Answer: ring-porous

Context: In ring-porous species, such as ash, black locust, catalpa, chestnut, elm, hickory, mulberry, and oak, the larger vessels or pores (as cross sections of vessels are called) are localised in the part of the growth ring formed in spring, thus forming a region of more or less open and porous tissue. The rest of the ring, produced in summer, is made up of smaller vessels and a much greater proportion of wood fibers. These fibers are the elements which give strength and toughness to wood, while the vessels are a source of weakness.[citation needed]

Question: What species of hardwood are hickory and mulberry trees?


Answer: spring

Question: In what season do the growth-rings of ring-porous species form with larger vessels localized?


Answer: summer

Question: In what season does the part of the growth-ring with smaller vessels form in ring-porous species?


Answer: wood fibers

Question: What fibers does the summer's section of growth-ring have more of?


Answer: toughness

Question: Along with strength, what property do wood fibers lend to wood?


Answer: diffuse-porous

Context: In diffuse-porous woods the pores are evenly sized so that the water conducting capability is scattered throughout the growth ring instead of being collected in a band or row. Examples of this kind of wood are alder, basswood,[citation needed] birch, buckeye, maple, willow,and the Populus species such as aspen, cottonwood and poplar. Some species, such as walnut and cherry, are on the border between the two classes, forming an intermediate group.[citation needed]

Question: What kind of woods have pores that are uniformly sized?


Answer: Populus

Question: What species do aspen, cottonwood, and poplar trees belong to?


Answer: cherry

Question: With walnut, what's another tree in the intermediate group?


Answer: water conducting

Question: What capability is spread through the growth ring in ring-porous species?


Answer: diffuse-porous

Question: Is maple wood diffuse-porous or ring-porous?


Answer: temperate

Context: In temperate softwoods there often is a marked difference between latewood and earlywood. The latewood will be denser than that formed early in the season. When examined under a microscope the cells of dense latewood are seen to be very thick-walled and with very small cell cavities, while those formed first in the season have thin walls and large cell cavities. The strength is in the walls, not the cavities. Hence the greater the proportion of latewood the greater the density and strength. In choosing a piece of pine where strength or stiffness is the important consideration, the principal thing to observe is the comparative amounts of earlywood and latewood. The width of ring is not nearly so important as the proportion and nature of the latewood in the ring.

Question: What kind of softwoods often have significant differences in their earlywood and latewood?


Answer: denser

Question: Is latewood denser or less dense than earlywood?


Answer: walls

Question: Does strength come from the walls or cavities of wood cells?


Answer: thin

Question: Are the cell walls of earlywood thick or thin?


Answer: very small

Question: What general size are the cavities in the cells of very dense latewood?


Answer: heavy

Context: If a heavy piece of pine is compared with a lightweight piece it will be seen at once that the heavier one contains a larger proportion of latewood than the other, and is therefore showing more clearly demarcated growth rings. In white pines there is not much contrast between the different parts of the ring, and as a result the wood is very uniform in texture and is easy to work. In hard pines, on the other hand, the latewood is very dense and is deep-colored, presenting a very decided contrast to the soft, straw-colored earlywood.

Question: Comparing a heavy and a lightweight piece of wood from a pine, which would have a greater proportion of latewood?


Answer: growth rings

Question: What feature of a piece of pine with more latewood would be more clear and pronounced?


Answer: white pines

Question: What type of tree has very little contrast between parts of its growth rings?


Answer: easy

Question: Is white pine easy or difficult to work with because of its texture?


Answer: hard pines

Question: What kind of pines have very deep, darkly colored hardwood that stands out against the light earlywood?


Answer: quality

Context: It is not only the proportion of latewood, but also its quality, that counts. In specimens that show a very large proportion of latewood it may be noticeably more porous and weigh considerably less than the latewood in pieces that contain but little. One can judge comparative density, and therefore to some extent strength, by visual inspection.

Question: Having a high proportion of latewood isn't all that matters; what else is important?


Answer: comparative density

Question: What can we judge in wood just by looking at it?


Answer: strength

Question: What property of wood could we project some indication of by looking at its density?


Answer: porous

Question: What could we call some specimens with a high proportion of latewood that explains why they weigh less than specimens with much less latewood?


Answer: character

Context: No satisfactory explanation can as yet be given for the exact mechanisms determining the formation of earlywood and latewood. Several factors may be involved. In conifers, at least, rate of growth alone does not determine the proportion of the two portions of the ring, for in some cases the wood of slow growth is very hard and heavy, while in others the opposite is true. The quality of the site where the tree grows undoubtedly affects the character of the wood formed, though it is not possible to formulate a rule governing it. In general, however, it may be said that where strength or ease of working is essential, woods of moderate to slow growth should be chosen.

Question: What facet of wood is affected to some degree by the place where the tree grows?


Answer: moderate to slow

Question: If you want wood that's easy to work with, what kind of growth would you want the tree to have?


Answer: conifers

Question: What species of tree can be said to growth ring proportions that aren't determined just by their rate of growth?


Answer: latewood

Question: What counterpart of earlywood are scientists still trying to explain the formation of?


Answer: a rule

Question: While there is some relationship between where and how a tree grows, what can't anyone formulate to govern it?


Answer: ring-porous

Context: In ring-porous woods each season's growth is always well defined, because the large pores formed early in the season abut on the denser tissue of the year before.

Question: What kind of woods always have very clearly marked seasonal growth?


Answer: large

Question: What size pores form early in ring-porous woods' growing season?


Answer: the year before

Question: When does the denser tissue the new pores abut come from?


Answer: rate of growth

Context: In the case of the ring-porous hardwoods there seems to exist a pretty definite relation between the rate of growth of timber and its properties. This may be briefly summed up in the general statement that the more rapid the growth or the wider the rings of growth, the heavier, harder, stronger, and stiffer the wood. This, it must be remembered, applies only to ring-porous woods such as oak, ash, hickory, and others of the same group, and is, of course, subject to some exceptions and limitations.

Question: Ring-porous hardwoods have a clear relationship between their properties and what other factor?


Answer: wider

Question: Is harder, heavier wood indicated by narrower or wider growth rings?


Answer: hickory

Question: What kind of wood with a name that starts with "H" is a ring-porous hardwood?


Answer: more rapid

Question: If the growth rings are wider, was the growth of the tree slower or more rapid?


Answer: ring-porous

Question: What is the only kind of wood that will definitely be harder and stronger when it grows faster?


Answer: latewood

Context: In ring-porous woods of good growth it is usually the latewood in which the thick-walled, strength-giving fibers are most abundant. As the breadth of ring diminishes, this latewood is reduced so that very slow growth produces comparatively light, porous wood composed of thin-walled vessels and wood parenchyma. In good oak these large vessels of the earlywood occupy from 6 to 10 percent of the volume of the log, while in inferior material they may make up 25% or more. The latewood of good oak is dark colored and firm, and consists mostly of thick-walled fibers which form one-half or more of the wood. In inferior oak, this latewood is much reduced both in quantity and quality. Such variation is very largely the result of rate of growth.

Question: Which specific type of wood within ring-porous woods have more fibers to make it strong?


Answer: breadth of ring

Question: When there is less latewood, what is diminishing?


Answer: slow

Question: Does slow or rapid growth make relatively porous, light wood?


Answer: good

Question: What kind of oak has just 6-10% volume of large vessels in the log?


Answer: thick-walled

Question: What kind of fibers are in the latewood of good oak, making it very firm?


Answer: second-growth

Context: Wide-ringed wood is often called "second-growth", because the growth of the young timber in open stands after the old trees have been removed is more rapid than in trees in a closed forest, and in the manufacture of articles where strength is an important consideration such "second-growth" hardwood material is preferred. This is particularly the case in the choice of hickory for handles and spokes. Here not only strength, but toughness and resilience are important. The results of a series of tests on hickory by the U.S. Forest Service show that:

Question: What term is sometimes used for wood with wide rings?


Answer: open stands

Question: Do young trees grow more quickly in open stands or in a closed forest?


Answer: strength

Question: What property is important to manufacturers who use "second-growth" hardwood?


Answer: hickory

Question: What specific kind of "second-growth" hardwood is often used to make handles and spokes?


Answer: U.S. Forest Service

Question: What organization tested hickory to find out about its properties?


Answer: diffuse-porous

Context: In the diffuse-porous woods, the demarcation between rings is not always so clear and in some cases is almost (if not entirely) invisible to the unaided eye. Conversely, when there is a clear demarcation there may not be a noticeable difference in structure within the growth ring.

Question: What kind of wood often has ring divisions that can't even be seen by looking at it?


Answer: structure

Question: In diffuse-porous woods, if the demarcation between rings is obvious, what type of difference within the ring might not be?


Answer: unaided

Question: What adjective describes how our eyes function without a tool like a microscope to help?


Answer: diffuse-porous

Context: In diffuse-porous woods, as has been stated, the vessels or pores are even-sized, so that the water conducting capability is scattered throughout the ring instead of collected in the earlywood. The effect of rate of growth is, therefore, not the same as in the ring-porous woods, approaching more nearly the conditions in the conifers. In general it may be stated that such woods of medium growth afford stronger material than when very rapidly or very slowly grown. In many uses of wood, total strength is not the main consideration. If ease of working is prized, wood should be chosen with regard to its uniformity of texture and straightness of grain, which will in most cases occur when there is little contrast between the latewood of one season's growth and the earlywood of the next.

Question: What kind of wood has all similarly sized vessels?


Answer: medium

Question: What rate of growth in a tree will make the wood from it stronger than trees that grow very slowly or very quickly?


Answer: water

Question: The capability of diffuse-porous woods to carry what substance is spread out in the growth ring?


Answer: conifers

Question: What division of trees are diffuse-porous woods more similar in growth rate to than ring-porous woods?


Answer: little

Question: Does uniformity of the texture and grain of wood usually result from much or little contrast between earlywood and latewood?


Answer: dicot

Context: Structural material that resembles ordinary, "dicot" or conifer wood in its gross handling characteristics is produced by a number of monocot plants, and these also are colloquially called wood. Of these, bamboo, botanically a member of the grass family, has considerable economic importance, larger culms being widely used as a building and construction material in their own right and, these days, in the manufacture of engineered flooring, panels and veneer. Another major plant group that produce material that often is called wood are the palms. Of much less importance are plants such as Pandanus, Dracaena and Cordyline. With all this material, the structure and composition of the structural material is quite different from ordinary wood.

