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Dedicated to my mother.
A lady of the highest class who proves that the kind are the strongest amongst us.
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We know that Mother's Day is not until Sunday. However, Norman, everyday should be
Mother's Day, so in a sense, we're spot on time-wise. This week's quiz
celebrates all things maternal: from the mythological to historical to
contemporary. We offer this tribute to all mothers roaming about on
Mother Earth.
1. According to Greek tradition, Mother Earth's name was:
a. Frigga
b. Gaia
c. Musca
d. Hellioparia
2. By ancient Egyptian reckoning, Bast was the mother of all _______________.
a. pharaohs
b. gods
c. cats
d . stars
3. In 1997, Bobbie McCaughey set a record by producing how many children in a single birth?
a. 4
b. 6
c. 7
d. 8
4. Which swollen footed tragic Greek hero actually wound up killing his
father and marrying his mother, as the Delphic Oracle foretold?
a. Paris
b. Oedipus
c. Meneleaus
d. Polyphemus
5. Elizabeth Ann Buttle holds the record for the greatest age span
between successive children. How many years separates her daughter
Belinda and son Joseph?
a. 25 years
b. 30 years
c. 38 years
d. 41 years
6. In the majority of languages, the word for "mother" starts with what letter?
a. A
b. E
c. U
d. M
7. Who is credited with having started Mother's Day?
a. Joan Crawford
b. Anna Jarvis
c. Eleanor Roosevelt
d. Valentin Olgavorsky
8. Omikami Amaterasu is the mythical mother of the world in which country's mythological tradition?
a. Malaysia
b. Papua New Guinea
c. Singapore
d. Japan
9. When was Mother's Day first observed?
a. May 14, 1866
b. May 10, 1908
c. May 11, 1913
d. October 9, 1919
10. The following are mother-daughter pairs. Which one is not correct?
a. Mother: Tippi Hedren; Daughter: Melanie Griffith
b. Mother: Debbie Reynolds; Daughter: Carrie Fisher
c. Mother: Judy Garland; Daughter: Liza Minnelli
d Mother: Laura Ingalls Wilder; Daughter: Bess Truman
11. What is the name for the irrational fear of mothers?
a. pentheraphobia
b. heraphobia
c. parthanophobia
d. there is no name for this phobia.
12. Which of the following species experience longer gestation periods than humans? (Could be more or less than one)
a. African Elephants
b. Camels
c. Zebras
d. Giraffes
ANSWERS
1. b. Gaia
2. c. cats
3. c. 7
4. b. Oedipus
5. d 41 years
Her daughter, Belinda, was born on May 19,1956 and her son Joseph was
born on November 20, 1997. The daughter is about to celebrate her 59th
birthday, The son is not yet 18.
6. d. M
7. b. Anna Jarvis
8. d. Japan
9. b. May 10, 1908
10. d Mother: Laura Ingalls Wilder; Daughter: Bess Truman
11. a. pentheraphobia
12.
a. African Elephants (22 months!)
b. Camels (13-14 months)
c. Zebras (12 - 13 months)
d. Giraffes (15 months)