Mum, Dad, I'm... Trivia Quiz

Answer: collector of butterflies and moths

Formerly known as aurelians, lepidopterists are people who collect and/or study moths and butterflies. Moths and butterflies are known as lepidopterans, as they are classified in the order Lepidoptera, which itself comes from the ancient Greek words for "scale" and "wings".

Answer: hunt for hidden treasure using my GPS.

Geocaching is a game in which someone hides something and posts its GPS coordinates on the Internet so that others can search for the hidden treasure (or "cache"). I've never tried it, but it sounds like fun.

In case you are wondering what the heck a geoduck is, it is a kind of clam and is pronounced "GOOEY duck" (don't ask me why).

Answer: birds

Ornithology is the scientific study of birds. Famous ornithologists include John James Audubon (1785-1851), Roger Tory Peterson (1908-1996), and David Allen Sibley (born 1961). As an amateur birdwatcher, I dabble in ornithology, although I have nowhere near the knowledge of a professional ornithologist.

Answer: fossils

A fascinating science, paleontology involves learning about earlier life forms through the study of fossils. Because fossilization is a rare phenomenon, however, paleontology can tell us only so much about the plethora of life that has existed. Still, it's a good place to start.

Answer: tightrope walker

You might think it looks like "fun", but the word "funambulist" is pronounced "fyoo-NAM-byoo-list". It derives from the words "funis" (meaning rope) and "ambulare" (meaning to walk). You can remember it by thinking how fun it might be to ambulate on a tightrope!

Answer: stripper

Yes, an ecdysiast is a person who entertains by removing his/her clothing! Famous ecdysiasts have included Gypsy Rose Lee (a woman) and the Chippendales (men). The excellent movie "The Full Monty" is a comedy about a group of unemployed men who, in order to earn money, become ecdysiasts (the "full monty" being a British term for total nudity).

Answer: insects

Entomology is the scientific study of insects. An entomologist is not just a bug collector but can be useful in many areas, such as agriculture and forensics.

Answer: word origins

Not to be confused with an entomologist, an etymologist studies the origins and histories of words. The etymology of "etymology", for example, traces the word from Old French to Latin and then to Greek, from "etymos" (meaning "true") and "-logia" (meaning "study" or "speaking").

Answer: handwriting artist

From the Greek for "beautiful writing", calligraphy is a handwriting art practiced in many different cultures throughout the world. Most calligraphy is done using a special pen or brush, and there are many different styles of scripts and characters.

Answer: wine connoisseur

Caution: Being an oenophile (pronounced "EE-nuh-file") can be quite intoxicating. Many wealthy oenophiles have wine cellars in their homes to protect their wines by storing them at the proper temperature and humidity.