Can You Get a Perfect Score on This Mixed General Knowledge Quiz?

By: Robin Tyler
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Can You Get a Perfect Score on This Mixed General Knowledge Quiz?
Image: EmirMemedovski/E+/Getty Images

About This Quiz

General knowledge is difficult to pinpoint. For most people, it's not all that important for daily life, yet for others having an expanded general knowledge is vital. Why? Well, if you know enough about a range of subjects, you can fit in just about anywhere.

And it's not that hard to pick up. General knowledge is about following what's going on in the world around you. Try to catch a news bulletin every day. Instead of spending hours on social media, open a news site and get up to date with the world around you. Read about things in history that interest you. We guarantee it will lead you to even more exciting finds.

The key is starting off with things you like to learn about, then moving on from there. But you knew that, didn't you? You are here to try your luck at our tough general knowledge quiz, where you can expect questions about just about anything!

A range of questions faces you, taking in many different general knowledge subjects. These questions span many ages, from ancient history to modern times, planes trains and automobiles... ok, maybe not!

How do you think you will fare? Will you pass with flying colors?

Well, why not take the plunge and let's see what you can score.

Good luck!


Name the lunar module on the Apollo 11 space mission, please.
Eagle
Falcon
Elk
Elephant
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"The Eagle has landed." Other than Neil Armstrong's words with his first step, these are probably the most famous words spoken in space. It landed at 20:17:40 UTC on Sunday, July 20 with just 20 seconds of fuel remaining!

Can you name the largest mammal in the world?
Elephant
Blue Whale
Rhinoceros
Hippopotamus
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Without a doubt, blue whales are the largest mammals on Earth. They can grow up to around 30 feet in length. Not only that, but they weigh close to 200 tons! Now we think you would agree, that is big!

Who piloted the Eagle lunar model all the way down to the surface of the moon?
Buzz Aldrin
Robert Crippen
John Glenn
Neil Armstrong
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Not only was Neil Armstrong the first man on the moon, but he was also the man to put the Eagle on the surface of the moon. Armstrong, the commander of the mission, piloted the Eagle although Aldrin was officially designated as the Lunar Module pilot.

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On the periodic table of elements, what is the designation for lead?
Pb
Ld
Hg
Au
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Why Pb, you ask? Well, it comes from the Latin name for lead, which is plumbum. A heavy metal, lead has the atomic number 82. Lead is a lot softer than other metals such as steel.

The study of Entomology is the study of?
Toddlers
Mammals
Insects
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Entomology is the study of insects and their relationships to humans, their surroundings and the Earth. It forms part of zoology. Not sure who would want to study creepy crawlies, though!

In which year did Hitler become the chancellor of Germany?
1939
1922
1941
1933
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Hitler became the chancellor of Germany on January 30, 1933. He was appointed by the then president, Paul von Hindenburg. Effectively, this gave Hitler control of the country, and when Von Hindenburg died, Hitler ruled himself as Fuhrer.

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Who conducted the first human heart trasnplant in 1967?
Dr. Elmer Fudd
Dr. Christiaan Barnard
Dr. Robert Green
Dr. Mehmet Cengiz Öz
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Performed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard, the first human heart transplant took place on December 3, 1967. The patient, Louis Washkansky, lived for 18 days after the operation before dying for pneumonia.

A maple leaf features on the flag of which country?
France
Bahamas
Ethiopia
Canada
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It sure is Canada, eh! The flag is unofficially known as the Maple Leaf or l'Unifolié in French, which stands for one-leafed. The flag was adopted on February 15, 1965.

Which planet does Superman come from?
Krypton
Arrakis
Carmondy IV
Kakaranathara
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Krypton was the home of Superman. He was sent as a child to Earth by his parents as Krypton was about to be destroyed. The planet is first mentioned in Action Comics #1 in 1938.

