The A to Z Knowledge Quiz

By: Olivia Cantor
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
The A to Z Knowledge Quiz
Image: Witthaya Prasongsin/Moment/gettyimages

About This Quiz

Information is literally at our fingertips already in this day and age, thanks to inventions such as the Internet and computers small enough to fit in your pocket. Of course, we have to credit all of the technologies prior to the Digital Age that also helped make that happen, but that would involve thanking many, many people in history!

But let's thank them anyway by honoring them within this quiz, and let's include many others along the way. With so many bits of information available to us right now, the knowledge bins in our noggins continue to get filled up faster these days.

Does yours get exhausted after some time? Does it overflow with information overload? Or does it soak up bits of facts and data like a great hard drive that stores many things? Do you feel the need to offload some info in order to upload some more useful stuff? How does your brain function?

Well, let's put it to the test, shall we? We're sure you know a great deal of trivia, with answers ranging from A to Z and even beyond! Open this intriguing knowledge quiz and test to see where your brain stands! Ready? Game! Don't access the internet for help!

It’s commonly known as the Oscars, but what’s the formal name of this movie awards show?
Arte Laguna Prize
ATOM Award
Academy Awards
Alley Award
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The annual Academy Awards, perhaps the most globally popular movie awards show, is facilitated by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, or AMPAS. AMPAS is an organization composed of many professionals in the film industry. While it is based in the U.S., membership is open to global filmmakers as well.

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When the Beatles started performing in the U.S., what term was given to that crossover?
Bohemian Rhapsody
Band on the Run
Bollocks Music
British Invasion
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It was in February 1964 when the U.K. band the Beatles played in America for the first time, after enjoying immense success in their own country. They first appeared on the popular show called "The Ed Sullivan Show," then went on to perform in sold-out concerts in the country’s capital. This immense success in the U.S. for the Beatles and other British artists was dubbed as “The British Invasion.”

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In which U.S. state can you find Hollywood?
Colorado
Connecticut
California
Carolina
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Hollywood is actually a boulevard in downtown Los Angeles, and it intersects with Highland Avenue, where you can see a huge entertainment area that’s all about the American entertainment industry. Prepare for a great walk around this area to immerse yourself in both old and new Hollywood!

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Which mythical creature is always depicted to be breathing fire?
Daemon
Dragon
Dactyl
Doppelganger
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Different cultures around the world have varying depictions of the mythical creature called the dragon, but the common characteristics are that it’s huge and breathes fire. Aside from that, it’s also scary and dangerous, and it has the ability to fly.

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What’s the last name of the scientist best known for his relativity theory?
Eastman
Edison
Einstein
Euclid
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Albert Einstein is one of the most recognizable scientists of the world, thanks to his contributions as well as his trademark look as that scientist with the disheveled hair and the distinct mustache. His work helped develop quantum theory, aside from formulating the theory of relativity, and he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1922 for Physics.

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A pentagon is a polygon that has how many sides?
Forty
Fifty
Four
Five
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you're familiar with the military-connected building in the U.S. called the Pentagon, you'd know that its shape is based on the polygon of the same name, and it also has five sides. This building is a regular pentagon because all sides are equal, but a pentagon can also be irregular, with sides that are not all of equal length.

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Which popular TV series is an adaptation of the book series collectively called "A Song of Ice and Fire"?
"Game of Thrones"
"Gargoyles"
"General Hospital"
"Gavin & Stacey"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"A Game of Thrones" is actually the title of the first book in the book series called "A Song of Ice and Fire," authored by George R.R. Martin. He began the first volume in 1991, and four more titles were published after that. Two more novels, completing the series, are in the works.

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This important part of the human body is speculated to be the cause of people falling in love. What is it?
Humerus
Heart
Hymen
Hypothalamus
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Recent studies have shown that the hypothalamus, or the specific brain region that regulates our basic human impulses, might be the culprit that's making us feel what we feel when we're in love, because of the release of dopamine. Dopamine is also termed as the "feel-good chemical" that induces happy responses in our being, such as when we eat good food.

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This color in the rainbow appears between blue and violet. What is it?
Intimate red
Ink black
Ivory
Indigo
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sometimes it's hard for people to detect what indigo is as a color, but a sure-fire way of seeing it is to look at the sky right before sunset, since there's a kind of dark blue and deep violet that meshes there in the sky which is identified as indigo. For fashion, the dark blue denim kind of shade is the indigo type, which people sometimes say borders on black.

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What country is called the “Land of the Rising Sun”?
Japan
Jordan
Jamaica
Jerusalem
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Japan is a country located in the East Asian region, where many of today's global influences and technologies originate. Their culinary contributions, for example, stem from the popular ramen to the diverse sushi, and of course everybody knows their entertainment contributions, such as their art forms called animé and manga.

