Brain Teasers from Your Field | Golden Skate

Brain Teasers from Your Field

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rgirl181

Guest
Brain Teasers from Your Field

Okay, I'm stealing the basic premise of Mathman's "My New Signature" thread, but since that one already included a couple of questions in other areas, I thought I'd provide a way for people to do the same with their respective areas of interest/expertise.

Whoops, I hit "Return" and it submitted this before it was done, so anybody who is reading the first paragraph and wondering, "What the...?" that's what the... happened.

Anyway, the idea is that anyone can submit any question/brain teaser from their area of interest. For example, I know Kzarah knows a lot about French and Cirque du Soleil. 4DogKnight knows a lot about dogs, obviously. Realtorgal not only knows realty but also music. GrGranny knows a lot about everything;)

Okay, this first one is for Show42 as per her request in Mathman's thread for a literature question. Don't know what area of literature you're interested in, Show, so I figured I'd go with Shakespeare to start (of course other people besides Show can answer):

1. What Shakespearian play has a character with the same name as the capital of New York? (I know, kind of lame, but we're just getting started.) 10 points.

2. On what two classic pieces of literature is James Joyce's <em>Ulysses</em> simultaneously founded? (Hint, one is Greek, the other is Shakespeare.) 25 pts.

3. For fans for modern literature, here's a multi-part question:
(a) What was the title of the original version of Raymond Carver's short story, "A Small, Good Thing"? (Hint the original version appeared in the collection <em>What We Talk About When We Talk About Love</em>, and the final versions, "A Small, Good Thing" appeared in the collections <em>Cathedral</em> and <em>Where I'm Calling From</em>. 25 pts.
(b) What short story by Vladimir Nabokov does the original version of "A Small, Good Thing" reflect? 25 pts.
(c) What object/occurrence in the Nabokov story is used in much the same way in the Carver story, especially the original version? 25 pts.
(d) In what film is the story "A Small, Good Thing" a part? 25 pts.
(e) BONUS: Why did Carver so drastically revise "A Small, Good Thing"? 100 pts.
<span style="color:red;">(See later post for more hints.)</span>

Okay literature fans, try your answers. And everybody else, submit your questions.
Rgirl
 
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mathman444

Guest
Re: Brain Teasers from Your Field

I know the first one. <em>Hamlet</em> featured a character named Schenectady, a friend of Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern.

Mathman
 
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rgirl181

Guest
Re: Brain Teasers from Your Field

:rollin: Uh, Mathman, I think you confused the play <em>Hamlet</em> with the "hamlet" of Schenectady. Besides, the question specified the capital of New York. And no, Fortinbras is not another name for Pamela Anderson:cool:
Rgirl
 
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mathman444

Guest
Re: Brain Teasers from Your Field

Oh, the CAPITAL of New York. OK, in A Midsummernight's Dream the character Bottom is given the head of a BUFFALO.

MM
 
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mathman444

Guest
Re: Brain Teasers from Your Field

10 points in hand, I'm going for the 25 point question, #3 (d). The Nobakov movie was: The Luzhin Defence. The lady was taking a bath when she found out the chess master had died.

Since this thread is "Brain Teasers from Your Field," here is the adjourned position. Solution?:lol:

www.nscfchess.org/problem...2301p.html

Mathman
 
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RealtorGal

Guest
Re: Brain Teasers from Your Field

<span style="color:blue;font-family:comic sans ms;font-size:small;">No, no, NOOO! The capital of New York is ALBANY. ALBANY is a character in KING LEAR!!!!!</span>

<span style="color:green;font-family:comic sans ms;font-size:small;">Hugs!
RG#1</span>
 
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eltamina

Guest
OK, I'll play

Just a suggestion, maybe these brainteasers should be post in a poll, ie mutliple choice form.

1. Name this composer:

He composed a symphony as an epic with an uplifting war-victory programme during the siege of Leningrad. The music was smuggled out of Russia by foot (or horse) to Iraq, then finally to Europe and the States.

