Italian Quiz – August 2015 – The Solutions Posted by Geoff on Aug 27, 2015 in Culture, Italian Language
Dear Readers, we’re truly touched by your responses, grazie mille!
Our aim has always been to provide you with the kind of learning material that is most helpful to you, and your feedback helps us immensely as it gives us an insight into your needs as learners of Italian.
Here are the solutions to our August Italian Quiz. Rather than simply give you the correct answers I’ve also translated the incorrect answers and given links to articles that deal with specific topics in more depth. Okay, here goes …….
Section 1: The Right Word
Choose the correct word for each of the sentences below:
Orca boia … che boa!
It was a very dark night = era una notte molto buia
boia = executioner, bue = ox, buia = dark, boa = buoy/boa constrictor
There’s no hurry = non c’è fretta/furia
freccia = arrow, furia = fury/haste, fretta = hurry, fratta = thicket Remember, this one had two correct possibilities
I’ve got a stain on my shirt = ho una macchia sulla camicia
macchina = car, macchia = stain/mark, macina = millstone, marca = brand/make
This cake is really tasty = questa torta è molto saporita
saporito = tasty (masc.), saponata = soapy, sapienza = wisdom, saporita = tasty (fem.)
Giorgio is very hungry = Giorgio è molto affamato
affamato = hungry, affannato = breathless, affannoso = laboured, affarista = businessman
Section 2: The Right Conjugation.
Choose the correct conjugation for each of the following sentences:
One day I’d like to learn to play the piano = un giorno mi piacerebbe imparare a suonare il piano
piace = please, piaciuto = pleased, piacerei = I would please, piacerebbe = it would please More info Here
I’m going to Parma at eight o’clock this evening = vado a Parma alle otto di stasera
andrò = I will go, andavo = I was going, vedo = I see, vado = I go More info Here
Carlo was really tired yesterday = Carlo era molto stanco ieri
stava = he/she/it was, ero = I was, fosse = was (subjunctive), era = he/she/it was More info Here
If I had more time I’d learn to play the piano = se avessi più tempo imparerei a suonare il piano
avevo = I had, avessi = I had (subjunctive), avrò = I will have, avuto = had More info Here
We need to do loads of shopping today = bisogna fare un sacco di spesa oggi
bisnonno = great grandfather, bisogno = need, bisonte = bison, bisogna = need More info Here
Section 3: General Knowledge.
Firenze was NOT the first capital city of the newly unified Regno d’Italia in 1861
It was the first capital city of the newly unified Regno d’Italia in 1861
Torino (Yes, I know the foto showed a view of Firenze … it was a red herring!)
Famous poet, he wrote a Canzoniere (a book of poetry) dedicated to his beloved Laura. He is considered one of the fathers of the Italian language
Francesco Petrarca
Famous scientist from Pisa, he invented the telescope, which he used for several astronomical discoveries, amongst which are sunspots, and the four largest satellites of the planet Jupiter. He was condemned for heresy by the Catholic Church
Galilei
In almost every Italian town you’ll find a monument dedicated to this famous leader. With the help of a thousand volunteers dressed in red shirts he threw out the Borbones from il Regno delle Due Sicilie
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Musician born in Lucca in 1858, he wrote many operas. Amongst his numerous memorable arias is a well know chorus which is sung with the mouth shut!
Giacomo Puccini (il coro muto nell’opera Madama Butterfly)
Well done everyone who had a go, we’re proud of you!
Build vocabulary, practice pronunciation, and more with Transparent Language Online. Available anytime, anywhere, on any device.
Comments:
Frank Koniges:
Thanks. This was a very well thought out quiz. I had fun trying to get it right without resorting to looking up answers.
