Saturday, February 20, 2010

Significant figures in the World's history

SIGNIFICANT FIGURES IN THE WORLD'S HISTORY

1. Who was Adolph Schicklgruber? Give
his short biography.
A: Adolph Schicklgruber was Adolf Hitler. Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889 in Braunau am Inn, Austria. Adi, as he was known in his youth, spent his childhood in Austria. His father, Alois, retired from civil service in 1895, when Hitler was only six, which created a tense, strict atmosphere at home. When Hitler was 13, his father passed away and his mother, Klara, had to care for Hitler and his siblings by herself. Times were tough for the Hitler household. In 1905, at age 16, Adolf quit school and never returned.

Adolf Hitler was responsible for starting World War II and for killing more than 11 million people during the Holocaust.

Source: http://history1900s.about.com/od/hitleradolf/a/hitlerancestry.htm http://history1900s.about.com/cs/hitleradolf/p/hitler.htm

2. Why is John Stith Pemberton's name famous? Illustrate.

A:He was best known for being the inventor of coca-cola, which in his lifetime was used only for medical purposes. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Stith_Pemberton










































3. What was the name of the famous Italian astronomer, physicist and philosopher, who was born on the 15 February 1564? Give a short overview of his achievements.

A:His name was Galilei Galileo. He worked on a variety of experiments, including the speed at which different objects fall, mechanics and pendulums. Galileo heard about the invention of the telescope. Without having seen an example, he constructed a superior version and made many astronomical discoveries. These included mountains and valleys on the surface of the moon, sunspots, the four largest moons of the planet Jupiter and the phases of the planet Venus. Although he was going blind he continued to write. In 1638, his 'Discourses Concerning Two New Sciences' was published with Galileo's ideas on the laws of motion and the principles of mechanics. Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/galilei_galileo.shtml




























4.Provide interesting facts about William Henry Gates III. Why is he world-famous?

A:
  • According to Forbes magazine in 2004, Gates is the wealthiest person in the world, a position he has held steadily for many years.
  • While he was a student at Harvard, he co-authored with Paul Allen the original Altair BASIC interpreter for the Altair 8800 (the first commercially successful personal computer) in the mid 1970s.
  • Gates married Melinda French on January 1, 1994.
  • He and his wife have three children, Jennifer Katharine Gates (1996), Rory John Gates (1999) and Phoebe Adele Gates (2002).
  • He has a modern 21st century house in the "Pacific lodge" style, with advanced electrical and electronic systems everywhere.
  • In 1997, Gates was the victim of a bizarre extortion plot by Chicago resident Adam Quinn Pletcher.
  • Gates licensed MS-DOS to IBM, which it had acquired from a local computer manufacturer.
  • In the mid-1980s Gates became excited about the possibilities of compact disc for storage, and sponsored the publication of the book CD-ROM: The New Papyrus that promoted the idea of CD-ROM.
  • As the architect of Microsoft's product strategy, Gates has aggressively broadened the company's range of products and, once it has obtained a leading position in a category, has vigorously defended that position.
  • In 2000, Gates promoted long-time friend and Microsoft executive Steve Ballmer to the role of Chief Executive Officer and took on the role of "Chief Software Architect".
He is world-famous because he is one of the richest person and he is also chairman of Microsoft.
Source: http://www.famouspeople.co.uk/b/billgates.html

5.What was the name of the Scottish mathematician and engineer whose improvements to the steam engine were a key stage in the Industrial Revolution? Illustrate his innovation.
A: His name was James Watt.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wi
ki/James_Watt http://www.famouspeople.co.uk/j/jameswatt.html





































6.Give a short biography of Andrew Warhola. What was/is he famous for? Illustrations.
A: Andrew Warhola, more commonly known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. After a successful career as a commercial illustrator, Warhol became famous worldwide for his work as a painter, avant-garde filmmaker, record producer, author, and public figure known for his membership in wildly diverse social circles that included bohemian street people, distinguished intellectuals, Hollywood celebrities and wealthy aristocrats.