2. Name this violinist:

In 1942 during the siege of Leningrad, he performed the Tchaikovsky v cto in the midst of an air raid. The audience did not leave their seats when the air raid sirens wailed.

3. Name this Communist composer, whose works glorify everyone from the Viet Cong to the martyrs of international workers unrest.

Hint: He was neither born in nor did he live in the U.S.S.R/ satellites, or any communist countries. Another hint: He married Schonberg’s daughter Nuria in 1955.

4. Name this composer

This composer wrote the highest and lowest notes ever sung in operas.

5. _ _ _ _ This German baroque composer was born in the first part of September. His last name is identical with a candy.
Hint: www.classic99.com/bcompos.htm

6.0 This composer (from the classical period) wrote a piano, viola, and clarinet trio on a bowling lane !!!
Hint: I post about one of his arias in a somewhat controversial thread a couple months ago.

Bonus question:

Name this composer:

This September birthday boy was the founder of the opera comique in his country.

Hint: He was one of the greatest chess players of his time and he wrote a book about chess strategy.
 
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RealtorGal

Guest
Re: OK, I'll play

Great questions!

1. Name this composer:

He composed a symphony as an epic with an uplifting war-victory programme during the siege of Leningrad. The music was smuggled out of Russia by foot (or horse) to Iraq, then finally to Europe and the States.

<span style="color:red;font-family:helvetica;font-size:small;">SHASTOKOVICH (Leningrad or "Seventh" Symphony)</span>

2. Name this violinist:

In 1942 during the siege of Leningrad, he performed the Tchaikovsky v cto in the midst of an air raid. The audience did not leave their seats when the air raid sirens wailed.

<span style="color:red;font-family:helvetica;font-size:small;">I know very little about violinists, so I'll have to guess: JASCHA HEIFETZ</span>

3. Name this Communist composer, whose works glorify everyone from the Viet Cong to the martyrs of international workers unrest.

Hint: He was neither born in nor did he live in the U.S.S.R/ satellites, or any communist countries. Another hint: He married Schonberg’s daughter Nuria in 1955.

<span style="color:red;font-family:helvetica;font-size:small;">LUIGI NONO</span>

4. Name this composer

This composer wrote the highest and lowest notes ever sung in operas.

<span style="color:red;font-family:helvetica;font-size:small;">I should know this and would say MOZART (thinking of "Queen of the Night" with the F in "The Magic Flute") but I'm sure there's something obscure with a high G!!! :) </span>

5. This German baroque composer was born in the first part of September. His last name is identical with a candy.
Hint: www.classic99.com/bcompos.htm

<span style="color:red;font-family:helvetica;font-size:small;">Love this one! JOHANN CHRISTOPH PEZ (dispenser)</span> :lol:

6.0 This composer (from the classical period) wrote a piano, viola, and clarinet trio on a bowling lane !!!
Hint: I post about one of his arias in a somewhat controversial thread a couple months ago.

<span style="color:red;font-family:helvetica;font-size:small;">I have no idea! It sounds like something HAYDN would have done in England.</span>

Bonus question:

Name this composer:

This September birthday boy was the founder of the opera comique in his country.

Hint: He was one of the greatest chess players of his time and he wrote a book about chess strategy.

<span style="color:red;font-family:helvetica;font-size:small;">Are you thinking of PHILIDOR? If so, Monsigny followed by Gretry would be my choices for really developing the Opera Comique.</span>
 
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eltamina

Guest
Pez candies for Realtorgal

1. He composed a symphony as an epic with an uplifting war-victory programme during the siege of Leningrad. The music was smuggled out of Russia by foot (or horse) to Iraq, then finally to Europe and the States.

RG: SHASTOKOVICH (Leningrad or "Seventh" Symphony)

>>>>>> Great choice

2. In 1942 during the siege of Leningrad, he performed the Tchaikovsky v cto in the midst of an air raid. The audience did not leave their seats when the air raid sirens wailed.

