October Fest [Quiz #11]

Answers here

1. There is one United States federal holiday in October. What is it, and on what date does the federal holiday fall in 2008? [half point each]

2. The Hunt for Red October is the 1984 debut novel (later turned into a film) by which former insurance agent? What does “Red October” refer to in the novel and movie?

3. “October Revolution” usually refers to events in which country? In what year did these events occur?

4. Which sports figure is frequently referred to as Mr. October? During which decade did he earn this nickname? [half point each]

5. How many days does the German Oktoberfest traditionally last? Which city held the first festival in 1810 and continues to host the largest celebration? [half point each]

6. Whose poem “October,” excerpted below, appears in his debut collection A Boy’s Will (1913)?

O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call…

7. In US politics, to what does the term “October surprise” refer?

8. Which two signs of the Zodiac are associated with the month of October? [half point each]

9. Why is October, the tenth month, called by a name that comes from the Greek word meaning “eight”?

10. Since the 1980s, October has been designated as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. What is the primary symbol used to promote awareness of the issue, and what, according to the NBCAM organization’s website, is its focus? [half point each]