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This cute animal, mistakenly called a bear, is native to Australia. What is it?
Kiwi
Kangaroo
Koala
Kookaburra
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The koala is a marsupial that's endemic to Australia. It is mostly found up in eucalyptus trees, since its diet consists mainly of those leaves. The koala is sometimes referred to as a bear, but it is really not from that lineage – plus it has a pouch.

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This is one of the most popular flowers in the world, whose name is also its color. What is it?
Lilac
Lantana
Lotus
Lily of the Valley
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The lilac is a very pleasant plant to have around in a home garden, since it bears beautiful flowers that smell amazing. They are actually easy to grow and are very low maintenance, so it won't be that hard to keep them.

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Which popular singer was given the title “King of Pop”?
Michael Jackson
MC Hammer
Marvin Gaye
Meat Loaf
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Michael Jackson is the undeniable King of Pop, and he is one of the musical "royals" to have such a nickname. Louis Armstrong is the "King of Jazz," James Brown is the "King of Soul" and, of course, Elvis Presley is the "King of Rock and Roll."

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What unit of measurement is widely used in maritime navigation?
Nanosecond
Newton
Nautical mile
Nanogram
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In maritime navigation, people often use the nautical mile to measure distances on the water's surface. People who plan to undergo some basic or advanced navigating trips on the water must know how to calculate such things. Water depth is measured in fathoms.

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This fruit is among the top five most consumed fruits in the U.S. What is it?
Orange
Olive
Okra
Oregon grape
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Oranges are the fifth most consumed fruit in the U.S., according to market trends. The first are actually bananas, second are apples, third are grapes, and strawberries are in fourth place.

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He is touted as the greatest soccer athlete to come from Brazil and one of the top-ranking FIFA World Cup players. Who is he?
Pavel Nedved
Paul Pogba
Pelé
Peter Schmeichel
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Brazilian soccer players are sometimes known by one name as a professional name or nickname, and Pelé is one such example – if not the best example. People still hail him as one of the best players that the sport has produced. His real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento.

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What's another term for the pound sterling?
Qatari riyal
Qiran
Quetzal
Quid
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Quid" is actually the slang term for the pound sterling currency in the U.K. It's also the Australian slang for the Australian pound currency that is no longer in use today.

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What do you call the period in European history that included a resurgence in art?
Realism
Romanticism
Renaissance
Rococo
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When Europe transitioned out of the Middle Ages and into a period of modernity, a sweeping rebirth took place in many aspects of human existence, primarily seen in the arts, in philosophy, literature, science and other intellectual endeavors. This rebirth was called the Renaissance, and it took place from the 14th century up to the 17th century.

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She was the first American woman to go into space. What’s her name?
Svetlana Savitskaya
Sally Ride
Shannon Lucid
Susan Helms
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sally Ride was the first American woman to venture into space, back in 1983. The very first woman to go into space was the Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, in 1963 – on a solo mission.

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What’s the name of the young pharaoh archaeologists discovered in Egypt back in 1922?
Tjesh
Teti
Thamphthis
Tutankhamun
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

King Tutankhamun is also known by the moniker “King Tut,” which archaeologists gave him when they discovered his nearly intact tomb and mummy in the Valley of the Kings back in 1922. From their studies, they concluded that he rose to power at a very young age, specifically when he was only a boy, and also died very young, about 19 years of age, under mysterious circumstances.

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Can you name the planet that is seventh from the sun?
Uranus
Umbriel
Ursa Major
Ursa Minor
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Like Saturn, Uranus has a ring system. Uranus has the coldest atmosphere among the planets in the solar system. It is actually referred to as an "ice giant," like Neptune and unlike the gas giant planets.

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Which famous painter infamously cut off his ear?
Victor Manuel Garcia Valdes
Vladimir Vasicek
Vincent van Gogh
Vasily Vereshchagin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

One of the most celebrated artists in the whole world is the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, but this recognition only came about posthumously. That means he didn't receive much fame or recognition when he was alive. He suffered from lifelong episodes of psychiatric breakdowns, which sadly led to him taking his own life.

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Author Maurice Sendak is world-famous for this classic children’s book. What’s the title?
Where's Wally?
Winnie the Pooh
Wizard of Oz
Where the Wild Things Are
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Maurice Sendak wasn't solely a children's book author; he was also an illustrator. He wrote and drew the images in his popularly acclaimed picture book entitled "Where the Wild Things Are," which was first published in 1963 and continues to be immensely popular today.

