The following questions are from the “Microsoft Rewards Bing Turbocharge Quiz” for 9-4-2025. Start your quiz to explore the fascinating history of writing instruments.
Question 1: What material was used for quills?
- Feathers
- Metal
- Wood
Answer: Feathers
Fact: Quills were usually made from large bird feathers, especially from geese, swans, or turkeys. The hollow shaft of the feather was shaped into a point to hold ink for writing. Unlike metal or wood, feathers were flexible and easy to cut into a nib. They were the main writing tool in Europe for hundreds of years before metal pens became common.
Question 2: What material replaced feathers in early metal nib pens?
- Silver
- Steel
- Copper
Answer: Steel
Fact: Early metal nib pens replaced feathers with steel. Steel was stronger, lasted longer, and could be made in large quantities. It gave smoother writing compared to quills. That’s why steel became the common material for nibs in the 19th century.
Question 3: Who invented the modern ballpoint pen?
- John J. Loud
- Lewis Waterman
- László Bíró
Answer: László Bíró
Fact: The modern ballpoint pen was invented by László Bíró, a Hungarian-Argentinian journalist, in the 1930s. He noticed that newspaper ink dried quickly without smudging and used a similar idea for his pen. Together with his brother, he designed a pen with a tiny ball that rolled the ink smoothly onto paper. This invention became the foundation of the ballpoint pens we use today.
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