FUNDAMENTALS

The 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019nCoV) has created a panic situation across the world. How and when this virus will be contained is a million dollar question. Take this quiz on similar epidemics and pandemics that spread across the world

Write with your suggestions, questions (with answers) to senjam@gmail.com.

PANDEMICS

1. The coronavirus are viruses that cause multiple respiratory infections including common cold. Why is it named coronavirus?

2. What term was first used in 1350 by Simon de Covino, a Belgian astronomer, in a poem “On the Judgment of the Sun at a Feast of Saturn”?

3. The Spanish flu was first detected in Kansas, United States in 1918 and it eventually spread to all continents infecting about 1/3rd of the world’s population. Why was it given the name Spanish flu?

4. It’s commonly believed the plague in Europe was carried by rats. The real carrier of the disease was something else. What?

5. In Asterix and the Chariot Race, Senator Lactus Bifidus proposes a chariot race across the Italic Peninsula to showcase the “excellent” roads of Rome. The favourite to win was a masked Roman. What is his name?

6. Which epidemic devastated the native population of Australia, wiping around 50% of indigenous Australians, in the early years of British colonisation and 90% of Massachusetts Bay native

Americans?

7. Name the valiant doctor who was the first to warn about the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak and then later died after he contracted the virus from an infected patient?

8. Only two infectious viruses have been eradicated. One of course is Small pox. Which other virus has also been completely eradicated?

9. The Wuhan doctor is not the only doctor to die a heroic death after identifying an epidemic. Italian physician Carlo Urbani was the first to identify which disease and later die from it?

10. Name the 2006 film that starred Will Smith as an US army virologist Robert Neville, who is the last human in New York, after the virus has wiped out most of mankind?

ANYTHING GOES

1. Chitalkar was an occasional playback singer who sang some famous duets with Lata such as Kitna haseen hai mausam in film Azad or Shola Jo bhadke in Albela. How do you better know him as?(BK Harinath, Mysuru)

2. Complete this famous quote by Virender Sehwag” Waiting for a catch in the slip position while fielding is like waiting…..” (U.N Murthy, Secunderabad)

3. Most people have visited a Phlebotomist. For what purpose? ( Soulath Mohammed, Hyderabad)

4. This name means “to rise, stand or awake. in Korean, the name means “to rise out of Asia.” What are we referring to?(Philip Joshua, Secunderabad)

5. Which Australian cricketer known for his Australian outdoor type good looks was nicknamed Garth after a comic book action hero?(KC Bhandari Chennai)

6. The capital of which country takes its name from Sanskrit word that means “the aura of God”?(Abhijit Basak, Dum Dum)

7. All the hostels in JNU follow a similar naming pattern. What are they named after? (Partha Sarkar, Kolkata)

8. In 1846 this was extracted a healing tea from ‘Witch Hazel’ Plant which he discovered could heal small cuts and other ailments. The product was named “Golden Treasure.” How do we know it better now? (Dee Surendranath, Hyderabad)