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This term means harboring prejudice against foreigners or people from foreign countries. What’s the word?
Xenophobia
Xilinous
Xoanon
Xyrophobia
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Unlike other kinds of anxiety disorders, xenophobia is not exactly a phobia in the medical sense. It's primarily a term used in a political and sociological context to describe an utmost disdain for foreign cultures and foreign people. This is basically a form of racism.

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This Arab sovereign state identifies Sana’a as its capital. What’s the country?
Yokohama
York
Yemen
Youngstown
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Yemen is one of the countries found in the Arabian Peninsula, which is located in Western Asia. Other countries in this area include Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and United Arab Emirates.

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What is the name of the largest city in Switzerland?
Zamboanga
Zanzibar
Zagreb
Zürich
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Zürich is a city that intersects banking, finance, art and medieval history. This city in northern Switzerland is a good way to introduce the extent of Swiss culture to first-time visitors. Don't miss Old Town!

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What do you call the "food of the gods" in Greek mythology?
Arni
Avgolemono
Ambrosia
Anthotyros
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Greek mythology has always mentioned ambrosia as the identified food of the Gods on Olympus, which is usually partnered with their favorite drink, nectar. But in modern times, ambrosia refers to a kind of fruit salad that is American in origin. It contains a variety of fruits that may include oranges, pineapples, coconut, maraschino cherries, strawberries and bananas, sometimes with pecans, and mixed with sour cream, whipped cream, cream cheese or yogurt.

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What’s the name of this mysterious area where airplanes and ships are said to have disappeared without a trace?
Buratimos
Bukit Tunku
Bermuda Triangle
Baron Empain Palace
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The infamous mysterious area called the Bermuda Triangle is in the North Atlantic Ocean, where superstition rules about disappearing big ships and aircraft that fly over the area or cross it on water. This area is somewhere near the waters off Florida, Puerto Rico and the Bermuda Islands.

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This soft and creamy cheese is one of the most recognized to come out of France. What’s it called?
Chaource
Comté
Camembert
Cheddar
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you’re a huge fan of soft, creamy and moist types of cheese, then you will find your favorite in wedges of Camembert cheese. It is named for the place where the French first made it – Camembert is located in Normandy, in the northern part of France.

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This counts as one of the most recognizable paintings in the world which features animals. What’s it called?
Dash for the Timber
Dream of the Fisherman's Wife
Dogs Playing Poker
Daniel's Answer to the King
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Among the classic paintings out there, the series called "Dogs Playing Poker" has proven to be one of the most popularly recognized in the world, even if the work doesn't technically belong to any specific art movement. The paintings were commissioned by Brown & Bigelow Publishing for cigar advertisements back in the early 1900s, and the artist is Cassius Marcellus Coolidge.

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What do you call the invisible horizontal line that divides the Earth into two equal hemispheres?
Erosion
Estuary
Equator
Elevation
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Earth is divided into the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere by the equator. Thirteen countries actually touch the equator – notably Ecuador, but also Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Gabon, both the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Colombia, Brazil, Sao Tome and Principe, Kiribati, Maldives, and Indonesia.

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If flora refers to plants, what’s the accompanying term that refers to animals?
Family
Fauna
Fever
Flock
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Flock" is the term often used for a group of specific birds, while a "fever" is a group of stingrays and a group of otters is known as a "family." Collectively, all of these animals fall under the category of "fauna," as opposed to "flora."

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What’s the first name of the very first U.S. president?
Gerald
Grover
George
Garfield
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are three U.S. presidents named George: George Washington and the Bush father-and-son tandem. They are outnumbered by the name James, with six U.S. presidents – namely, Monroe, Madison, Garfield, Polk, Buchanan and, of course, Jimmy Carter.

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In Harry Potter lore, what’s the name of their main school?
Hogwarts
Hope's Peak Academy
Helliconia
Hyrule
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Readers and followers of the "Harry Potter" novels and film series are very familiar with Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But did you know that its exact location in the story is somewhere in Scotland, even though the main characters travel to London's King's Cross Station to access it, via Platform 9 3/4? It was in the third book, "The Prisoner of Azkaban," where we get a clue as to its exact location, because it is mentioned there that the school is near a town called Dufftown, which is located in Moray, Scotland, in real life.

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Some call them tribal people, but what is the more appropriate term to refer to ethnic groups who have maintained their traditional culture over the years?
Inuit people
Indigenous people
Igorot people
Ijaw people
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Inuit people are found in cold North American regions, Igorot people can be found in the mountains of northern Philippines, and the Ijaw people can be found in the Niger Delta in West Africa. All of them belong to one universal grouping called indigenous peoples, or populations belonging to a specific ethnic group that existed before their current countries were colonized or formed into nation-states that we now know.

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