600 Current Events Word Quiz

Have you ever noticed how many words or phrases you know, but don’t know exactly. . . so you sort of skip over them and glean the meaning from something else in the sentence? You know what an OCLC is, but do you know what the original acronym stood for? Or HTTP or JAMA?

Here’s some words and phrases from the November 16 Wall Street Journal (or ads). Try to answer all before you check Google or click on my links.

1. What is the main ingredient in Pease Porridge?

2. To what does Pandora’s Box refer?

3. Who were the Bickersons?

4. What does the acronym FICA actually stand for?

5. Geographically, where is Hibernia?

6. Just what exactly is ozone?

7. Can you name the seven deadly sins?

8. What is Tom Jones (the singer) real name?

9. What is bling bling?

10. Echo boomers are younger than Gen-Xers, but what other name generally applies to this demographic?

I didn't give myself a point unless I could stake my reputation on the answer, so I only got 10% right. I knew #1 because I'd seen it recently on TV; although I sort of knew #5 and #9 because they are used so often, I wasn't positive. For #2 I had the story a little mixed up.

Links to the answers.

1. recipe and story
2. Blame the woman
3. marital mayhem drenched in caustic wit.
4. If you're a wage or salaried employee, you pay only half
5. Ptolemy’s map
6. and a list of what we don’t know about it
7. Among the recent advertising muffs have been a campaign that focuses on the seven deadly sins
8. married at 16
9. The Silvertones "Bling Bling Christmas" earliest use
10. high-tech, big-ticket industries