ITALIAN CULTURAL IQ QUIZ
Source: Heritage Italian-American Style by Leon J. Radomile
1) (Science) The most famous mathematical equation on earth, E = MC2, was actually formulated and published by an Italian from Vicenza two years before Albert Einstein’s major paper in 1905. This Italian did not discover the theory of relativity, but there is no doubt that he was the first to use the equation while speculating about ether in the life of the universe. *Identify this forgotten Italian. a) Olinto De Pretto b) Umberto Bartocci c) Michele Besso d) Francesco Redi
La formula matematica più famosa del mondo, E=MC2, fu postulata e pubblicata da un vicentino due anni prima quella di Einstein nel 1905. Questo italiano non scoprì la teoria della relatività ma è fuori di dubbio che fosse stato il primo ad usare questa equazione nelle sue speculazioni sull’etere nella vita dell’universo. *Identificate questo scienziato dimenticato. a) Olinto De Pretto b) Umberto Bartocci c) Michele Besso d) Francesco Redi
2) (U.S. History) His parents emigrated in the 1730’s from the Italian city of Siena to Maryland, where he was born on October 30, 1740. In July 1776, he was one of four Maryland representatives who signed the Declaration of Independence. In 1789, President Washington appointed him a federal judge for the state of Maryland, a position he held until his death in 1799. *Identify this Italian-American signer of the Declaration of Independence. a) Philip Mazzei b) Willian Paca c) Henry Tonti d) Francis Vigo
I genitori di questo illustre italiano emigrarono nel 1730 dalla città di Siena nello stato del Maryland, dove egli nacque il 30 ottobre 1740. Nel luglio del 1776 egli fu uno dei quattro rappresentanti del Maryland che firmarono la dichiarazione d’indipendenza. Nel 1789 il presidente Washington lo nominò giudice federale per lo stato del Maryland, posizione che mantenne fino alla morte avvenuta nel 1799. *Identificate questo italiano firmatario della dichiarazione d’indipendenza. a) Philip Mazzei b) Willian Paca c) Henry Tonti d) Francis Vigo
3) (Cuisine) With Julia Child, this man founded the prestigious American Institute of Wine and Food. His California winery, established in 1966, is still one of California’s largest wine producers, exporting wines all over the world. *Who was this respected entrepreneur whose family is from the Marche region of Italy? a) Paolo Rossi b) Ernest Gallo c) Robert Mondavi d) August Sebastiani
Insieme a Julia Child, quest’uomo ha fondato il prestigioso American Institute of Wine and Food. La sua azienda vinicola della California, fondata nel 1966, è ancora una delle maggiori dello stato, ed esporta vini in tutto il mondo. *Chi è questo celebre imprenditore la cui famiglia è originaria delle Marche? a) Paolo Rossi b) Ernest Gallo c) Robert Mondavi d) August Sebastiani
4) (Entertainment/singer) He was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of a shell-shocked G.I. in the 1964 movie, Captain Newman, M.D. *Who was this 1960 Grammy winner? a) Fabian b) Frankie Valli c) Bobby Darin d) Frankie Avalon
Fu candidato a un Oscar nel 1964 per la sua interpretazione dell'ispettore reduce di guerra nel film Captain Newman, M.D. *Chi è questo attore vincitore di un Grammy nel 1960? a) Fabian b) Frankie Valli c) Bobby Darin d) Frankie Avalon
5) (Business) They are the first family of pyrotechnics. Over the past decade, they have produced all the major firework programs in the United States including six consecutive US Presidential Inaugurations to the spectacular grand openings of the Bellagio and Atlantis hotels in Las Vegas. *Who is this family that has redefined the art of pyrotechnics? a) Rozzi Family b) Polo Family c) Grucci Family d) Zambelli Family
Questa è la prima famiglia di pirotecnci. Nello scorso decennio, sono stati loro a produrre i maggiori programmi di fuochi d’artificio negli Stati Uniti, compresi le inaugurazioni presidenziali e le inaugurazioni degli hotel Bellagio e Atlantis a Las Vegas. *Qual’è questa famiglia che ha ridefinito la pirotecnia? a) Rozzi Family b) Polo Family c) Grucci Family d) Zambelli Family
6) (Romans) Vesta was the virgin goddess and the center of Roman mythology. She was custodian of the sacred fire, which was never allowed to be extinguished, lest a national calamity should follow. *The sacred fire was brought by Aeneas from what city, claimed to be the origin of Rome and its people? a) Athens b) Troy c) Sparta d) Olympia Vesta era la dea vergine di Roma e figura centrale della mitologia romanica. Era lei a custodire il fuoco sacro che non si doveva mai lasciar spegnere per non scatenare calamità nazionali. *Il sacro fuoco fu portato a Roma da Enea da quale città? a) Athens b) Troy c) Sparta d) Olympia