Warhol has been the subject of numerous retrospective exhibitions, books, and feature and documentary films. He coined the widely used expression "15 minutes of fame." In his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, The Andy Warhol Museum exists in memory of his life and artwork.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Warhola



7.What are the most
important facts about the life of Norma Jeane Mortenson ? Illustrate.
A: Marilyn Monroe. She was born June 1, 1926 and died August 5, 1962. She borned as Norma Jeane Mortenson. She was an American actress, singer, and model. After spending much of her childhood in foster homes, Monroe began a career as a model, which led to a film contract in 1946. Her early roles were minor, but her performances in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve (both 1950) were well received. Monroe was praised for her comedic ability in such films as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How to Marry a Millionaire, Some Like It Hot, and The Seven Year Itch.

The typecasting of Monroe's "dumb blonde" persona limited her career prospects, so she broadened her range. She studied at the Actors Studio and formed Marilyn Monroe Productions. Her dramatic performance in Bus Stop was hailed by critics, and she won a Golden Globe Award for her performance in Some Like it Hot.

The final years of Monroe's life were marked by illness, personal problems, and a reputation for being unreliable and difficult to work with. The circumstances of her death, from an overdose of barbiturates, have been the subject of conjecture. Though officially classified as a "probable suicide", the possibility of an accidental overdose, as well as the possibility of homicide, have not been ruled out. In 1999, Monroe was ranked as the sixth greatest female star of all time by the American Film Institute.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norma_Jeane_Mortenson


8. Who was the Roman emperor, who was murdered by senators 44 B.C? Why did this happen?

A: It was Julius Caesar. He was murdered because h
e declared himself dictator for life. This act, along with his continual effort to adorn himself with the trappings of power, turned many in the Senate against him. Sixty members of the Senate concluded that the only resolution to the problem was to assassinate Caesar. Source: http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/caesar2.htm

9.What is the name of the French emperor, who had to spend the last six years of his life under British supervision on the island of Saint Helena? Add short biography.
A: Napoleon Bonaparte. He was borned 15 August 1769 and he died 5 May 1821. He was a military and political leader of France and Emperor of the French as Napoleon I, whose actions shaped European politics in the early 19th century.

Born in Corsica and trained as an artillery officer in mainland France, Bonaparte rose to prominence under the First French Republic and led successful campaigns against the First and Second Coalitions arrayed against France. In 1799, he staged a coup d'etat and installed himself as First Consul; five years later the French Senate proclaimed him Emperor. In the first decade of the nineteenth century, the French Empire under Napoleon engaged in a series of conflicts—the Napoleonic Wars—involving every major European power. After a streak of victories, France secured a dominant position in continental Europe and Napoleon maintained the French sphere of imfluence through the formation of extensive alliances and the appointment of friends and family members to rule other European countries as French client states.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_I_of_France

10.What was the maiden name of the Princess of Wales, who was killed in the car accident in France? Illustate her short biography.
A: Diana Spencer. Borned: 1 July 1961; died: 31 August 1997. She was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales. Diana was the youngest daughter of John Spencer and Frances Spencer. She was born at Park House, Sandringham in Norfolk, England on 1 July 1961, and was baptised on 30 August 1961 at St. Mary Magdalene Church by the Rt. Rev. Percy Herbert, with godparents that included John Floyd. She was the fourth child to the couple, with older sisters Sarah (born 19 March 1955) and Jane (born 11 February 1957), as well as an infant brother, The Honourable John Spencer (born and died on 12 January 1960). The heir to the Spencer titles and estates, her younger brother, Charles, was born three years after her on 20 May 1964.

