A Lark in the Park Trivia Quiz

Answer: Pare

To PARE something means to remove a thin outer layer. One often pares potatoes before mashing them, for example - a classic army comedy scene is someone being punished by having to pare enough potatoes to feed a regiment.

Answer: Pane

A window PANE is a piece of glass that forms part of a window in conjunction with other segments. The word pane can also refer to a glass panel in a door.

Answer: Pine

A PINE tree is an evergreen of the genus Pinus. I grew up surrounded by white pines in New England; here in Australia it is more likely to be a Norfolk Island pine in my local park.

Answer: Fine

There are a lot of words that one could use to describe such an idyllic day, but the one often used in weather reports is FINE or fair, and fair doesn't fit here. Many other things can be fine - we didn't bring the fine crystal glasses to the park today.

Answer: Fire

Some parks have electric barbecues for people to use, others have gas barbecues. Our local park has brick fireplaces in which we can build a wood FIRE and cook our food (as long as it isn't a day of total fire ban). At home, we might light our charcoal barbecue, but we didn't lug it to the park today. And, here in Australia, we are more likely to have brought snags (sausages) than hot dogs.

Answer: Fare

As a noun, FARE once meant a journey, and that meaning is still connected to the use of the word to describe what one pays to go on a journey. Its use in reference to the food being supplied, as in the bill of fare in a restaurant, dates from about 1200 CE.

Answer: Hare

It's easy for children and dogs to confuse A rabbit and A HARE - many adults do the same! Most of the differences between the two are not obvious when you just seeing one hopping out of sight. Hares are usually larger than rabbits, with longer ears and larger feet. If you see it dive into its burrow, it's probably a rabbit, since most hares nest above ground.

Answer: Hark

HARK is an old-fashioned word meaning listen. It suggests careful and attentive listening. The hymn title "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" is an instruction to listen and hear their song, paying attention to its content.

Answer: Dark

Nights are generally DARK, unless there is a full (or nearly-full) moon, or you are in an area with artificial illumination. Human eyes are not designed to function well in the dark. In dim light, their eyes cannot distinguish color, only shapes, because the cones in their retinas which are sensitive to the different wavelengths that produce the sensation of color only function when there is sufficient intensity of light hitting them.

Answer: Lark

Of course, there are lots of different birds you might hear in the park, but only a LARK fits here. Larks are passerines (also called perching birds and songbirds) that are found primarily Europe, Africa, Asia and Australasia. There is only one species of lark native to North America, the horned lark.