Junior Schools' Questions 2024/25 - Set A
Junior Schools Challenge 2024/25 – Set A
Starter & Bonus Questions (Sets of questions together)
1 What is the sequel to A.A. Milne’s book, ‘Winnie the Pooh’? The House at Pooh Corner
Bonuses:
Which wood was part of the fictional land inhabited by Winnie the
Pooh and his friends? Hundred Acre Wood
What is the name of the young boy in the series of Pooh books?
Christopher Robin
Which American media company first put Winnie the Pooh on the big
screen in 1966? Disney
2 What is a sidewinder? Snake
Bonuses:
Name these snakes found in the UK from their descriptions:
The UK’s only venomous snake with red eyes and a zigzag pattern on
its back? Adder
The largest UK snake, growing up to 150cm long. It is usually olive
green in colour? Grass
Which UK Home Nation has been snake free since before the last Ice
Age? Ireland (accept Northern or Southern)
What would you expect to find inside a Kinder Surprise egg? A toy
Bonuses:
What does the German word ‘kinder’ mean? Children
Kinder chocolate is produced by which Italian confectionery
company? Ferrero
In which sport does Kinder sponsor the Spanish, Italian & Portuguese
national teams? Volleyball
Who are Porthos, Athos & Aramis? The Three Musketeers
Bonuses:
Who wrote the Three Musketeers? Alexandre Dumas
Which other famous adventure novel written by Dumas has a hero by
the name of Edmond Dantes? The Count of Monte Cristo
Dumas’ death in December 1870 was overshadowed by which war
which had just got underway? Franco-Prussian War
5 What is the name of the month during which Muslims fast during
daylight hours? Ramadan
Bonuses:
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar – in which
month of the year does Ramadan start in 2025?
February
What is the name given to the pre-dawn meal before the daily fast
during Ramadan? Suhur
What is the name given to the meal at sunset that breaks the fast? Iftar
What name do an Australian state, a famous waterfall & an African lake all share? Victoria
Bonuses:
Name these famous Victorias from their descriptions:
Born in Kensington Palace in May 1819, her first name was
actually Alexandrina? Queen Victoria
She hosts the quiz show ‘Only Connect’ and is a professional
poker player? Victoria Coren Mitchell
English comedian, actress and writer who died in April 2016? Victoria Wood
The largest artery in the human body is connected to the heart. What is
it called? Aorta
Bonuses:
Three more questions on the human heart:
The heart has how many chambers? Four
What name is given to the two upper chambers? Atria
What are the two lower chambers are called? Ventricles
In the ‘Shrek’ movies, what comic actor voices the character of
‘Donkey’? Eddie Murphy
Bonuses:
Some more questions on Eddie Murphy:
In which city was he born in 1961? New York
Which Doctor, who has the ability to talk to the animals, has he
played in two movies? Dolittle
How many Shrek films have been released so far? Four
(Shrek, Shrek 2, Shrek The Third & Shrek Forever After)
Anglesey is an island off the coast of which UK Home Nation? Wales
Bonuses:
Which body of water separates Anglesey from the Welsh mainland? Menai Strait
Who built the Menai suspension bridge connecting Anglesey to
the mainland? Thomas Telford
Telford was born in which UK nation? Scotland
Which Premier League footballer recently became the first player to
score four goals in the first half of a Premier League match?
Cole Palmer
Bonuses:
Three questions now on Chelsea FC Women:
Chelsea FC Women have won the Women’s Super League how many times? Seven
Who was their coach until the end of the 2024 season?
Emma Hayes
Emma Hayes is now the coach of which National Team?