Biography of Princess Diana

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana,_Princess_of_Wales

Australia

AUSTRALIA

1.The world's longest continuous fence is 'The Dingo Fence' in Australia – how long is it? Why was it built? Illustrate.
A: the fence is 5,614 km long, and it was built to keep dingoes out of the relatively fertile south-east part of the continent (where they had largely been exterminated) and protect the sheep flocks of southern Queensland.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dingo_Fence

















2. Which world's largest reptile can be found in Australia? Give the details of the species and illustrate.

A: Saltwater Crocodile. An adult male saltwater crocodile's weight is 600 to 1,000 kilograms and length is normally 4.1 to 5.5 metres, though mature males can be 6 metres or more and weigh 1,300 kilograms or larger. This species has the greatest sexual dimorphism of any modern crocodilian, with females being much smaller than males. Typical female body lenghts in the range of 2.1 to 3.5 metres. The largest female on record measured about 4.2 metres. Source: http://www.australianfauna.com/largestreptile.php


3.What kind of goverment does Australia have? Who is the present Prime Minister?
A:
Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy ander a parliamentary democracy. Australia was declared a federation in 1901, and now has a Federal Government, six State Governments and two Territories which are largely self-governing. The present Prime Minister is Kevin Rudd.
Source: http://www.about-australia.com/facts/government/


4. Which lake is the deepest lake in Australia and which is the longest river there?
A: The deepest lake in Australia is Lake St.Clair which is 190 deep. The longest river is The Murray River which is 2520 km long.
Source: http://www.australianexplorer.com/interesting_facts.htm

5.Provide the name of Australian national anthem.Who is the composer of the anthem and how did the anthem become official in Australia?
A:
‘Advance Australia Fair’ is the national anthem of Australia. The composer is Peter Dodds McCormick. The anthem became official in Australia through voting.

Australian National Anthem - Advance Australia Fair

Source: http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/nat_anthem.html

6.Describe the history and design of Australian national flag. What symbols are used in the design and why?
A: Australian National flag's original design was chosen in 1901 from entries in a worldwide competition held following Federation. A sightly different design was approved by King Edward VII in 1902. Over the next few years the exact specifications of the flag were changed several times both intentionally and as a result of confusion. The current specifications were formally gazetted in 1934, and in 1954 the flag became recognised by parliamentary statute as the ''Australina National flag''.

The flag is a defaced Blue Ensign: a blue field with the Union Flag in the canton (upper hoist quarter), and a large white seven-pointed star known as the Commonwealth Star in the lower hoist quarter. The fly contains a representation of the Southern Cross constellation, made up of five white stars – one small five-pointed star and four, larger, seven-pointed stars.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_flag

7.Describe the history of the name"Australia". Where does it come from and when was it first used in English?
A: The name Australia is derived from the latin australis, meaning ''southern''. Legends of an ''unknown land of the south'' date back to to Roman times and were commonplace in medieval geography but were not based on any documented knowledge of the continent. The first recorded use of the word Australia in English was in 1625 in ''A note of Australia del Espíritu Santo, written by Master Hakluyt'' and published by Samuel Purchas in Hakluytus posthumus.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia

8.Why is the plant 'golden wattle' so significant in Australia? What do Australians celebrate on the 1-st of September?
A: The plant "golden wattle" is Australia's national floral. The golden wattle is a symbol of unity. Wattle is ideally suited to withstand Australia's droughts, winds and bushfires. The resilience of wattle represents the spirit of the Australian people. In recent times, the golden wattle has been used as a symbol of remembrance and reflection. On national days of mourning, for example, Australians are invited to wear a sprig of wattle.

The first day of September is National Wattle Day. It builds on a long unofficial tradition of wearing the wattle blossom on 1 September. The day was introduced in 1913 by an association called the Wattle Day League and formally recognised on 23 June 1992.

Australians can celebrate their floral heritage each Wattle Day by planting wattles.

