Tuesday Trivia

1. What was George Eliot's real name? 
2. Which young adult author is the grandmother of controversial musician Courtney Love? 
3. Where does the “Hey Diddle Diddle” nursery rhyme come from? 
4. Which U.S. President was a Finalist for the National Book Award? 

Last Week's Answers 

Which author was married on April 1, 1993 — a deliberate play on her husband’s belief that only fools get married in the first place? 

Meg Cabot, author of The Princess Diaries. 

What is the title of Shakespeare’s lost play? 

The play Cardenio that has been credited to the Bard and which was performed in his life, has been completely lost to time. Today we have no written record of its story whatsoever. 

What English literary classic was inspired by the adventures of Scottish pirate Andrew Selkirk? 

Robinson Crusoe. Daniel Defoe wrote the tale after hearing the story of Selkirk's four and a half years on uninhabited Juan Fernandez Island off the coast of Chile. 

Which word was accidentally omitted from a 1631 publication of the Bible, therefore encouraging readers to commit adultery?

In 1631, a printer accidentally omitted the word "Not" from the seventh commandment, encouraging readers to commit adultery.

Tuesday Trivia

1. Which author was married on April 1, 1993 — a deliberate play on her husband’s belief that only fools get married in the first place? 
2. What is the title of Shakespeare’s lost play? 
3. What English literary classic was inspired by the adventures of Scottish pirate Andrew Selkirk? 
4. Which word was accidentally omitted from a 1631 publication of the Bible, therefore encouraging readers to commit adultery? 

Last Week's Answers 

What was the occupation of author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes series of mysteries? 

The man responsible for writing the famous Sherlock Holmes mysteries was actually an eye doctor. Because this occupation didn’t pay enough for him to make a decent living, he wrote in his spare time to supplement his income. 

What do Laura Ingalls Wilder, Kenneth Grahame, Richard Adams, The Marquis de Sade, and Raymond Chandler have in common? 

Each was approaching or over fifty years old before his or her first major work was published. Laura Ingalls Wilder did not publish her first novel in the Little House series of children’s books until her sixties; Kenneth Grahame did not publish until his retirement in 1908 (age 49); Richard Adams’s first novel, the bestseller, Watership Down, was published when he was in his fifties; The Marquis de Sade published his first novel, Justine, after turning 51; Raymond Chandler published his first short story at 45 and his first novel, The Big Sleep at 51. 

When was the first novel written? 

The first novel ever written contains 54 chapters and is titled The Tale of Genji. It was written in the beginning of the 11th century by Murasaki Shibuku, a Japanese noblewoman. 

What does Jane Smiley say she would be doing if she were not a writer? 

She would choose to raise horses.

Tuesday Trivia

1. What was the occupation of author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes series of mysteries? 
2. What do Laura Ingalls Wilder, Kenneth Grahame, Richard Adams, The Marquis de Sade, and Raymond Chandler have in common? 
3. When was the first novel written? 
4. What does Jane Smiley say she would be doing if she were not a writer? 

Last Week's Answers 

Which American short story writer and poet continually called the name “Reynolds!” the night before his death? 

Edgar Allan Poe shouted this name, although no one knows to whom they dying man was calling. 

How did Voltaire rid himself of tiresome guests? 

Voltaire got rid of boring guests by pretending to faint. 

The average person uses a vocabulary of approximately 8,000 words. How many did Shakespeare use? 

William Shakespeare used a vocabulary of 29,066 different words. 

What first name did Arthur Conan Doyle give to his famous detective before he came up with Sherlock? 

Sherringford. The name was used in a short story Doyle wrote in 1886. Holmes's sidekick in the story was called Ormond Sacker — soon to be renamed Thomas Watson. 

What famous writer claimed she did most of the plotting for her books while sitting in a bathtub munching on apples? 

Agatha Christie

Tuesday Trivia

1. Which American short story writer and poet continually called the name “Reynolds!” the night before his death?
2. How did Voltaire rid himself of tiresome guests?
3. The average person uses a vocabulary of approximately 8,000 words. How many did Shakespeare use?
4. What first name did Arthur Conan Doyle give to his famous detective before he came up with Sherlock?
5. What famous writer claimed she did most of the plotting for her books while sitting in a bathtub munching on apples?

Last Week's Answers

What French novelist inadvertently provided actress Ruth Davis with her stage name, Bette Davis?

Honore de Balzac. Davis took her stage name from the title of his 1840 novel Cousin Bette.


Which piece of American literature containing over 50,000 words does not once use the letter “e”?

