FUNDAMENTALS
Almost every year, a new toy gets introduced to the world and becomes a craze. There are some that remain timeless and do not fade away. Find out about fads as well as classic toys in this week’s theme. Write in with your suggestions, questions (with answers) to senjam@gmail.com
TOY STORY
1. This toy became so popular in 2017 that it made it to the Oxford dictionary in 2017 as a new word. A report by EU in 2017 declared this toy as posing a serious threat to child safety. What are we talking about? 2. The trademark of this character is owned by Nintendo, however the character is operated by a company which has three owners — Game Freak, Creatures and Nintendo. What is the name of this character which is a world wide craze? 3. Barbie’s boyfriend is called Ken. Midge and Allen are her friends. What is the name of her sister? 4. The daughter of Ruth and Eillot Handler is the real life inspiration of which popular children’s figure? 5. The hula hoop originated in Australia, where a wooden version was used in gym classes. Why is this popular apparatus of leisure called hula hoop? 6. This is an unusual story. In the late 1930s, employees of a baking company in Bridgeport, Connecticut would toss pie pans back and forth in different manners during their breaks. Customers soon started doing the same. What popular fad is supposed to have originated from this practice? 7. Which toy went by various names — ‘bandalore’ and ‘quiz’ in Great Britain, ‘incroyable’, ‘l’emigrette’ and ‘coblentz’ in France, and ‘disc’ in Greece. It is popularly known across the world by its Filipino name. Identify this toy. 8. A cartoon of an event depicted in the
Washington Star newspaper led to the creation of which worldwide phenomenon?
ANYTHING GOES
1. Which world famous Indian film director debuted as director in 1983 in Kannada movie Pallavi Anu Pallavi? (Dr Megha Krishnan, CMC, Vellore) 2. Erik Homburger Erikson was a psychologist most famous for coining the phrase ‘Identity Crisis’. He is also the author of a book that won him a Pulitzer Prize as well as a National Book award. The subject of the book is an Indian. Name the book. (Dee Surendranath, Hyderabad) 3. Sridevi has essayed roles opposite multiple actors from Kamal Haasan to Jeetendra. With which actor did Sridevi have the longest association stretching to 29 films? (U.N. Murthy, Secunderabad) 4. When Sati burns herself up in the yagna of Daksha, Nandi and his associates try to attack Daksha. Which sage drove them out with a holy mantra? (Commander G.R. Balakrishnan (Retd), Chennai) 5. In India, Teachers’ Day on 5 September commemorates the birthday of Dr S. Radhakrishnan. Globally, Teachers’ Day is celebrated on 5 October. Why? (M.S.M. Abhigna, Hyderabad) 6. Sometimes, along with your newspaper or magazine, you get a CD or booklet affixed to the page. What term is given to such an affixed object which is usually in the form of ad or product sampling? (Partha Sarkar, Kolkata) 7. Alan Melville from South Africa scored centuries in four consecutive Test innings. Between his first two centuries, both scored against England, there was a gap of eight years. Why? (BK Harinath, Mysuru) 8. José Doroteo Arango Arámbula was one of the most prominent figures of the Mexican revolution. How is he better known as? (Aadhist Grover, Kolkata)