Question: What now common device was proposed by Townes in 1958 and built by Maiman in 1960? (Townes got the Nobel Prize and Maiman filed the patent)
Answer: Laser

Question: What was seen and recognised for the first time by Johann Galle in 1846?
Answer: Neptune.

Question: Which member of the Royal Family appeared in the 40th anniversary episode of 'Coronation Street'?
Answer: PRINCE OF WALES (accept Prince Charles)

Question: Which office has been held by Horace King, Selwyn Lloyd and George Thomas?
Answer: Speaker Of The House Of Commons

Question: What is the first name of Andy Murray's brother who won the Mixed Doubles at Wimbledon in 2007 with Jelena Jankovic?
Answer: Jamie

Question: Who married Wendy Deng in 1999?
Answer: Rupert Murdoch

Question: How many coloured squares are there on a standard 'Rubik's Cube'?
Answer: 54

Question: Chapter titles of which classic novel include 'Nantucket', 'Ambergris' and 'Ahab's Leg'?
Answer: 'Moby Dick'

Question: Which Spaniard led an expedition which reached Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital in 1519?
Answer: Hernan Cortes

Question: The African Fish Eagle is the emblem of which team in the 2011 Rugby Union World Cup?
Answer: Namibia

Question: Suzanne Packer who plays 'Tess Bateman' in 'Casualty' is the sister of which now retired, World Champion athlete?
Answer: Colin Jackson

Question: Which period in the Mesozoic era came between the Triassic and the Cretaceous?
Answer: Jurassic

Question: Which nineteenth century conflict is the background to the novel 'Cold Mountain' by Charles Frazier?
Answer: American Civil War

Question: What is the surname of the real life brother and sister who played 'Donnie Darko' and his sister 'Elizabeth' in the 2001 film 'Donnie Darko'?
Answer: GYLLENHAAL (Jake & Maggie)

Question: The US state of Pennsylvania has a coastline on which of the Great Lakes?
Answer: Erie

Question: Give the two words that complete the line of the poem 'Night Mail' by W. H. Auden. "This is the Night Mail crossing the border. Bringing the cheque and the ..... ..... ".?
Answer: """Postal Order"""

Question: Which harbour is the setting for the painting 'Impression, Sunrise', which gave rise to the name of the art movement?
Answer: Le Havre

Question: Who is the lead writer for 'Doctor Who', succeeding Russell T. Davies?
Answer: Steven Moffat

Question: Who scores the goal in this year's FA Cup Final?
Answer: Yaya Toure

Question: Who directed the 1961 film 'Breakfast At Tiffany's'?
Answer: Blake Edwards

Question: In Buckinghamshire which word completes the town High ......, and the village West .....?
Answer: Wycombe

Question: Robert Curthose was the eldest son of which king?
Answer: WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR (or William I)

Question: Which Salford born physicist and brewer, who has an SI unit named after him, lived from 1818 to 1889?
Answer: James Joule

Question: The Sir Tom Finney Sports centre, opened last month, is on which university campus?
Answer: University of CENTRAL LANCASHIRE

Question: What is the one word title of the 2010 drama series, co- written by Steven Moffat, which starred Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role, supported by Martin Freeman?
Answer: 'Sherlock'

Question: Which castle overlooks the village of Castleton in Derbyshire?
Answer: Peveril Castle

Question: What is the name of the Cricket ground which hosted its first England Test Match this year?
Answer: THE ROSE BOWL (Southampton, Hampshire)

Question: In which decade did Muhammad migrate from Mecca to Yathrib, which he renamed Medina?
Answer: 620's (622 AD)

Question: In Hertz, what is the frequency of mains electricity supply in the UK?
Answer: 50

Question: Which composer (1913 to 1976) wrote the music used in the 1936 GPO film 'Night Mail'?
Answer: Benjamin Britten

Question: The book 'A Walk In The Woods' describes Bill Bryson's attempt to hike which trail in the eastern USA?
Answer: Appalachian Trail

