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|---|---|---|
4,573 | The tradition holds that Virgil was born in the village of Andes, near Mantua in Cisalpine Gaul. Analysis of his name has led to beliefs that he descended from earlier Roman colonists. Modern speculation ultimately is not supported by narrative evidence either from his own writings or his later biographers. Macrobius s... | [
{
"answer": "Andes",
"question": "In which village does tradition believe Virgil was born?"
},
{
"answer": "Cremona, Mediolanum, Rome and Naples",
"question": "In which cities did Virgil attend schools?"
},
{
"answer": "rhetoric and law",
"question": "What other career did Virgil con... |
4,576 | Sometime after the publication of the Eclogues (probably before 37 BC), Virgil became part of the circle of Maecenas, Octavian's capable agent d'affaires who sought to counter sympathy for Antony among the leading families by rallying Roman literary figures to Octavian's side. Virgil came to know many of the other lead... | [
{
"answer": "Varius Rufus",
"question": "Who helped finish the Aeneid?"
},
{
"answer": "before 37 BC",
"question": "When where the Eclogues likely published?"
},
{
"answer": "Maecenas",
"question": "What were Octavian' s agent d'affaires called?"
},
{
"answer": "Horace",
... |
4,578 | The Georgics' tone wavers between optimism and pessimism, sparking critical debate on the poet's intentions, but the work lays the foundations for later didactic poetry. Virgil and Maecenas are said to have taken turns reading the Georgics to Octavian upon his return from defeating Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of... | [
{
"answer": "Battle of Actium",
"question": "Octavian defeated Antony and Cleopatra at which battle?"
},
{
"answer": "31 BC",
"question": "When did Octavian return from the Battle of Actium?"
},
{
"answer": "Maecenas",
"question": "Who took turns with Virgil to read the Georgics to O... |
4,581 | Book 7 (beginning the Iliadic half) opens with an address to the muse and recounts Aeneas' arrival in Italy and betrothal to Lavinia, daughter of King Latinus. Lavinia had already been promised to Turnus, the king of the Rutulians, who is roused to war by the Fury Allecto, and Amata Lavinia's mother. In Book 8, Aeneas ... | [
{
"answer": "Lavinia",
"question": "To whom is Aeneas betrothed?"
},
{
"answer": "King Evander",
"question": "Which King does Aeneas ally with in Book 8 of the Aeneid?"
},
{
"answer": "Turnus",
"question": "Who had Lavinia already been promised to?"
},
{
"answer": "Turnus",
... |
4,583 | The Aeneid appears to have been a great success. Virgil is said to have recited Books 2, 4, and 6 to Augustus; and Book 6 apparently caused Augustus' sister Octavia to faint. Although the truth of this claim is subject to scholarly scepticism, it has served as a basis for later art, such as Jean-Baptiste Wicar's Virgil... | [
{
"answer": "6",
"question": "Which book supposedly caused Augustus' sister to faint?"
},
{
"answer": "Virgil Reading the Aeneid",
"question": "What was the title of Jean-Baptiste Wicar's artwork inspired by the Aeneid?"
},
{
"answer": "Augustus",
"question": "Who did Virgil recite B... |
4,584 | According to the tradition, Virgil traveled to Greece in about 19 BC to revise the Aeneid. After meeting Augustus in Athens and deciding to return home, Virgil caught a fever while visiting a town near Megara. After crossing to Italy by ship, weakened with disease, Virgil died in Brundisium harbor on September 21, 19 B... | [
{
"answer": "Greece",
"question": "According to tradition, where did Virgil travel in 19 BC to revise the Aeneid?"
},
{
"answer": "Brundisium harbor",
"question": "Where did Virgil die?"
},
{
"answer": "September 21, 19 BC",
"question": "What date did Virgil die?"
},
{
"answe... |
4,586 | Even as the Western Roman empire collapsed, literate men acknowledged that Virgil was a master poet. Gregory of Tours read Virgil, whom he quotes in several places, along with some other Latin poets, though he cautions that "we ought not to relate their lying fables, lest we fall under sentence of eternal death." | [
{
"answer": "Gregory of Tours",
"question": "Who cautioned \"we ought not to relate their lying fables, lest we fall under sentence of eternal death\"?"
},
{
"answer": "Western Roman",
"question": "Literate men acknowledged Virgil as a master poet despite what empire collapsing?"
},
{
"a... |
4,587 | Dante made Virgil his guide in Hell and the greater part of Purgatory in The Divine Comedy. Dante also mentions Virgil in De vulgari eloquentia, along with Ovid, Lucan and Statius, as one of the four regulati poetae (ii, vi, 7). | [
{
"answer": "Divine Comedy",
"question": "In which of Dante's works was Virgil a guide through Hell and Purgatory?"
},
{
"answer": "Dante",
"question": "Who was the author of the Divine Comedy?"
},
{
"answer": "Virgil",
"question": "Who was Dante's guide through Purgatory and Hell in... |
4,588 | In the Middle Ages, Virgil's reputation was such that it inspired legends associating him with magic and prophecy. From at least the 3rd century, Christian thinkers interpreted Eclogues 4, which describes the birth of a boy ushering in a golden age, as a prediction of Jesus' birth. As such, Virgil came to be seen on a ... | [
{
"answer": "Eclogues 4",
"question": "Which of Virgil's works was said by some to have predicted Jesus' birth?"
},
{
"answer": "Christianity",
"question": "Which religion did some consider Virgil to have heralded in?"
},
{
"answer": "Middle Ages",
"question": "During which time peri... |
4,589 | Possibly as early as the second century AD, Virgil's works were seen as having magical properties and were used for divination. In what became known as the Sortes Vergilianae (Virgilian Lots), passages would be selected at random and interpreted to answer questions. In the 12th century, starting around Naples but event... | [
{
"answer": "Naples",
"question": "Where did the tradition start which regarded Virgil as a great magician?"
},
{
"answer": "over two hundred years",
"question": "How long did legends of Virgil's magical powers remain popular?"
},
{
"answer": "fferyllydd",
"question": "What is the mo... |
4,590 | The legend of Virgil in his Basket arose in the Middle Ages, and is often seen in art and mentioned in literature as part of the Power of Women literary topos, demonstrating the disruptive force of female attractiveness on men. In this story Virgil became enamoured of a beautiful woman, sometimes described as the emper... | [
{
"answer": "Middle Ages",
"question": "During which time period did the legend of Virgil in his Basket arise?"
},
{
"answer": "Lucretia",
"question": "What is the name of the beautiful woman who Virgil enamoured?"
},
{
"answer": "Phyllis riding Aristotle",
"question": "Which story d... |
4,591 | The structure known as "Virgil's tomb" is found at the entrance of an ancient Roman tunnel (also known as "grotta vecchia") in Piedigrotta, a district two miles from the centre of Naples, near the Mergellina harbor, on the road heading north along the coast to Pozzuoli. While Virgil was already the object of literary a... | [
{
"answer": "Middle Ages",
"question": "During which time period did Virgil's name become associated with miraclous powers?"
},
{
"answer": "Piedigrotta",
"question": "In which district is \"Virgil's tomb\" located?"