Question: What's another term used for "conifer" wood?


Answer: monocot

Question: What type of plants produce material that is referred to as "wood" even though it is technically not?


Answer: bamboo

Question: What monocot plant produces "wood" by the same name that's often used for flooring and veneer?


Answer: grass

Question: While we call bamboo "wood," what botanical family does it belong to?


Answer: palms

Question: Along with bamboo, what's the other monocot that's a major source of so-called "wood"?


Answer: specific gravity

Context: The single most revealing property of wood as an indicator of wood quality is specific gravity (Timell 1986), as both pulp yield and lumber strength are determined by it. Specific gravity is the ratio of the mass of a substance to the mass of an equal volume of water; density is the ratio of a mass of a quantity of a substance to the volume of that quantity and is expressed in mass per unit substance, e.g., grams per millilitre (g/cm3 or g/ml). The terms are essentially equivalent as long as the metric system is used. Upon drying, wood shrinks and its density increases. Minimum values are associated with green (water-saturated) wood and are referred to as basic specific gravity (Timell 1986).

Question: Which property of wood reveals the most about its quality?


Answer: pulp yield

Question: In addition to lumber strength, what important indicator of wood's quality can be determined using specific gravity?


Answer: density

Question: What measurement is expressed in mass per unit substance?


Answer: increases

Question: When wood dries and shrinks, what happens to its density?


Answer: water-saturated

Question: When wood is described as "green," what does "green" mean?


Answer: physiological

Context: Wood density is determined by multiple growth and physiological factors compounded into “one fairly easily measured wood characteristic” (Elliott 1970).

Question: Along with growth, what kind of factors determine the density of wood?


Answer: one

Question: Into how many characteristics are the factors of wood combined?


Answer: Elliott

Question: What author called wood's density "fairly easily measured"?


Answer: Variation

Context: Age, diameter, height, radial growth, geographical location, site and growing conditions, silvicultural treatment, and seed source, all to some degree influence wood density. Variation is to be expected. Within an individual tree, the variation in wood density is often as great as or even greater than that between different trees (Timell 1986). Variation of specific gravity within the bole of a tree can occur in either the horizontal or vertical direction. :)

Question: What should be anticipated because of the many factors that influence wood's density?


Answer: radial

Question: What specific type of growth has an effect on the density of wood?


Answer: bole

Question: Which part of a tree can have vertical or horizontal variation in its specific gravity?


Answer: density

Question: Variation in what measurement is sometimes greater within one tree than from one tree to another?


Answer: seed

Question: What tiny object's source plays a role in determining wood density?


Answer: softwood

Context: It is common to classify wood as either softwood or hardwood. The wood from conifers (e.g. pine) is called softwood, and the wood from dicotyledons (usually broad-leaved trees, e.g. oak) is called hardwood. These names are a bit misleading, as hardwoods are not necessarily hard, and softwoods are not necessarily soft. The well-known balsa (a hardwood) is actually softer than any commercial softwood. Conversely, some softwoods (e.g. yew) are harder than many hardwoods.

Question: What term do we use for the wood that comes from pine trees?


Answer: hardwood

Question: What kind of wood does an oak tree have?


Answer: hardwood

Question: Is balsa a softwood or a hardwood?


Answer: yew

Question: What's an example of a softwood that isn't "soft," and is actually harder than a lot of hardwoods?


Answer: dicotyledons

Question: What's the scientific name for trees like the oak with broad leaves?


Answer: strong

Context: There is a strong relationship between the properties of wood and the properties of the particular tree that yielded it. The density of wood varies with species. The density of a wood correlates with its strength (mechanical properties). For example, mahogany is a medium-dense hardwood that is excellent for fine furniture crafting, whereas balsa is light, making it useful for model building. One of the densest woods is black ironwood.

Question: What kind of relationship exists between a tree's properties and its wood's properties?


Answer: density

Question: What property of wood varies according to species?


Answer: strength

Question: What property of wood has a correlation to its density?


Answer: hardwood

Question: Is mahogany a hardwood or a softwood?


Answer: model building

Question: What hobby is balsa wood often used for?


Answer: 50%

Context: The chemical composition of wood varies from species to species, but is approximately 50% carbon, 42% oxygen, 6% hydrogen, 1% nitrogen, and 1% other elements (mainly calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron, and manganese) by weight. Wood also contains sulfur, chlorine, silicon, phosphorus, and other elements in small quantity.

Question: What approximate percentage of carbon does wood have?


Answer: hydrogen

Question: What element makes up about 6% of the chemical composition of wood?


Answer: 1%

Question: About what percentage of wood is composed of nitrogen?


Answer: oxygen

Question: Which element in wood composes about 42% of its weight?


Answer: magnesium

Question: What element joins potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, and sodium to make a combined 1% of the chemical composition of wood?


Answer: three

Context: Aside from water, wood has three main components. Cellulose, a crystalline polymer derived from glucose, constitutes about 41–43%. Next in abundance is hemicellulose, which is around 20% in deciduous trees but near 30% in conifers. It is mainly five-carbon sugars that are linked in an irregular manner, in contrast to the cellulose. Lignin is the third component at around 27% in coniferous wood vs. 23% in deciduous trees. Lignin confers the hydrophobic properties reflecting the fact that it is based on aromatic rings. These three components are interwoven, and direct covalent linkages exist between the lignin and the hemicellulose. A major focus of the paper industry is the separation of the lignin from the cellulose, from which paper is made.

Question: How many main components make up wood, not counting water?


Answer: Cellulose

Question: What's the name for the crystalline polymer derived from glucose?


Answer: hemicellulose

Question: After cellulose, what component is most plentiful in wood?


Answer: conifers

Question: What kind of trees have about 30% hemicellulose?


Answer: cellulose

Question: Which of the three main components of wood is used to manufacture paper?


Answer: lignin

Context: In chemical terms, the difference between hardwood and softwood is reflected in the composition of the constituent lignin. Hardwood lignin is primarily derived from sinapyl alcohol and coniferyl alcohol. Softwood lignin is mainly derived from coniferyl alcohol.

Question: What component of wood determines whether it is hardwood or softwood?


Answer: Softwood

Question: Which wood has lignin that comes primarily from one type of alcohol?


Answer: coniferyl

Question: Which type of alcohol mainly becomes softwood lignin?


Answer: sinapyl

Question: In addition to coniferyl alcohol, what other alcohol is in hardwood lignin?


Answer: Hardwood

Question: Which kind of wood contains lignin derived from two main alcohol sources?


Answer: extractives

Context: Aside from the lignocellulose, wood consists of a variety of low molecular weight organic compounds, called extractives. The wood extractives are fatty acids, resin acids, waxes and terpenes. For example, rosin is exuded by conifers as protection from insects. The extraction of these organic materials from wood provides tall oil, turpentine, and rosin.

Question: What's the name for the low molecular weight organic compounds in wood?


Answer: resin

Question: Along with fatty acids, what kind of acids are in the extractives in wood?


Answer: waxes

Question: Wood extractives include resin and fatty acids, terpenes, and what other component?


Answer: insects

Question: What do conifers use rosin to protect themselves from?


Answer: turpentine

Question: Along with tall oil and rosin, what commercial product do we get from wood's extractives?


Answer: Hardwood

Context: Wood has a long history of being used as fuel, which continues to this day, mostly in rural areas of the world. Hardwood is preferred over softwood because it creates less smoke and burns longer. Adding a woodstove or fireplace to a home is often felt to add ambiance and warmth.

Question: What type of wood is preferred as fuel?


Answer: softwood

Question: What type of wood burns quickly and makes more smoke than hardwood?


Answer: rural

Question: What type of areas use more wood for fuel?


Answer: warmth

Question: What benefit besides the cozy atmosphere would a wood-burning fireplace add to a home?


Answer: Elm

Context: Wood has been an important construction material since humans began building shelters, houses and boats. Nearly all boats were made out of wood until the late 19th century, and wood remains in common use today in boat construction. Elm in particular was used for this purpose as it resisted decay as long as it was kept wet (it also served for water pipe before the advent of more modern plumbing).

Question: What wood is decay-resistant when wet?


Answer: water pipe

Question: What plumbing component was once made out of elm?


Answer: boats

Question: Until the late 19th century, what vessels were almost always wooden?


Answer: construction material

Question: What significant purpose has wood been used for as long as humans have built shelters?


Answer: houses

Question: Other than boats, what do people often build with wood?


Answer: lumber

Context: Wood to be used for construction work is commonly known as lumber in North America. Elsewhere, lumber usually refers to felled trees, and the word for sawn planks ready for use is timber. In Medieval Europe oak was the wood of choice for all wood construction, including beams, walls, doors, and floors. Today a wider variety of woods is used: solid wood doors are often made from poplar, small-knotted pine, and Douglas fir.

Question: What term is used in North America for wood used in construction?


Answer: felled trees

Question: Outside of North America, if someone said "lumber," to what would they be referring?


Answer: timber

Question: What do people outside of North America call the sawn boards used for building?


Answer: oak

Question: What was the preferred wood for construction in Medieval Europe?


Answer: Douglas fir

Question: For modern solid wood doors, what wood is often used in addition to small-knotted pine or poplar?


Answer: timber-framed

Context: New domestic housing in many parts of the world today is commonly made from timber-framed construction. Engineered wood products are becoming a bigger part of the construction industry. They may be used in both residential and commercial buildings as structural and aesthetic materials.

Question: What type of construction is often used now to build homes in much of the world?


Answer: commercial

Question: In addition to residential applications, what type of buildings often have engineered wood components?


Answer: structural

Question: Along with decorative components, what type of building materials can be engineered from wood?


Answer: construction

Question: What industry benefits greatly from engineered wood products?


Answer: supporting material

Context: In buildings made of other materials, wood will still be found as a supporting material, especially in roof construction, in interior doors and their frames, and as exterior cladding.

Question: What might wood be used for in a building made from brick or other materials?


Answer: roof

Question: What crucial part of a house is often constructed from wood?


Answer: cladding

Question: Wood might be used to construct what exterior component of a building?


Answer: doors

Question: Inside a building, what wooden things might you open to enter or leave rooms?


Answer: glue

Context: Engineered wood products, glued building products "engineered" for application-specific performance requirements, are often used in construction and industrial applications. Glued engineered wood products are manufactured by bonding together wood strands, veneers, lumber or other forms of wood fiber with glue to form a larger, more efficient composite structural unit.

