New Zealand Story Quiz
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Questions and Answers
- 1.
Where is New Zealand's Largest hydroelectric power station?
- A.
Lake Tekapo
- B.
Lake Manapouri
Correct Answer
B. Lake ManapouriExplanation
70% of New Zealand’s Electricity is already generated from
renewable, sustainable sources.Rate this question:
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- 2.
The most decorated unit of the New Zealand Army during World War Two was called the "________" Battalion.
Correct Answer
Maori
MāoriExplanation
Almost 3600 men served overseas with the Māori Battalion between 1940 and 1945.Rate this question:
- 3.
Fill in the blanks...By what name is this former All Black captain and coach known? Alex “_____” Wyllie.
Correct Answer
Griz
GrizzExplanation
Wyllie became an All Black in 1970.Rate this question:
- 4.
Played by actor and director Taika Waititi, this character from the New Zealand smash hit movie Boy prefers to be called...
- A.
Ninja
- B.
Shogun
Correct Answer
B. ShogunExplanation
Boy is the highest grossing New Zealand film of all time.Rate this question:
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- 5.
Who was New Zealand’s first iconic drag queen?
- A.
Carmen Miranda
- B.
Carmen Rupe
- C.
Caramel slice
Correct Answer
B. Carmen RupeExplanation
Carmen was not afraid to speak to the press and was summoned to appear before the Privileges Committee by Prime Minister Rob Muldoon for suggesting some MPs were gay or bisexual. In 1977 she ran for the Wellington mayoralty on a platform supporting gay marriage.Rate this question:
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- 6.
Who was this pioneer of non-violent passive resistance at Parihaka in the 1860s?
- A.
Te Waka-o-te-Rangimarie
- B.
Te Whiti-o-Rongomai
- C.
Te Whiti-o-te-Rongomarie
Correct Answer
B. Te Whiti-o-RongomaiExplanation
In 1860 Te Whiti was responsible for saving the lives of the crew and passengers of the Lord Worsely which was wrecked on the Taranaki coast 80km south of New Plymouth. This was the first time the government officials knew of the existence of Te Whiti. He was believed to be about 30 at the time.
In 1867, the great Māori chief established a village at Parihaka. He wanted his people to regain their land, pride and self-respect after the confiscations in other parts of the North Island. His aim seems to have been to establish a new way for Māori to resist European attempts to take what was left of Taranaki.
Learn more about the Non violent resistance at Parihaka here; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ParihakaRate this question:
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- 7.
Archibald Baxter became famous for his actions during World War One. What was it that made him famous?
- A.
Tank Commander
- B.
Conscientious objector
- C.
Fighter Pilot
Correct Answer
B. Conscientious objectorExplanation
Archibald McColl Learmond Baxter (13 December 1881 – 10 August 1970) was a New Zealand pacifist, socialist, and anti-war activist.
He refused to serve during World War I on the grounds that "all war is wrong, futile, and destructive alike to victor and vanquished." He was arrested in 1917, imprisoned, then shipped to the western front and beaten, starved and tortured by the army in an effort to get him to put on a uniform and serve.
Still refusing, he was given Field Punishment No.1 - in effect, being crucified on a pole in open fire - and later was tied to a shed being used by the Germans for artillery practice. He suffered a complete physical and mental breakdown, but survived, and returned to his Otago farm after the war.Rate this question:
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- 8.
Who led Team New Zealand when it won the America’s Cup in 1995?
- A.
Sir Peter Blake
- B.
Sir Peter Ustinov
- C.
Sir Peter Jackson
Correct Answer
A. Sir Peter BlakeExplanation
The 29th America's Cup was contested between the winner of the 1995 Citizen Cup, Team Dennis Conner, with the yacht Stars & Stripes (ex Young America USA 36), and the winner of the 1995 Louis Vuitton Cup, Team New Zealand, with the yacht Black Magic (NZL 32).Rate this question:
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- 9.
During the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Jack Lovelock won which medal in athletics?
- A.
Gold
- B.
Silver
- C.
