Group Collective Names Three Trivia Quiz

Answer: A blush

The word blush sprang into use in the English language in the 14th century and derives from the Middle English word "blusshen". It describes a physical reaction that many people experience in moments of discomfort, embarrassment or humiliation, when the blood rushes to the face and it begins to turn red. You have to smile at a group of boys together, particularly early teenagers, when they're confronted with a female who stops and says hello to them.

They tend to go red as well, become uncomfortable and awkward, don't know where to look, and are altogether smile evoking - but in an affectionate way.

It's those dratted hormones that plague the life out of them at times, but it all eventually settles down. In fact, you could basically describe them at that stage of their lives as being all hormones, hairy legs and Adam's apples.

Then, in a flash, they're grown up. "You blink away a tear, and the boy is gone" ("River Song") and all you have left are precious memories.

Answer: A dazzle

Dazzle is a word that's been in the English language since the 15th century but the origins of the term "A dazzle of zebras" is unknown. A zebra is an African mammal classed as a member of the equidae family, and known world wide for its distinctive black and white striped skin. Amazingly so, those stripes are a little like to human fingerprints, for each animal has its own unique pattern. Zebras evolved millions of years ago, along with their stripes. Those stripes perform a number of tasks. They act as a camouflage, enabling the animals to hide themselves in scrub; they help keep them cool (amazingly, the air fluctuates over the different colours and acts as a type of wind current); they keep flies and other insect pests away because their visual perceptions are confused by the stripes; and they actually dazzle and confuse much larger predators. If you think about how hard it is looking at striped clothing on television, and how it appears to make that clothing waver before your eyes, this is the same effect that zebra stripes have on large predators.

Hence their very applicable collective term.

Answer: A hand

I just love bananas and simply had to go and get one before finishing this question. This delicious fruit, which is botanically classified as a berry, believe it or not, comes in assorted shapes, sizes, firmness and taste, but the best of all are the large firm, slightly ripe munchers we grow in Australia. Bananas not only come gift wrapped in an easy to peel skin, and ready to eat as a natural treat, they're perfect for desserts of all kinds, can also be used to make cake, are loaded with potassium and provide an instant boost of energy.

A cluster of this delicious fruit hangs, along with other clusters, on a large bunch on bananas. These smaller clusters on the bunch are known as hands because of their similarity to a human hand and its fingers. One would hate to be hit with such hefty fists. So you have a single banana which hangs on a hand which hangs in a group of other hands (known as tiers) on a large bunch of bananas. All together now, "The finger bone's connected to the hand bone, the hand bones are connected to the tier bones, the tier bones are connected to the bunch bones, so hear the word of the assorted dictionariesss". Who knows when these terms all originated? They cannot be located. Why have Queenslanders been included as one of the answer choices? Because Australians tend to have nickname for people from different states of this country - and Queenslanders are known as banana benders. Did you know that, because of their potassium content, bananas are slightly radioactive?

Answer: A bridge

The origin of this expression cannot be located, but admirals of various levels are usually the highest ranks in naval defense. Where else does one belong but on the bridge of a mighty ship? Or at least, one would think so. That was more in the good old days it seems.

More modern times sees these unfortunate sea loving people (now women as well as men) stuck behind a desk in some admiralty, pushing pens. The word admiral itself derives from a combination of Sicilian and Arabian words which translate to a commander of the ocean. Perhaps it really means an ocean of paperwork.

Answer: A blaze

Blaze is an Old English word to describe a torch or glowing flame. It derives from the old Germanic "clas" to describe a white shining light. The word dragon comes down to us from the old Latin language word, "draco" which describes a huge serpent. The origin of the expression "A blaze of dragons" cannot be located.

A dragon is a mythical creature, usually covered in scales, sometimes capable of flight, and usually spewing out flames every time it opens its scary mouth. There are two families of these legendary creatures - the European beast which has a set of wings, is an ornery critter, and is rather low in intellect; and the Chinese dragon that comes without wings, but has a far superior intellect. Which would you prefer? Those two classifications of dragons are then broken down into further categories, depending on which part of the world in which one lived.

Indian dragons, for example, were usually portrayed with three heads, Jewish dragons were associated more with the sea, and the Vietnamese dragon was a good omen associated with prosperity - and so on.

Answer: A drift

"Drift" is an old English word from 1822 used to describe anything that is passive and unresisting. The word "adrift" which means floating along at random, has been in use since the 1860s. It's possible the original expression relating to bees should have been "Adrift of bees" instead of "a drift". We will never know as its origins cannot be located either. This lovely image, however, could possibly be applied to the beautiful butterfly as well as the wonderful bee, as it brings images of floating along in a gentle breeze to mind, even though bees are just a tad more purposeful in their actions. They seem to operate on the good old Protestant work ethic, because they seldom stop to rest, while the languid butterfly is more a lady of leisure. Bees are very industrious little creatures that are absolutely essential for their role in nature as pollinators, and producers of honey, royal jelly, beeswax and propolis.