},
{
"answer": "grotta vecchia",
"question": "What is the entrance ... |
4,592 | In the Late Empire and Middle Ages Vergilius was spelled Virgilius. Two explanations are commonly given for this alteration. One deduces a false etymology associated with the word virgo ("maiden" in Latin) due to Virgil's excessive, "maiden"-like modesty. Alternatively, some argue that Vergilius was altered to Virgiliu... | [
{
"answer": "Vergilius",
"question": "Besides Virgilius, which other spelling is permitted in modern usage?"
},
{
"answer": "Late Empire and Middle Ages",
"question": "During which time period was Vergilius spelled Virgilius?"
},
{
"answer": "19th",
"question": "In what century did s... |
4,593 | The Alps (/ælps/; Italian: Alpi [ˈalpi]; French: Alpes [alp]; German: Alpen [ˈʔalpm̩]; Slovene: Alpe [ˈáːlpɛ]) are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) across eight Alpine countries: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechte... | [
{
"answer": "Europe",
"question": "What Country are the Alps located in?"
},
{
"answer": "1,200 kilometres",
"question": "How many kilometres do the Alps stretch?"
},
{
"answer": "over tens of millions of years",
"question": "How long has it taken for the Alps to form? "
},
{
... |
4,594 | The altitude and size of the range affects the climate in Europe; in the mountains precipitation levels vary greatly and climatic conditions consist of distinct zones. Wildlife such as ibex live in the higher peaks to elevations of 3,400 m (11,155 ft), and plants such as Edelweiss grow in rocky areas in lower elevation... | [
{
"answer": "The altitude and size of the range",
"question": "What affects the climate in Europe? "
},
{
"answer": "ibex",
"question": "What type of animal lives inn the higher peaks?"
},
{
"answer": "Edelweiss",
"question": "What plant grows in the rocky areas of the range?"
},
... |
4,595 | A mummified man, determined to be 5,000 years old, was discovered on a glacier at the Austrian–Italian border in 1991. By the 6th century BC, the Celtic La Tène culture was well established. Hannibal famously crossed the Alps with a herd of elephants, and the Romans had settlements in the region. In 1800 Napoleon cross... | [
{
"answer": "5,000 years old",
"question": "How old was the mummified man discovered at the Austrian-Italian bored?"
},
{
"answer": "the Celtic La Tène culture",
"question": "What culture was well established by the 6th Century BC? "
},
{
"answer": "Hannibal",
"question": "Who famous... |
4,596 | The Alpine region has a strong cultural identity. The traditional culture of farming, cheesemaking, and woodworking still exists in Alpine villages, although the tourist industry began to grow early in the 20th century and expanded greatly after World War II to become the dominant industry by the end of the century. Th... | [
{
"answer": "14 million people",
"question": "The alps is home to how many people?"
},
{
"answer": "120 million",
"question": "How many visitors go to the Alps annually?"
},
{
"answer": "tourist industry",
"question": "What is the dominant industry in the Alpine region? "
}
] |
4,597 | The English word Alps derives from the Latin Alpes (through French). Maurus Servius Honoratus, an ancient commentator of Virgil, says in his commentary (A. X 13) that all high mountains are called Alpes by Celts. The term may be common to Italo-Celtic, because the Celtic languages have terms for high mountains derived ... | [
{
"answer": "Alpes",
"question": "The English word Alps derives from what Latin Word? "
},
{
"answer": "Maurus Servius Honoratus",
"question": "Who says that all high mountains are called Alpes by Celts?"
},
{
"answer": "Celtic languages",
"question": "What languages have terms for h... |
4,598 | This may be consistent with the theory that in Greek Alpes is a name of non-Indo-European origin (which is common for prominent mountains and mountain ranges in the Mediterranean region). According to the Old English Dictionary, the Latin Alpes might possibly derive from a pre-Indo-European word *alb "hill"; "Albania" ... | [
{
"answer": "Indo-European origin",
"question": "There is a theory that in Greek Alpes is a name of what origin? "
},
{
"answer": "Albania",
"question": "What name has been used as a name for a number of mountainous areas across Europe? "
},
{
"answer": "the eastern Caucasus",
"quest... |
4,599 | It's likely[weasel words] that alb ("white") and albus have common origins deriving from the association of the tops of tall mountains or steep hills with snow. | [
{
"answer": "alb (\"white\") and albus",
"question": "What words are likely to have common origins?"
},
{
"answer": "the association of the tops of tall mountains or steep hills with snow.",
"question": "Where do Alb and Albus share their origin from?"
},
{
"answer": "white",
"questi... |
4,600 | In modern languages the term alp, alm, albe or alpe refers to a grazing pastures in the alpine regions below the glaciers, not the peaks. An alp refers to a high mountain pasture where cows are taken to be grazed during the summer months and where hay barns can be found, and the term "the Alps", referring to the mounta... | [
{
"answer": "a grazing pastures in the alpine regions below the glaciers, not the peaks",
"question": "The term alp, alm, albe or alpe refers to what in modern languages? "
},
{
"answer": "An alp",
"question": "What refers to a high mountain pasture where cows are taken to be grazed during the s... |
4,601 | The Alps are a crescent shaped geographic feature of central Europe that ranges in a 800 km (500 mi) arc from east to west and is 200 km (120 mi) in width. The mean height of the mountain peaks is 2.5 km (1.6 mi). The range stretches from the Mediterranean Sea north above the Po basin, extending through France from Gre... | [
{
"answer": "The Alps",
"question": "What are the crescent shaped geographic feature of central Europe?"
},
{
"answer": "2.5 km (1.6 mi)",
"question": "What is the mean height of the Alp's peak?"
},
{
"answer": "the Mediterranean Sea north above the Po basin, extending through France fro... |
4,602 | The highest portion of the range is divided by the glacial trough of the Rhone valley, with the Pennine Alps from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa on the southern side, and the Bernese Alps on the northern. The peaks in the easterly portion of the range, in Austria and Slovenia, are smaller than those in the... | [
{
"answer": "the glacial trough of the Rhone valley",
"question": "The highest portion of the Alp's range is divided by what? "
},
{
"answer": "the easterly portion",
"question": "Where are the peaks smaller in the range? "
},
{
"answer": "northern",
"question": "The Bernese Alps are... |
4,603 | The variances in nomenclature in the region spanned by the Alps makes classification of the mountains and subregions difficult, but a general classification is that of the Eastern Alps and Western Alps with the divide between the two occurring in eastern Switzerland according to geologist Stefan Schmid, near the Splüge... | [
{
"answer": "The variances in nomenclature",
"question": "What makes the classification of the mountains and subregions difficult?"
},
{
"answer": "geologist Stefan Schmid",
"question": "Who came up with the general classification?"
},
{
"answer": "Splügen Pass",
"question": "Where i... |
4,604 | The highest peaks of the Western Alps and Eastern Alps, respectively, are Mont Blanc, at 4,810 m (15,780 ft) and Piz Bernina at 4,049 metres (13,284 ft). The second-highest major peaks are Monte Rosa at 4,634 m (15,200 ft) and Ortler at 3,905 m (12,810 ft), respectively | [
{
"answer": "Mont Blanc",
"question": "The highest peak of the Western Alps is where? "
},
{
"answer": "4,810 m",
"question": "How tall is the peak at Mont Blanc? "
},
{
"answer": "Piz Bernina",
"question": "The highest peak of the Eastern Alps is where?"