RG:I know very little about violinists, so I'll have to guess: JASCHA HEIFETZ

>>>> Hmm… Sorry Heifetz left Russia by 1942. Hint: He was a violinist and violist who excelled in the game of chess.

3. Name this Communist composer, whose works glorify everyone from the Viet Cong to the martyrs of international workers unrest. Hint: He was neither born in nor did he live in the U.S.S.R/ satellites, or any communist countries. Another hint: He married Schonberg’s daughter Nuria in 1955.

RG: LUIGI NONO

>>> Great answer

4. This composer wrote the highest and lowest notes ever sung in operas.

RG: I should know this and would say MOZART (thinking of "Queen of the Night" with the F in "The Magic Flute" but I'm sure there's something obscure with a high G!!!

>>>> LOL everyone got the right answer with the wrong reasoning. It was Mozart but the highest note ever sung was a G, in his K316. Now what is the Mozart aria with the lowest note?

5. This German baroque composer was born in the first part of September. His last name is identical with a candy.
Hint: www.classic99.com/bcompos.htm

RG: Love this one! JOHANN CHRISTOPH PEZ (dispenser)

>>> Great Realtorgal deserves some Pez candy.

6.0 This composer (from the classical period) wrote a piano, viola, and clarinet trio on a bowling lane !!!
Hint: I post about one of his arias in a somewhat controversial thread a couple months ago.

RG: I have no idea! It sounds like something HAYDN would have done in England.

>>>> Hmm.. Look at my hint again, that thread involved fetal’s comments on Michelle’s happiness. Who do you think had the genius and spontaneity to write a marvelous piece of work in the midst of dropping bowling pins!!!

Bonus: This September birthday boy was the founder of the opera comique in his country.

Hint: He was one of the greatest chess players of his time and he wrote a book about chess strategy.

RG: Are you thinking of PHILIDOR? If so, Monsigny followed by Gretry would be my choices for really developing the Opera Comique.

>>> Great answer, OK I meant no disrespect for Monsigny, but I said <strong>founder</strong> not developer of the opera comique.
 
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emiC

Guest
He wrote about characters with seizures in his novels

Nationality: Russian

Occupation: writer

Diagnosis: temporal lobe epilepsy
His symptoms included: hyperraphia and microgrphia
(Hypergraphia: volumes and volumes of written production
Micrographia: exceedingly small handwriting)

Fun fact: The editors never returned manuscripts for his revision for fear of 10X hypergraphia and micrographia in return.

PS: I will start a spoiler thread for answers to these trivia questions. :)
 
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RealtorGal

Guest
Re: He wrote about characters with seizures in his novels

<span style="color:purple;font-family:comic sans ms;font-size:large;">Dostoevsky!!!!!</span>

Edited to add COLOR!!!
 
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RealtorGal

Guest
Re: He wrote about characters with seizures in his novels

<span style="color:blue;font-family:comic sans ms;font-size:small;">Lowest note: Osmin's aria from "The Abduction from the Seraglio" (low D) -- I was really into this opera in my coloratura days!!</span> :D

<span style="color:maroon;font-family:comic sans ms;font-size:small;">Well, I had picked Haydn in that bowling question because of the England connection, but jI had really vascillated between him and my other choice: MOZART (which just HAS to be the correct answer!)</span> :D
 
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mathman444

Guest
Re: He wrote about characters with seizures in his novels

<span style="color:blue;font-size:medium;">Wow, Realtor Gal, I'm really impressed</span>.:D

But isn't anyone going to tackle Rgirl's first post?

I don't think that Albany is the capital of New York. I think it's either Syracuse or Poughkeepsie. I did a Google search on "Hamlet, New York," and found this:

Alas, poor <strong>Yor'k</strong> -- I <strong>'new</strong> him, Horatio.
Sir, accuse me not! Oh Zounds and Yonkers!
Pah! Keeps he now his codpiece fit for Queens?

Philidor's Defense (1. e4, e5, 2. Nf3, d6) has fallen on hard times and is now rarely seen in serious chess. Black needlessly accedes to a cramped position while giving white a full range of atractive opions. In the 1043 grandmaster games from 1750 to 2002 which feature this opening, white has won 46.3%, black 24.8%, with 28.9% drawn.