United States Women
11 King Richard I was the son of which King of England? Henry II
Bonuses:
Who was Richard I’s mother? Eleanor (of Aquitane)
What was the name of his brother who succeeded him? John
John was succeeded by his son who took on which title? Henry III
12 Which beautiful Greek youth fell in love with his own reflection and
was ultimately turned into a flower? Narcissus
Bonuses:
The spring-flowering bulbs in the genus Narcissus are commonly known by what name? Daffodils
The Daffodil is the national flower of which UK Home Nation? Wales
St David ordered his soldiers to wear which vegetable on their
helmets during a battle against the Saxons? Leeks
13 What did Moses bring down from Mount Sinai? Ten Commandments
Bonuses:
What is the sixth commandment? Thou shalt not kill
According to Jewish tradition, how many commandments are there in the Torah? 613
According to Exodus, the stone tablets with the ten commandments on were stored where?
In the Ark of the Covenant
14 In ‘Eagle Strike’, part of the Alex Rider series, what is the first game
to be used in the Gameslayer console? Feathered Serpent
Bonuses:
Which author wrote the Alex Rider series of books? Anthony Horowitz
Horowitz has also written novels based on unfinished material by Ian Fleming with which British agent as their hero? James Bond
He has also written scripts for television based on the writings of
Agatha Christie, describing the adventures of which famous,
Belgian detective? Hercule Poirot
15 What is the most abundant element in the universe? Hydrogen
Bonuses:
Give the name of the following Hydrogen Compounds from their
Chemical formulae:
NH3 Ammonia
CH4 Methane
HCl Hydrochloric Acid
16 The mountain K2 is situated on the border between China and which
other country? Pakistan
Bonuses:
For ten points each, which two Yorkshiremen recently put on 454
runs for England against Pakistan in Multan to break the record for
the highest English partnership in a Test Match?
Joe Root & Harry Brook
Joe Root has also just overtaken which batter as England’s all time
leading test run scorer? Alastair Cook
17 Which book has the following subtitle – ‘The boy who wouldn’t grow
up’? Peter Pan
Bonuses:
In which of London’s Royal parks, will you find a statue of Peter
Pan? Kensington Gardens
What was the name of the mythical island on which Peter spent his
childhood? Neverland
Which girl’s name became popular after its inclusion amongst the
characters in Peter Pan? Wendy
18 Before they adopted the Euro – which country used the ‘guilder’ as their
currency? Netherlands
Bonuses:
What currency is used in the following countries:
Luxembourg? Euro
Dominican Republic? Peso
Lesotho? Loti
19 Which is the only month that contains the letter ‘D’? December
Bonuses:
The following are definitions of words beginning with ‘DEC’:
Killing one in every ten people as a punishment? Decimation
Converting code into ordinary language? Deciphering
Cutting off a head? Decapitation
20 The summer solstice was recently celebrated by many at which famous
site? Stonehenge
Bonuses:
In which English county is Stonehenge? Wiltshire
Members of which Pagan religion worship at Stonehenge? Druids
Which organisation manages the site of Stonehenge? English Heritage
21 In which country was the Battle of El Alamein fought in World War II?
Egypt
Bonuses:
What was the nickname for the British soldiers who took part in the
North African campaign in World War II? Desert Rats
Who led the British forces in Africa? Montgomery
Who led the German forces? Rommel
22 The term ‘hashtag’ originated on which social network site? Twitter
(now known as ‘X’)
Bonuses:
Who bought Twitter and renamed it in 2022? Elon Musk What car manufacturer does Musk also own? Tesla
What is the name of his company that recent launched a rocket?
SpaceX
23 Which historical character is also the subject of a legend regarding his
cat and the fortune it made him? Dick Whittington
Bonuses:
Three questions on famous cats:
Which cat has been ‘Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office’ since
2011? Larry
From which county did the cat hail in ‘Alice in Wonderland’? Cheshire
Which cartoon cat was not overweight but ‘under tall’?
Garfield
24 According to the proverb, what does the early bird catch? The worm
Bonuses:
Some more proverbs to complete:
People who live in glass houses should not…? Throw stones
Don’t put all of your eggs in….? One basket
Laughter is the best…? Medicine
25 What is the speciality of a dermatologist? Skin
Bonuses:
The following medics are specialists in which field:
Haematologist? Blood
Neurologist? Brain
Otolaryngologist? Ear, Nose & Throat
(one of the three ok for the points)
26 Name the best-known children’s book character created by Rick
Riordan? Percy Jackson
Bonuses:
What is the name of the mythological parent of the following
characters:
Annabeth Chase? Athena
Luke Castellan? Hermes
Clarisse La Rue? Ares
27 ‘Lord of the Flies’ is a literal translation of which word for the Devil?
