Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Most people visiting Belgium soon discover that 'food' and 'drink' are a main obsession of the Belgians. An example of a detail that sets the hearts of true Belgians aflame : Belgian housemums simply cannot understand any foreigner might call their 'chips' 'FRENCH fries'. They believe THEY and ,they only, know how to make those fries. Which of these is the 'trick' that makes all the difference in the opinion of Belgian cooks?
2. Some veggies were traditionally considered typical of Belgium.One such an example was asparagus. The other was what the Walloons call des chicons and what the Flemings call witloof. What is the term used in America for this slightly artificially produced 'white gold' ?
3. Belgium is not really a country where people like heroic gestures. Even when in 1830 the 'Belgians' rebelled against the artificial state into which they had been forced by the Congress of Vienna, it looked a bit like a farce. The fighting was limited, the loss of lives too and the decisive events more a matter of diplomatic compromise than of military clashes. What had started off the 'Belgian Revolution'?
4. In spite of some lack of heroism, Belgians occasionally played a major role in the world or in the history of other nations. One such case was when a Belgian King arranged the marriage of the British monarch with a relative of his, another member of the Saxe Coburg Gotha family. Who was that King?
5. Having too much ambition is not really popular in Belgium. Belgians tend to belittle the size of their country, the importance of its role in the world and when anyone dares to launch a daring enterprise, the first reaction usually is scepticism. One of the Belgian Kings was so disappointed about this that he angrily said of his own subjects: ' Petit pays, petites gens'. ('Small country.Small-minded people.') Who was he?
6. In spite of their supposed lack of ambition a number of Belgians have performed well in art, sports, science etc. Which of these was selected by an American jury as one of the five top sportsmen of the century ( next to Pele, Mohammed Ali,Michael Jordan,etc...) though he practises the less spectacular sport of billiards ?
7. Even in the world of Jazz there were some Belgian contributions. Which of these is specially known for his virtuoso playing of the mouthorgan and his popular tune 'Bluesette'?
8. It's of course a bit dubious if one can use the term 'Belgians' for anyone born before the birth of the Belgian State. Yet of all of these it could be said that they were born in what is now Belgium, though most of them made their careers abroad. In what field of art did all of them earn themselves a glorious reputation, at least among connoisseurs: Josquin des {Pres;} Johannes {Ockegem;} Orlando di {Lasso;} Cesar Franck ?
9. Which of these popular artists was born in Belgium in 1929, of a British father and a Dutch mother, and died in 1993 after a very successful film-career?
10. An aspect of Belgium that should not be overlooked is its tradition of folkloristic and religious pageantry. One of the most famous examples is an event in which the participants wear towering headdresses of white ostrich feathers and throw oranges at the onlookers. Which of these is the place where the event is annually held?
Source: Author
flem-ish
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