 | Derek O'Brien |
A partridge in a pear tree, two turtle doves, three French hens, four calling birds, five gold rings, six geese, seven swans, eight maids, nine dancing ladies, ten leaping lords, eleven pipers, and twelve drummers — these are the gifts that “my true love gave to me” on each of the twelve days, in the popular carol, The Twelve Days of Christmas. Twenty nine years ago, PNC Wealth Management Bank’s chief economist came up with the Christmas Price Index, a tongue-in-cheek commodity price index measuring the changing cost of goods over time by adding the cost of the items in the song. PNC’s ‘True Cost of Christmas’ is calculated by following the exact instructions in the song (buying a partridge in a pear tree on each of the twelve days, buying two turtle doves from the second day onward, for a total of 22 turtle doves, etc.) for the complete set of 364 items. This year, if one were to buy all 364 items named in the carol, one would have to pay 6.1% more, as compared to 2011 — a total of $107,300. Incidentally, the partridge at $15 is the cheapest item, and swans the most expensive, at $1,000 each. A Merry Christmas to all of you!
YOUR QUESTIONS
1. Which famous inventor’s father was Immanuel, the inventor who pioneered the modern plywood?
Swargendra Mohan Roy, Calcutta
2. Which geographical phenomenon is known as ‘little boy’ in Spanish?
Mohan Dey, Habra
3. Who was the first elected mayor of Calcutta?
Roma Ahmad, Calcutta
4. Which Indian state hosts the Hornbill Festival every year in December?
Kingshuk Deb, Assam
5. The idea of which mode of transport was tested by Christopher Cockerel using a vacuum cleaner and two tin cans?
Indrani Ray, Calcutta
6. Which place in India is popularly referred to as the Hermit Kingdom?
Pranjal Kishore Sharma, Assam
7. Which famous author does Nicole Kidman play in the film The Hours?
Rajib Chaudhary, Calcutta
8. The Nehru Trophy Boat Race held annually sees races of which particular type of boat?
Mrinmoy Lahiri, Calcutta
9. In 2010, Finland became the first country to incorporate what as a Fundamental Right in its constitution?
Madhubanti Ghosh, Calcutta
KNOW & GROW WITH DEREK
Thomas Alva Edison’s assistants came up with the idea of electric lights for Christmas trees.
ANSWER & WIN
Who wrote a pamphlet justifying Britain’s involvement in the Boer War, for which he was knighted?
For Answer and Win, send a quiz question of your own along with the answer. The prize will go to the reader with the correct answer and the best question. Send in answers with your full name and address to: graphitiquiz@gmail.com
Winner of the Answer and Win
Quiz published on 9.12.12
Madhubanti Ghosh, Calcutta
What was established in West Bengal as the Eastern Higher Technical Institute in 1950?
The Answer is: IIT Kharagpur
For queries about Answer and Win, please contact 22804093
 | Identify this historian |  |
POINT OF VIEW
1. Identify this sportsperson
2. Identify thisactor
ANSWERS
1. Alfred Nobel
2. El Nino
3. Chittaranjan Das
4. Nagaland
5. Hovercraft
6. Ladakh
7. Virginia Woolf
8. Snake boat
9. Broadband connection
WHO AM I ? 
Romila Thapar
POINT OF VIEW 1 Caroline Wozniacki
POINT OF VIEW 2 Martin Freeman