},
{
"answer": "4,04... |
4,605 | Series of lower mountain ranges run parallel to the main chain of the Alps, including the French Prealps in France and the Jura Mountains in Switzerland and France. The secondary chain of the Alps follows the watershed from the Mediterranean Sea to the Wienerwald, passing over many of the highest and most well-known pe... | [
{
"answer": "France",
"question": "Where are the French Prealps located? "
},
{
"answer": "the Jura Mountains",
"question": "What mountains are located in Switzerland and France?"
},
{
"answer": "The secondary chain of the Alps",
"question": "What follows the watershed from the Medit... |
4,606 | The Alps have been crossed for war and commerce, and by pilgrims, students and tourists. Crossing routes by road, train or foot are known as passes, and usually consist of depressions in the mountains in which a valley leads from the plains and hilly pre-mountainous zones. In the medieval period hospices were establish... | [
{
"answer": "The Alps",
"question": "What have been crossed for war and commerce? "
},
{
"answer": "hospices",
"question": "What was established during medieval periods by religious orders?"
},
{
"answer": "the summits of many of the main passes",
"question": "Where were hospices est... |
4,608 | Important geological concepts were established as naturalists began studying the rock formations of the Alps in the 18th century. In the mid-19th century the now defunct theory of geosynclines was used to explain the presence of "folded" mountain chains but by the mid-20th century the theory of plate tectonics became w... | [
{
"answer": "naturalists",
"question": "Who began studying the rock formations of the Alps"
},
{
"answer": "the 18th century",
"question": "When did the studying of rock formations begin in the Alps?"
},
{
"answer": "theory of geosynclines",
"question": "What was used in the mid-19th... |
4,609 | The formation of the Alps (the Alpine orogeny) was an episodic process that began about 300 million years ago. In the Paleozoic Era the Pangaean supercontinent consisted of a single tectonic plate; it broke into separate plates during the Mesozoic Era and the Tethys sea developed between Laurasia and Gondwana during th... | [
{
"answer": "about 300 million years ago",
"question": "When did the formation of the alps began?"
},
{
"answer": "a single tectonic plate",
"question": "What did the Pangaean supercontinent consisted of what during the Paleozoic Era?"
},
{
"answer": "the Mesozoic Era",
"question": "... |
4,610 | Under extreme compressive stresses and pressure, marine sedimentary rocks were uplifted, creating characteristic recumbent folds, or nappes, and thrust faults. As the rising peaks underwent erosion, a layer of marine flysch sediments was deposited in the foreland basin, and the sediments became involved in younger napp... | [
{
"answer": "marine sedimentary rocks",
"question": "What was uplifted from extreme compressive stresses and pressure? "
},
{
"answer": "As the rising peaks underwent erosion",
"question": "When did the layer of marine flysch sediments get deposited in the foreland basin?"
},
{
"answer":... |
4,611 | The Alpine orogeny occurred in ongoing cycles through to the Paleogene causing differences in nappe structures, with a late-stage orogeny causing the development of the Jura Mountains. A series of tectonic events in the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods caused different paleogeographic regions. The Alps are sub... | [
{
"answer": "a late-stage orogeny",
"question": "What caused the development of the Jura Mountains? "
},
{
"answer": "A series of tectonic events",
"question": "What cause different paleogeographic regions in the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods?"
},
{
"answer": "lithology",
... |
4,612 | According to geologist Stefan Schmid, because the Western Alps underwent a metamorphic event in the Cenozoic Era while the Austroalpine peaks underwent an event in the Cretaceous Period, the two areas show distinct differences in nappe formations. Flysch deposits in the Southern Alps of Lombardy probably occurred in th... | [
{
"answer": "geologist",
"question": "What is Stefan Schmid's profession?"
},
{
"answer": "a metamorphic event",
"question": "What happened to the Western Alps during the Cenozoic Era"
},
{
"answer": "the Cretaceous Period",
"question": "When did the Austroalpine peaks undergo their ... |
4,613 | Peaks in France, Italy and Switzerland lie in the "Houillière zone", which consists of basement with sediments from the Mesozoic Era. High "massifs" with external sedimentary cover are more common in the Western Alps and were affected by Neogene Period thin-skinned thrusting whereas the Eastern Alps have comparatively ... | [
{
"answer": "Houillière zone",
"question": "What area do peaks in France, Italy, and Switzerland lie in? "
},
{
"answer": "High \"massifs\"",
"question": "What are more common in the Western Alps?"
},
{
"answer": "Eastern Alps",
"question": "When compared to the Western Alps, what ar... |
4,614 | In simple terms the structure of the Alps consists of layers of rock of European, African and oceanic (Tethyan) origin. The bottom nappe structure is of continental European origin, above which are stacked marine sediment nappes, topped off by nappes derived from the African plate. The Matterhorn is an example of the o... | [
{
"answer": "the structure of the Alps",
"question": "Layers of rock from Europe, Africa and the ocean make up what?"
},
{
"answer": "continental Europe",
"question": "What is the origin of the bottom nappe structure? "
},
{
"answer": "the African plate",
"question": "Where are the t... |
4,615 | The core regions of the Alpine orogenic belt have been folded and fractured in such a manner that erosion created the characteristic steep vertical peaks of the Swiss Alps that rise seemingly straight out of the foreland areas. Peaks such as Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, and high peaks in the Pennine Alps, the Briançonna... | [
{
"answer": "folded and fractured",
"question": "What happened to the Alpine orogenic belt that gave it the steep vertical peak?"
},
{
"answer": "layers of rock from the various orogenies",
"question": "Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, and peaks in the Pennine Alps cosist of what?"
},
{
"answ... |
4,616 | The Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme (UIAA) has defined a list of 82 "official" Alpine summits that reach at least 4,000 m (13,123 ft). The list includes not only mountains, but also subpeaks with little prominence that are considered important mountaineering objectives. Below are listed the 22 "four-t... | [
{
"answer": "Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme (UIAA)",
"question": "What group defined a list of 82 official Apline summits that reach 4,000m?"
},
{
"answer": "subpeaks with little prominence that are considered important mountaineering objectives",
"question": "What is included... |
4,617 | While Mont Blanc was first climbed in 1786, most of the Alpine four-thousanders were climbed during the first half of the 19th century; the ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865 marked the end of the golden age of alpinism. Karl Blodig (1859–1956) was among the first to successfully climb all the major 4,000 m peaks. He com... | [
{
"answer": "1786",
"question": "When was Mont Blanc first climbed?"
},
{
"answer": "first half of the 19th century",
"question": "When were most of the Alpine fourthousanders climber?"
},
{
"answer": "1865",
"question": "When was the ascent of the Matterhorn?"
},
{
"answer":... |
4,618 | The first British Mont Blanc ascent was in 1788; the first female ascent in 1819. By the mid-1850s Swiss mountaineers had ascended most of the peaks and were eagerly sought as mountain guides. Edward Whymper reached the top of the Matterhorn in 1865 (after seven attempts), and in 1938 the last of the six great north fa... | [
{
"answer": "1788",
"question": "When was the first British Mont Blanc ascent? "
},
{
"answer": "1819",
"question": "When was the first female ascent on Mont Blanc?"
