Rattle Through Trivia Quiz

Answer: Onomatopoeia

The online Oxford Dictionary defines onomatopoeia as 'the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named'. It is a vocalisation or a transcription of a sound. 'Bang', 'crash', and 'drip' are all onomatopoeic words.

'Rattle' can be used as a noun ('There was a rattle in the bushes.') or as a verb (The cans rattled as they rolled in the wind.).

Answer: Cloot

A 'cloot' is a word for a cloven hoof, like that of a sheep or a pig. It is a local dialectal word from Scotland and northern England. 'Clatter', 'clang', and 'clink' are all onomatopoeic words that can refer to the same sounds as 'rattle'.

Answer: John Lennon

The Beatles performed at the Royal Variety Performance in London in 1963, where the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret were in the audience. John Lennon introduced the Beatles' final song of the night with this light-hearted joke about the members of the royal family in the royal box.

The Royal Variety Performance was later broadcast on television. After John Lennon's quip, the camera cut to the Queen Mother smiling and waving.

Answer: Annoy them

If you're 'rattling someone's cage', it means that you're annoying or provoking them, usually on purpose. The phrase comes from the idea of hitting a cage to anger the animal inside it. The word 'rattle' on its own has also been used to mean 'fluster' or 'unnerve' since 1869.

Answer: North and South America

'Rattlesnake' is a compound word made from 'rattle' and 'snake'. Records of the word date back to the 1620s. Some rattlesnake species include Colorado desert sidewinder and red diamond rattlesnake.

Rattlesnakes are named after the rattle at the end of their tails, which makes a noise to warn off predators. Rattlesnakes are predators themselves. Their prey includes mice, rats, and rabbits, though adult rattlesnakes only eat once every two weeks on average.

Answer: An air raid warden

A gas rattle was a wooden ratchet used in World War One and World War Two. If there was a chemical gas attack, a soldier or air raid warden would swing the gas rattle, signalling people to put on their gas masks. They were used by British Empire forces in World War One and Two, and by air raid wardens in Britain in World War Two.

During World War Two, both Germany and Britain had stockpiles of chemical weapons, and both feared a gas attack. Gas masks were issued to all British and German civilians, but they were never needed: neither side used a chemical attack on the other.

Answer: Yellow rattle

Rhinanthus minor, or Yellow rattle, is a flowering plant native to Europe, North America, and some western parts of Asia. It is a yellow wildflower that often grows in meadows and farmland. When the plant flowers in summer, the loose seeds inside make a noise when moved, hence its name: yellow rattle.

Answer: Czech Republic

The Czech Republic adopted the koruna (koruna česká in Czech) in 1993. The coin denominations are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50, and higher denominations are available in banknotes. All of the Czech coins are made of steel, with different metal plating (nickel, copper, or brass) to produce different colours.

Answer: Maraca

A maraca makes a rattling sound when it is shaken. The name dates back to 1813 and came from Portuguese, which in turn, came from the Brazilian native name.

An Agogo is a bell, or multiple bells of different sizes, that is hit with a stick to make a sound. It originated in West Africa. A daf is a Persian drum which is also hit to make a sound, but is usually hit with the player's hand. Singing bowls are like bells, but instead of being hit, a noise is made by stroking the rim.

Answer: He gave her a toy.

Rattles are toys that are usually made of plastic or wood. They make a rattling noise when they are moved, and are usually given to babies. Children have had rattles throughout history: a 3000-year-old ceramic pig-shaped rattle was found in Cyprus in the 19th century.

The first recorded use of the English noun 'rattle' to refer to a toy dates back to the early 1500s. The noun came from the verb 'rattle' because of the sound the toy made.