Dear lord...

[flemmings]

The King William's College General Knowledge test. I think I know three answers out of 170-odd, and recognize the source of three more but can't answer them.

Since 1904, the College has set an annual general knowledge test, known as the General Knowledge Paper (GKP). The pupils sit the test twice; once unseen on the day before the Christmas holidays, and again when they return to school in the New Year, after having spent the holiday researching the answers. However, the test is now voluntary. It is well-known to be highly difficult, a common score being just two correct answers from the list of several hundred.

How lucky to be living in the Age of Google, even if the test is no longer compulsory. And I'm relieved that it's an exercise in research, not in actual general knowledge.

Comments

[incandescens]

I think I'm sharing this with family. Thank you!

[flemmings.livejournal.com]

You're welcome, she says dubiously. The Grauniad also has last year's quiz (with answers) more of which I got once I realized that, oh, this is all operas or operettas. Less luck with the ones where everyone had a name in common. From the few I googled of this year, I see no common threads like that-- but doubtless I just don't know enough.

Merry Christmas to you and your family, while I'm here.

[i-am-zan.livejournal.com]

whoa!!!

That was hard ... I couldn't even get the Holmesian question. I think I read them all far too long ago for my memory to serve me at all. You could get three ... I couldn't get one although (I thought I had got the x-ray question right, but wasn't, the Corning-Schott one I thought was Corningware but is probably Gorilla Glass, and the only one anywhere near correct was Rex Whistler who may have painted North Devon scenes for Wedgewood, only because my mother had some once upon a time (http://www.antiques-atlas.com/antique/wedgwood_rex_whistler_coffee_cans_and_saucers/as241a140)

But augh! They were hard ... I've have been in detention permanently! ^_^

[flemmings.livejournal.com]

(I thought I had got the x-ray question right, but wasn't, the Corning-Schott one I thought was Corningware but is probably Gorilla Glass

Your knowledge of arcane fields flabbergasts me, especially as I don't even know what fields they are.

[i-am-zan.livejournal.com]

Hardly arcane fields dear ... I should've got the x-ray question because it is in my Degree history somewhere. (Whilst I never studied Radiography itself, names like Bohr and Mosely should be in my knowledge.

As a homemaker Corning (and Corningware) are familiar to me and as a procurer of glass ware for laboratories etc for when I worked in my laboratory, the superior quality glassmakers Schott is a name lab rats see a lot of. ^__^ Gorilla Glass is one or the other's product which one or the other swears they did first. Cannot remember which way round it is.

Inspired by the holes in my memory of things Holmes-ian, I have picked up 'A Study in Scarlet' - which the girl received as a Christmas present from me. She has read it already and is reading Sign of Four now.

Something to do before the new year I hope.