In Greece on March 25 we celebrate the Independence Day and also the Annunciation to Virgin Mary of her conception. Instead of writing a post about a topic that can be searched on Wikipedia or on documentaries, I decided to make a quiz about Greece. Making a quiz about Greece is not easy and I always find it hard to think what comes to the mind of non-Greeks when they hear the word “Greece”. Is it sun, bouzouki and tzatziki? Maybe mythical creatures, and incest stories? Democracy and philosophy or just poverty and decadence?

Greece cannot be included in fifteen questions.  However, if you want to test your knowledge about Greece and whatever goes with it, and maybe to learn something you didn’t know, feel free to do the following quiz.  It is dedicated to all my students and foreign friends who make me see a new aspect of my country every day.

 

1.       Who is the god of wine?

a.       Apollo (Απόλλωνας)

b.      Zeus (Δίας)

c.       Dionysus (Διόνυσος)

d.      Pan (Παν)

2.       You cannot make tzatziki (τζατζίκι) without:

a.       Tomatoes

b.      bread

c.       Dill

d.      Garlic

3.       Pythia (Πυθία) is:

a.       The priestess of Apollo

b.      The Muse of  poetry

c.       The daughter of Venus

d.      A monster

4.       The first Constitution was voted in:

a.       1821

b.      1822

c.       1799

d.      1900

5.       The expression “between Scylla and Charybdis” (ανάμεσα στη Σκύλλα και τη Χάρυβδη / anamesa sti Skila kai ti Harivdi) means :

a.       To be possessed by daemons

b.      To have to face a difficult situation

c.       To have to choose between two beautiful women

d.      To not be able to navigate

6.       If you go to Plaka, in Athens, you won’t see:

a.       A solar clock

b.      A church

c.       A children’s museum

d.      An Opera

7.       The Greek doctor George Papanikolaou  (ΓεώργιοςΠαπανικολάου) discovered:

a.       The vaccine against polio

b.      The Pap test

c.       The elixir of youth

d.      The penicillin

8.       Which population never invaded Greece:

a.       Franks

b.      Venetians

c.       Persians

d.      Aborigines

9.       Kalamatianos (Καλαματιανός) dance consists of:

a.       7 steps

b.      12 steps

c.       16 steps

d.      No steps. Just get drunk and do whatever you like

10.   The Greek national poet is:

a.       Konstantinos Kavafis (ΚωνσταντίνοςΚαβάφης)

b.      Homer (Όμηρος)

c.       George Seferis (Γεώργιος Σεφέρης)

d.       Dionysios Solomos(Διονύσιος Σολωμός)

11.   Traditional mastic products are produced in:

a.       Chios  (Χίος)

b.      Limnos (Λήμνος)

c.       Amorgos (Αμοργός)

d.      Lesvos (Λέσβος)

12.   Which one of the following words is not of Greek origin:

a.       Nostalgia

b.      Melody

c.       Orgasm

d.      Algebra

13.   Which one of the following drinks cannot be found in a Greek tavern:

a.       Pisco (Πίσκο)

b.      Tsikoudia (Τσικουδιά)

c.       Ρακόμελο (Rakomelo)

d.      Ρετσίνα (Retsina)

14.   If you were a Greek god/goddess you would eat and drink:

a.       Ouzo and fish

b.      Honey and grapes

c.       Nectar and ambrosia

d.      Olives and water

15.   The Greek word for “freedom” is:

a.       Αγάπη (agape)

b.      Φιλία (filia)

c.       Ισότητα (isotita)

d.      Ελευθερία (eleftheria)

Answer Key:

1. a            6.d              11.a

2.d            7.b              12.d

3.a             8.d             13.a

4.b            9.b             14.c

5.b            10.d          15.d

If you are overwhelmed by a long winter, watch this video by Stian Rekdal.