What is propolis, you ask? It's a type of natural glue that bees produce by mixing their saliva with their wax, and it has quite a number of impressive uses, including that utilised by man. These include (for the bees) reinforcing the hive's stability and reducing vibration, closing off vulnerable entrances in a form of defense, preventing parasites, diseases, fungus and bacteria from coming into the hive (amazing, isn't it?), and enclosing any small intruders, that have made their way into the hive and have died there, in a form of sheath that mummifies them and prevents their putrefaction. For man, propolis has been used in traditional medicines for thousands of years, and is used today to treat cold sores, herpes, pain following oral surgery and to make cough drops. It's also being investigated by medical science for its use in creating drugs to activate immune responses, and to treat diabetes and skin ulcers. That's just propolis alone. Other bee products have similar amazing uses.

Answer: A rhumba

A rhumba is a lovely, sometimes sensuous, fun and colourful dance to watch. It is often associated with ballroom and Latin type dancing competitions as well as just being carried out for fun. It first appeared on the east coast of the United States of all places. That was in the 1930s, but apparently the American rhumba is a different form to the Cuban one - including the spelling. Americans rhumba, Cubans rumba.

The way a group of rattlesnakes all slither and wriggle together has given rise to the collective term for them being named a rhumba as well. You'd better believe that's one dance I'd be sitting out.

Answer: A bench

Bless you, my child. A bench, as the every day person probably understands the term, is a long backless seat on which to plonk down for a temporary rest while out shopping or walking and the like. A bishop is a high up ordained member of the clergy in many western religions such as Catholicism, Anglican and Orthodox faiths. Historically the term bishop and the duties associated with same date right back to the twelve Apostles of Christ. That work includes governing and teaching and sanctifying members of their faith. A bench is a term applied to the sitting members of court in any matter of law, and, as far as bishops go, conveys a medieval image of a semi-circle of sober and relentless church leaders about to decide on the fate of a wicked unrepentant sinner who has flown in the face of, and defied, all church teaching. If even one of them opened up a box of matches, I'd repent on the spot.

Just to finish on a lighter note, I once absent-mindedly asked the visiting Catholic bishop to our church whether a man I knew - with the same surname as the bishop - was his son. He gave me a severe and disapproving look and hastily moved on. Why? Because members of the Catholic clergy are celibate.

Answer: A glaring

There are several terms given to cats and other groups used in this quiz, but these haven't been included in the answer choices to prevent confusion. A glaring of cats is a perfectly delightful term applied to a group of moggies, because, when they choose to become offended, that's precisely what they do to their unrepentant owners - who usually fall about laughing as a result. Cats have various facial expressions, all of which are a joy to witness.

There's the sly and sneaky hunter about to pounce on its hapless prey one; the "I'm about to kill you" look given to a foreign cat who has dared to intrude on personal territory; the one resembling a person when the underneath of its chin is being stroked; the offended look a moggie wears when you dare to laugh at it doing its business; the relaxed and seductive expression when it settles comfortably on your best bedspread it knows it shouldn't be on at all; the loving and affectionate look it wears when it welcomes you home by rubbing against your leg - and various other uniquely delightful feline facial glances.

Answer: A prickle

Some forbidden fruits are meant to stay that way in my humble opinion. Pineapples are a fruit with a taste that delights many people, but getting to that taste is a somewhat perilous journey at times. The fruit is covered in a thick and leathery prickle encrusted skin and topped off by a sprouting of equally prickly leaves, that, should you rashly grab same without due care, can actually lacerate the skin.

This tropical plant can be eaten raw, cooked or preserved, or made into a juice. It is rare to find a beautifully sweet tasting one and in fact most of them have a slightly bitter flavour. I thoroughly dislike it. Such is its versatility, that the fibre of pineapple can also be used to manufacture wallpaper and small items of furniture, and its leaves can be used to create clothing material. Did you know that once a pineapple is harvested, it never becomes any riper than at that moment of harvesting? And did you know that if you cut the top off a pineapple, including its spiky leaves, and plant that into the ground, it will grow another pineapple? You can believe that, but not if you try it with a rooster. Finally, the only way to tell if a pineapple is ripe enough to eat, is to smell it. Now, if you're prepared to bend down to the ground and stick your tender proboscis into one of those viciously prickly fruits, you're a braver person than I am, Gunga Din.