American author, Ernest Vincent Wright wrote Gadsby: A Champion of Youth, which, except for the introduction and a note at the end, does not use the letter “e.” Every word is properly spelled and all narration is grammatically correct. He actually taped down the letter “e” on his typewriter to avoid accidentally using it.

The high-speed ferry between Dublin and Great Britain, across the Irish Sea, is named after which 18th-century satirist?

Jonathan Swift.


Which author once ate an apple under the Arch de Triomphe to try to overcome his insomnia?


Alexander Dumas


What book was once banned by the Eldon, Missouri library because it contained 39 "objectionable" words?

The American Heritage Dictionary.

Tuesday Trivia

1. What French novelist inadvertently provided actress Ruth Davis with her stage name, Bette Davis?
2. Which piece of American literature containing over 50,000 words does not once use the letter “e”?
3. The high-speed ferry between Dublin and Great Britain, across the Irish Sea, is named after which 18th-century satirist?
4. Which author once ate an apple under the Arch de Triomphe to try to overcome his insomnia?
5. What book was once banned by the Eldon, Missouri library because it contained 39 "objectionable" words?

Last Week's Answers

Who is the most successful textbook author of all time?

Elements, by Euclid, was written circa 300 B.C. and has gone through more than 1,000 editions since the invention of printing.

J.K. Rowling’s short story, “The Tale of Three Brothers” is based on which famous tale?

“The Pardoner’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer in Canterbury Tales.


Which famous writer was buried in the Fluntern Cemetery, Zurich, Switzerland, and is so close to the Zurich Zoo that the zoo's lions can be heard from his grave?


James Joyce was buried here and shares his plot with wife Nora and son Georgio.


What best-selling author opened the first Saab auto dealership in the United States?

Kurt Vonnegut.


Where does the phrase “often a bridesmaid, never a bride” come from?

The phrase "Often a bridesmaid, but never a bride," actually originates from an advertisement for Listerine mouthwash from 1924.

NaNoWriMo

OMG! It’s time for NaNoWriMo again!

For several years now, Prestwick House has been a strong advocate for the entire concept of NaNoWriMo … just a fun and furious way to get your kids writing, thinking like a writer, excited about literature—the potential benefits are limitless.

Do you have younger students? Don’t forget that there is a Young Writers’ NaNoWriMo, too!

It’s not too late to register and get your kids writing! More important, it’s not too late for YOU to register and get writing!

How to Find the Perfect Teaching Guide

Visit PrestwickHouse.com today to see our new, Interactive Teaching Guide Comparison Chart and find your perfect Teaching Guide!

Interview with Head of Prestwick House Digital Resources, Keith Bergstrom

This week, I sat down with Prestwick house General Manager and Head of Prestwick House Digital Resources, Keith Bergstrom to learn a little bit about Prestwick House’s digital learning tools and the new Vocabulary Power Plus Online program released earlier this month.

Prestwick House has been selling their reproducible products as downloadables for years. What is your new focus on digital products and how is it different from what we’ve already seen?

We’ve been a leader in digital distribution because we’ve always been focused on how teachers can use technology in the classroom. In the past, we’ve focused on using the power of the internet to make it easier and cheaper to get ready-to-use resources into the classroom, but we’re finally reaching a point in which access to computers is pervasive enough that teachers will be able to make technology a core part of their classroom.

We certainly don’t believe that books are dying—they’re certainly a fantastic way to deliver information to students, and I don’t think they’re going away anytime soon—but beyond the page there are tremendous opportunities to empower teachers to have a more dynamic classroom.

So, beyond these downloadables, what has Prestwick House Digital been working on?

Well, over the last few years we’ve been expanding our delivery methods to a variety of ebook readers. You can now find Prestwick House books on Apple iPads, Amazon Kindles, Sony Nook’s and other popular eBook platforms. While these are not yet available in most classrooms, we’re starting to hear rumblings from teachers, so we’ll be ready when they are.

In terms of mobile platforms, we released our first iPhone/iPad application last year to help students study for Vocabulary Power Plus for the New SAT, and we’re working on developing more apps for other popular series.

The tool that I think is developing the fastest is the use of digital whiteboards and presentation technologies. We’ve released a variety of ready-to-use Power Presentations to teach grammar, introduce new novels, and help teachers with lectures. We’ve been creating new presentations to accompany each resource book that we’ve released this year. We want the classroom teacher to have a wide range of materials available to teach the books in any way he or she sees fit, without needing to spend hours preparing slides.

Finally, I’m really excited about our new online extension to the Vocabulary Plus series, Vocabulary Power Plus Online.

Vocabulary Power Plus Online launched earlier this month, what exactly is it?

