A Journey from Asia to Africa Quiz | Word Play

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. We start off in a landlocked country often referred to as the Heart of Asia.

Answer: Afghanistan

Afghanistan shares borders with six other countries: Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and China. Since the late 1970s it has been a hotbed of international terrorism and fell to the Taliban after the withdrawal of NATO forces in 2021.

The Taliban is a brutal regime that enforces a strict interpretation of Sharia, the Islamic law, and has scant regard for human rights in general or the rights of women.

2. Starting with the last three letters of the previous answer, what is the word for a fruit that is a hybrid between grapefruit and mandarin orange?

Answer: tangelo

The tangelo is the result of cross-fertilisation between a mandarin orange or tangerine and a grapefruit or pomelo. Its name is a portmanteau word derived from 'tangerine' and 'pomelo'. They are widely grown in Orlando and are prized for their tart and tangy taste and juiciness.

3. Starting with the last three letters of the previous answer, what is the noun for running away with your lover to get married?

Answer: elopement

In the UK, the most famous place for runaway marriages is Gretna Green in Scotland. The reason for this is that the Clandestine Marriages Act of 1754 prevented couples under the age of 21 from marrying in England or Wales without their parents' consent. Since there was no such law in Scotland, couples started crossing the border into Scotland to marry.

After the construction of a toll road that passed though the village, Gretna Green became the first reachable village the other side of the Scottish border.

It is still a popular venue for marriages.

4. Starting with the last three letters of the previous answer, what is the word for someone who organizes a business venture and assumes the risk for it?

Answer: entrepreneur

This word comes from the French verb 'entreprendre' which means 'to undertake'. An entrepreneur is by definition an enterprising person who demonstrates imagination and initiative and is not risk-averse.

5. Starting with the last three letters of the previous answer, what is the name of the character in Greek mythology who was the wife of the musician Orpheus?

Answer: Eurydice

Orpheus and Eurydice were very much in love, but she sadly trod on a viper, was bitten and died instantly. He undertook a voyage to the underworld in the hope of retrieving her. His beautiful singing softened Hades' heart and secured permission for her to return to life above-ground.

The sole condition was that Orpheus must walk in front of her and must not look back until they had both crossed the threshold. In a moment of doubt, he looked back before she had crossed and as a result she disappeared back into the underworld. Gluck wrote an opera based on the story.

6. Starting with the last three letters of the previous answer, what is the name for an inhabitant of a Nordic island country in the north Atlantic ocean?

Answer: Icelander

Iceland is a very sparsely populated country and is one of the few parts of the mid-atlantic ridge that rises above sea level. It is known for its volcanoes, geysers, lava fields, glaciers and glacial rivers. Despite its high latitude just outside the Arctic circle, it has a temperate climate because of the influence of the Gulf Stream.

7. Starting with the last three letters of the previous answer, what is the name for the event that occurs when a train runs off its track?

Answer: derailment

An example is the Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne derailment of 12 December 1917 involving a troop train carrying French soldiers returning home on leave from the Italian front. The wooden carriages caught fire and at least 675 died.

8. Starting with the last three letters of the previous answer, what is the adjective we use to describe things that are twisted together in a mass or embroiled?

Answer: entangled

It can be used literally or figuratively. A whale might become entangled in a crab net or a person might become entangled in problems or difficulties.

9. Starting with the last three letters of the previous answer, what is the name for leather shorts often worn with suspenders/braces, especially by men and boys in Bavaria?

Answer: lederhosen

Lederhosen are knee-length leather breeches that are traditional in some areas of German-speaking countries. They are particularly associated with alpine regions. They were formerly worn for hard physical work but are now mostly used as leisurewear and are common attire at Oktoberfest events.

10. Starting with the last three letters of the previous answer, what is the name of a west African country that lies on the Atlantic coast?

Answer: Senegal

Senegal shares borders with Mauritania, Mali, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau. It almost surrounds the Gambia, which occupies a narrow strip of land along the banks of the Gambia River. Its capital Dakar was well known until 2007 as the destination of the Paris-Dakar Rally which was moved elsewhere on account of security threats from Mauritania.

Source: Author mazza47

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Fifiona81 before going online.
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A Journey from Asia to Africa Trivia Quiz

This quiz will take you from a country in Asia to another in Africa. Take the last three letters of each answer and use them as the first three letters of the following answer.

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