general knowledge Online Quiz - 4506

Mauritius uses the Mauritian Rupee (MUR) as its official currency since 1876. Franc is used by former French colonies in Africa; Krone in Scandinavian countries; Dinar in several Middle Eastern and North African nations.

Panama uses the Panamanian Balboa (PAB), which is pegged to the US Dollar at a 1:1 ratio. CFA Franc is used in West and Central Africa; Kwacha in Zambia and Malawi; Pound in the UK and others.

In the Hardy Boys mystery series, Callie Shaw is Frank Hardy's girlfriend. Iola Morton is Joe Hardy's girlfriend. Gertrude is their aunt, Laura is their mother, and Nancy Drew is a separate series character.

The Jungle Book character Mowgli, referenced in the popular Hindi song 'Jungle jungle baat chali hai', was created by Rudyard Kipling in 1894. The song is from the Jungle Book anime adaptation that aired on Indian television.

Stieg Larsson is the Swedish author of the Millennium series including 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'. Reg Keeland is the pseudonym of translator Steven T. Murray who translated the novels into English. The other authors listed wrote different popular books.

The book Jinnah: India-Partition, Independence was written by Jaswant Singh, a former BJP leader. None of the listed options (Khushwant Singh, Vajpayee, Advani) are the correct author, making D the right choice.

Kahlil Gibran, a Lebanese-American writer, authored 'The Prophet' in 1923. This poetic work has become one of the best-selling books of all time, translated into over 100 languages. The other options are incorrect: Musharraf is a Pakistani politician, Nasreen is a Bangladeshi author, and Keeland is a translator.

Dr. Amartya Sen, the Nobel Prize-winning Indian economist and philosopher, authored 'The Idea of Justice' (2009). This major work explores theories of justice and proposes comparative approaches to realizing justice in society. The other options are incorrect: Singh was Prime Minister, Gandhi was a politician, and Mandela wrote 'Long Walk to Freedom'.

R.K. Narayan created the fictional town of Malgudi and wrote the 'Malgudi Days' collection. The TV adaptation 'Malgudi Days' was directed by Shankar Nag, but the literary creation was Narayan's. 'Swami' refers to Narayan's beloved character Swaminathan from 'Malgudi Days'. Desai is a different Indian novelist, and Ghosh is not associated with this work.

Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys and former chairman of UIDAI, authored 'Imagining India: Ideas for a New Century' (2008). The book discusses India's development challenges and opportunities. The other options are incorrect: Tata is an industrialist, Tharoor is a politician/diplomat who wrote other books, and Roy is not a known author of this work.

Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple are Agatha Christie's most famous detective characters. Christie, known as the Queen of Crime, wrote 33 Poirot novels and 12 Marple novels. The other authors are incorrect: Dixon wrote Hardy Boys, Stine wrote Goosebumps, Sheldon wrote thrillers, and Wells wrote science fiction.

'The Lost Symbol' is a 2009 thriller novel by Dan Brown, featuring his recurring character Robert Langdon. It's the third book in the Langdon series after 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels & Demons'. Nirupama Roy, Hilery Mental (likely garbled Hillary Mantel), and Salman Rushdie are not the authors.

The Peacock is India's National Bird, officially designated in 1963. It was chosen for its cultural significance and native presence in India. The Nightingale, Pigeon, and Eagle are not national symbols of India.

Hockey is India's National Game, though this designation is often confused with cricket's immense popularity. Field hockey has a rich history in India with 8 Olympic gold medals. Cricket, Football, and Tennis are popular but not the national sport.

The Nile River in Africa is approximately 6,650 km long and is traditionally considered the longest river in the world, though some recent measurements suggest the Amazon may be slightly longer. The Mississippi (not 'mississipi') and Yellow River are significantly shorter.

The Royal Bengal Tiger is India's National Animal, declared in 1973. The tiger symbolizes power and grace in Indian culture. The Lion, Elephant, and Cheetah are not India's national symbols, though Asiatic Lions are found in Gir Forest, Gujarat.

The Lotus is India's National Flower, symbolizing purity and beauty in Indian culture. It holds spiritual significance in Hinduism and Buddhism. Jasmine, Rose, and Sunflower are not national symbols of India.

The 1411 tiger figure comes from the 2006 census using a new methodology, which was a significant milestone in tiger conservation. However, current estimates (2018 census) show around 2,967 tigers in India. The 1411 figure became iconic for conservation awareness.

The 1992 Academy Awards (for 1991 films) awarded Best Picture to 'The Silence of the Lambs,' directed by Jonathan Demme and starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. It was only the third film to win the 'Big Five' Oscars. Option A is correct.

The 1993 Academy Awards (for 1992 films) awarded Best Picture to 'Unforgiven,' Clint Eastwood's revisionist western that won four Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director. Option B is correct.