},
{
"answer": "the mid-1850s",
"question": "When had Swiss mountaineers ascended most of the peaks? "
},
{
"a... |
4,619 | The Alps are a source of minerals that have been mined for thousands of years. In the 8th to 6th centuries BC during the Hallstatt culture, Celtic tribes mined copper; later the Romans mined gold for coins in the Bad Gastein area. Erzberg in Styria furnishes high-quality iron ore for the steel industry. Crystals are fo... | [
{
"answer": "minerals",
"question": "What have been mined in the Alps for thousands of years? "
},
{
"answer": "copper",
"question": "What did Celtic tribes mine from the Alps?"
},
{
"answer": "gold",
"question": "What did the Romans mine in the Bad Gastein area?"
},
{
"answe... |
4,620 | Alpine crystals have been studied and collected for hundreds of years, and began to be classified in the 18th century. Leonhard Euler studied the shapes of crystals, and by the 19th century crystal hunting was common in Alpine regions. David Friedrich Wiser amassed a collection of 8000 crystals that he studied and docu... | [
{
"answer": "hundreds of years",
"question": "How long have Alpine crystals been studied and collected? "
},
{
"answer": "the 18th century",
"question": "When did the alpine crystals begin to be classified? "
},
{
"answer": "Leonhard Euler",
"question": "Who studied the shapes of cry... |
4,621 | In the Miocene Epoch the mountains underwent severe erosion because of glaciation, which was noted in the mid-19th century by naturalist Louis Agassiz who presented a paper proclaiming the Alps were covered in ice at various intervals—a theory he formed when studying rocks near his Neuchâtel home which he believed orig... | [
{
"answer": "Miocene Epoch",
"question": "Where did the mountains undergo serve erosion?"
},
{
"answer": "glaciation",
"question": "What was the cause of the severe erosion?"
},
{
"answer": "Louis Agassiz",
"question": "Who noted the severe erosion of the mountains?"
},
{
"an... |
4,622 | Agassiz studied glacier movement in the 1840s at the Unteraar Glacier where he found the glacier moved 100 m (328 ft) per year, more rapidly in the middle than at the edges. His work was continued by other scientists and now a permanent laboratory exists inside a glacier under the Jungfraujoch, devoted exclusively to t... | [
{
"answer": "the Unteraar Glacier",
"question": "Where did Agassiz study during the 1840s?"
},
{
"answer": "100 m (328 ft)",
"question": "Agassiz found that the Unteraar Glacier moved how much per year? "
},
{
"answer": "the middle",
"question": "The movement of the Unteraar Glacier ... |
4,623 | Glaciers pick up rocks and sediment with them as they flow. This causes erosion and the formation of valleys over time. The Inn valley is an example of a valley carved by glaciers during the ice ages with a typical terraced structure caused by erosion. Eroded rocks from the most recent ice age lie at the bottom of the ... | [
{
"answer": "The Inn valley",
"question": "What is an example of a valley carved by glaciers during the ice ages? "
},
{
"answer": "Eroded rocks from the most recent ice age",
"question": "What lays at the bottom of the Inn Valley"
},
{
"answer": "erosion from earlier ice ages",
"que... |
4,624 | Alpine glaciers can be straight rivers of ice, long sweeping rivers, spread in a fan-like shape (Piedmont glaciers), and curtains of ice that hang from vertical slopes of the mountain peaks. The stress of the movement causes the ice to break and crack loudly, perhaps explaining why the mountains were believed to be hom... | [
{
"answer": "spread in a fan-like shape",
"question": "How do Piedmont glaciers appear?"
},
{
"answer": "The stress of the movement",
"question": "What causes the ice to break and crack loudly?"
},
{
"answer": "unpredictable and dangerous crevasses",
"question": "What does the cracki... |
4,625 | Glaciers end in ice caves (the Rhone Glacier), by trailing into a lake or river, or by shedding snowmelt on a meadow. Sometimes a piece of glacier will detach or break resulting in flooding, property damage and loss of life. In the 17th century about 2500 people were killed by an avalanche in a village on the French-It... | [
{
"answer": "a piece of glacier will detach or break",
"question": "What causes flooding, property damage, and loss of life?"
},
{
"answer": "an avalanche",
"question": "What killed about 2500 people in the 17th century?"
},
{
"answer": "120 homes",
"question": "How many homes in a v... |
4,626 | High levels of precipitation cause the glaciers to descend to permafrost levels in some areas whereas in other, more arid regions, glaciers remain above about the 3,500 m (11,483 ft) level. The 1,817 square kilometres (702 sq mi) of the Alps covered by glaciers in 1876 had shrunk to 1,342 km2 (518 sq mi) by 1973, resul... | [
{
"answer": "High levels of precipitation",
"question": "What cause the glaciers to descend to permafrost levels in some areas? "
},
{
"answer": "to 1,342 km2 (518 sq mi)",
"question": "From 1876 to 1973, how much did the glaciers that covered the Alps shrink?"
},
{
"answer": "decreased ... |
4,627 | The Alps provide lowland Europe with drinking water, irrigation, and hydroelectric power. Although the area is only about 11 percent of the surface area of Europe, the Alps provide up to 90 percent of water to lowland Europe, particularly to arid areas and during the summer months. Cities such as Milan depend on 80 per... | [
{
"answer": "The Alps",
"question": "What provides Europe with drinking water, irrigation, and hydroelectric power?"
},
{
"answer": "11 percent of the surface area",
"question": "How much of Europe does the Alps cover?"
},
{
"answer": "90 percent",
"question": "How much water does th... |
4,628 | Major European rivers flow from Switzerland, such as the Rhine, the Rhone, the Inn, the Ticino and the Po, all of which have headwaters in the Alps and flow into neighbouring countries, finally emptying into the North Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Adriatic Sea and the Black Sea. Other rivers such as the Danube have m... | [
{
"answer": "Switzerland",
"question": "The Rhine, the Rhone, the Inn, the Ticino and the Po rivers flow from what Country?"
},
{
"answer": "the Alps",
"question": "Where do the major tributaries that flow through the Danube originate from?"
},
{
"answer": "The Rhone",
"question": "W... |
4,629 | The rivers form lakes, such as Lake Geneva, a crescent shaped lake crossing the Swiss border with Lausanne on the Swiss side and the town of Evian-les-Bains on the French side. In Germany, the medieval St. Bartholomew's chapel was built on the south side of the Königssee, accessible only by boat or by climbing over the... | [
{
"answer": "Germany",
"question": "Where is the medieval St. Bartholomew Chapel located?"
},
{
"answer": "south side",
"question": "What side of the Konigssee was St. Bartholomew's chapel built?"
},
{
"answer": "lakes",
"question": "What do the rivers form?"
}
] |
4,630 | Scientists have been studying the impact of climate change and water use. For example, each year more water is diverted from rivers for snowmaking in the ski resorts, the effect of which is yet unknown. Furthermore, the decrease of glaciated areas combined with a succession of winters with lower-than-expected precipita... | [
{
"answer": "Scientists",
"question": "Who have been studying the impact of climate change and water use?"
