OXFORD – CAMBRIDGE VARSITY QUIZ 2006
All multipart questions (labelled with +) I advise to be written down by both teams (but use your discretion at all times):
LORD OF THE RINGS I
1- Who is Master Holdwine?
Merry
2 - How are Bilbo and Frodo related?
First and second cousins, once removed either way
3 - What day of the week was the party?
Thursday
4 - Where were the musical crackers at Bilbo & Frodo's party made?
Dale
5 - What glimmered like a spike of pearl and silver?
The white tower of Ecthelion
6 - What do the elves call the river Hoarwell?
Mitheithel
7 - Who ruled Minas Tirith after Denethor died but before Faramir got better?
Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth
8 - What is another name for Angrenost?
Isengard
9 - How many barrows were there at the Golden Hall, and how were they situated?
7 on left, 9 on right
10 - How did Imrahil ascertain that Eowyn was still alive?
By holding a burnished vambrace to her lips which misted over with her breath.
THE HOBBIT
1-What order did the Dwarves arrive at Bilbo's house at the beginning of TheHobbit?
Dwalin, Balin, (Kili, Fili), (Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin), (Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Thorin)
(Brackets are where they arrived in group - quiz master may wish to be generous as regards the order within groups)(+)
2- What signal was Bilbo to give when investigating the Troll's fire if there was trouble and he couldn't get back?
Hoot twice like a barn own and once like a screech owl.
3- How many people did Tom eat since he came down from the mountains?
A village and a half
4- As far as was reported, what were the Great Goblin's last words?
Slash them! beat them! Bite them! Gnash them! Take them away to dark holes full of snakes and never let them see the light again.
5- When is the Dwarves' new years day (and what is it called?)
Durin's day - 1st day of the last moon of autumn on the threshold of winter. It is Durin's day when the last moon of autumn and sun are in the sky together.
6- What was the date of the auction of Bag end?
June 22nd
7 - What was the elf king's butler called?
Galion
8 - Where did the wine that the Butler and chief guard drink come from?
(The great gardens of) Dorwinion
9- How many teeth does Gollum have?
6
10 - Who killed Bolg?
Beorn
POSTHUMOUS AND MINOR WORKS
1. What was the Aldudenie and who composed it?
Lament for the Two Trees, Elemmire of the Vanyar
2. Who said: “ I have now a quarrel of my own with this Master of Lies, which will last to my life’s end”?
Amlach
3. Where did the first Men awake?
Hildorien
4. What is the meaning of Cirith Ninniach and which character is it associated with?
“Rainbow Cleft,” Tuor
5. What was the name of the smith who taught Feanor?
Mahtan
6. What was the Alcarondas?
Ar-Pharazon’s ship (on which he sailed to the West)
7. According to the published Silmarillion version, what did Gorlim ask of Sauron in return for his treachery?
“that he should find Eilinel again and with her be set free”
NOTE: the team must mention both parts of the phrase, but an exact quote is not necessary.
8. Name one of the Noegyth Nibin.
Mim or Khim or Ibun
9. Who is Elemmakil?
Captain of the Guard that Tuor and Voronwe meet on their way into Gondolin (Unfinished Tales)
10. Who was called “Daughter of Uinen”?
Erendis
11. Name the two types of hope.
Amdir and Estel
12. Whom did Andreth love?
Aegnor
13. Who saw “A Cloud, a Tree, a Star”?
St. Brendan
14. Who was called “Old Earthgrubber”?
Parish, in Leaf by Niggle
15. Complete the following couplet from ‘Mythopoeia’:
‘I bow not yet before the Iron Crown,
…………..
ANSWER: Nor cast my own small golden sceptre down.
16. Of which poem are these the opening lines?
In Britain’s land beyond the seas
The wind blows ever through the trees;
In Britain’s land beyond the waves
Are stony shores and stony caves.
“The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun”
BIOGRAPHY/LANGUAGES
1. In which Chronicle did “The Battle of the Eastern Field” appear, and which “battle” did it refer to?
King Edward’s School Chronicle – a rugby match (in 1911)
2. What was the Council of London? Be precise about it, stating either (1) the year, or (2) the exact location, or (3) how it influenced Tolkien.
