Question 1: In what language does "ciao" mean both "hello" and "goodbye"?
Question 2: Who created the language Esperanto?
L. L. Zamenhof, a Polish-Jewish ophthalmologist, created Esperanto in 1887. His goal was to design an easy-to-learn, politically neutral language that would foster peace and international understanding between people with different languages.
Question 3: Why is the island of Santorini in Greece known for its unique architecture?
The iconic white and blue buildings of Santorini were originally painted using limestone and volcanic ashes. The white color reflects the summer heat, and the blue represents the sky and sea.
Question 4: In Greek mythology, who was the hero that slew the Minotaur?
According to legend, Theseus volunteered to slay the Minotaur, a half-man half-bull monster that lived in a labyrinth on the island of Crete. He was able to navigate the maze and defeat the beast with the help of Princess Ariadne, who gave him a ball of thread to retrace his path.
Question 5: Why do almonds require a large amount of water to grow compared to other crops?
A single almond requires 1.1 gallons of water to produce. Almonds are grown primarily in California, which has a Mediterranean climate with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Providing the trees enough water during the summer growing season requires extensive irrigation.
Question 6: Where was the Beatles' last public performance held?
The Beatles gave an impromptu final public performance on the rooftop of Apple Corps headquarters at 3 Savile Row, London on January 30, 1969. The performance lasted 42 minutes until the Metropolitan Police asked them to reduce the volume.
Question 7: Who wrote the music for the hit Broadway musical Hamilton?
Lin-Manuel Miranda not only composed the music and lyrics for Hamilton, but also starred in the title role during the musical's original Broadway run. The show incorporates elements of hip-hop, R&B, pop, soul, and traditional-style show tunes.
Question 8: Where was singer Beyonce born?
Beyonce Knowles was born on September 4, 1981 in Houston, Texas. She first rose to fame as the lead singer of the R&B group Destiny's Child in the late 1990s.
Question 9: When did Vincent van Gogh paint The Starry Night?
The Starry Night is one of van Gogh's most famous paintings. He painted it while staying at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in France, where he admitted himself after cutting off part of his own ear.
Question 10: In what year was the first telephone call made?
On March 10, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell made the first successful telephone call, famously saying "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you" to his assistant Thomas Watson.
"Ciao" is an informal Italian greeting that can be used both when meeting and leaving. It was originally used as a casual way to say farewell, but has also become a common way to say hello.