Bronze
Correct Answer
A. GoldExplanation
Jack Lovelock won New Zealand’s first Olympic gold medal in athletics.Rate this question:
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- 10.
Sir William “Bill” Hamilton is famous for inventing what?
- A.
White water rafting
- B.
Extreme sports
- C.
Jet Boat engine
Correct Answer
C. Jet Boat engineExplanation
Humble New Zealander; Sir Charles William Feilden Hamilton (26 July 1899 - 30 March 1978), commonly known as Bill Hamilton, was a New Zealander who developed the modern jetboat, and founder of the world's leading water jet manufacturing company - CWF Hamilton Ltd.
Hamilton never claimed to have invented the jet boat. He once said "I do not claim to have invented marine jet propulsion. The honour belongs to a gentleman named Archimedes, who lived some years ago." What he did was refine the design enough to produce the first useful modern jet boat.Rate this question:
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- 11.
Who was the first person to fly from the UK to NZ?
- A.
Jean Batten
- B.
Jean Michelle Jarre
- C.
Jean Claude Van Damme
Correct Answer
A. Jean BattenExplanation
Jean Gardner Batten CBE OSC (15 September 1909 – 22 November 1982) was a New Zealand aviatrix. Born in Rotorua, she became the best-known New Zealander of the 1930s, internationally, by taking a number of record-breaking solo flights across the world. It was she who in 1936 made the first-ever solo flight from England to New Zealand.
In 1936 – England - New Zealand. World record for any type. 14,224 miles in 11 days 45 minutes total elapsed time, including 2½ days in Sydney.Rate this question:
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- 12.
Who is this decorated WWII Resistance fighter known by the Nazi’s as The White Mouse?
- A.
Nancy Sinatra
- B.
Nancy Reagan
- C.
Nancy Wake
Correct Answer
C. Nancy WakeExplanation
Born in Wellington in 1912 Nancy Grace Augusta Wake AC GM served as a British secret agent during the Second World War. She became a leading figure in the French Resistance and was one of the Allies' most decorated servicewomen of the war.Rate this question:
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- 13.
Who led the famous land march from the Far North to Wellington in 1975?
- A.
Dame Mini Cooper
- B.
Dame Whina Cooper
- C.
Dame Super Trooper
Correct Answer
B. Dame Whina CooperExplanation
In September 1951 she was elected first president of the new Māori Women's Welfare League. The league was successful and she became well-known throughout New Zealand. In 1957 she stepped down as president and the annual conference rewarded her with the title Te Whaea o te Motu ("Mother of the Nation").
During the 1960s she worked on a local level around Auckland, but kept largely out of the national spotlight. This changed in 1975 when a coalition of Māori groups asked her to lead them in a protest against the loss of Māori land. She agreed, proposing a hikoi (a symbolic march) from the northern tip of the North Island to Parliament in Wellington at the other end of the island. During September and October 1975, the nearly 80-year-old Cooper again became nationally recognised, walking at the head of the Māori land march from Te Hapua to Wellington. She was made a Dame Commander in the Order of the British Empire in 1981 and a member of the Order of New Zealand in 1991.Rate this question:
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- 14.
True or false...Margaret Mahy is New Zealand’s most acclaimed children’s writer.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. TrueExplanation
Margaret Mahy, ONZ (21 March 1936 – 23 July 2012) was a New Zealand author of children's and young adult books. Many of her story plots have strong supernatural elements but her writing concentrates on the themes of human relationships and growing up.
She wrote more than 100 picture books, 40 novels and 20 collections of short stories. At her death she was one of only thirty writers to win the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award, for her "lasting contribution to children's literature".
Mahy won the annual Carnegie Medal in Literature from the Library Association, recognising the year's best children's book by a British subject, both for The Haunting (1982) and for The Changeover (1984). (As of 2012 seven writers have won two Carnegies, none three.) She was also a highly commended runner up for Memory (1987). Among her children's books, A Lion in the Meadow and The Seven Chinese Brothers and The Man Whose Mother was a Pirate are considered national classics.Rate this question:
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- 15.