The December 1914 meeting of the TCBS in Christopher Wiseman’s London home, following which Tolkien began to devote much energy to writing poetry.
3. Who did Tolkien collaborate with on his edition of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?
E. V. Gordon
4. Where does the following Tolkien quote come from: “The man next to me said suddenly in a dreamy voice: ‘Yes, I think I shall express the accusative case by a prefix!’”
The lecture (or essay) A Secret Vice
5. Of which European city did Tolkien write in his diary, it “seemed incredibly, elvishly lovely - to me like a dream of Old Gondor, or Pelargir of the Númenorean Ships, before the return of the Shadow”?
Venice (visited on a holiday with Priscilla in 1955)
6. Who was the Merton College scout (a.k.a. “bedder” in Cambridge) who acted as caretaker for Tolkien in his last year in the Merton Street flat?
Charlie Carr
7. What does the following mean, who composed it, and in which of Tolkien’s posthumously published works does it appear: “Eala Earendel engla beorhtast / ofer Middangeard monnum sended!”?
"Hail Earendel, brightest of angels, over middle-earth sent unto men" – from Cynewulf’s Crist I, the phrase appears in The Notion Club Papers
8. What does Tar-Elestirne mean?
The Lady of the Star-brow (this is in reference to Erendis)
9. What did the name Beor mean?
Vassal
10. What is the grammatical function of the U in words like Umanyar, Ulairi?
A negation (or any equivalent term)
OTHER MEDIA
1. What German illustrator of Beowulf, Troy, and Alexander, has also produced numerous Tolkien watercolours?
Anke Eissmann
2. Which queen, who is also a Tolkien illustrator, is featured in the Film Portrait of J. R. R. Tolkien (1986)?
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
3. What are the two main Tolkien newsgroups (around since the 1990s)?
rec.arts.books.tolkien and alt.fan.tolkien (abbreviated r.a.b.t or RABT and a.f.t or AFT, respectively)
4. The appositely named singer of The Road Goes Ever On Cycle is?
William Elvin
5. Which chapter from the Silmarillion does Christopher Tolkien read for the JRR Tolkien Audio Collection?
“Of Beren and Luthien”
7 - What do Sam "LOTR" Gamgee and Davy "Pirates of the Caribbean" Jones have in common?
Bill Nighy - played Sam in radio play, Davy Jones in next film. If too hard, can add in Slartibartfast
6 - What were the dates of the cinematic releases of each of Peter Jackson's LOTR films?
FOTR - 19/12/01 TTT - 18/12/02 ROTK - 17/12/03 (+)
8 - What Oscars did ROTK win?
11 - Best art direction, best costume, best visual effects, best makeup, best sound mixing, best original score, best film editing, best song, best adapted screenplay, best director, best picture.
(need to get at least 8 right for the point)(+)
9 - In FOTR, what did Merry break when running from farmer maggot?
A carrot
10 - For whom did Eowyn sing in TTT Extended edition?
Theodred - at his funeral
LORD OF THE RINGS II
1 - How many toes does Treebeard have?
7 on each foot
2 - Where (according to his song) did Treebeard wander in the summer?
The elm-woods of Ossiriand
3 – What was the name of Eorl the Young's horse?
Felarof
4- Who procured Bill the Pony for the hobbits?
Bob
5 - What date (using months in our calendars) did Bilbo and Frodo depart over sea?
September 29th 3021 (SR 1421)
6 - When did Theoden and Gandalf set out from Helm's deep for Isengard?
March 4th (day of quiz!) 3019
7 - What kingdoms did Arnor split into after the death of Earendur?
Arthedain, Cardolan, and Rhudaur (+)
8 - Which of the following four was not a king of Gondor: Siriondil, Turambar, Elendur, Telemnar?
Elendur
9 - What is Elostirion?
The tallest of the three towers that stood on the Tower Hills (Emyn Beraid). (It once held one of the palantíri of the North-kingdom).
10 - What is the word for fire in the Black Speech?
Ghash
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