fact that it was the prison that held Al Capone from 1934 to 1939. Which California bay is the home of this island?
The beaver is one of the national animals of which country?
The beaver is a large semi-aquatic rodent known for the fact that they use their large, flat tails to build dams and shelters in rivers to live in with the rest of their colony. As of 1988, the number of beavers alive in the wild is about 10% of what it once was due to the fact that they've been hunted for their fur and for the cosmetic use that their glands have. Which of these countries has the beaver as one of its national animals?
In Celsius, at what temperature does water boil?
The boiling point of water can vary slightly depending on the altitude that it's being boiled at due to atmospheric pressure or due to certain additives in the water like salt changing the boiling point. Despite this, there is a temperature that is typically accepted as the boiling point of water because, even if it goes up or down slightly due to these factors, it's fairly close. Boiling water is used to sanitize water or other items and to cook. What is the boiling point of water in Celcius?
What is the name of the Japanese art form of cultivating tiny trees?
Art takes many forms. Whether it's painting, music, dance, or the cultivation of tiny little trees. The Japanese art of growing and shaping these tiny trees dates back to the 6th century with the Chinese tradition penjing, an art form that involves sculpting miniature landscapes. Although these tiny trees are small, they still take a lot of care to grow and people get very into the trees that they grow. Do you know what the name of this ancient tradition is?
How many times did Chuck McKinley win the Men's Singles Championship at Wimbledon?
Anyone who follows sports, particularly tennis, probably knows the name Chuck McKinley. McKinley is one of only four men to win the Wimbledon singles title without dropping a set and won the U.S. Men's Doubles championships three times. After graduating, McKinley chose not to go into professional tennis and worked as a stockbroker in New York. He died in 1986 of a brain tumor and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame the same year. How many times did he win the Men's Singles Championship at Wimbledon?
Which US city is known as the "City of Brotherly Love"?
The name of this US city is derived from the Greek words that mean brother and love, giving the city the nickname "The City of Brotherly Love." William Penn gave it this name after making a treaty of friendship with the Lenape chief, the tribe of Native Americans who had inhabited the area before Penn's charter. Penn cited the fact that he had experienced religious persecution as a Quaker as the reason for wanting to harbor a positive relationship with the Lenape people. Which city is this?
In Peter Pan, what did the crocodile swallow?
Even though Captain Hook from Peter Pan was a villain who was feared by many, he still had enemies of his own who he had to run from! Captain Hook got his name from the hook hand he wore as replacement for his hand which he lost because Peter Pan cut it off and fed it to this scheming crocodile. From that moment, the crocodile wanted nothing more than to eat the rest of Captain Hook! Do you remember what he swallowed after that?
According to traditional names for wedding anniversaries, which annviersary is called the "crystal anniversary"?
When it comes to anniversaries, picking a gift for your significant other isn't exactly easy. But, there are some anniversaries that have names tied to them because of the traditional gifts that people would give each other for those anniversaries. For instance, the 50th wedding anniversary is the "gold anniversary" while the 5th is wood. Modern gift suggestions for these anniversaries were compiled by librarians at the Chicago Public Library, but a few of the gift suggestions remained the same. Which anniversary is traditionally the "crystal anniversary"?
Which body part contains the smallest bone in the human body?
Bones provide structure and protection to various parts of the body and come in various shapes and sizes. After several bones fuse together as a person age's, the human body is left with a whopping 206 separate bones in the human body with the largest bone being the femur or thigh bone. Although that bone is pretty big, there are some bones in the human body that are very small. Which of these body parts contains the very smallest bone?
Which of Elton John's songs was the first to reach #1 on the US charts?
Elton John was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight and began his musical career at the age of 15 when he became the weekend pianist at a pub near his home. There, he performed popular songs and even a few of his own original compositions. In 2018, he announced that he was going to retire from touring and would be setting out on his farewell tour soon, saying goodbye to a long career in the music industry. Which of these songs was the first to reach the #1 spot on the US charts?
In what year did Elvis Presley die?
In 1953, Elvis Presley entered the office of Sun Records with the intention of paying for a short period of studio time so that he could record a two-sided acetate disc. Although he claimed that he was using the time to record it as a gift for his mother, biographers argue that he was hoping to jump-start his music career and be discovered there. Luckily for him, his career did make a huge breakthrough only 3 years later when he recorded for RCA in Nashville. In which year was his career ended due to his death?
What's the first letter of the top row on a keyboard?
In 1575, an Italian printmaker named Francesco Rampazetto invented a device that imprinted letters onto paper and called it the scrittura tattile. This early typing device is one of the earliest versions of what we now know as a typewriter even though it's not quite the same thing. Keyboards have taken their layout from keyboards, which themselves went from analog to digital during the middle of the 20th century. If you've ever had a typing class, or used a keyboard, this should be an easy one!
Which Futurama character is named for the inventor of the television?
WRGB is one of the first television stations in the world and found its start as an experimental broadcast General Electric facility in Schenectady and was originally known as W2XB. Mechanical telvisions were the first TV sets that were available for purchase and they were sold in the United Kingdom, United States, and Soviet Union for six years after their introduction. We've come a long way since 1928. To honour the inventor of the 'idiot box,' Matt Groening named one of his characters after its inventor.
Approximately how many pints of blood does the human body contain?