Beelzebub
Bonuses:
Three more questions about the devil:
What name for the devil, refers to the fallen angel of Light? Lucifer
In Judaism, the devil is known as what? Satan
The name ‘Iblis’, the personal name for the devil, appears in which
holy book? Qur’an
28 Which arctic dwelling whale, that lives for 200 years, is the longest
living mammal on Earth? Bowhead whale
Bonuses:
For ten points each, name three of the countries that form the
Arctic?
Canada, Russia, USA, Greenland, Norway, Finland, Sweden & Iceland
29 Which scientist was the first to make Mercury thermometers
commercially in the early 18th century? (Daniel) Fahrenheit
Bonuses:
Three questions about Freddie Mercury:
Freddie was born in Zanzibar in 1946. In which modern-day
country is Zanzibar located? Tanzania
Which European city did he sing about with the soprano,
Montserrat Caballe in 1988? Barcelona
What was the name of the blockbuster film in 2018 that
dramatized his life? Bohemian Rhapsody
30 The collective noun for a group of which animals is called a ‘knot’?
Toads
Bonuses:
Which animals have the following collective nouns:
Parliament? Owls
Conspiracy? Ravens
Bloat? Hippopotami
31 In which US sitcom did one of the regular characters become an
astronaut? The Big Bang Theory
Bonuses:
In which California city is ‘The Big Bang Theory’ set? Pasadena
At which university do the main characters work? Caltech
What is the title of the prequel series? Young Sheldon
32 Which company markets the computer product, ‘Acrobat’? Adobe
Bonuses:
Which software companies produce the following:
Office 365? Microsoft
YouTube? Google
Mailchimp? Intuit
33 Which war was fought (in theory) to end slavery in America?
American Civil War
Bonuses:
The southern slave states and the northern free states were divided
by which famous line? Mason-Dixon line
For ten points each, name two of the four states that were divided
by the line?
Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware & West Virginia
34 Which Italian pasta is shaped like seashells? Conchiglie
Bonuses:
Give the shape of the following pastas:
Fusilli? Spirals / Twists
Farfalle? Bows
Rigatoni? Tubes (Ridged)
35 The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival is also known by which other
name? Moon Festival
Bonuses:
Which sweet treat is given as a gift during this festival?
Mooncake
What is special about the full moon at this time?
It is at its brightest
By what name is this moon known in the UK? Harvest moon
36 Nomanisan island is the location of the villain’s base in what Pixar
film? The Incredibles
Bonuses:
In which sea would you find the island of Hispaniola?
Caribbean sea
For ten points each, which two countries occupy the island of
Hispaniola? Dominican Republic & Haiti
37 Name one of the elements that is used to make microchips?
Silicon/Germanium
Bonuses:
Three more questions on Silicon:
What is the name of the city in ‘Silicon Valley’ that is home to Apple
& Google? Palo Alto
‘Palo Alto’ means ‘tall stick’ in which language? Spanish
To which type of tree does ‘Palo Alto’ refer? Redwood
38 Who wrote ‘The Wind in the Willows’? Kenneth Grahame
Bonuses:
For ten points each, who were Badger’s three unpleasant
neighbours? Stoats, Weasels & Ferrets
39 In the story of the Trojan War, who was the husband of Helen & the
King of Sparta? Menelaus
Bonuses:
Who was Menelaus’ brother? Agamemnon
Who was given permission to steal Helen? Paris
Who was the King of Troy at this time? Priam
40 Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant and so should not be given which
drink? Milk
Bonuses:
In which languages are the following words for milk:
Latte? Italian
Gala? Greek
Mleko? Polish