},
{
"answer": "snowmaking in the ski resorts",
"question": "Water is diverted from rivers for what purpose?"
},
{
"answer": "unknown",
"question": "What are the effects of dive... |
4,631 | The Alps are a classic example of what happens when a temperate area at lower altitude gives way to higher-elevation terrain. Elevations around the world that have cold climates similar to those of the polar regions have been called Alpine. A rise from sea level into the upper regions of the atmosphere causes the tempe... | [
{
"answer": "The Alps",
"question": "What are a classic example of what happens when a temperate area at lower altitude gives way to higher-elevation terrain?"
},
{
"answer": "Alpine",
"question": "Elevations around the world that have a cold climate similar to that of the polar region have been... |
4,632 | The severe weather in the Alps has been studied since the 18th century; particularly the weather patterns such as the seasonal foehn wind. Numerous weather stations were placed in the mountains early in the early 20th century, providing continuous data for climatologists. Some of the valleys are quite arid such as the ... | [
{
"answer": "the 18th century",
"question": "Since when has the severe weather in the Alps been studied? "
},
{
"answer": "the weather patterns",
"question": "Particularly what part of the weather has been studied?"
},
{
"answer": "Numerous weather stations",
"question": "What was pl... |
4,633 | The areas that are not arid and receive high precipitation experience periodic flooding from rapid snowmelt and runoff. The mean precipitation in the Alps ranges from a low of 2,600 mm (100 in) per year to 3,600 mm (140 in) per year, with the higher levels occurring at high altitudes. At altitudes between 1,000 and 3,0... | [
{
"answer": "The areas that are not arid and receive high precipitation",
"question": "What areas experience periodic flooding from rapid snowmelt and runoff?"
},
{
"answer": "2,600 mm (100 in) per year to 3,600 mm (140 in) per year",
"question": "What are the ranges of mean precipitation in the... |
4,634 | The Alps are split into five climatic zones, each with different vegetation. The climate, plant life and animal life vary among the different sections or zones of the mountains. The lowest zone is the colline zone, which exists between 500 and 1,000 m (1,640 and 3,281 ft), depending on the location. The montane zone ex... | [
{
"answer": "five climatic zones",
"question": "How many zones are the Alps split into?"
},
{
"answer": "colline zone",
"question": "What is the lowest zone of the Alps called?"
},
{
"answer": "between 500 and 1,000 m",
"question": "Where does the lowest zone of the Alps exist? "
}... |
4,635 | Various models of climate change have been projected into the 22nd century for the Alps, with an expectation that a trend toward increased temperatures will have an effect on snowfall, snowpack, glaciation, and river runoff. | [
{
"answer": "Various models of climate change",
"question": "What has been projected into the 22nd century for the Alps?"
},
{
"answer": "increased temperatures",
"question": "What will have an effect on snowfall, snowpack, glaciation, and river runoff?"
},
{
"answer": "climate change",
... |
4,636 | Thirteen thousand species of plants have been identified in the Alpine regions. Alpine plants are grouped by habitat and soil type which can be limestone or non-calcerous. The habitats range from meadows, bogs, woodland (deciduous and coniferous) areas to soilless scree and moraines, and rock faces and ridges. A natura... | [
{
"answer": "Thirteen thousand",
"question": "How many species of plants have been identified in the Alpine regions?"
},
{
"answer": "by habitat and soil type",
"question": "How are Alpine plants grouped?"
},
{
"answer": "chief deciduous trees",
"question": "Oak, beech, ash, and syca... |
4,637 | Above the forestry, there is often a band of short pine trees (Pinus mugo), which is in turn superseded by Alpenrosen, dwarf shrubs, typically Rhododendron ferrugineum (on acid soils) or Rhododendron hirsutum (on alkaline soils). Although the Alpenrose prefers acidic soil, the plants are found throughout the region. Ab... | [
{
"answer": "a band of short pine trees",
"question": "What is often above the forestry?"
},
{
"answer": "acidic soil",
"question": "What type of soil does Alpenrose prefer?"
},
{
"answer": "alpine",
"question": "What is the area above the treeline defined as?"
},
{
"answer":... |
4,638 | Alpine plants such the Alpine gentian grow in abundance in areas such as the meadows above the Lauterbrunnental. Gentians are named after the Illyrian king Gentius, and 40 species of the early-spring blooming flower grow in the Alps, in a range of 1,500 to 2,400 m (4,921 to 7,874 ft). Writing about the gentians in Swit... | [
{
"answer": "Alpine plants such the Alpine gentian",
"question": "What grows in abundance in areas such as the meadows above the Lauterbrunnental?"
},
{
"answer": "the Illyrian king Gentius",
"question": "What are Gentians named after?"
},
{
"answer": "40 species",
"question": "How m... |
4,639 | At these higher altitudes, the plants tend to form isolated cushions. In the Alps, several species of flowering plants have been recorded above 4,000 m (13,120 ft), including Ranunculus glacialis, Androsace alpina and Saxifraga biflora. The Eritrichium nanum, commonly known as the King of the Alps, is the most elusive ... | [
{
"answer": "isolated cushions",
"question": "What do the plants tend to form at higher altitudes? "
},
{
"answer": "above 4,000 m",
"question": "Ranunculus glacialis have been recorded to have been found how far in the alps?"
},
{
"answer": "the King of the Alps",
"question": "What ... |
4,640 | The extreme and stressful climatic conditions give way to the growth of plant species with secondary metabolites important for medicinal purposes. Origanum vulgare, Prunella vulgaris, Solanum nigrum and Urtica dioica are some of the more useful medicinal species found in the Alps. | [
{
"answer": "extreme and stressful climatic conditions",
"question": "What gives way to the growth of plant species with secondary metabolites important for medicinal purposes?"
},
{
"answer": "medicinal",
"question": "Origanum Vulgare has what useful properties?"
},
{
"answer": "the Alp... |
4,641 | Human interference has nearly exterminated the trees in many areas, and, except for the beech forests of the Austrian Alps, forests of deciduous trees are rarely found after the extreme deforestation between the 17th and 19th centuries. The vegetation has changed since the second half of the 20th century, as the high a... | [
{
"answer": "Human interference",
"question": "What has nearly exterminated the trees in many areas?"
},
{
"answer": "forests of deciduous trees",
"question": "What are rarely found after the extreme deforestation between the 17th and 19th centuries?"
},
{
"answer": "The vegetation",
... |
4,642 | The Alps are a habitat for 30,000 species of wildlife, ranging from the tiniest snow fleas to brown bears, many of which have made adaptations to the harsh cold conditions and high altitudes to the point that some only survive in specific micro-climates either directly above or below the snow line. | [
{
"answer": "30,000 species",
"question": "How many species of wildlife habitat the Alps?"
},
{
"answer": "made adaptations",
"question": "What have the wildlife done to survive the harsh conditions of the Alps?"
},
{
"answer": "directly above or below the snow line",
"question": "So... |
4,643 | The largest mammal to live in the highest altitudes are the alpine ibex, which have been sighted as high as 3,000 m (9,843 ft). The ibex live in caves and descend to eat the succulent alpine grasses. Classified as antelopes, chamois are smaller than ibex and found throughout the Alps, living above the tree line and are... | [
{
"answer": "alpine ibex",
"question": "What is the largest mammal to live in the highest altitudes?"