Who set a world land speed of 295.45km at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1967?
- A.
Burt Reynolds
- B.
Burt Munro
- C.
Bert and Ernie
Correct Answer
B. Burt MunroExplanation
Herbert James "Burt" Munro (Bert in his youth) (25 March 1899 – 6 January 1978) was a New Zealand motorcycle racer, famous for setting an under-1,000 cc world record, at Bonneville, 26 August 1967. This record still stands today. Munro was 68 and was riding a 47-year-old machine when he set his last record.
Working from his home in Invercargill, he worked for 20 years to highly modify the 1920 Indian motorcycle that he had bought that same year. Munro set his first New Zealand speed record in 1938 and later set seven more. He traveled to compete at the Bonneville Salt Flats, attempting to set world speed records. During his ten visits to the salt flats, he set three speed records, one of which still stands today.His efforts, and success, are the basis of the motion picture The World's Fastest Indian (2005), starring Anthony Hopkins, and an earlier 1971 short documentary film Burt Munro: Offerings to the God of Speed, both directed by Roger Donaldson.Rate this question:
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- 16.
Who is this NZ entertainer who died in 1985?
- A.
Prince Tui Teka
- B.
Prince (the artist formerly known as)
Correct Answer
A. Prince Tui TekaExplanation
Teka was born in Ruatahuna, New Zealand near Te Urewera. His parents were both musicians, and he learnt to play the guitar and saxophone at a young age. He moved to Sydney in the early 1950s. In 1959, Teka, Jonny Nicol, and Mat Tenana joined the The Royal Samoans and Maoris. The band was later renamed Prince Tui Latui & The Maori Troubadours. In 1968 he joined Maori Volcanics Showband, touring the Pacific for six years.
In 1972 he began his solo career,and returned home releasing two albums; Real Love and Oh Mum, as well as the Māori love song E Ipo. In 1974 he met with Noel Tio; both Tui and Noel had known each other since 1958, so Noel Tio Enterprises Pty Ltd. became his Australian manager for 11 years.
Before his death in 1985, he was in the German TV series Jack Holborn and starred in New Zealand films Came a Hot Friday and Nate and Hayes. Teka died in 1985. His widow, Missy, died in 2008.Rate this question:
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- 17.
Who was the Kiwi eye surgeon dedicated to providing affordable eye care to people in developing countries?
- A.
Sleepy Hollows
- B.
Fred Hollows
Correct Answer
B. Fred HollowsExplanation
Born in Dunedin, Frederick "Fred" Cossom Hollows, AC (9 April 1929 – 10 February 1993) was a New Zealand and Australian ophthalmologist who became known for his work in restoring eyesight for countless thousands of people in Australia and many other countries.
It has been estimated that more than one million people in the world can see today because of initiatives instigated by Hollows, the most notable example being The Fred Hollows Foundation.Rate this question:
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- 18.
In what year did NZ ban nuclear vessels entering its ports?
- A.
1976
- B.
1984
Correct Answer
B. 1984Explanation
In 1984, Prime Minister David Lange barred nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed ships from using New Zealand ports or entering New Zealand waters.
Under the New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act 1987, territorial sea, land and airspace of New Zealand became nuclear-free zones. This has since become a sacrosanct touchstone of New Zealand foreign policy. The Act prohibits "entry into the internal waters of New Zealand 12 nautical miles (22.2 km/ 13-13/16 statute miles) radius by any ship whose propulsion is wholly or partly dependent on nuclear power" and bans the dumping of radioactive waste within the nuclear-free zone.Rate this question:
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- 19.
Who was the campaigner for women’s suffrage who succeeded in 1893 in making NZ the first country in the world to grant women the vote?
- A.
Kate Sheppard
- B.
