Mr. Write's Page

The Questions…

1. In what creative way do wildlife biologists in the English Midlands use tennis balls?

2. In 1919, Charles Strite of Minnesota invented the automatic toaster. The device held a single slice of bread, which was browned on both sides by electric coils. Inside was a spring-loaded pop-up mechanism and a variable timer to turn off the electricity. What motivated Strite to invent such a clever appliance?

3. What landmass did the United States try to buy in 1946 for $100 million?

4. How long does it take light from the sun to reach Earth? What about light from Proxima Centauri, the 2nd-closest star?

5. Nabisco introduced the Oreo sandwich cookie in 1912. Today, the round chocolate wafer with a white cream filling is America’s best-selling cookie. Initially, Oreos were made in a second filling flavor, but it flopped and was soon abandoned. What flavor was it?

The Answers…

1. British conservationists drill holes in tennis balls and tack them to wooden stakes, creating safe, predator-proof homes for the tiny Eurasian harvest mouse.

2. Strite said he got irritated because more often than not, his company cafeteria served burned toast.

3. Greenland, the world’s largest island. Denmark wouldn’t sell.

4. Light from the sun gets here in 8.3 minutes. Light from Proxima Centauri takes 4.3 years.

5. Lemon meringue.