General knowledge · Beginner
Pub Quiz Essentials
Science, arts, music, film, sport, myth, language and invention, the durable half of general knowledge.
What you will learn
The 12 topics inside Pub Quiz Essentials
Each topic has its own goal, its own questions and its own mastery score, so you always know which part is still weak.
Film and television
Recall landmark films, directors and the lines people habitually misquote.
Food and drink
Recall the origins, names and rules behind familiar food and drink.
Institutions and how they work
Explain what the UN, EU and branches of government actually do, without naming officeholders.
Inventions and discoveries
Recall who actually invented what, and what they built on.
Language and etymology
Recall real word origins and spot the folk etymologies quizzes love.
Literature and the arts
Recall the authors, works and movements that come up again and again.
Music history
Recall composers, genres and recordings by period rather than by chart position.
Mythology and folklore
Recall the major figures and stories across Greek, Roman, Norse and other traditions.
Quick geography
Recall the geography facts quizzes reuse most: capitals, landmarks and boundaries.
Quick history
Recall the dates, figures and quotes quizzes most often test and most often garble.
Science and nature
Recall the science facts quizzes lean on, and the myths they test you with.
Sport
Recall the rules, formats and durable history of the major sports.
Example questions
Real questions from this course
These are taken straight from the course. Pick an answer, then open the explanation to see why it is right.
Sample 01
How many years did the series of conflicts between England and France known as the Hundred Years' War actually last?
Show the answer and why
Answer: 116 years
A common misconception is that the Hundred Years' War lasted exactly one century. In fact, it lasted 116 years between the English Edwardian invasion of France and the final French victory at Castillon.
The Hundred Years' War lasted a total of 116 years, spanning from 1337 to 1453. It was a series of connected military campaigns interrupted by several treaties and truces rather than a single continuous century-long war.
Sample 02
In American football, how does the fundamental rule regarding forward passing differ from rugby union and rugby league?
Show the answer and why
Answer: American football permits a single forward pass per play behind the line of scrimmage, unlike rugby.
American football allows one forward pass per play from behind the line of scrimmage, whereas both codes of rugby prohibit any forward passes with the hands. This guards against the misconception that rugby and American football share the same rules.
American football permits a single forward pass per play behind the line of scrimmage during downs. In contrast, both rugby codes strictly forbid throwing the ball forward with the hands at any time.
Sample 03
How do bats navigate and locate prey, despite the popular myth regarding their eyesight?
Show the answer and why
Answer: They navigate using sonar while possessing functional eyes that contribute to vision.
Defends against the misconception that bats are blind. All bat species possess functional eyes for sight alongside echolocation.
Bats rely on echolocation to hunt in the dark, but all bat species can actually see and use functional eyes. Many larger fruit bats depend primarily on sight rather than sonar.
Pub Quiz Essentials is free with an account, along with every other course in the library.
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