},
{
"answer": "as high as 3,000 m (9,843 ft)",
"question": "How high have the Alpine Ibex been sighted?"
},
{
"answer": "in caves",
"question": "Where do the ibex live?"
},
{
... |
4,644 | Many rodents such as voles live underground. Marmots live almost exclusively above the tree line as high as 2,700 m (8,858 ft). They hibernate in large groups to provide warmth, and can be found in all areas of the Alps, in large colonies they build beneath the alpine pastures. Golden eagles and bearded vultures are th... | [
{
"answer": "underground",
"question": "Where do many rodents live?"
},
{
"answer": "almost exclusively above the tree line as high as 2,700 m (8,858 ft)",
"question": "Where do Marmots live?"
},
{
"answer": "beneath the alpine pastures",
"question": "Where do marmots build their col... |
4,645 | Reptiles such as adders and vipers live up to the snow line; because they cannot bear the cold temperatures they hibernate underground and soak up the warmth on rocky ledges. The high-altitude Alpine salamanders have adapted to living above the snow line by giving birth to fully developed young rather than laying eggs.... | [
{
"answer": "they cannot bear the cold temperatures",
"question": "Why do reptiles only live up to the snow line?"
},
{
"answer": "they hibernate underground",
"question": "What do reptiles due since they cannot bear the cold temperatures?"
},
{
"answer": "by giving birth to fully develo... |
4,646 | A number of species of moths live in the Alps, some of which are believed to have evolved in the same habitat up to 120 million years ago, long before the Alps were created. Blue moths can commonly be seen drinking from the snow melt; some species of blue moths fly as high as 1,800 m (5,906 ft). The butterflies tend to... | [
{
"answer": "120 million years",
"question": "How long have some species of moths believed to have evolved from the same habitat?"
},
{
"answer": "Blue moths",
"question": "What can be commonly seen drinking from the snow melt?"
},
{
"answer": "1,800 m (5,906 ft)",
"question": "The s... |
4,647 | Some of the species of moths and insects show evidence of having been indigenous to the area from as long ago as the Alpine orogeny. In Emosson in Valais, Switzerland, dinosaur tracks were found in the 1970s, dating probably from the Triassic Period. | [
{
"answer": "having been indigenous to the area",
"question": "Some species of moths and insects show evidence of what?"
},
{
"answer": "the Alpine orogeny",
"question": "How long ago does the evidence show moths and insects to have been indigenous?"
},
{
"answer": "Valais, Switzerland",... |
4,648 | About 10,000 years ago, when the ice melted after the last glacial period, late Paleolithic communities were established along the lake shores and in cave systems. Evidence of human habitation has been found in caves near Vercors, close to Grenoble; in Austria the Mondsee culture shows evidence of houses built on piles... | [
{
"answer": "About 10,000 years ago",
"question": "When were late Paleolithic communities established along the lake shores?"
},
{
"answer": "Evidence of human habitation",
"question": "What has been found in caves near Vercors?"
},
{
"answer": "to keep them dry",
"question": "Why we... |
4,649 | In 1991 a mummy of a neolithic body, known as Ötzi the Iceman, was discovered by hikers on the Similaun glacier. His clothing and gear indicate that he lived in an alpine farming community, while the location and manner of his death - an arrowhead was discovered in his shoulder - suggests he was travelling from one pla... | [
{
"answer": "a mummy of a neolithic body",
"question": "Who was Otzi the Iceman?"
},
{
"answer": "In 1991",
"question": "When was Otzi the Iceman found?"
},
{
"answer": "the Similaun glacier",
"question": "Where was Otzi the Iceman discovered?"
}
] |
4,650 | Celtic tribes settled in Switzerland between 1000 to 1500 BC. The Raetians lived in the eastern regions, while the west was occupied by the Helvetii and the Allobrogi settled in the Rhone valley and in Savoy. Among the many substances Celtic tribes mined was salt in areas such as Salzburg in Austria where evidence of t... | [
{
"answer": "between 1000 to 1500 BC",
"question": "When did Celtic tribes settle in Switzerland? "
},
{
"answer": "the eastern regions",
"question": "The Raetians lived in what region?"
},
{
"answer": "the west",
"question": "The Helvetii occupied which region?"
},
{
"answer... |
4,651 | During the Second Punic War in 218 BC, the Carthaginian general Hannibal probably crossed the Alps with an army numbering 38,000 infantry, 8,000 cavalry, and 37 war elephants. This was one of the most celebrated achievements of any military force in ancient warfare, although no evidence exists of the actual crossing or... | [
{
"answer": "218 BC",
"question": "When was the Second Punic War?"
},
{
"answer": "Hannibal",
"question": "Who was the Carthaginian general?"
},
{
"answer": "roads",
"question": "What did the Romans build along the mountain passes?"
},
{
"answer": "Roman road markers",
"q... |
4,652 | The Roman expansion brought the defeat of the Allobrogi in 121 BC and during the Gallic Wars in 58 BC Julius Caesar overcame the Helvetii. The Rhaetians continued to resist but were eventually conquered when the Romans turned northward to the Danube valley in Austria and defeated the Brigantes. The Romans built settlem... | [
{
"answer": "The Roman expansion",
"question": "What brought the defeat of the Allobrogi?"
},
{
"answer": "in 121 BC",
"question": "When were the Allobrogi defeated?"
},
{
"answer": "58 BC",
"question": "When did Julius Caesar overcome the Helvetii?"
},
{
"answer": "Germanic ... |
4,653 | Christianity was established in the region by the Romans, and saw the establishment of monasteries and churches in the high regions. The Frankish expansion of the Carolingian Empire and the Bavarian expansion in the eastern Alps introduced feudalism and the building of castles to support the growing number of dukedoms ... | [
{
"answer": "Romans",
"question": "Who established Christianity in the region?"
},
{
"answer": "feudalism",
"question": "What did the Frankish expansion and the Bavarian expansion introduce?"
},
{
"answer": "Castello del Buonconsiglio in Trento, Italy",
"question": "What area still h... |
4,654 | Much of the medieval period was a time of power struggles between competing dynasties such as the House of Savoy, the Visconti in northern Italy and the House of Habsburg in Austria and Slovenia. In 1291 to protect themselves from incursions by the Habsburgs, four cantons in the middle of Switzerland drew up a charter ... | [
{
"answer": "power struggles",
"question": "Much of the medieval period was a time of what?"
},
{
"answer": "northern Italy",
"question": "Where were the Visconti from?"
},
{
"answer": "the House of Habsburg",
"question": "What dynastie was from Austria and Slovenia?"
},
{
"a... |
4,655 | During the Napoleonic Wars in the late 18th century and early 19th century, Napoleon annexed territory formerly controlled by the Habsburgs and Savoys. In 1798 he established the Helvetic Republic in Switzerland; two years later he led an army across the St. Bernard pass and conquered almost all of the Alpine regions. | [
{
"answer": "the Napoleonic Wars",
"question": "What wars took place during the late 18th century and early 19th century?"
},
{
"answer": "Napoleon",
"question": "Who annexed territory formerly controlled by the Habsburgs and Savoys?"