Question: What holds together an engineered wood product?


Answer: industrial

Question: Engineered wood products are often used in construction, but what other major type of applications do they have?


Answer: application-specific performance requirements

Question: What requirements do engineered wood products meet?


Answer: composite structural unit

Question: What efficient type of unit does the process of "engineering" wood result in?


Answer: veneers

Question: Wood fibers from wood strands, lumber, and what other source can be glued together to make larger units?


Answer: wood structural panels

Context: These products include glued laminated timber (glulam), wood structural panels (including plywood, oriented strand board and composite panels), laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and other structural composite lumber (SCL) products, parallel strand lumber, and I-joists. Approximately 100 million cubic meters of wood was consumed for this purpose in 1991. The trends suggest that particle board and fiber board will overtake plywood.

Question: What category do composite panels, strand board, and plywood all fit into?


Answer: glulam

Question: What's another word for glued laminated timber?


Answer: laminated veneer lumber

Question: What does LVL stand for?


Answer: plywood

Question: If current building trends continue, what material will be replaced by particle and fiber board?


Answer: 100 million

Question: About how many cubic meters of wood was used in 1991 to make products like glulam, LVL, and structural composite lumber?


Answer: cellulose

Context: Wood unsuitable for construction in its native form may be broken down mechanically (into fibers or chips) or chemically (into cellulose) and used as a raw material for other building materials, such as engineered wood, as well as chipboard, hardboard, and medium-density fiberboard (MDF). Such wood derivatives are widely used: wood fibers are an important component of most paper, and cellulose is used as a component of some synthetic materials. Wood derivatives can also be used for kinds of flooring, for example laminate flooring.

Question: What material results from chemically breaking down wood?


Answer: MDF

Question: What's the abbreviation for medium-density fiberboard?


Answer: mechanically

Question: How is wood broken down into chips and fibers?


Answer: laminate

Question: What type of flooring can be made from wood derivatives?


Answer: paper

Question: What widely-used product is almost always made of wood fibers?


Answer: furniture

Context: Wood has always been used extensively for furniture, such as chairs and beds. It is also used for tool handles and cutlery, such as chopsticks, toothpicks, and other utensils, like the wooden spoon.

Question: What category of products usually made from wood includes chairs?


Answer: wooden spoon

Question: What wooden utensil could you stir a pot of soup with?


Answer: handles

Question: Which parts of tools are sometimes made out of wood?


Answer: beds

Question: What pieces of furniture that most people use every night can be made out of wood?


Answer: chopsticks

Question: What special wooden utensils do many people use to eat Chinese takeout?


Answer: Moisture content

Context: Further developments include new lignin glue applications, recyclable food packaging, rubber tire replacement applications, anti-bacterial medical agents, and high strength fabrics or composites. As scientists and engineers further learn and develop new techniques to extract various components from wood, or alternatively to modify wood, for example by adding components to wood, new more advanced products will appear on the marketplace. Moisture content electronic monitoring can also enhance next generation wood protection.

Question: What could we monitor electronically that could help inform new methods of wood protection?


Answer: glue

Question: Development in the wood manufacturing industry include using lignin to make what substance?


Answer: tire

Question: Instead of rubber, what important part of a car might someday be replaced by components of wood?


Answer: high strength fabrics

Question: What material might be developed from wood that could make clothes that resist wear and tear?


Answer: modify wood

Question: In addition to extracting components from wood, what might scientist do by adding components, for example, to make innovative products?


Answer: carvings

Context: Wood has long been used as an artistic medium. It has been used to make sculptures and carvings for millennia. Examples include the totem poles carved by North American indigenous people from conifer trunks, often Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata), and the Millennium clock tower, now housed in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. It is also used in woodcut printmaking, and for engraving.

Question: Along with sculptures, what type of art have people been making out of wood for centuries?


Answer: totem poles

Question: What did indigenous people in North America make out of the trunks of conifers?


Answer: Western Red Cedar

Question: What type of tree was often used for totem poles?


Answer: Edinburgh

Question: What city in Scotland would you visit to see the Millennium clock tower?


Answer: National Museum of Scotland

Question: What museum exhibits the Millennium clock tower?


Answer: african blackwood

Context: Certain types of musical instruments, such as those of the violin family, the guitar, the clarinet and recorder, the xylophone, and the marimba, are traditionally made mostly or entirely of wood. The choice of wood may make a significant difference to the tone and resonant qualities of the instrument, and tonewoods have widely differing properties, ranging from the hard and dense african blackwood (used for the bodies of clarinets) to the light but resonant European spruce (Picea abies), which is traditionally used for the soundboards of violins. The most valuable tonewoods, such as the ripple sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), used for the backs of violins, combine acoustic properties with decorative color and grain which enhance the appearance of the finished instrument.

Question: What kind of wood are clarinet bodies made from?


Answer: ripple sycamore

Question: What expensive wood with a prized color is used to make the backs of violins?


Answer: tonewoods

Question: What category of wood is often used for musical instruments?


Answer: European spruce

Question: What's the common name for Picea abies?


Answer: tone

Question: Along with resonance, what property of an instrument will be affected by the wood used to make it?


Answer: woodwind instruments

Context: Despite their collective name, not all woodwind instruments are made entirely of wood. The reeds used to play them, however, are usually made from Arundo donax, a type of monocot cane plant.

Question: What type of instruments with a misleading name aren't always made completely out of wood?


Answer: Arundo donax

Question: What are woodwind instrument's reeds often made out of?


Answer: monocot

Question: Is the Arundo donax a monocot or dicot cane plant?


Answer: reeds

Question: What objects do musicians have to have in order to play woodwind instruments?


Answer: white willow

Context: Many types of sports equipment are made of wood, or were constructed of wood in the past. For example, cricket bats are typically made of white willow. The baseball bats which are legal for use in Major League Baseball are frequently made of ash wood or hickory, and in recent years have been constructed from maple even though that wood is somewhat more fragile. NBA courts have been traditionally made out of parquetry.

Question: What wood is usually used for cricket bats?


Answer: Major League Baseball

Question: Ash and hickory are often used for baseball bats to comply with the rules of what organization?


Answer: parquetry

Question: What is commonly used for the basketball courts the NBA plays on?


Answer: maple

Question: What wood has recently started being used to make baseball bats in addition to hickory and ash?


Answer: fragile

Question: Compared to hickory and ash, what adjective might be used for a maple baseball bat?


Answer: archery bows

Context: Many other types of sports and recreation equipment, such as skis, ice hockey sticks, lacrosse sticks and archery bows, were commonly made of wood in the past, but have since been replaced with more modern materials such as aluminium, fiberglass, carbon fiber, titanium, and composite materials. One noteworthy example of this trend is the golf club commonly known as the wood, the head of which was traditionally made of persimmon wood in the early days of the game of golf, but is now generally made of synthetic materials.

Question: What pieces of equipment for shooting arrows used to be wooden?


Answer: sticks

Question: Which pieces of ice hockey equipment were once made out of wood?


Answer: persimmon

Question: When the golf club called the "wood" was actually made out of it, what type of wood was used?


Answer: synthetic materials

Question: What is the golf club known as the "wood" usually made out of today?


Answer: fiberglass

Question: What other modern material has joined composites, carbon fiber, titanium, and aluminum to replace wood in the manufacture of sporting equipment?


Answer: cellulose

Context: Little is known about the bacteria that degrade cellulose. Symbiotic bacteria in Xylophaga may play a role in the degradation of sunken wood; while bacteria such as Alphaproteobacteria, Flavobacteria, Actinobacteria, Clostridia, and Bacteroidetes have been detected in wood submerged over a year.

Question: What component of wood is degraded by bacteria that scientists are still trying to learn about?


Answer: Symbiotic

Question: What type of bacteria are present in Xylophaga?


Answer: sunken

Question: What type of wood is it possible the bacteria in Xylophaga help break down?


Answer: over a year

Question: How long was the wood submerged in water in the study that discovered the types of bacteria in it?


Answer: Flavobacteria

Question: What bacteria starting with the letter "F" were found in wood after it was underwater for more than a year?


Answer: Afro-Asiatic

Context: Somalis (Somali: Soomaali, Arabic: صومال) are an ethnic group inhabiting the Horn of Africa (Somali Peninsula). The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic family. They are predominantly Sunni Muslim. Ethnic Somalis number around 16-20 million and are principally concentrated in Somalia (around 12.3 million), Ethiopia (4.6 million), Kenya (2.4 million), and Djibouti (464,600), with many also residing in parts of the Middle East, North America and Europe.

Question: What language family is Somali a part of?


Answer: Cushitic

Question: What part of the Afro-Asiatic language family is Somali a part of?


Answer: Sunni Muslim

Question: What is the majority religion of Somalis?


Answer: 12.3 million

Question: How many people of Somali ethnicity live in Somalia?


Answer: Ethiopia

Question: What country has the second largest Somali population?


Answer: Irir Samaale

Context: Irir Samaale, the oldest common ancestor of several Somali clans, is generally regarded as the source of the ethnonym Somali. The name "Somali" is, in turn, held to be derived from the words soo and maal, which together mean "go and milk" — a reference to the ubiquitous pastoralism of the Somali people. Another plausible etymology proposes that the term Somali is derived from the Arabic for "wealthy" (dhawamaal), again referring to Somali riches in livestock.

Question: From whom are several Somali clans descended?


Answer: soo and maal

Question: From what words is the term 'Somali' generally regarded as being derived?


Answer: go and milk

Question: What does 'soo and maal' mean in English?


Answer: dhawamaal

Question: What word in Arabic means 'wealthy' in English?


Answer: livestock

Question: What resource traditionally comprised Somali wealth?


Answer: Berbera

Context: An Ancient Chinese document from the 9th century referred to the northern Somali coast — which was then called "Berbera" by Arab geographers in reference to the region's "Berber" (Cushitic) inhabitants — as Po-pa-li. The first clear written reference of the sobriquet Somali, however, dates back to the 15th century. During the wars between the Sultanate of Ifat based at Zeila and the Solomonic Dynasty, the Abyssinian Emperor had one of his court officials compose a hymn celebrating a military victory over the Sultan of Ifat's eponymous troops.

Question: What did the Arabs call the northern Somali coast in the 9th century?


Answer: Po-pa-li

Question: What did the Chinese call the northern Somali coast in the 9th century?


Answer: 15th

Question: In what century was the term 'Somali' first used?


Answer: the Abyssinian Emperor

Question: Who ordered that a hymn be composed that first mentioned the Somalis?


Answer: Zeila

Question: Where was the Sultanate of Ifat located?


Answer: 5000 years

Context: Ancient rock paintings in Somalia which date back to 5000 years have been found in the northern part of the country, depicting early life in the territory. The most famous of these is the Laas Geel complex, which contains some of the earliest known rock art on the African continent and features many elaborate pastoralist sketches of animal and human figures. In other places, such as the northern Dhambalin region, a depiction of a man on a horse is postulated as being one of the earliest known examples of a mounted huntsman.

Question: How long ago were rock paintings found in Somalia created?


Answer: the Laas Geel complex

Question: Where are the most notable rock paintings located?


Answer: human figures

Question: Along with animals, what is depicted on the rock paintings of Laas Geel?


Answer: the northern Dhambalin region

Question: Where does a notable rock painting of a man on horseback exist?


Answer: northern

Question: In what geographic part of Somalia are these rock paintings commonly found?


Answer: the Doian culture

Context: Inscriptions have been found beneath many of the rock paintings, but archaeologists have so far been unable to decipher this form of ancient writing. During the Stone age, the Doian culture and the Hargeisan culture flourished here with their respective industries and factories.

Question: Along with the Hargesian culture, what culture was present in Somalia in the Stone age?


Answer: Inscriptions

Question: What undeciphered writings were found alongside the rock paintings?


Answer: the Stone age

Question: During what period did the Doian culture thrive?


Answer: Somalia

Context: The oldest evidence of burial customs in the Horn of Africa comes from cemeteries in Somalia dating back to 4th millennium BC. The stone implements from the Jalelo site in northern Somalia are said to be the most important link in evidence of the universality in palaeolithic times between the East and the West.

Question: In what country is the oldest evidence of ceremonial burial in the Horn of Africa located?


Answer: 4th millennium BC

Question: From what millennium do the oldest cemeteries in the Horn of Africa date?


Answer: the Jalelo site

Question: At what site were important paleolithic stone tools found?


Answer: northern

Question: In what geographic part of Somalia were important paleolithic stone tools found?


Answer: commerce

Context: In antiquity, the ancestors of the Somali people were an important link in the Horn of Africa connecting the region's commerce with the rest of the ancient world. Somali sailors and merchants were the main suppliers of frankincense, myrrh and spices, items which were considered valuable luxuries by the Ancient Egyptians, Phoenicians, Mycenaeans and Babylonians.

Question: What economic activity in the Horn of Africa did the ancient Somalis connect to the rest of the world?


Answer: frankincense

Question: Along with myrrh and spices, what important luxury did ancient Somali merchants provide?


Answer: Mycenaeans

Question: Along with the ancient Phoenicians, Egyptians and Babylonians, what ancient people regarded myrrh as a luxury?


Answer: Land of Punt

Context: According to most scholars, the ancient Land of Punt and its inhabitants formed part of the ethnogenesis of the Somali people. The ancient Puntites were a nation of people that had close relations with Pharaonic Egypt during the times of Pharaoh Sahure and Queen Hatshepsut. The pyramidal structures, temples and ancient houses of dressed stone littered around Somalia are said to date from this period.

Question: What ancient land was connected to the modern Somali people?


Answer: Pharaonic Egypt

Question: What nation did the Land of Put have a close relationship with?


Answer: Hatshepsut

Question: Who was a Queen of Egypt during the time when Punt and Egypt were close?


Answer: pyramidal structures

Question: Along with houses of dressed stone, what ancient architecture may have been influenced by Egypt?


Answer: Cape Guardafui

Context: In the classical era, several ancient city-states such as Opone, Essina, Sarapion, Nikon, Malao, Damo and Mosylon near Cape Guardafui, which competed with the Sabaeans, Parthians and Axumites for the wealthy Indo-Greco-Roman trade, also flourished in Somalia.

Question: Near what headland was Mosylon located?


Answer: Damo

Question: Along with Mosylon, Malao, Nikon, Sarapion, Opone and Essina, what city-state flourished in ancient Somalia?


Answer: Sabaeans

Question: Along with the Parthians and Axumites, who were the commercial competitors of the ancient Somalis?


Answer: Indo-Greco-Roman

Question: What trade did the ancient Somalis and others compete for?


Answer: Red Sea

Context: The birth of Islam on the opposite side of Somalia's Red Sea coast meant that Somali merchants, sailors and expatriates living in the Arabian Peninsula gradually came under the influence of the new religion through their converted Arab Muslim trading partners. With the migration of fleeing Muslim families from the Islamic world to Somalia in the early centuries of Islam and the peaceful conversion of the Somali population by Somali Muslim scholars in the following centuries, the ancient city-states eventually transformed into Islamic Mogadishu, Berbera, Zeila, Barawa and Merca, which were part of the Berberi civilization. The city of Mogadishu came to be known as the City of Islam, and controlled the East African gold trade for several centuries.

Question: What body of water separated Somalia from the land where Islam was born?


Answer: the Arabian Peninsula

Question: In what location was Islam born?


Answer: Berberi

Question: What civilization was Mogadishu a part of?


Answer: the City of Islam

Question: What was another name for Mogadishu?


Answer: gold

Question: The trade of what luxury in East Africa was once centered on Mogadishu?


Answer: the Walashma dynasty

Context: The Sultanate of Ifat, led by the Walashma dynasty with its capital at Zeila, ruled over parts of what is now eastern Ethiopia, Djibouti, and northern Somalia. The historian al-Umari records that Ifat was situated near the Red Sea coast, and states its size as 15 days travel by 20 days travel. Its army numbered 15,000 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers. Al-Umari also credits Ifat with seven "mother cities": Belqulzar, Kuljura, Shimi, Shewa, Adal, Jamme and Laboo.

Question: What dynasty ruled the Sultanate of Ifat?


Answer: Zeila

Question: What was the capital of the Sultanate of Ifat?


Answer: Djibouti

Question: Along with parts of Ethiopia and Somalia, in what modern-day country was the Sultanate of Ifat located?


Answer: 15,000

Question: According to al-Umari, how many cavalry did the Sultanate of Ifat have?


Answer: the Red Sea

Question: Near what body of water did al-Umari say Ifat was located?


Answer: the Ajuran Sultanate

Context: In the Middle Ages, several powerful Somali empires dominated the regional trade including the Ajuran Sultanate, which excelled in hydraulic engineering and fortress building, the Sultanate of Adal, whose general Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi (Ahmed Gurey) was the first commander to use cannon warfare on the continent during Adal's conquest of the Ethiopian Empire, and the Sultanate of the Geledi, whose military dominance forced governors of the Omani empire north of the city of Lamu to pay tribute to the Somali Sultan Ahmed Yusuf.

Question: What Somali polity of the Middle Ages was known for its fortresses?


Answer: the Sultanate of Adal

Question: What state employed Abmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi?


Answer: Ahmed Gurey

Question: What was another name by which Abmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi was known?


Answer: the Ethiopian Empire

Question: What state did Adal conquer?


Answer: Sultan Ahmed Yusuf

Question: What Somali leader received tribute from the Omani empire?


Answer: the Ottoman and German empires

Context: In the late 19th century, after the Berlin conference had ended, European empires sailed with their armies to the Horn of Africa. The imperial clouds wavering over Somalia alarmed the Dervish leader Mohammed Abdullah Hassan, who gathered Somali soldiers from across the Horn of Africa and began one of the longest anti-colonial wars ever. The Dervish State successfully repulsed the British empire four times and forced it to retreat to the coastal region. As a result of its successes against the British, the Dervish State received support from the Ottoman and German empires. The Turks also named Hassan Emir of the Somali nation, and the Germans promised to officially recognize any territories the Dervishes were to acquire. After a quarter of a century of holding the British at bay, the Dervishes were finally defeated in 1920, when Britain for the first time in Africa used airplanes to bomb the Dervish capital of Taleex. As a result of this bombardment, former Dervish territories were turned into a protectorate of Britain. Italy similarly faced the same opposition from Somali Sultans and armies and did not acquire full control of parts of modern Somalia until the Fascist era in late 1927. This occupation lasted till 1941 and was replaced by a British military administration.

Question: What states supported the Dervish State?


Answer: 1920

Question: In what year did the British defeat the Dervishes?


Answer: Taleex

Question: What was the capital of the Dervish State?


Answer: 1927

Question: In what year did Fascist Italy achieve full control of Somalia?


Answer: 1941

Question: In what year did the Italian occupation of Somalia end?


Answer: Italian Somaliland

Context: Following World War II, Britain retained control of both British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland as protectorates. In 1945, during the Potsdam Conference, the United Nations granted Italy trusteeship of Italian Somaliland, but only under close supervision and on the condition — first proposed by the Somali Youth League (SYL) and other nascent Somali political organizations, such as Hizbia Digil Mirifle Somali (HDMS) and the Somali National League (SNL) — that Somalia achieve independence within ten years. British Somaliland remained a protectorate of Britain until 1960.

Question: Along with British Somaliland, what country in the region was a British protectorate after the Second World War?


Answer: the Potsdam Conference

Question: At what meeting did the United Nations give Italy trusteeship of Italian Somaliland?


Answer: Hizbia Digil Mirifle Somali

Question: Along with the Somali Youth League and Somali National League, what was an early Somali political organization?


Answer: ten

Question: How many years would Italy have to allow Italian Somaliland to become independent?


Answer: 1960

Question: In what year was the British protectorate over British Somaliland ended?


Answer: the Ogaden

Context: To the extent that Italy held the territory by UN mandate, the trusteeship provisions gave the Somalis the opportunity to gain experience in political education and self-government. These were advantages that British Somaliland, which was to be incorporated into the new Somali state, did not have. Although in the 1950s British colonial officials attempted, through various administrative development efforts, to make up for past neglect, the protectorate stagnated. The disparity between the two territories in economic development and political experience would cause serious difficulties when it came time to integrate the two parts. Meanwhile, in 1948, under pressure from their World War II allies and to the dismay of the Somalis, the British "returned" the Haud (an important Somali grazing area that was presumably 'protected' by British treaties with the Somalis in 1884 and 1886) and the Ogaden to Ethiopia, based on a treaty they signed in 1897 in which the British ceded Somali territory to the Ethiopian Emperor Menelik in exchange for his help against plundering by Somali clans. Britain included the proviso that the Somali nomads would retain their autonomy, but Ethiopia immediately claimed sovereignty over them. This prompted an unsuccessful bid by Britain in 1956 to buy back the Somali lands it had turned over. Britain also granted administration of the almost exclusively Somali-inhabited Northern Frontier District (NFD) to Kenyan nationalists despite an informal plebiscite demonstrating the overwhelming desire of the region's population to join the newly formed Somali Republic.

Question: Along with the Haud, what area of Somalia was given to Ethiopia by the British?


Answer: 1948

Question: In what year did the British give the Haud to Ethiopia?


Answer: Emperor Menelik

Question: The Ogaden was given to Ethiopia on the basis of a treaty signed by the British with what Ethiopian leader?


Answer: 1956

Question: In what year did Britain try to purchase Somali lands from Ethiopia?


Answer: Somali

Question: What people constituted almost the entire population of the Northern Frontier District?


Answer: French Somaliland

Context: A referendum was held in neighboring Djibouti (then known as French Somaliland) in 1958, on the eve of Somalia's independence in 1960, to decide whether or not to join the Somali Republic or to remain with France. The referendum turned out in favour of a continued association with France, largely due to a combined yes vote by the sizable Afar ethnic group and resident Europeans. There was also widespread vote rigging, with the French expelling thousands of Somalis before the referendum reached the polls. The majority of those who voted no were Somalis who were strongly in favour of joining a united Somalia, as had been proposed by Mahmoud Harbi, Vice President of the Government Council. Harbi was killed in a plane crash two years later. Djibouti finally gained its independence from France in 1977, and Hassan Gouled Aptidon, a Somali who had campaigned for a yes vote in the referendum of 1958, eventually wound up as Djibouti's first president (1977–1991).

Question: What was Djibouti called in 1958?


Answer: 1960

Question: In what year did Somalia become independent?


Answer: Vice President of the Government Council

Question: What was Mahmoud Harbi's title?


Answer: 1977

Question: When did Djibouti achieve independence?


Answer: Hassan Gouled Aptidon

Question: Who was the first president of Djibouti?


Answer: 26 June 1960

Context: British Somaliland became independent on 26 June 1960 as the State of Somaliland, and the Trust Territory of Somalia (the former Italian Somaliland) followed suit five days later. On 1 July 1960, the two territories united to form the Somali Republic, albeit within boundaries drawn up by Italy and Britain. A government was formed by Abdullahi Issa Mohamud and Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal other members of the trusteeship and protectorate governments, with Haji Bashir Ismail Yusuf as President of the Somali National Assembly, Aden Abdullah Osman Daar as the President of the Somali Republic and Abdirashid Ali Shermarke as Prime Minister (later to become President from 1967 to 1969). On 20 July 1961 and through a popular referendum, the people of Somalia ratified a new constitution, which was first drafted in 1960. In 1967, Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal became Prime Minister, a position to which he was appointed by Shermarke. Egal would later become the President of the autonomous Somaliland region in northwestern Somalia.

Question: On what date did British Somaliland gain independence?


Answer: the State of Somaliland

Question: What was British Somaliland known as upon achieving independence?


Answer: the Trust Territory of Somalia

Question: What state formed the Somali Republic with British Somaliland?


Answer: 1 July 1960

Question: On what date did the former British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland unite?


Answer: Aden Abdullah Osman Daar

Question: Who was the first President of the Somali Republic?


Answer: 15 October 1969

Context: On 15 October 1969, while paying a visit to the northern town of Las Anod, Somalia's then President Abdirashid Ali Shermarke was shot dead by one of his own bodyguards. His assassination was quickly followed by a military coup d'état on 21 October 1969 (the day after his funeral), in which the Somali Army seized power without encountering armed opposition — essentially a bloodless takeover. The putsch was spearheaded by Major General Mohamed Siad Barre, who at the time commanded the army.

Question: On what date was Abdirashid Ali Shermarke assassinated?


Answer: one of his own bodyguards

Question: Who assassinated Abdirashid Ali Shermarke?


Answer: 21 October 1969

Question: On what day, the day after the funeral of Abdirashid Ali Shermarke, did a coup occur?


Answer: Mohamed Siad Barre

Question: Who was the commander of the army when the coup occurred?


Answer: Major General

Question: What was Mohamed Siad Barre's rank?


Answer: Salaad Gabeyre Kediye

Context: Alongside Barre, the Supreme Revolutionary Council (SRC) that assumed power after President Sharmarke's assassination was led by Lieutenant Colonel Salaad Gabeyre Kediye and Chief of Police Jama Korshel. The SRC subsequently renamed the country the Somali Democratic Republic, dissolved the parliament and the Supreme Court, and suspended the constitution.

Question: Along with Jama Korshel, who led the Supreme Revolutionary Council?


Answer: Chief of Police

Question: What was Jama Korshel's title?


Answer: Lieutenant Colonel

Question: What was the military rank of Salaad Gabeyre Kediye?


Answer: the Somali Democratic Republic

Question: What name did the Supreme Revolutionary Council give to Somalia?


Answer: suspended the constitution

Question: Along with dissolving the Supreme Court and parliament, what action did the Supreme Revolutionary Council take?


Answer: industry

Context: The revolutionary army established large-scale public works programs and successfully implemented an urban and rural literacy campaign, which helped dramatically increase the literacy rate. In addition to a nationalization program of industry and land, the new regime's foreign policy placed an emphasis on Somalia's traditional and religious links with the Arab world, eventually joining the Arab League (AL) in 1974. That same year, Barre also served as chairman of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the predecessor of the African Union (AU).

Question: What did the new government nationalize along with land?


Answer: the Arab League

Question: What international body did the new government join?


Answer: 1974

Question: In what year did the new government enter the Arab League?


Answer: the African Union

Question: What organization would the Organization of African Unity later become?


Answer: literacy

Question: What rate did the new government's programs significantly increase?


Answer: Ethiopia

Context: Somali people in the Horn of Africa are divided among different countries (Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, and northeastern Kenya) that were artificially and some might say arbitrarily partitioned by the former imperial powers. Pan-Somalism is an ideology that advocates the unification of all ethnic Somalis once part of Somali empires such as the Ajuran Empire, the Adal Sultanate, the Gobroon Dynasty and the Dervish State under one flag and one nation. The Siad Barre regime actively promoted Pan-Somalism, which eventually led to the Ogaden War between Somalia on one side, and Ethiopia, Cuba and the Soviet Union on the other.

Question: Along with Kenya, Djibouti and Somalia, in what Horn of Africa country do Somali people live?


Answer: northeastern

Question: In what geographic portion of Kenya can Somali people be found?


Answer: Pan-Somalism

Question: What is the name of the idea that believes all ethnic Somalis should live in the same country?


Answer: Cuba

Question: Along with the Soviet Union, what country supported Ethiopia in its war against Somalia?


Answer: the Ogaden War

Question: What was the name of the conflict between Somalia and the Soviet Union, Cuba and Ethiopia?


Answer: 2005

Context: According to Y chromosome studies by Sanchez et al. (2005), Cruciani et al. (2004, 2007), the Somalis are paternally closely related to other Afro-Asiatic-speaking groups in Northeast Africa. Besides comprising the majority of the Y-DNA in Somalis, the E1b1b1a (formerly E3b1a) haplogroup also makes up a significant proportion of the paternal DNA of Ethiopians, Sudanese, Egyptians, Berbers, North African Arabs, as well as many Mediterranean populations. Sanchez et al. (2005) observed the M78 subclade of E1b1b in about 77% of their Somali male samples. According to Cruciani et al. (2007), the presence of this subhaplogroup in the Horn region may represent the traces of an ancient migration from Egypt/Libya. After haplogroup E1b1b, the second most frequently occurring Y-DNA haplogroup among Somalis is the West Asian haplogroup T (M70). It is observed in slightly more than 10% of Somali males. Haplogroup T, like haplogroup E1b1b, is also typically found among populations of Northeast Africa, North Africa, the Near East and the Mediterranean.

Question: In what year did Sanchez publish his study on Somali ethnicity?


Answer: Afro-Asiatic

Question: What language group speakers are ethnic Somalis closely related to?


Answer: E1b1b1a

Question: What haplogroup is present in a significant number of Somalis?


Answer: Egypt/Libya

Question: Based on the presence of the M78 subclade, where do some researchers think Somalis originated?


Answer: 77%

Question: What percentage of Somali males had DNA containing the M78 subclade of E1b1b?


Answer: 2006

Context: According to mtDNA studies by Holden (2005) and Richards et al. (2006), a significant proportion of the maternal lineages of Somalis consists of the M1 haplogroup. This mitochondrial clade is common among Ethiopians and North Africans, particularly Egyptians and Algerians. M1 is believed to have originated in Asia, where its parent M clade represents the majority of mtDNA lineages. This haplogroup is also thought to possibly correlate with the Afro-Asiatic language family:

Question: When did Richards publish his mtDNA research?


Answer: Ethiopians

Question: Along with Egyptians, Algerians and Somalis, what people commonly possess the M1 haplogroup?


Answer: Asia

Question: On what continent is the M1 haplogroup believed to have originated?


Answer: Holden

Question: Who authored an mtDNA study in 2005?


Answer: Afro-Asiatic

Question: What family of languages is the M1 haplogroup associated with?


Answer: 2014

Context: According to an autosomal DNA study by Hodgson et al. (2014), the Afro-Asiatic languages were likely spread across Africa and the Near East by an ancestral population(s) carrying a newly identified non-African genetic component, which the researchers dub the "Ethio-Somali". This Ethio-Somali component is today most common among Afro-Asiatic-speaking populations in the Horn of Africa. It reaches a frequency peak among ethnic Somalis, representing the majority of their ancestry. The Ethio-Somali component is most closely related to the Maghrebi non-African genetic component, and is believed to have diverged from all other non-African ancestries at least 23,000 years ago. On this basis, the researchers suggest that the original Ethio-Somali carrying population(s) probably arrived in the pre-agricultural period from the Near East, having crossed over into northeastern Africa via the Sinai Peninsula. The population then likely split into two branches, with one group heading westward toward the Maghreb and the other moving south into the Horn.

Question: When did Hodgson publish his DNA study?


Answer: Ethio-Somali

Question: According to Hodgson, what ancestral people spread the Afro-Asiatic languages?


Answer: Somalis

Question: According to Hodgson, what people is mostly descended from Ethio-Somalis?


Answer: at least 23,000 years ago

Question: According to Hodgson, how long ago did the Ethio-Somalis diverge from other non-African ancestries?


Answer: the Near East

Question: According to Hodgson, where did the Ethio-Somalis originate?


Answer: 2006

Context: The analysis of HLA antigens has also helped clarify the possible background of the Somali people, as the distribution of haplotype frequencies vary among population groups. According to Mohamoud et al. (2006):

Question: In what year did Mahamoud publish his research?


Answer: northern

Context: The history of Islam in Somalia is as old as the religion itself. The early persecuted Muslims fled to various places in the region, including the city of Zeila in modern-day northern Somalia, so as to seek protection from the Quraysh. Somalis were among the first populations on the continent to embrace Islam. With very few exceptions, Somalis are entirely Muslims, the majority belonging to the Sunni branch of Islam and the Shafi`i school of Islamic jurisprudence, although a few are also adherents of the Shia Muslim denomination.

Question: In what geographic part of Somalia is Zeila located?


Answer: the Quraysh

Question: From whom were the early Muslims fleeing?


Answer: Sunni

Question: Along with the Shafi'i, to what sect of Islam do most Somalis belong?


Answer: Islam

Question: What is the majority religion in Somalia?


Answer: Shia

Question: A small minority of Somalis belong to what branch of Islam?


Answer: dugsi

Context: Qur'anic schools (also known as dugsi) remain the basic system of traditional religious instruction in Somalia. They provide Islamic education for children, thereby filling a clear religious and social role in the country. Known as the most stable local, non-formal system of education providing basic religious and moral instruction, their strength rests on community support and their use of locally made and widely available teaching materials. The Qur'anic system, which teaches the greatest number of students relative to other educational sub-sectors, is oftentimes the only system accessible to Somalis in nomadic as compared to urban areas. A study from 1993 found, among other things, that "unlike in primary schools where gender disparity is enormous, around 40 per cent of Qur'anic school pupils are girls; but the teaching staff have minimum or no qualification necessary to ensure intellectual development of children." To address these concerns, the Somali government on its own part subsequently established the Ministry of Endowment and Islamic Affairs, under which Qur'anic education is now regulated.

Question: What is another name for a Qur'anic school?


Answer: 40

Question: What percentage of students at Qur'anic schools are female?


Answer: the Ministry of Endowment and Islamic Affairs

Question: What government body regulates Qur'anic education?


Answer: Toronto

Context: In the Somali diaspora, multiple Islamic fundraising events are held every year in cities like Birmingham, London, Toronto and Minneapolis, where Somali scholars and professionals give lectures and answer questions from the audience. The purpose of these events is usually to raise money for new schools or universities in Somalia, to help Somalis that have suffered as a consequence of floods and/or droughts, or to gather funds for the creation of new mosques like the Abuubakar-As-Saddique Mosque, which is currently undergoing construction in the Twin cities.

Question: Along with Minneapolis, London and Birmingham, what city contains a notable population of Somalis?


Answer: the Abuubakar-As-Saddique Mosque

Question: What is the name of the mosque under construction in Minneapolis?


Answer: droughts

Question: Along with floods, what natural disaster often spurs Islamic fundraising?


Answer: schools

Question: Along with universities, the construction of what educational buildings are sometimes the focus of Islamic fundraising?


Answer: the Arabian Peninsula

Context: In addition, the Somali community has produced numerous important Muslim figures over the centuries, many of whom have significantly shaped the course of Islamic learning and practice in the Horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and well beyond.

Question: Along with the Horn of Africa, what is a notable location where Somali Islamic figures have been influential?


Answer: clan

Context: The clan groupings of the Somali people are important social units, and clan membership plays a central part in Somali culture and politics. Clans are patrilineal and are often divided into sub-clans, sometimes with many sub-divisions. The tombs of the founders of the Darod, Dir and Isaaq major clans as well as the Abgaal sub-clan of the Hawiye are all located in northern Somalia. Tradition holds this general area as an ancestral homeland of the Somali people.

Question: What is a basic social unit of Somali society?


Answer: northern

Question: In what geographical portion of Somalia is the tomb of the founder of the Dir clan located?


Answer: Hawiye

Question: Of what clan is the Abgaal a sub-clan?


Answer: marriage

Context: Somali society is traditionally ethnically endogamous. So to extend ties of alliance, marriage is often to another ethnic Somali from a different clan. Thus, for example, a recent study observed that in 89 marriages contracted by men of the Dhulbahante clan, 55 (62%) were with women of Dhulbahante sub-clans other than those of their husbands; 30 (33.7%) were with women of surrounding clans of other clan families (Isaaq, 28; Hawiye, 3); and 3 (4.3%) were with women of other clans of the Darod clan family (Majerteen 2, Ogaden 1).

Question: What practice is often used to bind different clans together?


Answer: 3

Question: According to a recent study, how many men of the Dhulbahante clan married women from the Hawiye clan?


Answer: 55

Question: According to a recent study, how many Dhulbahante men married women of a different Dhulbahante sub-clan?


Answer: Darod

Question: To what clan family do the Ogaden belong?


Answer: 4.3%

Question: What percentage of Dhulbahante men married women of the Majerteen or Ogaden?


Answer: 1975 Somali Family Law

Context: In 1975, the most prominent government reforms regarding family law in a Muslim country were set in motion in the Somali Democratic Republic, which put women and men, including husbands and wives, on complete equal footing. The 1975 Somali Family Law gave men and women equal division of property between the husband and wife upon divorce and the exclusive right to control by each spouse over his or her personal property.

Question: What law gave Somali husbands and wives equal rights over personal property?


Answer: the Somali Democratic Republic

Question: What was the official name of the country in which the 1975 Somali Family Law was passed?


Answer: equal division of property between the husband and wife upon divorce

Question: In addition to giving spouses equal rights over their personal property during marriage, what did the Somali Family Law give them?


Answer: Somalis

Context: Somalis constitute the largest ethnic group in Somalia, at approximately 85% of the nation's inhabitants. They are traditionally nomads, but since the late 20th century, many have moved to urban areas. While most Somalis can be found in Somalia proper, large numbers also live in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Yemen, the Middle East, South Asia and Europe due to their seafaring tradition.

Question: What is the biggest ethnic group in Somalia?


Answer: 85%

Question: What percentage of Somalians are ethnic Somalis?


Answer: 20th

Question: During what century did the nomad lifestyle decline among Somalis?


Answer: their seafaring tradition

Question: Why do many Somalis live in South Asia and Europe?


Answer: Kenya

Question: Along with Djibouti and Ethiopia, in what African country outside Somalia can Somalis be found?


Answer: Civil strife

Context: Civil strife in the early 1990s greatly increased the size of the Somali diaspora, as many of the best educated Somalis left for the Middle East, Europe and North America. In Canada, the cities of Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Hamilton all harbor Somali populations. Statistics Canada's 2006 census ranks people of Somali descent as the 69th largest ethnic group in Canada.

Question: What led to an increase in the number of Somalis leaving the country?


Answer: Europe

Question: Along with the Middle East and North America, to what continent did the Somali diaspora go in the 1990s?


Answer: Toronto

Question: Along with Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Winnipeg, Hamilton and Vancouver, what Canadian city has a significant Somali population?


Answer: 69th

Question: As of 2006, where did Somalis rank in terms of population by ethnicity in Canada?


Answer: 108,000

Context: While the distribution of Somalis per country in Europe is hard to measure because the Somali community on the continent has grown so quickly in recent years, an official 2010 estimate reported 108,000 Somalis living in the United Kingdom. Somalis in Britain are largely concentrated in the cities of London, Sheffield, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, and Leicester, with London alone accounting for roughly 78% of Britain's Somali population. There are also significant Somali communities in Sweden: 57,906 (2014); the Netherlands: 37,432 (2014); Norway: 38,413 (2015); Denmark: 18,645 (2014); and Finland: 16,721 (2014).

Question: About how many Somalis live in the UK?


Answer: 78%

Question: What percentage of Somalis living in Britain reside in London?


Answer: 57,906

Question: As of 2014, how many Somalis lived in Sweden?


Answer: 38,413

Question: In 2014, how many Somalis resided in Norway?


Answer: 16,721

Question: How many Somalis lived in Finland as of 2014?


Answer: the United States

Context: In the United States, Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Columbus, San Diego, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Houston, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Portland, Denver, Nashville, Green Bay, Lewiston, Portland, Maine and Cedar Rapids have the largest Somali populations.

Question: What country is Cedar Rapids located in?


Answer: Minneapolis

Context: An estimated 20,000 Somalis emigrated to the U.S. state of Minnesota some ten years ago and the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and Saint Paul) now have the highest population of Somalis in North America. The city of Minneapolis hosts hundreds of Somali-owned and operated businesses offering a variety of products, including leather shoes, jewelry and other fashion items, halal meat, and hawala or money transfer services. Community-based video rental stores likewise carry the latest Somali films and music. The number of Somalis has especially surged in the Cedar-Riverside area of Minneapolis.

Question: Along with Saint Paul, what city constitutes the Twin Cities?


Answer: 20,000

Question: About how many Somalis moved to Minnesota ten years ago?


Answer: Cedar-Riverside

Question: What area of Minneapolis contains a notable number of Somalis?


Answer: money transfer services

Question: What is hawala?


Answer: halal

Question: What sort of meat is sold in Somali businesses in Minneapolis?


Answer: the United Arab Emirates

Context: There is a sizable Somali community in the United Arab Emirates. Somali-owned businesses line the streets of Deira, the Dubai city centre, with only Iranians exporting more products from the city at large. Internet cafés, hotels, coffee shops, restaurants and import-export businesses are all testimony to the Somalis' entrepreneurial spirit. Star African Air is also one of three Somali-owned airlines which are based in Dubai.

Question: In what Middle Eastern country is there a notable Somali population?


Answer: Deira

Question: What is another name for the city center of Dubai?


Answer: Iranians

Question: People of what nationality export more products from Dubai than Somalis?


Answer: Star African Air

Question: What is the name of an airline owned by Dubai-based Somalis?


Answer: three

Question: How many Dubai-based airlines are owned by Somalis?


Answer: Khartoum

Context: Besides their traditional areas of inhabitation in Greater Somalia, a Somali community mainly consisting of entrepreneurs, academics, and students also exists in Egypt. In addition, there is an historical Somali community in the general Sudan area. Primarily concentrated in the north and Khartoum, the expatriate community mainly consists of students as well as some businesspeople. More recently, Somali entrepreneurs have established themselves in Kenya, investing over $1.5 billion in the Somali enclave of Eastleigh alone. In South Africa, Somali businesspeople also provide most of the retail trade in informal settlements around the Western Cape province.

Question: Near what city in Sudan do many Somalis reside?


Answer: north

Question: In what geographical portion of Sudan do some Somalis live?


Answer: students

Question: Along with businesspeople, what sort of Somalis live in Sudan?


Answer: Eastleigh

Question: In what Somali enclave in Kenya have Somalis invested over $1.5 billion?


Answer: Western Cape

Question: In what province of South Africa do Somalis congregate?


Answer: Afro-Asiatic

Context: The Somali language is a member of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic family. Its nearest relatives are the Afar and Saho languages. Somali is the best documented of the Cushitic languages, with academic studies of it dating from before 1900.

Question: What language family does the Somali language belong to?


Answer: Cushitic

Question: What branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family does the Somali language belong to?


Answer: Afar

Question: Along with Saho, what language is closely related to Somali?


Answer: Somali

Question: Among the Cushitic languages, which is the most well-documented?


Answer: 1900

Question: Before what year did studies on the Somali language exist?


Answer: 7.78 million

Context: The exact number of speakers of Somali is unknown. One source estimates that there are 7.78 million speakers of Somali in Somalia itself and 12.65 million speakers globally. The Somali language is spoken by ethnic Somalis in Greater Somalia and the Somali diaspora.

Question: About how many people in Somalia speak Somali?


Answer: 12.65

Question: In millions, about how many global Somali speakers are there?


Answer: the Somali diaspora

Question: Along with Greater Somalia ethnic Somalis, who speaks Somali?


Answer: Benaadir

Context: Somali dialects are divided into three main groups: Northern, Benaadir and Maay. Northern Somali (or Northern-Central Somali) forms the basis for Standard Somali. Benaadir (also known as Coastal Somali) is spoken on the Benadir coast from Adale to south of Merca, including Mogadishu, as well as in the immediate hinterland. The coastal dialects have additional phonemes which do not exist in Standard Somali. Maay is principally spoken by the Digil and Mirifle (Rahanweyn) clans in the southern areas of Somalia.

Question: Along with Northern and Maay, what is the third main group of Somali dialects?


Answer: Northern Somali

Question: What dialect is Standard Somali based on?


Answer: Coastal Somali

Question: What is another name for Benaadir?


Answer: Benaadir

Question: What dialect is spoken on Mogadishu?


Answer: southern

Question: In what geographic part of Somalia do the Rahanweyn live?


Answer: the Somali alphabet

Context: A number of writing systems have been used over the years for transcribing the language. Of these, the Somali alphabet is the most widely used, and has been the official writing script in Somalia since the government of former President of Somalia Mohamed Siad Barre formally introduced it in October 1972. The script was developed by the Somali linguist Shire Jama Ahmed specifically for the Somali language, and uses all letters of the English Latin alphabet except p, v and z. Besides Ahmed's Latin script, other orthographies that have been used for centuries for writing Somali include the long-established Arabic script and Wadaad's writing. Indigenous writing systems developed in the twentieth century include the Osmanya, Borama and Kaddare scripts, which were invented by Osman Yusuf Kenadid, Abdurahman Sheikh Nuur and Hussein Sheikh Ahmed Kaddare, respectively.

Question: What is the most frequently used writing script for the Somali language?


Answer: Mohamed Siad Barre

Question: Who introduced the Somali alphabet?


Answer: October 1972

Question: In what month and year was the Somali alphabet introduced?


Answer: Shire Jama Ahmed

Question: Who created the Somali alphabet?


Answer: Osman Yusuf Kenadid

Question: Who invented the Osmanya script?


Answer: Arabic

Context: In addition to Somali, Arabic, which is also an Afro-Asiatic tongue, is an official national language in both Somalia and Djibouti. Many Somalis speak it due to centuries-old ties with the Arab world, the far-reaching influence of the Arabic media, and religious education. Somalia and Djibouti are also both members of the Arab League.

Question: Other than Somali, what is an official language of Somalia?


Answer: Afro-Asiatic

Question: To what language family does Arabic belong?


Answer: Djibouti

Question: In what neighboring country is Arabic also an official language?


Answer: the Arab League

Question: What organization do both Djibouti and Somalia belong to?


Answer: centuries

Question: For how long has Somalia had connections to the Arab world?


Answer: Northeast

Context: The culture of Somalia is an amalgamation of traditions developed independently and through interaction with neighbouring and far away civilizations, such as other parts of Northeast Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, India and Southeast Asia.

Question: Civilizations from what geographic part of Africa influenced Somali culture?


Answer: Southeast

Question: Civilizations from what geographic part of Asia influenced Somali culture?


Answer: India

Question: What Asian country notable influenced Somali culture?


Answer: the Arabian Peninsula

Question: Along with Northeast Africa, Southeast Asia and India, what locale had a significant influence on Somali culture?


Answer: Southeast Asian

Context: The textile-making communities in Somalia are a continuation of an ancient textile industry, as is the culture of wood carving, pottery and monumental architecture that dominates Somali interiors and landscapes. The cultural diffusion of Somali commercial enterprise can be detected in its cuisine, which contains Southeast Asian influences. Due to the Somali people's passionate love for and facility with poetry, Somalia has often been referred to by scholars as a "Nation of Poets" and a "Nation of Bards" including, among others, the Canadian novelist Margaret Laurence.

Question: Somali food contains influences from what region?


Answer: monumental architecture

Question: Along with textiles, wood carving and pottery, what ancient cultural activity still dominates Somalia today?


Answer: Margaret Laurence

Question: Who called Somalia a "Nation of Bards"?


Answer: Canadian

Question: Of what nationality is the person who called Somalia a "Nation of Bards"?


Answer: novelist

Question: What is the profession of the individual who referred to Somalia as a "Nation of Bards"?


Answer: Shax

Context: All of these traditions, including festivals, martial arts, dress, literature, sport and games such as Shax, have immensely contributed to the enrichment of Somali heritage.

Question: What is a notable game that is played in Somalia?


Answer: martial arts

Question: Along with sport, games, literature, dress and festivals, what is a notable Somali cultural tradition?


Answer: pentatonic

Context: Somalis have a rich musical heritage centered on traditional Somali folklore. Most Somali songs are pentatonic. That is, they only use five pitches per octave in contrast to a heptatonic (seven note) scale, such as the major scale. At first listen, Somali music might be mistaken for the sounds of nearby regions such as Ethiopia, Sudan or Arabia, but it is ultimately recognizable by its own unique tunes and styles. Somali songs are usually the product of collaboration between lyricists (midho), songwriters (lahan) and singers ('odka or "voice").

Question: What scale is used by most Somali songs?


Answer: seven

Question: How many notes are in a hepatonic scale?


Answer: the major scale

Question: What is an exaple of a hepatonic scale?


Answer: Sudan

Question: Along with Arabia and Ethiopia, what land has songs that sound similar to those of Somalia?


Answer: lyricists

Question: What does midho mean in English?


Answer: 1960s

Context: Growing out of the Somali people's rich storytelling tradition, the first few feature-length Somali films and cinematic festivals emerged in the early 1960s, immediately after independence. Following the creation of the Somali Film Agency (SFA) regulatory body in 1975, the local film scene began to expand rapidly. The Somali filmmaker Ali Said Hassan concurrently served as the SFA's representative in Rome. In the 1970s and early 1980s, popular musicals known as riwaayado were the main driving force behind the Somali movie industry. Epic and period films as well as international co-productions followed suit, facilitated by the proliferation of video technology and national television networks. Said Salah Ahmed during this period directed his first feature film, The Somali Darwish (The Somalia Dervishes), devoted to the Dervish State. In the 1990s and 2000s, a new wave of more entertainment-oriented movies emerged. Referred to as Somaliwood, this upstart, youth-based cinematic movement has energized the Somali film industry and in the process introduced innovative storylines, marketing strategies and production techniques. The young directors Abdisalam Aato of Olol Films and Abdi Malik Isak are at the forefront of this quiet revolution.

Question: In what decade were the first Somali feature films made?


Answer: 1975

Question: In what year was the SFA founded?


Answer: Ali Said Hassan

Question: Who was the representative of the Somali Film Agency in Rome?


Answer: popular musicals

Question: What are riwaaydo?


Answer: The Somali Darwish

Question: What was the name of Said Salah Ahmed's first feature?


Answer: aniconism

Context: Somali art is the artistic culture of the Somali people, both historic and contemporary. These include artistic traditions in pottery, music, architecture, wood carving and other genres. Somali art is characterized by its aniconism, partly as a result of the vestigial influence of the pre-Islamic mythology of the Somalis coupled with their ubiquitous Muslim beliefs. However, there have been cases in the past of artistic depictions representing living creatures, such as certain ancient rock paintings in northern Somalia, the golden birds on the Mogadishan canopies, and the plant decorations on religious tombs in southern Somalia. More typically, intricate patterns and geometric designs, bold colors and monumental architecture were the norm.

Question: What is a notable characteristic of Somali art?


Answer: music

Question: Along with wood carving, architecture and pottery, what is a notable Somali artistic tradition?


Answer: northern

Question: In what geographic region of Somalia are ancient rock paintings located?


Answer: birds

Question: What animals are depicted on the Mogadishan canopies?


Answer: southern

Question: In what area of Somalia can one find the tombs decorated with plants?


Answer: henna

Context: Additionally, henna is an important part of Somali culture. It is worn by Somali women on their hands, arms, feet and neck during weddings, Eid, Ramadan, and other festive occasions. Somali henna designs are similar to those in the Arabian peninsula, often featuring flower motifs and triangular shapes. The palm is also frequently decorated with a dot of henna and the fingertips are dipped in the dye. Henna parties are usually held before the wedding takes place. Somali women have likewise traditionally applied kohl (kuul) to their eyes. Usage of the eye cosmetic in the Horn region is believed to date to the ancient Land of Punt.

Question: What do Somali women wear on their feet during Eid?


Answer: flower motifs

Question: Along with triangular shapes, what are common henna designs in Somalia?