Source: http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/symbols/flora.cfm

9.What kind of pet is 'litoria caerulea' in Australia? Where does it live? Characterize and illustrate the species.
A: It's an Australian tree frog. The Australian tree frog is a fascinating creature that can survive both on land as well as in water.
Source: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/australian-tree-frog.html


10.What is the name of the famous Australian rock band, which was founded in 1973 and is still successfully performing? Illustrate.
A: AC/DC.

Example of their music - AC/DC - Back In Black

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC/DC

Significant events in the World's history

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE WORLD'S HISTORY

1. What happened during the final stages of the World War II in August 1945?

A: Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/1945/
Get more inf
ormation about the bombing here: http://www.answers.com/topic/bombings-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki

2. Who was assassinated on November 22, 1963? Where and how did it happen?

A: John F. Kennedy. It took place in Dallas, Texas.

Kennedy was fatally shot while riding with his wife Jacqueline in a Presidential motorcade.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_22,_1963

3. What does 9/11 refer to? Give a short overview of the disaster. ILLUSTRATE

A: It refers to a disaster that took place September 11th, 2001 in United States.

Four commercial passenger jet airliners were hijacked by 19 al-Qaeda members. Two of the airlines were intentionally crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing everyone on board and many others. Both buildings collapsed, destroying nearby buildings and damaging others. The hijackers crashed a third airliner into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. The fourth plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania thanks to some of its passengers and flight crew who attempted to retake control of the plane, which the hijackers had redirected toward Washington, D.C. These people were heroes because thanks to their courage, they were able to prevent an ever bigger disaster.

There were no survivors from any of the flights. 2,973 victims and the 19 hijackers died as a result of the attacks.

4. What happened on the 14th April 1912? What were the consequences?

A: Titanic struck an iceberg and sank two hours and forty minutes later. The sinking resulted in the deaths of 1,517 of the 2,223 people on board, making it one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history. The high casualty rate was due in part to the fact that, although complying with the regulations of the time, the ship did not carry enough lifeboats for everyone aboard. The ship had a total lifeboat capacity of 1,178 people, although her maximum capacity was 3,547. A disproportionate number of men died due to the women and children first protocol that was followed.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanic

5. Why is the ship Mayflower so important in American history? What happened?

A: The Mayflower has a famous place in American history as a symbol of early European colonization of the future US. With their religion oppressed by the English Church and government, the small party of religious Puritan separatists who comprised about half of the passengers on the ship desired a life where they could practice their religion freely. This symbol of religious freedom resonates in US society and the story of the Mayflower is a staple of any American history textbook. Americans whose roots are traceable back to New England often believe themselves to be descended from Mayflower passengers.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayflower

6. What was the significant event that took place on July 16, 1969? Illustrate.

A: The Apollo 11 mission landed the first humans on the Moon. The third lunar mission of NASA's Apollo Program was crewed by Commander Neil Alden Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins, and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin Eugene 'Buzz' Aldrin, Jr. On July 20, Armstrong and Aldrin became the first humans to land on the Moon, while Collins orbited in the Command Module.

1969 Apollo 11 Neil Armstrong NASA First Moon Landing

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1969_moon_landing

7. What relevant event took place on January 20th 2009 in the United States?

A: Barack Obama was named as the president of the United States. He is the 44th president and is also the first African American president.

See more information about Barack Obama and his life here: http://en.wikipedia.org/












8. What was Arpanet and why is this term and the man called Tim Berners-Lee very important in the world's history?

A: ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) was The first network of computers witch involved just 4 machines. This was funded by America’s Defence Department’s Research Projects Agency.

Tim Berners-Lee invented a method of organising information which he called the world-wide-web (www). His system linked documents from different sources and guided users to related information. The www was first used by the public in 1991 and it allowed the transfer of text, sound, images and video clips.