Vocabulary Power Plus Online is a digital version of our best-selling program, Vocabulary Power Plus for the New SAT. It’s our first foray into a completely digital arena, and we’re really excited about the possibilities this opens up.

It includes all of the exercises and resources from the series in an easy-to-use cloud-based program that puts an interactive version of the books directly onto student screens. Students can securely log in to an online program and see what’s been assigned, do their homework, practice for tests, and even take quizzes and tests online. Teachers can manage grade books, make assignments, and see reports on student progress. The system will automatically grade student work and give them instant feedback on where they need to improve. Teachers should really appreciate the automatic grading of multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank exercise while students will love having the ability to do their homework online.

So, does Vocabulary Power Plus Online supplement the books, or replace them?

We designed the program with both methods in mind. We know that many teachers will be hesitant to replace the book in their classroom. Those teachers can just use the online program to manage assignments and grades, but teachers that are ready to go completely digital will find all of the resources from the books available online.

What kinds of assessment materials are available with Vocabulary Power Plus Online?

We’ve turned all of the weekly quizzes, unit tests, and pre- and post-tests into online assessments. All of them are included with a subscription. Teachers can proctor the exams in a computer lab because all of the answers and questions are scrambled to keep students from cheating, and all of the assessments are instantly graded.

Where can our readers find out more about Vocabulary Power Plus Online?

I’d love to schedule demos for any readers that are interested in learning more. Click here to sign up for a free web demo.

So, what’s on the horizon for Prestwick House Digital Resources?

As I speak with teachers, I’m learning a lot about what they’re looking for in terms of online resources. Many companies are making online programs full of cute animations that may entertain students, but they’re not actually teaching students. We’re focusing on developing pedagogically sound resources that empower teachers to do what they do best – make a personal connection with students and foster learning. We believe that a teacher will always be the center of a classroom, so we’re at work developing tools that make teachers’ lives easier and their classrooms more effective. Right now, we’re evaluating tools to improve a teacher’s ability to use our curriculum resources, and we hope to unveil more online resources in the coming year.

To schedule a web demo of Vocabulary Power Plus Online, click here, and Prestwick House will contact you in 24-48 hours.

1. Who is the most successful textbook author of all time?
2. J.K. Rowling’s short story, “The Tale of Three Brothers” is based on which famous tale?
3. Which famous writer was buried in the Fluntern Cemetery, Zurich, Switzerland, and is so close to the Zurich Zoo that the zoo's lions can be heard from his grave?
4. What best-selling author opened the first Saab auto dealership in the United States?
5. Where does the phrase “often a bridesmaid, never a bride” come from?

Last Week's Answers



Which great author received the meager sum of 10 pounds for his greatest work of literature?


John Milton sold the publishing rights to his epic verse work 'Paradise Lost' to a Samuel Simmons in 1667 for only ten pounds.


As far as number of lines is concerned, which is the most demanding of Shakespeare’s roles?


Hamlet is the most demanding of Shakespeare’s roles with 1,422 lines or roughly 36% of the total number of spoken lines in the play. Hamlet’s role is made up of 11,610 words. The character Falstaff has the most lines of any character in all of Shakespeare’s plays combined with 1,614 spoken lines in three different plays: Henry IV, Part I; Henry IV, Part II; and The Merry Wives of Windsor.


Which writer’s common-law wife was the madam of a Jacksonville brothel called the Hotel de Dream?


Stephen Crane


Which winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature was born in a ladies’ room during a dance?


Winston Churchill

1. Which great author received the meager sum of 10 pounds for his greatest work of literature?
2. As far as number of lines is concerned, which is the most demanding of Shakespeare’s roles?
3. Which writer’s common-law wife was the madam of a Jacksonville brothe called the Hotel de Dream?
4. Which winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature was born in a ladies’ room during a dance?

Last Week's Answers


In 2004, which world-renowned author’s daughter discovered a 5,000-word story entitled "The Incident of the Dog's Ball" in the attic of her home?

Agatha Christie’s daughter found this 5,000 word story in 2004, and had it published in Britain in September 2009 by The Strand Magazine.

Which famous American playwright choked to death on an eye drop bottle cap?

Tennesee Williams’ cause of death was choking on an eye drop bottle cap in his room at the Hotel Elysee in New York. While holding the cap in his mouth, Williams leaned back to place eye drops in each eye and accidentally swallowed the cap. The police report suggests his use of drugs and alcohol contributed to his death by diminishing his gag reflex.

Which famous author was both born and died on a Halley’s Comet year?
Mark Twain 1835 - 1910

What did writer Edgar Allan Poe and singer Jerry Lee Lewis have in common pertaining to their choice of wives?

Both married a 13-year-old cousin.