Month: October 2020

Georges Bizet (1838)

A French composer, Bizet became disgusted with the frivolity of French opera and decided to change it. In 1875, his masterpiece, Carmen, premiered. Though its harsh realism repelled many, it eventually won international acclaim and is now one of the most popular operas in history. Sadly, Bizet did not live to see Carmen‘s success, dying just months after it premiered. Foul play was initially suspected, but the apparent gunshot wound on his neck was eventually attributed to what? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

European Heat Wave of 2003

The 2003 European heat wave was one of the hottest summers on record in Europe. Tens of thousands of people—mostly elderly—died in the extreme weather, with more than 14,000 perishing in France alone. Melting glaciers caused avalanches in Switzerland, and deadly forest fires wreaked widespread destruction in Portugal. In Germany, the lowest river levels in a century hindered shipping traffic. Wheat crops across Southern Europe failed. What agricultural product actually benefited from the heat? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Zambia Gains Independence (1964)

The area that is now Zambia came under British control in the early 1900s with the development of the copper mining industry. After decades of nationalist struggle, the British protectorate of Northern Rhodesia became the independent Republic of Zambia. Kenneth Kaunda, a former schoolteacher who had been jailed for nationalist political activities prior to independence, became its first president. Zambia may have been the first country to do what during the Olympics? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Annie Edson Taylor (1838)

On her 63rd birthday, Taylor became the first person to survive a trip over Niagara Falls in a barrel. The interior of the barrel was cushioned and the air was compressed with a bicycle pump. Before her trip, Taylor sent a cat over the falls in her barrel—and it lived. Days later, she drifted over the falls in the same barrel and walked away from the plunge with minor injuries. However, she did not significantly profit from the stunt. According to some accounts, her barrel was stolen by whom? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Beverage-Can Stove

A beverage-can stove is a homemade, lightweight, portable, reusable stove made from aluminum beverage cans. Popular among backpackers, it requires more fuel than some commercial stoves but is incredibly lightweight and easy to make. It is also said to be fail-proof even in difficult environments. Beverage-can stoves burn denatured alcohol and are nearly silent when operating. Their basic design dates back more than a century. How long does it take a beverage-can stove to boil two cups of water? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Hungarian Republic Is Officially Proclaimed (1989)

The defeat of the Central Powers in WWI brought the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary to an end and led to the creation of an independent Hungarian republic, which, in 1949, came under Communist control. Though a 1956 uprising was suppressed, Hungary became the most tolerant of the Soviet bloc nations of Europe and finally replaced Communism with a multi-party democracy with free elections in 1989. Hungary’s relative freedom compared to other Eastern bloc countries led to what satirical nickname? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Michael Crichton (1942)

While pursuing a medical degree at Harvard University, the intensely private Crichton began writing novels under a pseudonym. He published The Andromeda Strain during his final year and went on to write several best-selling works, many of which were made into films, including Jurassic Park and Congo. He unexpectedly died of throat cancer in 2008. While in college, he once submitted an essay by George Orwell under his own name as an experiment. What grade did he receive? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Panchatantra

The Panchatantra is a collection of fables that are among the most widely-known animal stories in the world. The original Sanskrit work, now lost, may have been written down in India as early as 100 BCE. It then spread throughout the ancient world. A textbook created for instructing the three sons of a king, it contains morals that glorify shrewdness over altruism. One story concerns a war between crows and owls. When a crow defects to join the owls and is accepted by them, what happens? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary