1. Ze Prelims

3. 
37 questions

Questions 11-20 are starred and will be used to resolve ties, if
any

Top 8 teams in the finals

4. 
This ominous composition titled ‘Approaching Menace’ is the
most famous work of British composer Neil Richardson.

Where has it most famously been used?

Audio Removed.

Link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWd0cb0Enhc

6. 
Pictured is an exhibit at the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum
in Jerusalem.

What is it a memorial to?

Image in the next slide.

9. 

In the 1970s, police cars in the UK changed from the traditional
blue and white colour scheme to white with a broad
orange/red reflective stripes along the side.
What nickname did they earn as a result?

11. This device, used very rarely,
was the subject of a lot of media
coverage a few months back.
What purpose does it serve?

13. 
They trace their roots to rudimentary versions worn by farmers
in Scotland and Ireland using leather with perforations so as to
allow water to drain while crossing wet terrains.

Today, these perforations serve decorative purposes and also
distinguish between different types of the item in question.

What are we talking about?

15. What do these road signs (found in specific European/Asian
locations) signify? OR What has been blanked out?

17. 
The term was first used to describe spherical glass particles with
one of the hemispheres hydrophilic and the other hydrophobic.
Today, the term applies to nanoparticles whose surfaces have
two (or more) distinct physical properties that allows two
different types of chemistry to occur on the same particle.

What term?

Image in the next slide.

20. 
Madonna performed at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on 9
Oct 2012. One of the featured songs was Human Nature, that
has “Express yourself, don't repress yourself” as its theme.

Madonna dedicated this song to X, in news earlier in the day,
and turned her back to the audience to reveal the name X
stenciled across it. X is also one of Time magazine’s “The 100
Most Influential People In The World” for 2013, the write-up
prepared by none other than Chelsea Clinton.

Identify X.

23. 
Couroupita guianensis is a tree
belonging to the Brazil-nut family
and native to the rainforests of
Central and South America. The
fruits are woody and spherical,
measuring up to 25 cm in width,
and fall to the earth with a pop.
The tree is sacred to the Hindus
because the flower petals
resemble the hood of the ‘Naga’.

By what common name do we
know this species?

25. 
Inside a pantomime horse – 12.05 seconds
Piggyback – 16.97 seconds
Moonwalk – 32.06 seconds
Tightrope – 44.05 seconds

Normal – ? OR What is this a list of?

27. 
It was originally one out of a group of 25 and has 18 sub-units. It
was perfected to the modern, internationally recognized form
by a German medical-doctor-turned-computer-applicationsprogrammer named Gerhard Lengeling using the GarageBand/
LogicPro software. Recently, indie band Mars Argo used it as
the principal element on their track “Don’t Call Me.”

What, named after the gadget pictured?

Image in the next slide.

29. 
Answer video removed

Link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=208VXVIVfzU

31. 
The first ones made their debut in July 1935 in Oklahoma City
and were given the nickname “Black Maria.” Around 200 of
them featured initially, the key component being a red flag
indicator. Shops next to them reported increased sales,
prompting establishments on the opposite side of the street to
beg for them. The following year, a New Republic editorial
praised their effectiveness, calling them “the next great
American gadgets.”

What are we talking about?

33. 
This is the life-size model of
an
organism
at
the
Smithsonian. This animal was
famously and incorrectly
quoted as the answer to a
question on an episode of QI.

Identify the organism. What
should have been the correct
answer?

35. 
Tracy Chevalier is most famous for
a 1999 book that tells the story of
a 16-year-old household maid
called Griet who always covered
her wild hair. The family she
worked for owed Griet and her
husband 15 guilders for their meat
bill, but she finally makes 20
guilders by selling the items the
master of the family leaves her
upon his death.

The book was adapted into a
movie in 2003 and went on to
receive
3
academy
award
nominations.

How do we popularly know Griet?

37. 
This sports club in Mumbai, founded in 1918, was one of the
first of its kind to admit indigenous Indians prior to partition.
The club, in 1954, hosted the first ever Filmfare awards
banquet, an event that was attended by Gregory Peck. The club
follows a very strict dress code and people who’ve been shown
the door for not following it include Bimal Roy (for wearing a
dhoti) and MF Hussain (for arriving barefoot).

