[image: forget-the-nsa-orwells-1984-is-alive-and-well-in-private-industry.jpg] THE USM SOUTHWORTH PLANETARIUM 207-780-4249 www.usm.maine.edu/planet 70 Falmouth Street Portland, Maine 04103 43.6667° N 70.2667° W Altitude: 10 feet below sea level Founded January 1970 Julian date: 2458642.5 "Now I go cleanin' windows to earn an honest bob For a nosy parker it's an interestin' job Now it's a job that just suits me A window cleaner you would be If you can see what I can see When I'm cleanin' windows.." -George Formby *To my adamant Libertarian Big Brother, Richard, who thinks we've never left 1984; and also in the memory of my uncle, Richard, who, after having watched 20 seconds of an MTV video in the actual year 1984, muttered, "Orwell was an optimist." * THE DAILY ASTRONOMER Friday, June 14, 2019 Quiz XXI: "1984" and 1984 This year we celebrate the ____th anniversary of the publication of the quintessential dystopian novel, "1984." (We inserted the blank so as to make the first question slightly more challenging.) George Orwell's masterwork of political fiction envisaged a modern world of constant camera surveillance, appalling privacy infringements, crumbling infrastructure, and a ceaseless preparation for war. Ha ha ha, what an imagination! Today's approved quiz focuses on the cheery, feel good novel that either coined or at least popularized common terms such as "big brother," "group think," and "thought crime." To give the quiz a bit of added zest, we'll include questions about the real year, 1984, which, horrifyingly, is now more than three decades in the past. PART I: THE BOOK "1984" 1. In what year was "1984" published? a. 1919 b. 1929 c. 1939 d. 1949 2. What was George Orwell's real name? a. George Orwell b. Samuel Clemens c. Eric Blair d. Harper Lee 3. In what city did Winston Smith, the main character, live? a. London b. New York c. Paris d. Lagos, Nigeria 4. What was the last sentence in "1984?" a. "He loved Big Brother." b. "Big Brother had stopped breathing." c. "Help, I'm in a zoo!" d. "The party never sang." 5. Which of the following statement(s) about "1984" is/are true? a. It sold only 50 copies the first year it was published b. It was George Orwell's last book c. The actual phrase "Big Brother is watching you" never appears in the book. (It was only used by the publishers when they marketed the book.) d. It was published six months after George Orwell died 6. Who wrote the book, "1985," which was intended as a tribute to Orwell? a. PG Wodehouse b. Anthony Burgess c. Sidney Sheldon d. Salman Rushdie 7. Who was Winston Smith's love interest? a. Julia b. Portia c. Marianne d. Lilith 8. One of the fun activities in which the citizens participate is referred to as the Two Minutes ___________ a. Hate b. Rage c. Hug d. Frenzy 9. What is the name of Winston Smith's chief tormentor/interrogator? a. Syme b. Goldstein c. O'Brien d. Goldfinger 10. What are the first words Big Brother speaks to Winston? a. "You have less frontal development than I should have expected." b. "I have been enjoying your diary." c. "Smith, touch your toes." d. Big Brother is not an actual interactive character in 1984. It is likely an imaginary figurehead crafted by the party. PART II: THE YEAR 1984 11. Ok, can't avoid it any longer. What is 1984 in Roman Numerals? a. MCMLXXXIV b. MCMLXXIV c MCMDCIXX d. MCMLXXXVI 12. In the 1984 US Presidential Election, Ronald Reagan defeated which Democratic Nominee? a. Michael Dukakis b. Jimmy Carter c. Walter Mondale d. Joe Biden 13. What was the highest grossing movie in 1984? a. "Ghostbusters" b. "Beverly Hills Cop" c. "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" d. "The Karate Kid" e. "Rocky MCMLXXXIV" 14. Which one of the following celebrities did not die in 1984? a. Johnny Weissmuller b. Truman Capote c. Bette Davis d. Richard Burton 15. The 1984 Summer Olympics were held in________________ a. Los Angeles b. Berlin c. Sydney d. There were no Summer Olympics in 1984 due to a Soviet boycott 16. In 1984, Robert Bruce Merrifield won__________ a. the MVP in the 1984 World Series b. the Nobel Prize in Chemistry c. $10,000,056 in a lottery (the first person whose winnings exceeded $10 million; $367,000 after taxes) d. the most gold medals in the Summer Olympics 17. In 1984, astronauts Bruce McCandless II and Robert L. Stewart became the first astronauts to_____________ a. go on an untethered space walk b. fly the Space Shuttle c. have their names printed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame d. be assigned to walk on the moon since final moon landing in 1972. (They were assigned to command a proposed moon landing mission which was cancelled later that year due to abrupt funding cancellation.) 18. Which team won the 1984 Super Bowl a. Los Angeles Raiders b. Chicago Bears c. Pittsburgh Steelers d. New England Patriots 19. On May 11, 1984, what rare celestial event occurred? a. a transit of Venus (Venus moved across the Sun) b. a transit of Earth from Mars c. a lunar eclipse with a totality lasting 2 hours, 3 minutes d. all five visible planets were within a five degree circle in the western evening sky. 20. Which one of the following events did not occur in 1984? a. Brunei becomes an independent state b. Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, is assassinated c. The Vatican forgives Galileo for its condemnation 368 years earlier d. Mikhail Gorbachov becomes General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party BONUS QUESTION: 21. Which actor portrayed Dr. Who during the first part of 1984? a. Tom Baker b. Peter Davison c. Colin Baker d. Jon Pertwee PART I: THE BOOK "1984" ANSWERS 1. d. 1949 2. c. Eric Blair 3. a. London 4. a. "He loved Big Brother." 5. b. It was George Orwell's last book 6. b. Anthony Burgess [Yes, the "A Clockwork Orange" guy] 7. a. Julia [Many critics assert that she was a member of the thought police.] 8. a. Hate 9. c. O'Brien 10. d. Big Brother is not an actual interactive character in 1984. It is likely an imaginary figurehead crafted by the party. PART II: THE YEAR 1984 ANSWERS 11. a. MCMLXXXIV 12. c. Walter Mondale 13. b. "Beverly Hills Cop" [Although when revenue generated by its 1985 re-release is included, Ghostbusters made more money. However, with a domestic take slightly exceeding $234 million, Beverly Hills Cop was the year's highest grossing film.] 14. c. Bette Davis [Bette Davis moved on in 1989.] 15. a. Los Angeles 16. b. the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 17. a. go on an untethered space walk 18. a. Los Angeles Raiders [Quick historical note: The New England Patriots ended up 8-8 in the 1983 regular season. Remember those glory days?] 19. b. a transit of Earth from Mars [The next transit of Earth from Mars is scheduled for 2084. Note: the longest possible duration for a total lunar eclipse is 1 hour and 47 minutes] 20. d. Mikhail Gorbachov becomes General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party That event happened on March 11, 1985 BONUS ANSWERS 21. b. Peter Davison The best of all possible doctors was replaced (damnit!) by Colin Baker in March 1984.