7) (Sports) In 1920, New York Yankees center fielder, Francesco Stephano Pezzolo, nicknamed his friend and teammate George Herman Ruth, 'The Bambino,' which thousands of Ruth fans immediately adopted. Pezzolo, a Genoese Italian American from San Francisco, was ironically forced to change his Italian name and was known to baseball fans by what other name? a) Lefty O’Mally b) Frank “Ping” Bodie c) Kam MacLeod d) Bob “The Moose” Meusel
Nel 1920 il centrocampista degli Yankees di New York, Francesco Pezzolo, diede al suo compagno di squadra George Herman Ruth il soprannome ‘il bambino’, che i fan di Ruth adottarono subito con simpatia. Pezzolo, italo Americano genovese di San Francisco, fu invece ironicamente costretto a cambiare il proprio nome. *Con quale nome lo conoscevano i suoi fan? a) Lefty O’Mally b) Frank “Ping” Bodie c) Kam MacLeod d) Bob “The Moose” Meusel
8) (Entertainment/actor) Who was the wrestler and actor vividly remembered as the thug, Luca Brazzi, in the movie, The Godfather? a) Pasquale Tarantino b) Vito Antonelli c) Lenny Montana d) Joe Ciampi
Chi era il lottatore e l’attore che impersonava il malvivente Luca Brazzi nel film Il padrino? a) Pasquale Tarantino b) Vito Antonelli c) Lenny Montana d) Joe Ciampi
9) (History) Who said the following: “Since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved.” a) Julius Ceasar b) Niccolò Machiavelli c) Benito Mussolini d) Vince Lombardi
Chi pronunciò la seguente frase: “Siccome amore e paura non possono coesistere, se proprio dobbiamo scegliere, è meglio essere temuti che amati”. a) Julius Ceasar b) Niccolò Machiavelli c) Benito Mussolini d) Vince Lombardi
10) (Literature) Italian professor Martino Iuvara claims that his exhaustive research indicates that this world renowned playwright’s real name was Michelangelo Crollalanza and furthermore, that he was born in the Sicilian port city of Messina. *Identify the playwright. a) Christopher Marlowe b) Ben Jonson c) William Shakespeare d) John Webster
Il professore italiano Martino Iuvara sostiene che il vero nome di questo scrittore teatrale famoso nel mondo sia Michelangelo Crollalanza e che, inoltre, egli sia nato a Messina. *A quale scrittore si riferisce Iuvara? a) Christopher Marlowe b) Ben Jonson c) William Shakespeare d) John Webster
Answers
1) a) Olinto De Pretto (1857 - 1921) was an Italian industrialist and physicist from Schio, Vicenza, Italy.
2) b) William Paca (October 31, 1740 – October 13, 1799) Elected to the Maryland legislature in 1771 and appointed to the Continental Congress 1774. He was reelected, serving until 1779, when he became chief justice of the state of Maryland. In 1782 he was elected governor of Maryland and in 1789, became federal district judge for the state of Maryland until his death in 1799.
3) c) Robert Gerald Mondavi (June 18, 1913 – May 16, 2008) graduated Phi Sigma Kappa from Stanford University in 1937 with a degree in economics and business administration.
4) c) Bobby Darin (May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973) born Walden Robert Cassotto, very popular during the 50s and 60s as a night club, big band and rock and roll performer.
5) c) Grucci family – pyrotechnic tradition began in 1850 in Bari, Puglia, Italy. Was the first American company to win the prestigious Monte Carlo fireworks competition in 1979. Family immigrated to United States and began Fireworks by Grucci on Long Island in 1929.
6) b) Troy – Aeneas was a Trojan hero and son of the goddess Venus. With the fall of Troy to the Greeks, Aeneas escaped to Italy with his followers and became the progenitors of the Romans.
7) b) Frank “Ping” Bodie (Oct. 8, 1887 – Dec. 17, 1961) Francesco Stephano Pezzolo was born in San Francisco. One of the most feared sluggers in the 1910s, Bodie was nicknamed "Ping" for the sound made when his fifty-two-ounce bat crashed into the "dead" ball of his era.
8) c) Lenny Montana (March 13, 1926 – May 12, 1992) born Leonardo Passofaro in Brooklyn, N.Y. American actor/professional wrestler was best known for his role of feared assassin Luca Brasi in The Godfather.
9) b) Niccolò Machiavelli (3 May 1469 – 21 June 1527) was a philosopher, writer, and politician and is considered one of the main founders of modern political science. A prime example of the Renaissance Man, he was also a poet, musician, playwright, diplomat and political philosopher.
10) c) William Shakespeare – True or not, you must admit that Shakespeare loved to write about Italians, e.g.
Insert links here to wikipedia for each play
"Romeo and Juliet"
"A Midsummer Night's Dream"
"The Taming of the Shrew"
"Julius Caesar"
"Othello"
"The Tempest"
"Twelfth Night, or What You Will"
"The Merchant of Venice"
10 correct (100%) PhD in Italic Culture Awareness / Congratulations!
9 correct (90%) MA in Italic Culture Awareness / Congratulations!
7 - 8 correct (70% to 80%) BA in Italic Culture Awareness / Congratulations!
0 – 6 correct (0% to 60%) No degree issued. Summer School recommend! Your Study Textbook – Heritage Italian American Style