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Golfer Vijay Singh comes from which country?
USA
India
England
Fiji
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Vijay Singh is indeed Fijian. "The Big Fijian" as he is known has three majors to his credit, the US Masters (2000) and PGA Championship (1998, 2004). He also has won 34 times on the PGA Tour and 13 times on the European Tour.

Who is the voice of Donkey in the "Shrek" movies?
Laurence Fishburne
Eddie Murphy
Seth Rogan
Mike Myers
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Yes, the Donkey we all know and love from the "Shrek" movies is voiced by Eddie Murphy. Murphy was a very successful comedian in the 1980's and translated that into Hollywood. His fame slowly waned, however, but roles like Donkey help remind us of his talent.

Insulin is produced by which part of the body?
Kidney
Liver
Pancreas
Lungs
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It is the job of the pancreas to make insulin. In type 1 diabetics, the pancreas cannot do that, therefore they have to inject it.

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What is the capital of Turkey?
Ankara
Istanbul
Constantinople
Galatasaray
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Although many people think Instanbul to be the capital of Turkey, it is not. Istanbul is the largest city in the country. Ankara, however, is the capital. It was named capital on October 29, 1923.

Which Hollywood funnyman was the voice of the Genie in Disney's "Aladdin?"
Seth Rogan
Robin Williams
Mike Myers
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Robin Williams's popularity was huge at the time of the release of "Aladdin" in 1992. Interestingly, Williams improvised and ad-libbed many of the speaking parts of the Genie character.

Name the first scientist to measure the speed of light?
Olaus Roemer
Albert Einstein
Marie Curie
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Olaus Roemer was a Danish scientist born in the 1600's. In 1676 he was the first scientist to measure the speed of light. He did this by viewing eclipses of the moons of Jupiter. And then lots of calculations!

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The "Father of Geometry" is?
Pythagoras
Galileo
Newton
Copernicus
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A Greek philosopher, Pythagoras was born in 570 BC and lived till 495 BC. Other than his knowledge of math (he invented the Pythagorean theorem) he also is associated with having discovered the five different climatic zones, proportions and the fact that the Earth is a sphere.

The official language of Brazil is _____
Spanish
English
Portuguese
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While the Spanish colonized most of South America, it was Portugal that got to Brazil first. It was colonized in the name of Portugal by Pedro Álvares Cabral in 1500. Naturally, small settlements formed and the Portuguese language was passed on to the local people.

Name the band that consisted of Sting, Andy Summers and Stuart Copeland.
The Police
Dire Straits
Pink Floyd
Depeche Mode
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Police formed in 1977. Difficult to put into one style of music, they were a mixture of reggae, ska, punk, and rock and soon built up a massive following. And in 1986, when they were one of the biggest bands in the world, they split due to inter-band fights and tension.

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What sport includes the scoring methods of try, conversion and penalty?
Soccer
Rugby
Cricket
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Rugby was invented in 1823. Legend has it that a boy called William Webb Ellis, disregarding the rules of football, picked up the ball and ran with it and that is how the sport was born. Today, it is played in many countries around the with New Zealand the current world champions.

Where is the city of Cape Town found?
South Africa
England
Wales
Australia
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Cape Town is at the southern tip of Africa and forms part of the country of South Africa. It was founded in 1652 by the Dutch as a refreshment station for their ships on the way to the East around Africa. Today, it is one of the world's best tourism cities and is noted for its beautiful backdrop of Table Mountain.

The smallest mammal in the world is?
Fieldmouse
Possum
Bumblebee Bat
Hamster
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Actually the Kitti’s Hog-nosed Bat or Bumblebee Bat is the world's smallest mammal by size. If you measured by weight, it would be the Etruscan shrew. These bats are found in Thailand.

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Name the world organisation that was the forerunner to the United Nations.
World Health Organization
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
League of Nations
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The League of Nations was formed after the First World War. The exact date? Well, that was January 10, 1920. The purpose of the organization was to prevent another World War. Although it was the idea of American President Woodrow Wilson, America did not join.

