Question 1: If an actor forgets their lines and improvises to keep the scene going, they are said to be doing what?
Question 2: When light passes through a prism, it undergoes which phenomenon?
When light passes through a prism, it undergoes dispersion, which is the separation of white light into its constituent colors. This occurs because different wavelengths of light travel at different speeds through the prism, causing them to bend at different angles and emerge separated.
Question 3: Where did the croissant originate?
Although often associated with France, the croissant actually originated in Austria. It was created in 1683 to celebrate the defeat of the Ottoman Turks by Austrian forces in the siege of Vienna. The shape is said to represent the crescent moon, a symbol of the Ottoman Empire.
Question 4: How many pounds of wheat are needed to make one pound of bread?
It takes about 1.3 pounds of wheat to make one pound of bread. This is because the wheat goes through a milling process that removes the outer bran and germ layers, leaving only the endosperm which is then ground into flour used for making bread.
Question 5: Why was the Gregorian calendar introduced?
The Gregorian calendar was introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII to correct a slight inaccuracy in the Julian calendar, which had caused the calendar to drift away from the solar year by about 10 days. The Gregorian calendar is still the most widely used civil calendar today.
Question 6: What was the pen name used by author Eric Blair?
Eric Blair, better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English novelist, essayist and journalist. He is best known for his novels Animal Farm (1945) and Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), which are acclaimed for their keen political insight and condemnation of totalitarianism.
Question 7: If a vehicle's engine is described as an "L4", what does the "L" indicate?
In an L4 engine, also known as an inline-four engine, the four cylinders are arranged in a straight line along the crankshaft. This is a common configuration for many passenger vehicles due to its compact size and good balance of power and efficiency.
Question 8: How many different types of whiskey are there?
There are 3 main types of whiskey - Scotch whiskey, American whiskey (which includes bourbon), and Irish whiskey. Each type has its own distinct characteristics based on the grains used, production methods, and aging processes.
Question 9: When was the first successful human-to-human heart transplant performed?
The first successful human-to-human heart transplant was performed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard in Cape Town, South Africa, on December 3, 1967. The patient, Louis Washkansky, received the heart of a young woman who had died in a car accident.
Question 10: Which scale is used to measure wind speed?
The Beaufort Scale is an empirical measure that relates wind speed to observed conditions at sea or on land. It was created by Francis Beaufort, an Irish hydrographer, in 1805. The scale ranges from 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane).
Ad-libbing is the theatrical technique of improvising lines when an actor forgets their scripted dialogue. It comes from the Latin phrase "ad libitum" meaning "at one's pleasure". Skilled ad-libbing can rescue a scene and even add spontaneity and realism to the performance.