Answer: kohl

Question: What do Somali women traditionally put around their eyes?


Answer: Land of Punt

Question: From what ancient region did kuul application come?


Answer: Henna parties

Question: What activity is often held before Somali weddings?


Answer: Football

Context: Football is the most popular sport amongst Somalis. Important competitions are the Somalia League and Somalia Cup. The multi-ethnic Ocean Stars, Somalia's national team, first participated at the Olympic Games in 1972 and has sent athletes to compete in most Summer Olympic Games since then. The equally diverse Somali beach soccer team also represents the country in international beach soccer competitions. In addition, several international footballers such as Mohammed Ahamed Jama, Liban Abdi, Ayub Daud and Abdisalam Ibrahim have played in European top divisions.

Question: What sport do Somalis most enjoy?


Answer: Ocean Stars

Question: What is the name of the Somali national football team?


Answer: 1972

Question: In what year did the Ocean Stars first compete in the Olympics?


Answer: Mohammed Ahamed Jama

Question: Along with Liban Abdi, Ayub Daud and Abdisalam Ibrahim, who is a notable Somali football player?


Answer: the Somalia League

Question: Along with the Somalia Cup, what is an important Somali football competition?


Answer: 15–23 December 1981

Context: The FIBA Africa Championship 1981 was hosted by Somalia from 15–23 December 1981. The games were played in Mogadishu, and the Somali national team received the bronze prize. Abdi Bile won the 1500 m event at the World Championships in 1987, running the fastest final 800 m of any 1,500 meter race in history. He was a two-time Olympian (1984 and 1996) and dominated the event in the late 1980s. Hussein Ahmed Salah, a Somalia-born former long-distance runner from Djibouti, won a bronze medal in the marathon at the 1988 Summer Olympics. He also won silver medals in this event at the 1987 and 1991 World Championships, as well as the 1985 IAAF World Marathon Cup. Mo Farah is a double Olympic gold medal winner and world champion, and holds the European track record for 10,000 metres, the British road record for 10,000 metres, the British indoor record in the 3000 metres, the British track record for 5000 metres and the European indoor record for 5000 metres. Mohammed Ahmed (athlete) is a Canadian long-distance runner who represented Canada in the 10,000 meter races at the 2012 Summer Olympics and the 2013 World Championships in Athletics.

Question: When did the 1981 FIBA African Championship take place?


Answer: Somalia

Question: Who hosted the 1981 FIBA African Championship?


Answer: Mogadishu

Question: In what city did the 1981 FIBA African Championship take place?


Answer: Djibouti

Question: For what nation did Hussein Ahmed Salah compete?


Answer: Canada

Question: Who did Mohammed Ahmed compete for in the Olympics?


Answer: Mohamed Deq Abdulle

Context: In the martial arts, Faisal Jeylani Aweys and Mohamed Deq Abdulle also took home a silver medal and fourth place, respectively, at the 2013 Open World Taekwondo Challenge Cup in Tongeren. The Somali National Olympic committee has devised a special support program to ensure continued success in future tournaments. Additionally, Mohamed Jama has won both world and European titles in K1 and Thai Boxing.

Question: Who came in fourth in the 2013 Open World Taekwondo Challenge Cup?


Answer: silver

Question: What medal did Faisal Jeylani Aweys win in the 2013 Open World Taekwondo Challenge Cup?


Answer: Tongeren

Question: Where did the 2013 Open World Taekwondo Challenge Cup take place?


Answer: K1

Question: Along with Thai Boxing, in what has Mohamed Jama won a European title?


Answer: an embroidered fez

Context: When not dressed in Westernized clothing such as jeans and t-shirts, Somali men typically wear the macawis, which is a sarong-like garment worn around the waist. On their heads, they often wrap a colorful turban or wear the koofiyad, an embroidered fez.

Question: What is a koofiyad?


Answer: the macawis

Question: What do Somali men wear when they aren't wearing Western clothing?


Answer: around the waist

Question: Where is the macawis worn?


Answer: sarong

Question: What piece of clothing is the macawis similar to?


Answer: turban

Question: Aside from the koofiyad, what do Somali men wear on their head?


Answer: a long white garment

Context: Due to Somalia's proximity to and close ties with the Arabian Peninsula, many Somali men also wear the jellabiya (jellabiyad or qamiis in Somali), a long white garment common in the Arab world.

Question: What is the jellabiya?


Answer: qamiis

Question: Along with jellabiyad, what is the jellabiya called in Somali?


Answer: the Arab world

Question: In what region do men commonly wear the jellabiya?


Answer: the guntiino

Context: During regular, day-to-day activities, Somali women usually wear the guntiino, a long stretch of cloth tied over the shoulder and draped around the waist. It is usually made out of alandi, which is a textile common in the Horn region and some parts of North Africa. The garment can be worn in different styles. It can also be made with other fabrics, including white cloth with gold borders. For more formal settings, such as at weddings or religious celebrations like Eid, women wear the dirac. It is a long, light, diaphanous voile dress made of silk, chiffon, taffeta or saree fabric. The gown is worn over a full-length half-slip and a brassiere. Known as the gorgorad, the underskirt is made out of silk and serves as a key part of the overall outfit. The dirac is usually sparkly and very colorful, the most popular styles being those with gilded borders or threads. The fabric is typically acquired from Somali clothing stores in tandem with the gorgorad. In the past, dirac fabric was also frequently purchased from South Asian merchandisers.

Question: What is the regular garment of Somali women?


Answer: alandi

Question: What is the guntiino normally made from?


Answer: the dirac

Question: What is the usual formal attire for Somali women?


Answer: taffeta

Question: Along with silk, saree fabric or chiffon, what might the dirac be made out of?


Answer: the gorgorad

Question: What is the underskirt of the dirac called?


Answer: shaash

Context: Married women tend to sport headscarves referred to as shaash. They also often cover their upper body with a shawl, which is known as garbasaar. Unmarried or young women, however, do not always cover their heads. Traditional Arabian garb, such as the jilbab and abaya, is also commonly worn.

Question: What is the name of the headscarf worn by married women?


Answer: garbasaar

Question: What is the name of the shawl that married women wear on their upper bodies?


Answer: the jilbab

Question: Along with abaya, what is a traditional Arab garment sometimes worn by Somali women?


Answer: gold

Context: Additionally, Somali women have a long tradition of wearing gold jewelry, particularly bangles. During weddings, the bride is frequently adorned in gold. Many Somali women by tradition also wear gold necklaces and anklets.

Question: What is the jewelry worn by Somali women commonly made from?


Answer: necklaces

Question: Along with anklets, what pieces of jewelry are traditionally worn by Somali women?


Answer: gold

Question: What type of jewelry do Somali women wear at their weddings?


Answer: 1954

Context: The Somali flag is an ethnic flag conceived to represent ethnic Somalis. It was created in 1954 by the Somali scholar Mohammed Awale Liban, after he had been selected by the labour trade union of the Trust Territory of Somalia to come up with a design. Upon independence in 1960, the flag was adopted as the national flag of the nascent Somali Republic. The five-pointed Star of Unity in the flag's center represents the Somali ethnic group inhabiting the five territories in Greater Somalia.

Question: In what year was the Somali flag invented?


Answer: Mohammed Awale Liban

Question: Who devised the Somali flag?


Answer: scholar

Question: What was Mohammed Awale Liban by profession?


Answer: Star of Unity

Question: What is the star at the center of the Somali flag called?


Answer: five

Question: How many points does the Star of Unity have?


Answer: all food is served halal

Context: Somali cuisine varies from region to region and consists of a fusion of diverse culinary influences. It is the product of Somalia's rich tradition of trade and commerce. Despite the variety, there remains one thing that unites the various regional cuisines: all food is served halal. There are therefore no pork dishes, alcohol is not served, nothing that died on its own is eaten, and no blood is incorporated.

Question: What is the one culinary tradition that is present among all Somali regional cuisines?


Answer: pork

Question: What type of meat is never present in halal dishes?


Answer: alcohol

Question: What beverage is not halal?


Answer: blood

Question: Along with alcohol, what liquid is never present in halal food?


Answer: lunch

Context: Qado or lunch is often elaborate. Varieties of bariis (rice), the most popular probably being basmati, usually serve as the main dish. Spices like cumin, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and garden sage are used to aromatize these different rice delicacies. Somalis eat dinner as late as 9 pm. During Ramadan, supper is often served after Tarawih prayers; sometimes as late as 11 pm.

Question: What is the English word for qado?


Answer: rice

Question: What is bariis in English?


Answer: basmati

Question: What is the most popular variety of bariis?


Answer: 11 pm

Question: When is the latest a Somali might eat dinner during Ramadan?


Answer: Tarawih prayers

Question: After what event during Ramadan is dinner served?


Answer: halva

Context: Xalwo (halva) is a popular confection eaten during festive occasions, such as Eid celebrations or wedding receptions. It is made from sugar, corn starch, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and ghee. Peanuts are also sometimes added to enhance texture and flavor. After meals, homes are traditionally perfumed using frankincense (lubaan) or incense (cuunsi), which is prepared inside an incense burner referred to as a dabqaad.

Question: What is another term for xalwo?


Answer: Eid celebrations

Question: Along with wedding receptions, when is xalwo often consumed?


Answer: lubaan

Question: What do the Somalis call frankincense?


Answer: incense

Question: What is the English word for cunnsi?


Answer: dabqaad

Question: What do the Somalis call incense burners?


Answer: 1972

Context: Somali scholars have for centuries produced many notable examples of Islamic literature ranging from poetry to Hadith. With the adoption of the Latin alphabet in 1972 to transcribe the Somali language, numerous contemporary Somali authors have also released novels, some of which have gone on to receive worldwide acclaim. Of these modern writers, Nuruddin Farah is probably the most celebrated. Books such as From a Crooked Rib and Links are considered important literary achievements, works which have earned Farah, among other accolades, the 1998 Neustadt International Prize for Literature. Farah Mohamed Jama Awl is another prominent Somali writer who is perhaps best known for his Dervish era novel, Ignorance is the enemy of love. Young upstart Nadifa Mohamed was also awarded the 2010 Betty Trask Prize. Additionally, Mohamed Ibrahim Warsame 'Hadrawi' is considered by many to be the greatest living Somali poet, and several of his works have been translated internationally.

Question: When did Somalis begin to render their language using the Latin alphabet?