In which two countries is the Gobi desert found?
China, Mongolia
India, Pakistan
USA, Mexico
Libya, Sudan
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Gobi desert is found in both China and Mongolia. The desert itself covers an area of over 500,000 square miles. Unlike other deserts in the world, the Gobi consists of exposed rock as opposed to moving sands.

What is the claim to fame of Sachin Tendulkar?
Bollywood actor
Indian cricket player
Nobel Prize winner
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sachin Tendulkar is the greatest cricketer of the modern generation. He made his debut for India in Test cricket at the age of 16 and played 660 times for his country in various formats, scoring 100 centuries and over 34,000 runs.

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Which of these below is the accurate time frame for the Korean War?
1961 to 1964
1957 to 1960
1958 to 1962
1950 to 1953
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Korean War started when forces from the Communist north crossed the 38th parallel and invaded South Korea, a non-Communist country. Under General Douglas MacArthur, the United States and other Allied Forces held off the Koreans right at the tip of the country, eventually fighting back to recapture Seoul. Eventually, the countries were set back to how they were before the war started.

What metal does "Au" signify on the period table?
Lead
Gold
Silver
Tin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Gold holds the periodic table name of Au because of its Latin name, aurum. A precious metal, gold has an atomic number of 79. We all know how sought after this metal is.

The Eiffel Tower is located in which city in Europe?
Paris
London
Bonn
Warsaw
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Of course, the Eiffel Tower is found in the City of Love, Paris. The construction on the tower started in January 1887, and it was complete by March 1889. Initially, it was criticized by many for its design, but now is one of the most recognized landmarks in the world.

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Which author wrote "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy?
J.K. Rowling
J.R.R. Tolkien
C.S. Lewis
Enid Blyton
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

J.R.R. Tolkien is one of the greatest fantasy writers of all time. His creation of Middle Earth and the various races in it is nothing short of remarkable. Other than the "Lord of the Rings," Tolkien also penned "The Hobbit," amongst others.

Can you name the top scoring U.S. fighter pilot of the First World War?
Eddie Rickenbacker
Mick Mannock
Anthony Beauchamp Proctor
Frank Luke Jr
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Eddie Rickenbacker's story is incredible. In the space of seven months, he quickly achieved 26 aerial victories over the Western Front flying his trusty Spad bi-plane fighter.

Who wrote "King Lear"?
Geoffrey Chaucer
William Shakespeare
Charles Dickens
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

King Lear is one of Shakespeare's tragedies. It is thought he wrote it in 1605, and it was first performed in 1606. It comprises five acts.

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The sinking of which ship brought the United States into World War I?
Titanic
Queen Mary
Lusitania
Hollywood Girl
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Over 1,000 people perished when a German U-boat sank the Lusitania in 1915. 128 of those that died were American citizens. This eventually drew America into the war in 1917.

Do you know the name of the first aviator to cross the English Channel?
Louis Bleriot
Wilbur Wright
Orville Wright
Bob Malone
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Not only did Louis Bleriot become the first person to fly across the English channel, but he had another claim to fame as well. Bleriot designed the first headlamp that was practical to fix to cars. Bleriot achieved his channel crossing on June 25, 1909.

F.B.I. stands for?
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bundle of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Intelligence
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Federal Bureau of Investigation or F.B.I. was established on July 26, 1908, as the Bureau of Investigation. Today, it employs around 35,000 people and operates as a criminal investigative, counter-terrorism, counterintelligence organization.

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In what sport would you take a short corner and a penalty corner?
Ice hockey
Field hockey
Soccer
Rugby
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Field hockey is the sport in which you could have a penalty or a short corner. The game as it is played today was recorded in the 19th Century in England. However, it has its origins in the middle ages. It has been an ever-present Olympic sport since 1928.

The mobile phone was invented by which company?
Apple
Nokia
Samsung
Motorola
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Motorola, through Martin Cooper, started working on cellular phone technology in the 1970s. In 1983 the first phones were brought to market. Cooper made the first call with a mobile phone and is considered the "father of the cell phone."

You Got:
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