Want to practice your database search skills? Find answers to questions in the quiz by searching the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (DNB). See quiz questions for kids 1. Who is the most recently born female to have an illustrated biography in the DNB?Hint: go to 'Browse' and order the articles by birth-date, reverse the order, then select 'Female' and 'Illustrated'.2. Which children's entertainer was born at 27 Edmund Street, Horton, Bradford?Hint: do a 'People' search. Select 'Birth' under 'Life Events', then enter the address under 'Place'.3. Who contributed George Bernard Shaw's article to the DNB. Which royal biography did he/she also write?Hint: go to George Bernard Shaw's article and click on the contributor's name.4. Whose real name was Simon John Beverley?Hint: simply enter the name in the Quick Search box. The DNB can search pseudonyms. Try also 'Queen Mother'...5. Two portraits by Brian Griffin are included in the DNB. One of them is of a 20th century sci-fi writer. Can you name him?Hint: click on the 'Search' tab and then 'Images' on the orange bar. Enter the artist's name and then search.6. What was Douglas Adams' wealth at death?Hint: scroll down to the end of the article, or click on 'References' on the left-hand navigation panel.7. Go to Charles Dickens' biography. Which other articles mention 'Martin Chuzzlewit'?Hint: use the left-hand navigation panel to go to the section entitled 'From Martin Chuzzlewit to David Copperfield, 1843-1849'. Highlight 'Martin Chuzzlewit', select 'Full Text' in the 'Quick Search' box and click on 'Go'.8. Which two people in the fields of music AND politics were both born in the same year: 1940?Hint: do a 'People' search. Under 'Fields of Interest' select 'Open Full List'. Select music and politics separately, and choose to match 'All' under the box where your selections appear. Click 'Go'. Then choose 'Birth' as a 'Life Event' and enter 1940 as the year. Click 'Search'. 9. How many biographies in the DNB mention the words 'New Zealand'?Hint: click on the 'Search' tab and select 'Full Text'. Enter 'New Zealand'.10. How many people in the DNB share your birthday?Hint: in the 'People' search, choose 'Birth' as a 'Life Event' and enter the date and month of your birthday, then click 'Search'.
Find people who:1. Share your surname/family nameHint: put your surname/family name in the Quick Search box at the top right of the screen. Click Go. Select a person from your list of hits. If you get no hit for your name choose another.- What is his/her full name?
- What was his/her occupation or job or activity?
2. Share your birthdayHint:
in People search choose birth as event and type in day/month but NOT year- What is his/her full name?
- In what year was he/she born?
- Where was he/she born?
3. Died in the year you were born and have a picture Hint: clear your last search! Choose death as event and type in the correct year.- What is his/her full name?
- For what is he/she well known?
- Is the picture a photograph, a painting, or some other image?
4. Come from the same area as you Hint: clear last search! Choose birth or residence as event and type your town or county in place. - What is his/her full name?
- What is his/her connection with your area?
- Did he/she live anywhere else?
Tips- You can arrange a list of people in alphabetical, birth date, or death date order (see left-hand pane of results lists page). This may help you spot the people who look most interesting to you.
- If your first search gets no hit try something different.
- You can spot articles on the list with pictures because they have a little icon of a portrait.
- Once you/ve finished, try using the other search options—and your imagination.
- Remember: the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography also includes people born outside Britain who became famous in Britain and British people famous overseas.
| 
