You Can't Touch This Trivia Quiz

Answer: Poison Ivy

It's best to be able to recognize certain plants before you go out alone, especially in the woods. Some people are not affected by poison ivy, but getting it is not a good way to find out you're not one of the lucky ones. It causes fierce itching and can usually be lessened by calamine lotion, but it takes a while to go away. Poison oak and poison sumac are even worse, but less common. Poison hemlock is deadly to ingest, and looks very much like Queen Anne's Lace (aka wild carrot). Poison dart is the name of a frog that secretes an extremely powerful toxin. Poison dart frogs are found mostly in Central and South America, and usually the more beautifully colored the frog, the more deadly it is. You cannot touch this! The frog secretes a toxic substance through its skin.

There is enough poison in a two inch frog to kill ten grown men! There is no poison willow.

Answer: They may bite because they're afraid

For your own sake, don't disturb any snake. There are only a few that are able to chase after you, but they are usually deep in jungles or far from people. Venomous or not, there are many who will bite you because they are just defending themselves or their eggs or babies (and those babies are ready to bite as soon as they're born). Snakes are just as afraid of you as you are of them. For the snake's sake, leave them alone; snakes are beneficial in getting rid of vermin which are more of a threat to humans than snakes are.

The more humans build homes and cities, the less land there is for snakes to live peacefully. The giant anacondas, pythons and boas are not venomous but they can still bite. They are difficult to handle and have very strong constricting muscles that can strangle their prey: deer, crocodiles, lions, whatever they can wrap themselves around.

The constrictors don't have chewing teeth so they have to unhinge their jaws to swallow the animal whole, and then they can't move around for awhile because it takes some time for the meal to be broken down by internal acids so it can be digested. During this time the snake is quite vulnerable.

Answer: Catch them in a piece of cloth and let them loose outside.

And here's another even safer way, contributed by zippo_lover: Put a glass over the spider. Slide a sheet of thin card over the opening of the glass. Take outside and dispose of spider. That way you are less likely to damage it. If you can't safely catch the spider, get an adult to help you.
Spiders are beneficial to humans because they consume a lot of bugs that are far more dangerous to us. Watching a spider weave a web is fascinating. They make all sorts of designs, and their webs are very strong. Some scientists did a study of spiderwebs and thought that the mood of the spider is shown in the type of web it makes: troubled spiders may make sloppy webs, well-balanced spiders make regularly even webs, and crazy spiders may make weird webs.
If you live in an area where there are venomous spiders, be sure you know how to identify them and stay away from them! They don't like their homes disturbed any more than you do. The two most well known in the US are the Black Widow and the Brown Recluse.

Answer: Blade of grass

The blade of grass is usually safe, but it would still be wise not to put it in your mouth. You can't know if a passing animal has watered it or something else has settled on it. The common houseplant philodendron is highly toxic to eat. Rhubarb stems are safe to eat, usually cooked with a sweeter food because they're quite sour, but the leaves are not safe cooked or raw. Oleander leaves and branches are toxic. Depending on where in the world you live, and whether it's city or country, much of the plant life you see is harmful in some way.

When I look at my garden, I see that at least half of it is not safe to eat. The bulbs from my daffodils, hyacinths and narcissus are toxic, leaves from oak trees, foxglove and lily-of-the-valley are poisonous. All parts of laurels, azaleas and rhododendrons are as well. Even mistletoe berries are poisonous. That pretty yellow buttercup is poisonous to eat, so is water hemlock, nightshade and Jimson weed. Look with your eyes, not your fingers. If you're looking for four leaf clovers, good luck - because that's what it's supposed to bring to you! Clovers are safe to pick.

Answer: First, ask your neighbor

Always ask the dog's owner before going near an animal you don't know. We humans learn manners and courtesy as we grow up, but animals have their own code of conduct. The dog's owner will let you know if it's okay to come close to or pet the dog. If it's okay, approach slowly and not in a threatening way.

The dog doesn't know you or what to expect from you. Some owners suggest holding out your hand to be sniffed and letting the dog get comfortable near you. Quick or sudden movement may startle him, so take it easy. Never try to stare down a dog, or any other unfamiliar animal; this may be taken by the animal as a challenge and he may react by going after you. Never offer any food to somebody else's pet without asking if it's okay; chocolate is toxic to dogs, and sugar is not very good for them.

Answer: True

Apart from the danger to yourself if you should trip or fall, you could accidentally hurt someone else. Even a dull blade can penetrate deeply if it's moving with speed. Pins, needles, even toothpicks can be dangerous. Whenever I see somebody chewing on a toothpick I have to hope he doesn't fall or get the toothpick jabbed into his tongue or cheek.
In general, stay away from sharp objects unless you're trained to use them.

Answer: Stop, drop and roll

Fire needs oxygen to live, just like we do, so jumping around, running and moving fast will fan more oxygen to the fire making it grow. If you have a blanket or large durable cloth like a coat, use it to smother the fire. A trip to your local fire department is fun and educational, and nobody is more familiar with fire than firemen.

While you're there, if they have time, you might get a tour around the firehouse and all their equipment. They will tell you to stop, drop and roll if you are on fire. You have to take air away from the fire, but not from yourself. If you're in a burning building, get down to floor level because that's where it's cooler and you will find more air. Fire drills are part of the routine at schools and other places. Having one at home is also a good idea, so everyone will know exactly what to do in case of fire.

Answer: Skull and crossbones

Just like the Jolly Roger, the pirate flag, the skull and crossbones represents possible death and is a strong warning to keep away. If you see this grinning skeleton on a label do NOT touch. In fact, if you are a minor and this product is within your reach, please ask your parent or guardian to put it safely out of reach. You will find this symbol on poisons, pesticides, acids and alkalis that are strong enough to burn or do severe damage. If you're old enough to read, make a trip around the house with your parent or guardian and ask him/her to explain the various labels on products and whether they are dangerous. If you are not old enough to read you should know that all dangerous products should be locked up so they won't get into the wrong little hands.

Answer: Give it to your parent or guardian

If you don't know what's in it, give it to someone who might. If that person doesn't know either, he/she will find the proper way to dispose of it. Some things that are poured down the sink can cause corrosion and plumbing problems. Some things should not be thrown in the garbage, as they could be a danger to the environment. Do NOT open the bottle and sniff it.

Some substances are so toxic that a sniff is enough to knock you out or worse. If the person in charge does know what's in the bottle, ask him/her to put a label on it.

Answer: Fire alarm

Setting off a false alarm is against the law, and could possibly lead to a real fire not being put out in time. Think about if your own house had a fire, but the fire trucks and people you needed were at another location finding out there was a false alarm. It has happened and that's why there are penalties.