(I knew that you all wanted to know that.)

Mathman
 
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RealtorGal

Guest
Re: He wrote about characters with seizures in his novels

<span style="color:red;font-family:comic sans ms;font-size:small;">My dear Mathman, as soon as my Twinnie logs on, she will confirm that I am correct about Albany/King Lear.</span> :D

<span style="color:navy;font-family:comic sans ms;font-size:small;">As for that Russian violinist and Tchaikovsky, I'm at a real loss, considering that by 1942, there wasn't even a symphony orchestra left in Leningrad (they'd already been evacuated to Siberia). :eek: My only other possible guess is: DAVID OISTRAKH.</span>
 
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rgirl181

Guest
Re: RG#1 Gets #1!

Yep, RG#1, you are wiping up the competition in music and literature! Of course the answer to 1. What Shakespearian play has a character with the same name as the capital of New York? is "King Lear" and OF COURSE the capital of New York is Albany (geez, Mathman:p !). Congrats, Twinnie, 10 BIG POINTS!

To encourage you and others to try my question number 2. <em>On what two classic pieces of literature is James Joyce's <span style="text-decoration:underline">Ulysses</span> simultaneously founded? (Hint, one is Greek, the other is Shakespeare.) 25 pts.</em> here's another hint: The <strong>author</strong> of the Greek myth and the <strong>title</strong> of the Shakespearean play both begin with the same letter.

Mathman, I suggest you check your fact checker on geography;) As for your answer to #3(d), please reread the all questions. (Oops, I just did and realized there are two 3(d)s:lol: Will fix.) The story "A Small, Good Thing" is by Raymond Carver. It is similar to a short story by Nabokov. Question 3(d) <em>Of what film is the story "A Small, Good Thing" a part?</em> refers to the Raymond Carver story. BTW, Mathman, now I know how silly I must have sounded trying to answer your math questions:lol:

More hints:
3. For fans for modern literature, here's a multi-part question:
(a) What was the title of the original version of Raymond Carver's short story, "A Small, Good Thing"? 25 pts.
(First hint: The original version appeared in the collection What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, and the final versions, "A Small, Good Thing" appeared in the collections <em>Cathedral</em> and <em>Where I'm Calling From</em>. Second hint: Mathman almost says the name of the story in his erroneous answer to 3(d); it's got nothing to do with chess; it's something people were once known for doing on Saturday night.). 25 pts.
(b) What short story by Vladimir Nabokov does the original version of "A Small, Good Thing" reflect? 25 pts.
(Hint: The Nabokov story was written in 1947, published in 1948; the title is in the form "______ and _______" with the blanks being filled by plural nouns starting with the letter S; the nouns of the title are abstract things that we all use every day, but we would especially associate them with Mathman. Hint for Mathman: MIT students created experimental 'web books' in response to this Nabokov story.)
(c) What object/occurrence in the Nabokov story is used in much the same way in the Carver story, especially the original version? 25 pts.
(Hint: The object/occurrence is an item of technology that in the 1980s became very mobile.)
(d) In what film is the story "A Small, Good Thing" a part? 25 pts.
(Hint: The film in question is based on several Raymond Carver stories; the director of the Carver film had an independent film hit last year with a "who-dunnit" type story but is perhaps best known for his 1970 antiwar film that went on to become a TV sitcom classic.)
(e) BONUS: Why did Carver so drastically revise "A Small, Good Thing"? 100 pts. (Hint: Admittedly this is an obscure strange essay question, but you never know who is going to know the same obscure strange thing you do. Anyway, do a Google search under "Captain Fiction"--include the quotes and pay special attention to "The Things They Say...")

And Eltamina, if you want multiple choice/poll questions, you will have to start your own thread;) Besides, I think Rgal is doing pretty darn good on her own:D
Rgirl
 
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RealtorGal

Guest
Re: RG#1 Gets #1!

