Dear Friends of the Pub Quiz,
It seems that every fall I return to this quotation that is attributed to Aristotle: “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” Split between two worlds at UC Davis, I must simultaneously entertain two perspectives on teaching. I myself teach relatively small writing classes that depend upon work in groups, eye contact, investment in each of my students, and comprehensive evaluation of the essays submitted to me. At the same time, as an instructional technology expert, I am called upon to help my faculty colleagues from across the disciplines better understand how to “scale up” their teaching, that is, to use technologies such as video, animation, and automation to give each student the illusion of individualized attention and connection (and thus maintain or even improve the quality of learning), even as we accept more and more students to our university, and in our individual classrooms. Every new technology provides teachers (and folks working in other fields) new challenges and opportunities.
As instruction at UC Davis begins this week, I have been filled with eagerness. I get to meet two new classrooms of students, and impress upon them what from our class I hope they will find to be engaging, practical, and essential. I know I can help students better understand how to write more clearly, and therefore how to think more clearly, but will I be able to inspire them, that is, to bring about individual commitments to sustained higher-order thinking? Will they keep or sell back their textbooks? I remember then NEA Chairman Dana Gioia previewing for me a 2004 study titled “Reading at Risk” that lamented the decline of reading of literary texts. Evidently Americans stopped reading books as soon as high school or college teachers stopped assigning them to read those books. Where is Oprah when we need her?
Do you continue to read interesting and challenging literary works even when you are not told to? I bet so, if you seek out the sort of challenges that I share every Monday evening. What new or favorite books would you recommend for other Pub Quiz regulars? Inspire me with your choices, and perhaps soon you will see them referenced on a future de Vere’s Irish Pub Pub Quiz.
Tonight’s quiz will feature questions on celebrities, stone carvings, banks, design mistakes, Maine, Cuba, Iceland, Tajikistan, Vietnam (444), aliens, cowboys, brushes with “greatness,” California cities in television shows, Dr. Andy’s basement, Asian-American firsts, lifetime salaries, comedy, Fingers, light, somnolence, presidential acronyms, made-up names, livestock, rock bands, telephones, Friends, authors who are tinged losers (anagram), the compulsion to travel, godfathers, questionable leadership, readers, hit musicals, boxing, recent films, poem syllables, Europe, wars on American values, armor, cells and molecules, basketball, and Shakespeare.
This coming Friday night at 7 The 2013 Jazz/Beat Festival begins with a dance recital, and then readings by two incredible poets: D.R. Wagner and Phil Weidman. Then I will be awarding the Jack Kerouac Poetry Prize to readers performing to live jazz. I will have my ear open the entire evening for Pub Quiz question topics, so you may benefit in more ways than just culturally if you join us. See the schedule of events at the Natsoulas Gallery website.
See you tonight!
Your Quizmaster
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Here are five questions from last week’s quiz:
1. Mottos and Slogans. According to the fragrance advertising campaign, “Between love and madness lies WHAT”?
2. Internet Culture. Wikileaks has posted and refuted the entire Julian Assange biopic titled The Fifth Estate. What actor with three-syllable first and last names plays Assange in the film?
3. Newspaper Headlines. Recently Pope Francis said in an interview that the Catholic Church had become too obsessed with “abortion, gay marriage and the use of” WHAT?
4. Four for Four. Which of the following, if any, are typically among the “Heavy Events” at Highland Games competitions (locally called “Scottish Games”)? Anvil Heave, Caber Toss, Hammer Throw, Sheaf Toss.
5. Medicinal Marijuana. According to last week’s edition of 60 Minutes, 20 states have legalized the use of marijuana for the treatment of the effects of chemotherapy, chronic pain, and what G word?
Aristotle also had some impressive pupils!