},
{
"answer": "1798",
"question": "When was the ... |
4,656 | After the fall of Napoléon, many alpine countries developed heavy protections to prevent any new invasion. Thus, Savoy built a series of fortifications in the Maurienne valley in order to protect the major alpine passes, such as the col du Mont-Cenis that was even crossed by, Charlemagne and his father to defeat the Lo... | [
{
"answer": "After the fall of Napoléon",
"question": "When did many alpine countries develop heavy protection to prevent new invasion?"
},
{
"answer": "Savoy",
"question": "Who built a series of fortifications in the Maurienne valley?"
},
{
"answer": "to protect the major alpine passes"... |
4,657 | In the 19th century, the monasteries built in the high Alps during the medieval period to shelter travelers and as places of pilgrimage, became tourist destinations. The Benedictines had built monasteries in Lucerne, Switzerland, and Oberammergau; the Cistercians in the Tyrol and at Lake Constance; and the Augustinians... | [
{
"answer": "the monasteries built in the high Alps",
"question": "What became tourist destinations during the 19th century?"
},
{
"answer": "The Benedictines",
"question": "Who built monasteries in Lucerne, Switzerland and Oberammergau?"
},
{
"answer": "the Augustinians",
"question"... |
4,658 | Radiocarbon dated charcoal placed around 50,000 years ago was found in the Drachloch (Dragon's Hole) cave above the village of Vattis in the canton of St. Gallen, proving that the high peaks were visited by prehistoric people. Seven bear skulls from the cave may have been buried by the same prehistoric people. The peak... | [
{
"answer": "50,000 years",
"question": "How old was the charcoal placed in the Drachloch cave?"
},
{
"answer": "the high peaks were visited by prehistoric people",
"question": "What does the finding of charcoal in Dragon's Hole prove?"
},
{
"answer": "Seven bear skulls",
"question":... |
4,659 | Charles VII of France ordered his chamberlain to climb Mont Aiguille in 1356. The knight reached the summit of Rocciamelone where he left a bronze triptych of three crosses, a feat which he conducted with the use of ladders to traverse the ice. In 1492 Antoine de Ville climbed Mont Aiguille, without reaching the summit... | [
{
"answer": "France",
"question": "Where was Charles VII from?"
},
{
"answer": "climb Mont Aiguille",
"question": "What was Charles VII chamberlain ordered to do?"
},
{
"answer": "a bronze triptych of three crosses",
"question": "What did the knight leave at the summit of Rocciamelon... |
4,660 | Conrad Gessner was the first naturalist to ascend the mountains in the 16th century, to study them, writing that in the mountains he found the "theatre of the Lord". By the 19th century more naturalists began to arrive to explore, study and conquer the high peaks; they were followed by artists, writers and painters. Tw... | [
{
"answer": "Conrad Gessner",
"question": "Who was the first naturalist to ascend the mountains?"
},
{
"answer": "Geneva",
"question": "Where was Horace-Benedict de Saussure born?"
},
{
"answer": "Saussure",
"question": "Who was a member of the third ascent of Mont Blanc?"
}
] |
4,661 | Jean-Jacques Rousseau was the first of many to present the Alps as a place of allure and beauty, banishing the prevalent conception of the mountains as a hellish wasteland inhabited by demons. Rousseau's conception of alpine purity was later emphasized with the publication of Albrecht von Haller's poem Die Alpen that d... | [
{
"answer": "Jean-Jacques Rousseau",
"question": "Who was the first of many to present the Alps as a place of allure and beauty?"
},
{
"answer": "Albrecht von Haller",
"question": "Who wrote the poem Die Alpen?"
},
{
"answer": "After the end of the Napoleonic Wars",
"question": "When... |
4,662 | In 1816 Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley and his wife Mary Shelley visited Geneva and all three were inspired by the scenery in their writings. During these visits Shelley wrote the poem "Mont Blanc", Byron wrote "The Prisoner of Chillon" and the dramatic poem Manfred, and Mary Shelley, who found the scenery overwhelming, c... | [
{
"answer": "Geneva",
"question": "Percy and Mary Shelley were inspired by what region's scenery?"
},
{
"answer": "Mont Blanc",
"question": "What poem did Shelley write during the visits to Geneva?"
},
{
"answer": "the mid-19th century",
"question": "When did scientists began to arri... |
4,663 | Austrian-born Adolf Hitler had a lifelong romantic fascination with the Alps and by the 1930s established a home in the Obersalzberg region outside of Berchtesgaden. His first visit to the area was in 1923 and he maintained a strong tie there until the end of his life. At the end of World War II the US Army occupied Ob... | [
{
"answer": "Austrian",
"question": "Where was Adolf Hitler born?"
},
{
"answer": "the Alps",
"question": "What did Adolf Hitler have a lifelong romantic fascination with? "
},
{
"answer": "the Obersalzberg region",
"question": "Where did Adolf Hitler establish a home in the 1930s?"
... |
4,664 | By 1940 the Third Reich had occupied many of the Alpine countries. Austria underwent a political coup that made it part of the Third Reich; France had been invaded and Italy was a fascist regime. Switzerland was the only country to luckily avoid invasion. The Swiss Confederate mobilized its troops—the country follows t... | [
{
"answer": "the Third Reich",
"question": "By 1940 who occupied many of the Alpine countries?"
},
{
"answer": "Austria",
"question": "What country underwent a political coup that made it part of the Third Reich?"
},
{
"answer": "Switzerland",
"question": "What was the only country t... |
4,665 | Ski troops were trained for the war, and battles were waged in mountainous areas such as the battle at Riva Ridge in Italy, where the American 10th Mountain Division encountered heavy resistance in February 1945. At the end of the war, a substantial amount of Nazi plunder was found stored in Austria, where Hitler had h... | [
{
"answer": "Ski troops",
"question": "Who were trained for the war?"
},
{
"answer": "Italy",
"question": "Where was the battle at Riva Ridge?"
},
{
"answer": "Austria",
"question": "Where was a substantial amount of Nazi plunder found at the end of the war?"
},
{
"answer": "... |
4,666 | The population of the region is 14 million spread across eight countries. On the rim of the mountains, on the plateaus and the plains the economy consists of manufacturing and service jobs whereas in the higher altitudes and in the mountains farming is still essential to the economy. Farming and forestry continue to be... | [
{
"answer": "14 million",
"question": "What is the population of the Alpine region?"
},
{
"answer": "manufacturing and service jobs",
"question": "What does the economy consist of on the rim of the mountains?"
},
{
"answer": "Alpine culture",
"question": "Farming and Forestry continu... |
4,667 | Much of the Alpine culture is unchanged since the medieval period when skills that guaranteed survival in the mountain valleys and in the highest villages became mainstays, leading to strong traditions of carpentry, woodcarving, baking and pastry-making, and cheesemaking. | [
{
"answer": "Alpine culture",
"question": "Much of what has not changed since the medieval period?"
},
{
"answer": "the medieval period",
"question": "When were skills that guaranteed survival in the mountain valleys most important?"
