China in Space! Quiz | Specialized History

China in Space! Trivia Quiz

Here's a quickie quiz on a very significant historic event, China's first manned space launch. These questions will surely appear on Chinese versions of 'Trivial Pursuit' for years to come!

A multiple-choice quiz by thejazzkickazz. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. On what month and day did the historic launch of China's first manned space vehicle occur?

Answer: October 15th

On Wednesday, October 15th at 9:00 AM Chinese time a single rocket lifted off from a secret space facility in the Gobi Desert. Thus, the Chinese version of the Space Age began without a hitch.

2. What was the surname of the first astronaut launched into space by China?

Answer: Yang

Lieutenant Colonel Yang Liwei, 38 years old at the time of the launch, lifted off on a solo mission that would last approximately 21 hours.

3. What were China's first words in space? (Note: I have taken the liberty of providing the English translation!)

Answer: I feel good, see you tomorrow

I'm guessing that the Chinese version would read, 'Wo juede hao, ming tian jian!' These words were spoken 34 minutes into the flight. Yang went on to report that the spacecraft was doing fine and that there were no significant problems to report.

4. The name of the space capsule that carried China's first man into space was 'Shenzhou V'. Which of these is an appropriate translation of 'Shenzhou' into English?

Answer: Divine vessel

'Shen' translates into English as 'divine, sacred, holy', while 'zhou' translates as 'boat, craft, vessel, ark'. So really, you can mix and match! The 'V' is simply the Roman numeral 5, signifying that this is the fifth such vehicle to be produced.

5. The rocket that carried the Chinese space capsule into space was called by which of the following names?

Answer: Long March

The Long March (or 'Changzheng' in Chinese) was undertaken by the Chinese Communists from October 1934 until October of 1935, and covered several thousand miles. In this seminal moment in the history of the Chinese Communist Party, the Red Army, led by Mao Zedong, travelled from Jiangxi province to the town of Yan'an in Shaanxi province, after following a rather circuitous route. Though many died along the way, and only a fraction of the participants made it the entire way, the Long March is considered to have been a great success in perseverence and helped bind the Communists in spirit and community.

6. Who was president of China at the time of the historic launch of the country's first manned space vehicle?

Answer: Hu Jintao

Hu Jintao became president of China in March of 2003, and presided over the historic launch, calling Yang Liwei a 'warrior' (zhanshi). Jiang Zemin, the previous president of China, is considered to be the father of the Chinese space program (analogous to John F. Kennedy). It is not known whether he was at the secret takeoff site for the pre-launch ceremony.

7. The Shenzhou V orbited the Earth a total of how many times during this maiden manned Chinese space voyage?

Answer: 14

Yang spun around the Earth a dizzying 14 times in the 21 hours that the Shenzou was aloft. During his flight he enjoyed a meal of chicken, nuts, dates and rice...a lovely airplane meal if there ever was one!

8. In what province or autonomous region of China did the takeoff and landing of the Shenzhou V occur?

Answer: Inner Mongolia

Inner Mongolia, or Nei Mengguo, is largely situated within the Gobi desert, creating a nice, dry climate for space launches. Apparently, Yang Liwei was armed with handheld weapons (knives/guns) in case the landing went awry and he had to deal with wild animals of the desert or Mongolian steppe.

9. Is it true that the Chinese astronaut aboard the Shenzhou V was the first person born in China to be launched into space?

Answer: No

Indeed not! Several American astronauts were born in China, including William Anders (Apollo 8), born in Hong Kong, Shannon Lucid (2nd American woman in space) and Taylor Gun-Jin Wing (Space Shuttle), both born in Shanghai. However, Yang Liwei is the first Chinese citizen to be launched into space, as Taylor Wing became a naturalized American citizen in 1975.

10. What is the term for a Chinese astronaut?

Answer: Taikonaut

The term 'taikonaut' comes from the Chinese 'taikong', which means 'space'. I'm sure the Oxford dictionary will make the term 'official' soon enough! Thanks for playing this quiz, my fellow space cadets, I hope you enjoyed it!

Source: Author thejazzkickazz

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China in Space! Trivia Quiz

Here's a quickie quiz on a very significant historic event, China's first manned space launch. These questions will surely appear on Chinese versions of 'Trivial Pursuit' for years to come!

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