What in Kochi shares its name with this club?

Image in the next slide.

40. 
The IWCC was facing difficulties finding sponsors for the
seventh women’s cricket world cup in 2000. However, an
agency X that saw itself as a potential benefactor, pitched
with $60,000 and a deal was struck.

Thanks to the X’s sponsorship, the tournament could afford
live ball-by-ball text commentary of every game (the first such
instance in the women's game), every match was filmed and
broadcast live, the IWCC finances were finally in surplus and
the women’s world cup had its best coverage ever.

Just identify X.

42. 
Allergic rhinitis is an allergic inflammation of the nasal airways. It
is a result of the of the antibody immunoglobulin E (IgE), which
binds to mast cells/basophils to release histamine.

When specifically caused by grass pollens, it is called X.

X is also the name given to the children’s version of an annual
event Y that began in 1988 and takes place at around 10 places
around the world today. Y was famously compared by Bill Clinton
to Woodstock in 2001.

What are X and Y?

44. 
They are of two main types – Optical and Ionization.

The former uses a light source (bulb/infrared LED), and the
fact that light passes in a straight line in the absence of
substances that cause scattering.

The latter contains a button of a radioisotope like
Americium-241 which ionizes the air around and produce a
small electric current. When these ions are absorbed by the
target material, the current drops and this produces the
intended response.

What are we talking about? Image in the next slide.

47. 
In 1952, a committee of the CSIR comprising of A. C. Banerjee, K.
K. Daftari, J. S. Karandikar, Gorakh Prasad, R. V. Vaidya and N. C.
Lahiri, among others, was constituted.

They were tasked to deal with 30 models from all over the
country, and the local sentiments and traditions associated with
them. However, in spite of the difficulties, they succeeded in
preparing an accurate final product based on scientific study,
which then was adopted uniformly. This product, however, had a
discrepancy that was a result of king Gautamiputra Satakarni’s
victory over another dynasty.

What did they come up with? Who was the leader of this group?

49. 
On 22 May 2002, David Blaine performed the Vertigo stunt in
Bryant Park, New York City. A crane lifted him onto a 105 ft.
high pillar and he remained on the pillar for exactly 35 hours.

Which group of people did he cite as his inspiration for the
stunt?

Video removed

Link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UopapcG5YAM

51. 
“That culture is manifest in their rich language, creativity, and
solidarity, and, above all, in their pioneering struggle for social
justice. Situated in the remote desert Pampa, one of the driest
deserts on earth, thousands of pampinos lived and worked in
this hostile environment, for over 60 years, from 1880 to process
the largest deposit of __________ in the world and produce
great wealth for Chile”, is the description of the UNESCO
World Heritage site Humberstone and Santa Laura Works.
Other such locations include Chacabuco, Maria Elena, Pedro
de Valdivia, Puelma and Aguas Santas.

What are these places collectively known as? OR FITB. Images
follow.

55. 
It is found on the coat of arms of the region (being its
national symbol) and named after the king pictured (who
was so handsome that the Assyrian queen Semiramis waged
war against the region just to get him).

Which famous destination?

Image in the next slide.

58. 
“Kiss with a Fist” is the debut single by English indie rock band
Florence and the Machine. It is featured on their debut 2009
album Lungs. The song has been featured on the OST of
movies like Jennifer's Body and Wildchild, and sitcoms like
Community, Cougar Town etc. The song contained lyrics such
as “broke your jaw once before”, “your slaps don’t stick”, “you
smashed a plate over my head”, “you broke my leg in return”
etc. and was thought to be about domestic violence.

The song was (and still is) in news for a reason that did perfect
justice to its lyrics. What?

59. 
Answer video removed

Link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh2ZUKw88NQ

61. 
Aepyceros melampus is an antelope found in the African savannas,
with the largest numbers in the Masai Mara, Serengeti, Okavango
and Kruger reserves. They are reddish-brown, have lighter flanks
and white underbellies with a characteristic "M" marking on the
rear. The males have lyre-shaped horns which the females lack.

Which brand, launched in 1958 and was quite the rage in India
sometime ago (with numerous Bollywood appearances, for e.g. in
the lyrics of the Kishore Kumar number Meri lottery lagne wali hai
from the 1970 movie Holi Ayee Re) is named after the common
name of this antelope?