},
{
"answer": "carpentry",
"question": "What is o... |
4,668 | Farming had been a traditional occupation for centuries, although it became less dominant in the 20th century with the advent of tourism. Grazing and pasture land are limited because of the steep and rocky topography of the Alps. In mid-June cows are moved to the highest pastures close to the snowline, where they are w... | [
{
"answer": "Farming",
"question": "What has been a traditional occupation for centuries?"
},
{
"answer": "tourism",
"question": "What made farming less dominant in the 20th century? "
},
{
"answer": "because of the steep and rocky topography of the Alps",
"question": "Why is pasture... |
4,669 | Cheesemaking is an ancient tradition in most Alpine countries. A wheel of cheese from the Emmental in Switzerland can weigh up to 45 kg (100 lb), and the Beaufort in Savoy can weight up to 70 kilograms (150 lb). Owners of the cows traditionally receive from the cheesemakers a portion in relation to the proportion of th... | [
{
"answer": "Cheesemaking",
"question": "What is an ancient tradition in most Alpine countries?"
},
{
"answer": "up to 45 kg (100 lb)",
"question": "How much can a wheel of cheese from the Emmental weigh?"
},
{
"answer": "Haymaking",
"question": "What is an important farming activity... |
4,670 | In the high villages people live in homes built according to medieval designs that withstand cold winters. The kitchen is separated from the living area (called the stube, the area of the home heated by a stove), and second-floor bedrooms benefit from rising heat. The typical Swiss chalet originated in the Bernese Ober... | [
{
"answer": "medieval designs that withstand cold winters",
"question": "What do people in high villages build their homes according to?"
},
{
"answer": "the stube",
"question": "What is the area of the home heated by a stove called? "
},
{
"answer": "the Bernese Oberland",
"question... |
4,671 | Food is passed from the kitchen to the stube, where the dining room table is placed. Some meals are communal, such as fondue, where a pot is set in the middle of the table for each person to dip into. Other meals are still served in a traditional manner on carved wooden plates. Furniture has been traditionally elaborat... | [
{
"answer": "the stube",
"question": "The food is passed from the kitchen to where? "
},
{
"answer": "the stube",
"question": "Where is the dining room table placed? "
},
{
"answer": "carved wooden plates",
"question": "Traditionally, what are meals served on? "
},
{
"answer"... |
4,672 | Roofs are traditionally constructed from Alpine rocks such as pieces of schist, gneiss or slate. Such chalets are typically found in the higher parts of the valleys, as in the Maurienne valley in Savoy, where the amount of snow during the cold months is important. The inclination of the roof cannot exceed 40%, allowing... | [
{
"answer": "Alpine rocks",
"question": "What are roofs traditionally constructed from? "
},
{
"answer": "the higher parts of the valleys",
"question": "Where are chalets typically used for roof construction found?? "
},
{
"answer": "40%",
"question": "The inclination of the roof can... |
4,673 | At present the Alps are one of the more popular tourist destinations in the world with many resorts such Oberstdorf, in Bavaria, Saalbach in Austria, Davos in Switzerland, Chamonix in France, and Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy recording more than a million annual visitors. With over 120 million visitors a year tourism is i... | [
{
"answer": "the Alps",
"question": "What's one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world? "
},
{
"answer": "Austria",
"question": "Where is Saalbach located? "
},
{
"answer": "over 120 million",
"question": "How many people visit the Alps every year? "
},
{
"answ... |
4,674 | The tourism industry began in the early 19th century when foreigners visited the Alps, traveled to the bases of the mountains to enjoy the scenery, and stayed at the spa-resorts. Large hotels were built during the Belle Époque; cog-railways, built early in the 20th century, brought tourists to ever higher elevations, w... | [
{
"answer": "the early 19th century",
"question": "When did the tourism industry begin? "
},
{
"answer": "during the Belle Époque",
"question": "When were large hotels built in the Alps? "
},
{
"answer": "early in the 20th century",
"question": "When were cog-railways built in the Al... |
4,676 | During the post-World War I period ski-lifts were built in Swiss and Austrian towns to accommodate winter visitors, but summer tourism continued to be important; by the mid-20th century the popularity of downhill skiing increased greatly as it became more accessible and in the 1970s several new villages were built in F... | [
{
"answer": "post-World War I",
"question": "When were ski-lifts built in Swiss and Austrian towns?"
},
{
"answer": "the 1970s",
"question": "When were several new villages built in France almost exclusively for skiing?"
},
{
"answer": "France",
"question": "Where is Les Menuires loc... |
4,677 | The region is serviced by 4,200 km (2,600 mi) of roads used by 6 million vehicles. Train travel is well established in the Alps, with, for instance 120 km (75 mi) of track for every 1,000 km2 (390 sq mi) in a country such as Switzerland. Most of Europe's highest railways are located there. Moreover, plans are underway ... | [
{
"answer": "4,200 km (2,600 mi)",
"question": "How much area is devoted to roads in the Alpine region?"
},
{
"answer": "6 million",
"question": "How many vehicles use the roads? "
},
{
"answer": "Switzerland",
"question": "Where are most of Europe's highest railways located? "
},
... |
4,678 | Some high mountain villages, such as Avoriaz (in France), Wengen, and Zermatt (in Switzerland) are accessible only by cable car or cog-rail trains, and are car free. Other villages in the Alps are considering becoming car free zones or limiting the number of cars for reasons of sustainability of the fragile Alpine terr... | [
{
"answer": "France",
"question": "Where is the village of Avoriaz located? "
},
{
"answer": "Switzerland",
"question": "Where are the villages of Wengen and Zermatt located? "
},
{
"answer": "reasons of sustainability",
"question": "Why are villages considering becoming car free zon... |
4,679 | The lower regions and larger towns of the Alps are well-served by motorways and main roads, but higher mountain passes and byroads, which are amongst the highest in Europe, can be treacherous even in summer due to steep slopes. Many passes are closed in winter. A multitude of airports around the Alps (and some within),... | [
{
"answer": "winter",
"question": "When are many passes in the Alps closed? "
},
{
"answer": "motorways",
"question": "The lower regions and larger towns of the Alps are well-served by what?"
},
{
"answer": "mountain passes",
"question": "What can be treacherous even in summer due to... |
4,680 |
A gene is a locus (or region) of DNA that encodes a functional RNA or protein product, and is the molecular unit of heredity.:Glossary The transmission of genes to an organism's offspring is the basis of the inheritance of phenotypic traits. Most biological traits are under the influence of polygenes (many different g... | [
{
"answer": "a locus (or region) of DNA that encodes a functional RNA or protein product",
"question": "What is a gene?"
},
{
"answer": "The transmission of genes to an organism's offspring",
"question": "What is the basis of inheritance of phenotypic traits?"
},
{
"answer": "polygenes (... |
4,681 | Genes can acquire mutations in their sequence, leading to different variants, known as alleles, in the population. These alleles encode slightly different versions of a protein, which cause different phenotype traits. Colloquial usage of the term "having a gene" (e.g., "good genes," "hair colour gene") typically refers... | [
{
"answer": "different variants, known as alleles",
"question": "What do mutations in a gene sequence lead to?"
},
{
"answer": "encode slightly different versions of a protein",
"question": "What do alleles do?"
},
{
"answer": "different phenotype traits",
"question": "What do allele... |
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