Pasta Sultan Pepper Trivia Quiz

Answer: How much is it?

Our language with its drawl is usually referred to as Strine. This is supposed to be the sound of our pronunciation of the word Australian through closed teeth. The teeth are closed, so they say, to keep the bush flies from flying into our mouths.

Answer: Jesus was crucified at Calvary

Australians are the most casual church-goers under the sun. They'll roll up to church in thongs (flip-flops), beach clothes, work clothes, and even, at Christmas time, in pyjamas and dressing gown, particularly so at midnight mass. Midnight mass, by the way, is when the most people turn up. It's like their once a year pilgrimage to Mecca - on their way home from the pubs.

Answer: How are you today?

Australians also have a peculiar habit of ending all sentences with an uplifted intonation, or with the word "but", as in "Well, some people say he's not a bad bloke. I don't like him, but."

Answer: Have a go, you mug!

Things tend to get a bit heated at football matches in this country, particularly for the State of Origin games which are played between the states of New South Wales and Queensland. At the one and only local football game I attended (with the greatest reluctance in the world) the men parked in the car next to mine kept shouting out to the players on the opposition team, "Give us a kiss, darling" and so forth. All this is designed to (a) make the players lose concentration or (b) have the players walk over and punch them so they would then be sent off the field or (c) get into a lively punch-up with anybody nearby who supported that particular team. Accordingly, my then husband idiotically obliged them.

Answer: Someone or something can be relied upon

To say that something is dinky-die or fair dinkum in this country is the equivalent of taking an oath with one hand placed on the Bible as to the validity of any accompanying statements.

Answer: He's making an observation that Christmas is coming up

As in many countries, Christmas is a time for families. An Australian Christmas is always in the middle of summer, and spent either at the beach with piles of other families, or having barbecues out in the fresh, clean air, or gathered round the family table at home.

It's a time of renewal when families all touch base with each other. My mother's house was bulging at the seams always at this time of the year as we all went back home to celebrate with her. And then the hands on the clock move on, and suddenly it all just becomes a lovely, sad memory.

Answer: Without You

This beautiful haunting song was made famous most notably by Harry Nilsson, and then later by Mariah Carey. Its words are rather heart-rending (perfect for crying into one's pretzels after a break-up) and it has a wide range of notes which really soar with a good voice behind them.

Unfortunately, then along came karaoke - oh my stars - and all the would-be singers under the sun screeching out those words tunelessly, after having topped up their batteries with a considerable amount of Dutch courage fluids. I'd rather hear the sound of a dentist's drill.

Answer: No, I didn't go

Our slur can indeed be hard to understand. The title of this quiz for example. You would of course have realised you were being ask to pass the salt and pepper? The further out west one goes in Australia, and the more distant from the capital cities, the broader and slower our accent becomes.

Answer: Did you read the paper today?

Oh, and before I forget, if you're talking to an Australian, and he keeps saying, "Yep, yep" the entire time you are doing so, he's not accusing you of yapping away like a dog, but is in fact agreeing with you, or listening to all you are saying.

Answer: Get out of the rain!

He was shouting at his grandchildren to come in out of the rain because they were soaked and playing in the mud. It wasn't a bit exciting after all.