Source: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/internet.htm

9. Why is the date - September 1, 1939 – considered to be very significant date in the history of the world?

A: It's believed to be the date when the first shots of World War II were shot.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1939#September

10. What started on the morning of December 7, 1941? Give a short overview.

A: The attack on Pearl Harbor. It was an unannounced military strike conducted by the Japanesenavy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. It resulted in the United States' entry into World War II. The attack was intended as a preventive action in order to keep the U.S Pacific Fleet from influencing the war that the Empire of Japan was planning in Southeast Asia, against Britain and the Netherlands, as well as the U.S. in the Philippines.

The attack sank four U.S Navy battleships and damaged four more. 2,402 people were killed and 1,282 wounded. Japanese losses were minimal.

Despite numerous historical precedents of unannounced military action, the lack of any formal declaration prior to the attack led President Franklin D. Roosevelt to proclaim "December 7th, 1941 -- a date which will live in infamy".

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_7,_1941

GEOGRAPHY

GEOGRAPHY

1.Which is the smallest country (by territory) in the world and how small (or big) is it? Which one is the largest country (by territory) and how big is it?

A:

The smallest country in the world is Vatican City and its area is 0.44km².














The largest country is Russia and its area is 17 098 242km².

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallest_country

http://www.hackstaff.com/images/vatican/vaticancity_map.jpg

http://www.russia-tourism.ru/images/gi/russia-map.jpg



2.What caused the Dead Sea to form? What country (counrties) does the Dead Sea reside in?


A: In this part of the world there is a rift forming where two crustal plates are spreading apart. The East Rift Valley runs through most of Africa, but it starts north of the Dead Sea and runs south along the eastern side of the continent. The Sea is located right along the Rift Valley where the earth's crust is being stretched thin.

Dead Sea resides in Israel and Jordan.

Sources: http://www.extremescience.com/DeadSea.htm

http://www.extremescience.com/maps/MapOfDeadSea.htm



3.Which highest peak of a continent is also known as the Carstensz Pyramid ?

A: The highest peak of continent is Pucak Jaya in Indonesia and it it 4884 meters/ 16 024 feet high.
Sources:

http://peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=11360

http://www.papuaweb.org/gb/foto/muller/glaciers/glacier-02.jpg



4.Which is the third longest river in the world?


A: The third longest river in the world is Yangtze.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rivers_by_length


5.Which is the deepest ocean trench in the world?


A: Mariana Trench in Pacific ocean.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_deepest_ocean_trenches


6.Why was the famous explorer Sir Walter Raleigh placed in the Tower of London ?

A: The Queen had him thrown in the Tower of London because she was displeased with his love affair with one of her Maids of Honour, Bessie Throckmorton. He was released after one of his ships brought back a huge treasure on the captured Spanish ship "Madre De Dios".

Sources: http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/sir-walter-raleigh.htm

http://www.britishexplorers.com/woodbury/raleigh.html


7. What is the biggest body of water in the world?Illustrate.


A: The biggest body of water is Pacific ocean (155,557,000km²).

Sources: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-worlds-largest-bodies-of-water.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Ocean

http://schools-wikipedia.org/images/718/71817.png




8.What is the largest desert of the world? Give a short overview of its inhabitants in the history.


A:The largest hot desert of the world is Sahara and the largest cold desert of the world is Antarctica.

Berbers are one of the oldest known inhabitants of the Sahara Desert. They are the people that occupied (and still occupy) more than two thirds of the Sahara's total surface.

Here are the rest of inhabits (They are ordered chroncly): Nubians, predynastic Egyptians, Phoenicians, Greeks, urban civilization.

There has been also Trans-Saharan trade and European colonialism, which began in the 19th century.

You can read more about Sahara from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahara and http://looklex.com/e.o/sahara.htm

Sources : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahara


9.By whose name was America named? When?

A: America was named by Amerigo Vespucci in 1507.

Source: http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/amerigo-vespucci.htm











10.Who was the famous explorer who conquered the Incas of Peru and when?


A: Francisco Pizarra was the famous explorer who conquered the Incas of Peru in 1532.

Source: http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/francisco-pizarro.htm