1. Name the ancient empire that once was ruled by emperors named Darius and Xerxes.
2. Which of the following emphasizes instrumental music rather than the human voice? -- anthem; oratoria; sonata; or cantata?
3. Which of the following musical terms means "to get louder gradually"? -- crescendo; fortissimo; moderato; or sforzando?
4. What expression does an economist mean by the abbreviation GNP?
5. Which of the seven continents is the smallest in area?
6. The Battle of Marathon (490 B.C.) and the Battle of Salamis (480 B.C.) pitted which two of the following imperial nations against one another? -- Greece; China; Rome; Persia?
7. In what year did the British finally sign the treaty in Paris which ended the American Revolutionary War?
8. Shariah is the name of the legal system followed by which of the following groups? -- Roman Catholics; Muslims; Jews; or Protestants?
9. What was the nationality of the ancient philospher and writer usually called Confucius?
10. Which of the following terms was borrowed from ancient Greek drama to refer to the excessive pride that causes a character to destroy himself by ignoring the laws which all men are subject to? -- hyperbole; hubris; metonymy; or spondee?
11. What exactly do the initials ABC stand for when referring to television broadcasting companies?
12. What is the general purpose of the class of medications referred to as analgesics?
13. With which of the following religions does one associate the terms yoga and karma? -- Islam; Buddhism; Shintoism; or Hinduism?
14. The classification of organisms into such categories as genus, species, and phylum is know as what?
15. The vast sheets of ice, rocks, and other debris which slowly spread southward from the mountainous regions of the north are called what?
16. Name the American inventor who in 1877 first recorded sound and played it back by means of making grooves in a cylinder covered with wax paper.
17. In what craft, occupation, or profession did a 20th Century American named Ty Cobb become most famous?
18. In what sport is the playing surface divided into a front nine and a back nine?
19. The modern Olympics have been going on for over a century. Name either the year in which the modern Olympics started or the country where those first games were held.
20. Which of the following languages is spoken by the smallest number of native-born speakers? -- Swahili; Chinese; Arabic; or Portugese?
21. Which of the following best describes the location of a country currently known as the Republic of San Marino? -- completely surrounded by Mexico; completely surrounded by Italy; completely surrounded by Cuba; or completely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa?
22. Name the 1991 Best Actor Oscar-winner who won for his portrayal of the terrifying cannibalistic murderer named Hannibal Lechter.
23. What is the principal ingredient of the Mexican salad called guacamole?
24. Name the 19th Century English poet whose best-known poems are dramatic monologues such as "My Last Duchess" and "Soliloquy in a Spanish Cloister."
25. Name the late 19th Century playwright from Norway whose most famous plays are A Doll's House and Hedda Gabler.