Dave morgan:
Why is the future wrong? – Andrò a Parma alle otto di stasera
Geoff:
@Dave morgan The answer is in the link that we gave in the article. Here is the link again: https://blogs.transparent.com/italian/presente-o-futuro/
A presto, Geoff
Chippy:
What a useful, interesting set of answers. Thank you SO MUCH! Can’t wait to have the time to investigate further. Didn’t find out in time how to send in my answers but I see I need to brush up on my Italian general knowledge!!! Graziemille, Chippy
Iris:
Salve Serena e Geoff,
Sono Argentina quindi la mia madre lingua è lo spagnolo ma capisco l’inglese e sto imparando il italiano. Seguo il vostro blog da tanto tempo e lo trovo interessante e divertente. Malgrado essere un po pigra a fare qualche commento(and not providing any feedback) mi sembra che foste i miei amici.
Grazie tante per aiutare tutti noi che amiamo l’Italia, inanzitutto per conividere la vostra consapevolezza.
Linda Ann:
Thanks!
jim herbert:
Cari Serena & Geoff,
We LOVE your blog and study it as it comes out. Well, Delfina does…Giacomo is un po pigro! However, we find it difficult to find where we can comment to you or to Email. Perhaps you could put the Emil link in your commentary. We often think of Pontremoli and the coffee we shared! Thanks for all your hard work!
Giacomo & Delfina
Lia:
Alcune domende sulle vostre soluzioni ai quesiti :
– che ne pensate di “c’e’ una macchia sulla mia camicia” ?
– e ” uno di questi giorni mi piacerebbe imparare a suonare il
pianoforte ” ?
– o “ieri Carlo era molto stnco ” ?
– o “oggi dobbiamo fare un sacco di spese” ?
Grazie.
Geoff:
@Lia Ciao Lia: “c’è una macchia sulla mia camicia”, “uno di questi giorni mi piacerebbe imparare a suonare il pianoforte”, “ieri Carlo era molto stanco” e “oggi dobbiamo fare un sacco di spese” vanno bene, sono soltanto variazioni sul tema. L’importante era inserire la parola giusta.
Saluti da Geoff
Lia:
Sorry for “stnico” !!! Just a typo !! S/B ” stanco”
Greg:
Geoff,
This was a great quiz, many thanks. I had a competition with my newly-acquired Italian exchange student Piero, and we had great fun and it led off to endless side discussions, about words, history, Petrarch, Garibaldi, Puccini. These quizzes are absolutely ideal for stimulating discussion, keep them coming !
Ciao, Greg.
Geoff:
@Greg Ciao Greg, thanks for the feedback, seeing as the quiz was so popular I’m going to try and do one a month … quindi, rimani sintonizzato!
alla prossima, Geoff
Kati:
Ciao a entrambi,
i miei studenti e io riceviamo i vostri blog regolarmente in posta e li adoriamo ! …purtroppo non siamo abituati a commentare elettronicamente e capiamo il vostro punto di vista sulla mancanza di feedback.
Ciononostante vogliamo rassicurarvi che nella varieta’ degli argomenti offerti, dalle spiegazioni sulla grammatica ai racconti dei vostri viaggi, i gatti, i quiz, ….c’e’ qualcosa di nuovo, di utile, di interessante, di curioso per ciascuno.
Grazie per il vostro entusiasmo, l’impegno, la dedizione nel creare questi blog. Sono estremamente apprezzati anche qui agli antipodi .
Serena:
@Kati Ciao Kati e grazie infinite per i bellissimi complimenti. Agli antipodi dove?
Tanti saluti da tutti noi, micini compresi!
Lia:
I quiz una volta al mese ? E’ una fantastica idea per voi e ………. per noi !!
Lesley:
Finalmente ho fatto August Quiz. I fell for the red herring photo of Firenze. The other mistake was ‘se avessi’ (I answered ‘se avevo’). I still perhaps dont understand the subjunctive well as I only ever use it after ‘che’.
Love your blog always.
Thank you both.
Lesley
Geoff:
@Lesley Well done Lesley, as we say: meglio tardi che mai!
Saluti da Geoff