Hemorrhaging, or blood loss, is typically divided into four different levels of severity. The first level involves losing 15% or less of a person's total blood volume - that's the amount that a person loses when they donate blood. Aside from some people feeling slightly faint, there aren't many side effects. Any more than that, like the second level that involves losing up to 40%, is where people begin to feel the side effects. How many pints of blood does the average human contain?
What does IQ stand for?
Ever since the IQ test was created, people have been claiming that they're well above the average IQ. However, it is worth noting that the average has been going up since the test first came into being. But even more importantly, it may not really be that significant. Studies have shown a bias in these exams towards Western school curricula as well as a biased towards people who've done the test before. It might make you think twice before boasting about yours. (Plus it's kind of tacky.)
Kangaroos are known for being good at jumping, but what else are they good at?
The kangaroo is a national animal of Australia due to the fact that it's indigenous to the continent and is well-known for living there. The animal appears on the Australian coat of arms as well as some of their currency and is a huge part of Australian culture. These strong animals are known for the fact that they carry their young in a pouch and are incredible at jumping, but kangaroos have another ability that they're known for doing. What is it?
In what year was John F. Kennedy assassinated?
John F. Kennedy, often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States and served in that office for two years before his assassination in Dallas, Texas when he was 46 years old. Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested for the assassination but was murdered two days after his arrest, so he was never taken to trial for it but he denied having shot anyone from the time of his arrest through his death. In what year was JFK assassinated?
Kodiak Island is located off the coast of which US state?
Kodiak Island is a large island off the south coast of one of the states in the United States. With an area of over 3,500 square miles, Kodiak Island is the second largest island in the United States and the 80th largest island in the world. Major industries on this island include fishing with fish like Pacific salmon, Pacific halibut, and crab there, logging, ranching, and mining. Which of these coastal states would one find Kodiak Island off the coast of?
True or false: living individuals can be honored on US postal stamps.
Each year, the Postmaster General’s Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee selects approximately 50 subjects to be honored on postal stamps issued by the United States Postal Service. Up until 2011, the USPS had a rule stating that individuals needed to be dead for at least five years before they could be memorialized on a postal stamp, but they announced in that year that they were considering changing the rule to allow living people to be on stamps too. Did they go through with the change?
In what year did the Mayflower reach New World?
Any good American, and any good historian for that matter, should know the story of the pilgrims. In order to escape religious persecution and build themselves a life in the new world, they sailed across the Atlantic Ocean on the Mayflower. Once in North America, the Pilgrims had to endure an incredibly harsh Winter for which they were scarcely prepared. Nearly half of the group perished, but they continued on, determined to create a new life in the Americas. Do you know the year in which they arrived?
According to the social security office, what was the most popular name for girls in the US in 1995?
Names tend to follow trends, just like clothes, makeup, and movies do. While some names remain at just about the same level of popularity for a long period of time, there are definitely some names that are super trendy and have spikes in the number of babies born with that name during certain years. The 90s were a popular time for names like Matthew, Megan, Ryan, and Kayla. Do you know which of these was the most popular name for girls in 1995?
True or false: Mickey Mouse was named after Mickey Rooney.
Mickey Mouse was originally created for the Disney studio as a replacement for another character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Characters that were drawn up during this time included Clarabelle Cow and, most notably, one named Mortimer Mouse. Eventually, Mortimer's name was changed to Mickey. Actor Mickey Rooney credits himself with this change and says that he met Walt Disney at one point and inspired him to change Mortimer's name to Mickey in Rooney's honor. Is this true or is it just a tall tale?
What was the name of the figure in Greek mythology whose wings melted when he got too close to the sun?
Greek mythology has a ton of really interesting stories that have influenced modern day life in surprising ways. For instance, Nike named their company after the Greek goddess of victory and the word "narcissism" came from Narcissus, a figure who fell in love with his own reflection. This figure from Greek mythology was the son of a talented craftsman who was made a pair of wings out of wax and feathers. Unfortunately, he was so excited to fly that he flew too close to the sun and they melted. Who was it?
How old was River Phoenix when he died?
River Phoenix was the older brother of actor Joaquin Phoenix and three other siblings. He's best known for his work in movies like Stand By Me and My Own Private Idaho, but unfortunately for his fans, his career was cut short when he died of a drug overdose in 1993. He was set to perform with his friend Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers at The Viper Room and flew back to LA for the event. He died that night after collapsing outside the club. How old was he?
Which of the following people has not been speculated to be the author of some of Shakespeare's plays?
William Shakespeare is widely credited as one of the best writers of all time and his work has been translated into every major, living language. His plays, which include Romeo and Juliet, Titus Andronicus, and A Midsummer Night's Dream among others are performed more than any other playwright's work. Many scholars believe that not all of the works he's credited for are really his and several other names come up as the possible authors. Which of these is not one of those names?
True or false: white tigers are their own species of tiger.
Unlike other tigers that have a distinct orange coat with black stripes accenting it, white tigers are known for the fact that their fur is completely white with black stripes. Some white tigers have fewer to almost no black stripes, but most of them have stripes like other Bengal tigers. Many white tigers are also cross-eyed, a defect that also appears in Siamese cats and many albino animals of other species. Are white tigers their own sub-species of tiger? Or are they just a genetic anomaly of a Bengal tiger?