Question: In the 2003 film 'Sylvia', Blythe Danner played 'Aurelia Plath', the mother of the title character. Who is her daughter who played 'Sylvia' in the film?
Answer: Gwyneth Paltrow

Question: The US state of Nevada has borders with Arizona, California, Oregon, Utah and which other state?
Answer: Idaho

Question: Who led the Portuguese expedition which was the first to reach India by sea in 1498?
Answer: Vasco Da Gama

Question: 'Banyana Banyana' which translates as 'Girls Girls' is the nickname of which nation's women's football team?
Answer: South Africa

Question: Which French mathematician and physicist, who has an SI unit named after him, lived from 1623 to 1662?
Answer: Blaise Pascal

Question: In which Nottinghamshire town, the largest in the county, is the Rebecca Adlington Swimming Centre?
Answer: Mansfield

Question: What type of creature is 'Great A 'Tuin' which swims through space supporting four huge elephants, which themselves support 'Discworld' in the Terry Pratchett novels?
Answer: Turtle

Question: 'Killer Queen' is a villainess in which musical?
Answer: 'We Will Rock You'

Question: Which policeman is the main character in the Blake Edwards directed 1964 film 'A Shot In The Dark'?
Answer: 'Chief Inspector Clouseau'

Question: The group of Buckinghamshire villages known as 'The Chalfonts' comprises Little Chalfont, Chalfont St. Peters and Chafont St... What?
Answer: Giles

Question: Chapter tiles of which classic novel include 'I Am Sent Away', 'Dora's Aunts' and 'Mr. Micawber's Transactions'?
Answer: 'David Copperfield'

Question: In 1965 who became the first Australian group to top the UK singles charts?
Answer: 'The Seekers'

Question: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall made an appearance on the 60th anniversary of which programme earlier this year?
Answer: 'The Archers'

Question: The smallest province in South Africa is Gauteng. Which city is its capital?
Answer: Johannesburg

Question: What is the surname of the brothers from Luxembourg who came second and third in the 2011 Tour de France?
Answer: SCHLECK (Andy & Frank)

Question: Which play began life as the radio play 'Three Blind Mice' broadcast in 1947?
Answer: 'The Mousetrap'

Question: In which county is Holkham Hall?
Answer: Norfolk

Question: Which children's character lives in 'Bikini Bottom'?
Answer: 'Spongebob Squarepants'

Question: Which children's character lives in 'Pontypandy'?
Answer: 'Fireman Sam'

Question: In which county is Knebworth House?
Answer: Hertfordshire

Question: Complete the name of the Church of England diocese; 'Bath and .....'?
Answer: 'Wells'

Question: Which instrument is played by classical musician Lang Lang?
Answer: Piano

Question: Which country is identified by the name 'Lietuva' on its stamps?
Answer: Lithuania

Question: Which country is identified by the name 'Hrvatska' on its stamps?
Answer: Croatia

Question: When James Garfield was US President, who was his Vice-President?
Answer: Chester Arthur

Question: Which instrument is played by classical musician Yo-Yo Ma?
Answer: Cello

Question: Complete the name of the Church of England diocese 'Sodor and .....'?
Answer: 'Man'

Question: Footballers Phil Jones and Clarke Carlisle are former pupils of Balshaw's High School. In which Lancashire town is the school?
Answer: Leyland

Question: Which word completes the full title of the book, 'The Life And Opinions Of Tristram Shandy ....... '?
Answer: 'Gentleman'

Question: Who presents the ITV quiz show ‘Take on the Twisters’?
Answer: Julia Bradbury

Question: In which city will the 2014 Tour de France begin?
Answer: Leeds

Question: RMS Atlantic which ran aground off Nova Scotia in April 1873 with the loss of over 500 lives was the second ship built for which shipping line?
Answer: White Star

Question: Which island is nicknamed ‘The Lighthouse of the Mediterranean’?
Answer: Stromboli

Question: Which Pink Floyd album cover shows a prism reflecting a beam of light?
Answer: The Dark Side Of The Moon