Kate Winslet
Correct Answer
A. Kate SheppardExplanation
Women's suffrage in New Zealand was an important political issue in the late 19th century. Of countries presently independent, New Zealand was the first to give women the vote in modern times. The Electoral Bill granting women the franchise was given Royal Assent by Governor Lord Glasgow on 19 September 1893, and women voted for the first time in the election held on 28 November 1893 (elections for the Māori electorates were held on 20 December). In 1893, Elizabeth Yates also became Mayor of Onehunga, the first time such a post had been held by a female anywhere in the British Empire.Rate this question:
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- 20.
Which famous Kiwi was responsible for the defense of London in the Battle of Britain?
- A.
Sir Keith Park
- B.
Sir Eden Park
- C.
Sir Albert Park
Correct Answer
A. Sir Keith ParkExplanation
The failure of Germany to achieve its objectives of destroying Britain's air defenses, or forcing Britain to negotiate an armistice or an outright surrender, is considered its first major defeat and a crucial turning point in the Second World War. By preventing Germany from gaining air superiority, the battle ended the threat that Hitler would launch Operation Sea Lion, a proposed amphibious and airborne invasion of Britain.Rate this question:
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- 21.
Who was the first person to split the atom?
- A.
Ernest Hemingway
- B.
Ernest Rutherford
Correct Answer
B. Ernest RutherfordExplanation
Ernest Rutherford, 1st Baron Rutherford of Nelson OM, FRS (30 August 1871 – 19 October 1937) was a New Zealand chemist and physicist who became known as the father of nuclear physics. He is considered the greatest experimentalist since Michael Faraday (1791–1867).
After his death in 1937, he was honoured by being interred with the greatest scientists of the United Kingdom, near Sir Isaac Newton's tomb in Westminster Abbey.Rate this question:
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- 22.
Who was Prime Minister when New Zealand declared itself nuclear free in 1987?
- A.
David Attenborough
- B.
David Lange
Correct Answer
B. David LangeExplanation
in 1984, Lange led Labour to a landslide victory, becoming at the age of 41 New Zealand's youngest prime minister of the 20th century.
He was also a true petrol head! During his tenure as Prime Minister, Lange engaged in competitive motor-sport, appearing in the New Zealand One Make Ford Laser Sport series.Rate this question:
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- 23.
Name this comedy duo
- A.
Topp Twins
- B.
Top Gear
- C.
Top Chef
Correct Answer
A. Topp TwinsExplanation
The Topp Twins were inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame at the APRA Silver Scroll Awards in Auckland in September 2008.Rate this question:
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- 24.
Who was the first person to reach the top of Everest in 1953?
- A.
Sir Edmund Burke
- B.
Sir Edmund Hillary
- C.
Sir Edmund Pevensie
Correct Answer
B. Sir Edmund HillaryExplanation
A New Zealand mountaineer, explorer and philanthropist, On 29 May 1953, Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
Hillary was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century.Rate this question:
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.jpg "Where is New Zealand's Largest hydroelectric power station?")
.jpg "The most decorated unit of the New Zealand Army during World War Two was called the \"________\" Battalion.")
.jpg "Who was this pioneer of non-violent passive resistance at Parihaka in the 1860s?")
.jpg "Archibald Baxter became famous for his actions during World War One. What was it that made him famous?")
.jpg "Who led Team New Zealand when it won the America’s Cup in 1995?")
.jpg "During the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Jack Lovelock won which medal in athletics?")
.jpg "Sir William “Bill” Hamilton is famous for inventing what?")
.jpg "Who was the first person to fly from the UK to NZ?")
.jpg "Who is this decorated WWII Resistance fighter known by the Nazi’s as The White Mouse?")
.jpg "Who led the famous land march from the Far North to Wellington in 1975?")
.jpg "True or false...Margaret Mahy is New Zealand’s most acclaimed children’s writer.")
.jpg "Who set a world land speed of 295.45km at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1967?")
.jpg "Who is this NZ entertainer who died in 1985?")
Quiz Review Timeline +
Our quizzes are rigorously reviewed, monitored and continuously updated by our expert board to maintain accuracy, relevance, and timeliness.
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Current Version
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Mar 21, 2023Quiz Edited by
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Mar 11, 2013Quiz Created by
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