Latest questions: 8 October 2019

This week's questions are from those written for Week 1 of the 2019–20 season in Macclesfield Quiz League, by Rushton Diamonds.

In the nursery rhyme Ding Dong Bell, who put Pussy in the well?		Little Johnny Thin
And who pulled her out?		Little Tommy Stout
Which brand of drink was advertised in a campaign launched in 2016, with the slogan "Shall we?"		Gordon's Gin
From which natural product or material are cinnamon, quinine and aspirin all derived?		Tree bark
Which veteran actress joined the cast of Coronation Street in 2018, playing Evelyn Plummer (Tyrone's gran)?		Maureen Lipman
In J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan, what's the name of the fairy that Peter brought back from the Never Never Land?		Tinker Bell
The title of which novel, first published in 1961, entered the English language to mean a situation from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting or dependent conditions?		Catch–22
Which Music Hall song was a No. 1 hit in the USA for Herman's Hermits in 1965?		I'm Henry VIII, I Am
To which Pacific island nation does Bikini Atoll (used by the USA for nuclear testing between 1946 and 1958) belong?		Marshall Islands
By what name are the Greater Antilles, the Lesser Antilles and the Lucayan Archipelago collectively known?		The West Indies
Which Scottish council area is the largest local government area anywhere in the UK?		Highland
What is the name of the Welsh village where 116 children and 28 adults lost their lives in October 1966, when a colliery spoil tip slipped, burying homes and part of a school?		Aberfan
Used especially in a religious context, what does the word 'ablution' mean?		Washing
Which South American country joined OPEC in 1973, left in 1992, and rejoined in 2007?		Ecuador
Which collaborative art duo are known for their distinctive and highly formal appearance and manner in performance art, and also for their brightly–coloured graphic–style photo–based artworks including Naked Shit Pictures (1994), Dirty Words Pictures (1977, first exhibited together in 2002) and Jack Freak Pictures (2009)?		Gilbert & George
Who wrote the 2005 novel We Need to Talk about Kevin, which won the Orange Prize for Fiction and was filmed in 2011 starring Tilda Swinton?		Lionel Shriver
What is the title of Margaret Atwood's sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, published earlier this year?		The Testaments
Which Croatian coastal city became a destination for Game of Thrones fans after it was used as the location for scenes set in King's Landing, capital of the Seven Kingdoms (from Series 2)?		Dubrovnik
Who resigned as Work and Pensions Secretary on 7 September 2019 (having been appointed by Theresa May in November 2018) over Boris Johnson's "purge" of the Conservative Party and his failure to pursue a deal with the EU? She previously resigned as Home Secretary under May in April 2018, having been accused of misleading MPs over the Windrush scandal.		Amber Rudd
Which Italian crime drama television series (broadcast on Sky Atlantic in the UK, from 2014) is set in Naples, and features the Savastano gangster 'clan'?		Gomorrah
Which American lager claims to be the King of Beers?		Budweiser
Which river rises on Axe Edge Moor, near Buxton, and forms the border between Staffordshire and Derbyshire for much of its length, before flowing into the Trent? It was made famous by its association with Izaak Walton, author of The Compleat Angler (although it's hardly mentioned in the book).		The Dove
The common English name of which herb is derived from its Latin name, which means 'dew of the sea'?		Rosemary
What first name was Boris Johnson given at birth?		Alexander
Garlic, Bibles, crucifixes, rosaries, holy water, and mirrors have all been seen in various folkloric traditions as means of warding against or identifying what supernatural creatures?		Vampires
What was the name of the 'marmalade' cat that appeared in 19 books, between 1938 and 1972, written and illustrated by Kathleen Hale (who died in 2000 aged 101)?		Orlando
Garlic, Bibles, crucifixes, rosaries, holy water, and mirrors have all been seen in various folkloric traditions as means of warding against or identifying what type of supernatural beings?		Vampires
If you take your car for an MOT test, what does MOT stand for?		Ministry of Transport
In Arthurian legend, what name is given to the castle where the Holy Grail is said to be kept – the domain of the Fisher King, and the birthplace of Galahad?		Corbenic
Which popular cartoon character first appeared in 1919, in the animated short film Feline Follies (produced by Pat Sullivan Studios)?		Felix the Cat
A knee kicker would be used by someone in which occupation?		Carpet fitter
To which bird did William Wordsworth write, "Shall I call thee Bird / Or but a wandering Voice"?		The cuckoo
Complete the proverb: Marry in haste ...		Repent at leisure
Complete the proverb: The hand that rocks the cradle ...		Rules the world

© Haydn Thompson 2019