A molecular biologist from Madurai, our quizmaster enjoys trivia and music, and is working on a rock ballad called ‘Coffee is a Drink, Kaapi is an Emotion’. @bertyashley
Sunday Quiz | Easy like Sunday morning: on books
Roald Dahl’s books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide. Seen in this undated picture with his grandson.
START THE QUIZ
1 / 10 |
Born on May 15, 1856, L. Frank Baum was an American novelist whose biggest contribution was a series of books on the adventures of a Kansas farm girl and her pet dog Toto. This was subsequently made into Broadway musicals and movies. The 1939 live-action film of the same name was one of the first to use technicolour and it won many Oscars. What book was this, which is described as ‘America’s greatest homegrown fairytale’?
2 / 10 |
Carlo Lorenzini’s book Storiadiun Burattino (The Story Of A Marionette), was published weekly in an Italian newspaper. In 1940, it was made by Walt Disney into their second animated feature film and won its first competitive Oscar award. The song ‘When you wish upon a star’ is now the signature song for the company. What is the movie?
3 / 10 |
This classic book by Roald Dahl revolves around the adventures of a poor boy and his grandfather. This book was made into a movie in 1971 and re-adapted in 2005 by Tim Burton. The 1971 movie is named after the person who invites the boy, whereas the 2005 movie stays true to the original title of the book. During the shoot of the movie, Nestle provided 1,850 bars of chocolate to the actors on the set. What is the title of the book and the 2005 movie?
Answer : Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
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4 / 10 |
This series of seven fantasy novels by C.S. Lewis are set in a fictional realm that some children discover by walking through a cupboard. The series was adapted into a movie trilogy, which became one of the highest-grossing series of all time. The characters and the set were kept a secret till filming; hence all the reactions of the actors you see on screen are spontaneous. Which series is this that now has a fourth title being readied for Netflix?
5 / 10 |
Dodie Smith was an English novelist whose creations were first enjoyed in a serial format in the magazine Woman’s Day and was later made into a novel. It follows the adventures of Pongo and Missis, two pets of Mr. & Mrs. Dearly. These adventures were first made into an animated movie in 1961 by Walt Disney and consequently became a franchise with TV series, cartoon series, video games and even a stage play with the same name. What is the name of the book which refers to the breed of the dog?
Answer : The Hundred and one Dalmatians
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YES
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6 / 10 |
In 1987, Anne Fine published a book about a family where the parents are divorced and the father wants to spend more time with his three children. This book was made into a hilarious movie in 1993, starring Robin Williams, and was also adapted in an Indian version by Kamal Haasan. What is the name of the book and the slightly modified title of the 1993 movie?
Answer : Madame Doubtfire (Mrs. Doubtfire)
DID YOU KNOW THE ANSWER?
YES
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7 / 10 |
When mathematician Charles Dodgson published this novel in 1865, its narrative, characters and imagery had a huge influence on popular culture and literature, especially in the fantasy genre. It followed the adventures of a little girl who is on a trip and he followed it up with a sequel where she steps through a mirror. Two of the most iconic movies made on this book were the 1951 Walt Disney version and the 2010 version by Tim Burton, which also incorporated characters from the second book. What novel is this that has fascinated readers for more than a century?
8 / 10 |
Pamela Lyndon Travers was an Australian-born writer whose first book was published when she was a teenager. She migrated to England where she wrote a series of eight books about a nanny with magical powers. Seeing the success of her stories, Walt Disney himself visited Travers at her home and obtained the rights to make a film. In 1964, the film became a resounding success and was the debut of an actress who went on to become a global phenomenon. Which is the movie and who was the actress?
Answer : Mary Poppins, Julie Andrews
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YES
NO
9 / 10 |
Hugh Lofting, while fighting in World War I, did not want to write home to his children about the brutal war. He wrote a series of letters about a physician who prefers taking care of animals, who he could relate to more than humans. Later turned into books, these stories were adapted into many movies starring stars Rex Harrison, Eddie Murphy and most recently Robert Downey Jr. Under what name were they all known?
10 / 10 |
According to author Michael Bond, this character was partly inspired by the child refugees he saw passing through stations with little tags around their necks during World War II. In 2014, a live-action animated movie was made followed by a sequel in 2017. Brexit and anti-immigration tendencies in the U.K. also led to discussions about the books. The debates stated that if the story was set in modern times the title character would have been denied permission to stay in the U.K., and would have never found a family. Who is this endearing character?