Image in the next slide.

64. 
The Great Indian Novel is 1989 work of satire by Shashi Tharoor
which recasts and resets the Mahabharata story in the context
of the Indian Independence Movement and the first few
decades post-independence.

Most of the characters in the book are representative of real
persons and vice versa, with Dhritarashtra being Nehru, Ved
Vyas representing C Rajagopalachari, Yudhishtir as Morarji
Desai etc.

Who/What is Bhima symbolic of?

66. 
Matthew Parker was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1559
until his death in 1575. He was the main force behind The ThirtyNine Articles of Religion, the historically defining statements of
doctrines of the Church of England. As a reforming cleric, he
was famous for detailed instructions relating to the conduct of
his diocese. Obsessed with finding the roots of the Christian
Church in England, he was granted a warrant by the Privy
Council which enabled him to send out enquiries to manor
houses, churches and officials. Some sources suggest that he
had a physical flaw in addition to these practices.

This is regarded as one of the main theories about the origin of
what? Image in the next slide.

69. 
“I was in despair. Deep despair. I drew myself: the representative
of an individual in despair, in the manner of Goya’s peasant before
the firing squad.”

Speaking is Gerald Holtom, a British professional designer and
artist about the genesis of an idea, that first featured in the
1958 Aldermaston March.

What idea?

Image follows.

73. 
In July 2013, a few items of clothing went under the hammer at
Heritage Auctions, a privately owned company based in Dallas.
These were promptly purchased (and tried on) by a Japanese
businessman named Masao Watanabe (who cited the original
owner’s popularity in Japan) for a sum of $21,510. Watanabe
also happened to be the Japan head of something the original
owner of these clothes had set in motion in 1952.

Just identify the original owner.

Image follows.

76. 
This work of art was created by
Hollywood producer Michael
Uslan in 1980, using black
marker, red pen and Wite-Out.

He worked on a newspaper
photo and finally managed to
turn it into what he wanted.

What
was
the
original
photograph about? What did this
artwork finally result in?

78. 
Originally, names of annoying politicians, places, saints etc. were
found to be suitable. The first official version, globally, dates back
to 1945. The corresponding rendition pertaining to India was
conceived only in 2004. Today, predetermined lists exist for this
purpose, entries in the list subject to retirement.

A member of one of these lists, named after the Urdu word for
Sapphire, caused the scaling down of the three-city music launch
of this movie (audio clip) from the original 15,000 people in openair stadia to a much lower number in covered areas.

What practice? Also, name the member in question. Audio
removed. Link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNiaaAweF5w

81. Diagrammatic representation of?

83. 
Bes is an Egyptian deity worshipped as a household protector,
responsible for such varied tasks as killing snakes, fighting off
evil spirits, watching after children, and aiding women in
labour. Bes’s grotesque expression in imagery also contributed
to the grisly appearance of the Devil/Satan in Christian
iconography.

In 7th century B.C., Phoenician settlers in a particular location
(referenced in a famous 1999 song), amazed at the lack of any
sort of venomous creatures there, named it after Bes.

Which place? Image follows.

86. 
They will be united over 3 days in early 2015 (kicking off a year of
celebrations marking an octocentennial) by the British Library in
collaboration with Lincoln Cathedral and Salisbury Cathedral.

What are they?

How many free tickets are on offer to this event?

88. Parliament building of which country?

90. 
Song from the 2013 Malayalam road movie Neelakasham
Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi.

Just identify the landmark shown, that was dedicated to the
nation on 9th August 2002 by Chandrababu Naidu.

Video removed

Link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfcCZY1CCYs.
(Between 3.55 and 4.10)

92. 
According to Greek folktales, which group of people lopped
off their right breasts in order to hurl spears and shoot
arrows more efficiently?

94. 
Edward Nashton is the heroic
counterpart of Riddler, the
DC comics super villain, in the
antimatter universe. Nashton
is a part of Lex Luthor's
Justice Underground which
opposes the evil Crime
Syndicate of Amerika. He
carries a staff in the form of a
question mark and is
fascinated by puzzles.

What alias did Nashton fight
crime under?

95. QUIZMASTER