<span style="color:red;font-family:comic sans ms;font-size:small;">Okay, Twinnine:

"Ulysses" is based on:</span>
<span style="color:navy;font-family:comic sans ms;font-size:small;">SHAKESPEARE'S "TROILLUS AND CRESSIDA" and HOMER'S "THE ILIAD"</span>
 
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rgirl181

Guest
Re: RG#1 Gets Close on #2!

Twinnie,
You're getting there. Just reread the hint and stick with Homer. Dump everything else though;)

Hint: The <strong>author</strong> of the Greek myth and the <strong>title</strong> of the Shakespearean play both begin with the same letter.
RG#2
 
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RealtorGal

Guest
Re: RG#1 Gets #1!

(a) What was the title of the original version of Raymond Carver's short story, "A Small, Good Thing"? (Hint the original version appeared in the collection What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, and the final versions, "A Small, Good Thing" appeared in the collections Cathedral and Where I'm Calling From. 25 pts. <span style="color:red;font-family:comic sans ms;font-size:small;">"THE BATH"</span>

(b) What short story by Vladimir Nabokov does the original version of "A Small, Good Thing" reflect? 25 pts. <span style="color:red;font-family:comic sans ms;font-size:small;">SIGNS & SYMBOLS</span>

(c) What object/occurrence in the Nabokov story is used in much the same way in the Carver story, especially the original version? 25 pts. <span style="color:red;font-family:comic sans ms;font-size:small;">FOOD AS A BIRTHDAY GIFT; REPEATED ANNOYING TELEPHONE CALLS RE: CHILD.</span>

(d) In what film is the story "A Small, Good Thing" a part? 25 pts. <span style="color:red;font-family:comic sans ms;font-size:small;">SHORT CUTS (Robert Altman)</span>

(e) BONUS: Why did Carver so drastically revise "A Small, Good Thing"? 100 pts. <span style="color:red;font-family:comic sans ms;font-size:small;">"THE BATH" REFLECTS HIS MINIMALIST (OR "PRECISIONIST") STYLE; "SGT" REFLECTS HIS MORE NARRATIVE STYLE. (HE WAS FOND OF REVISING HIS STORIES.)</span>
 
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RealtorGal

Guest
Re: RG#1 Gets #1!

<span style="color:eek:live;font-family:comic sans ms;font-size:small;">Okay, I misread your hint. It's HOMER'S "THE ILIAD" AND SHAKESPEARE'S "HAMLET".</span>
 
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rgirl181

Guest
Re: RG#1, GENIUS, Gets Them All!

<span style="color:purple;font-family:comic sans ms;font-size:large;">Wowee Zowee, Twinnie! I just came back after posting the answers in the SPOILER thread, so there is no way you could have seen them, and was about to add a note to Question #3(e) "Okay, nobody is really expected to get this one, but I'm hoping people will make things up" and you GOT every freakin' one! (Rgirl is doing Wayne's World "I'm not worthy" bows.) Geez, RG BIG TIME #1, I know people who studied with Carver who didn't get this stuff. Either you are one of the 10,000 people (according to Knopf stats) who actually reads modern literature, much less studied it, or you have the most amazing killer search engine of all time--or both if the killer search engine is your brain:D You even got #3(c) more right (righter?) than it needed to be. I was just hoping somebody would get "phone ringing repeatedly," but you got the food, the birthday, the kid, the whole canoli! There's some extra dirt on Carver and his first editor, Gordon Lish, vs. his second editor, his second wife, Tess Gallagher, in my #3(e) answer, but your answer is correct all by itself. Hell, Gal, you'd get a better grade on my test than I would:lol:

Besides an A++++++++, you also get a grand total of 235 points! Plus you're kicking all butts on the music questions (no surprise). I say all hail RealtorGal, Music and Literature Genius Extraordinaire of GS! Naturally, Rgal is a founding member of Bovine Babes:cool: :cool: :cool: WAY TO GO!</span>
<span style="color:green;font-family:comic sans ms;font-size:large;">Rgirl</span>
 
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