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What's That You Said? Trivia Quiz

This quiz is all about animals used in common proverbs, phrases or sayings. I've selected phrases and sayings that I expect most people have encountered.

A multiple-choice quiz by shuttlemania. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
shuttlemania

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
371,769

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Easy

Avg Score
9 / 10

Plays
1049

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Cats are very popular animals as domestic pets. According to the modern version of the saying, what is said to have "killed the cat"? Hint

Beer

Curiosity

Poison

Mouse

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Question 2 of 10

2. As stated in an oft quoted saying, which animal is considered to be "A man's best friend"? Hint

Cat

Dog

Rabbit

Gerbil

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Question 3 of 10

3. With the meaning that things cannot change their innate nature, which animal "cannot change his spots"? Hint

Cheetah

Dalmatian

Giraffe

Leopard

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Question 4 of 10

4. According to the modern saying, "A bird in the hand" is worth how many "birds in the bush"? Hint

One

Two

None

Three

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Question 5 of 10

5. Which of the following phrases is used to illustrate a situation involving reversal of the accepted or logical order of things? Hint

Put the cat among the pigeons

Put the cart before the horse

Pull the wool over your eyes

Paddle your own canoe

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Question 6 of 10

6. We've heard the phrase "Mad as a hatter", but which animal is in another phrase, "As mad as a _____
____". What are the two missing words? Hint

Easter bunny

May bunny

March hare

June rabbit

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Question 7 of 10

7. When someone has done wrong deeds or tried to cover up a gross mistake and it comes back to haunt them, which animals are said to "Come home to roost"? Hint

Ducks

Pheasants

Geese

Chickens

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Question 8 of 10

8. When a person talks incessantly, what can they metaphorically "talk off" a donkey, according to a well-known phrase? Hint

Ears

Hind legs

Front legs

Tail

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Question 9 of 10

9. What saying was coined to describe the futile sending of British infantrymen to their deaths by incompetent generals during the trench warfare of World War I? Hint

Sheep led by wolves

Lions led by donkeys

Ducks led by geese

Squirrels led by bats

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Question 10 of 10

10. A common saying is that "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it ______". What is the missing word? Hint

Swim

Bathe

Float

Drink

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 05 2024 : Fiona112233: 8/10
Nov 01 2024 : jackslade: 10/10

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Cats are very popular animals as domestic pets. According to the modern version of the saying, what is said to have "killed the cat"?

Answer: Curiosity

The saying "Curiosity killed the cat" is thought to have developed from an earlier saying, "Care'll kill a cat", used by Ben Jonson in his play, "Every Man in His Humour", in 1598 and a year later by William Shakespeare in "Much Ado About Nothing".

2. As stated in an oft quoted saying, which animal is considered to be "A man's best friend"?

Answer: Dog

The saying refers to the loyalty and companionship that many dogs share with their owners. Although cats and other domesticated animals can give companionship, they don't typically show the same sense of loyalty as dogs.

The popularity of dogs as pets has increased enormously in the last century. According to the American Kennel Club, there are more pet dogs in the USA than there are people in Britain.

3. With the meaning that things cannot change their innate nature, which animal "cannot change his spots"?

Answer: Leopard

The saying originates in the Bible, Jeremiah 13:23 (King James Version): "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil."

However, the modern saying means that a person can't change his character, e.g. a person with a history of lying will tend to continue lying.

4. According to the modern saying, "A bird in the hand" is worth how many "birds in the bush"?

Answer: Two

The first written record of the phrase in its modern form is in "A Hand-book of Proverbs" by John Ray in 1670. There are earlier variations on the saying such as Hugh Rhodes', "A bird in hand - is worth ten flye at large".

5. Which of the following phrases is used to illustrate a situation involving reversal of the accepted or logical order of things?

Answer: Put the cart before the horse

This situation of reversing the accepted order is thought to be the origin of the word preposterous. In Latin, "pre" denotes "at the front" and "post" denotes "at the back", so "preposterous" refers to something that is the wrong way round.

6. We've heard the phrase "Mad as a hatter", but which animal is in another phrase, "As mad as a _____ ____". What are the two missing words?

Answer: March hare

The origin of the saying relates to March being the beginning of the mating season for hares. They tend to behave oddly during this period, which can last several months. This is referred to in "Alice's Adventures In Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll.

7. When someone has done wrong deeds or tried to cover up a gross mistake and it comes back to haunt them, which animals are said to "Come home to roost"?

Answer: Chickens

Meaning that bad deeds often return to the disadvantage of the perpetrator, "The chickens come home to roost" is a saying that came to prominence in the 19th century. Earlier versions were based on birds returning to the nest, such as in Chaucer's "The Parson's Tale".

8. When a person talks incessantly, what can they metaphorically "talk off" a donkey, according to a well-known phrase?

Answer: Hind legs

Someone who can "Talk the hind legs off a donkey" is said to be very persuasive or verbose. One possible origin is that donkeys don't sit, so a person who can persuade a donkey to sit must have the gift of the gab.

9. What saying was coined to describe the futile sending of British infantrymen to their deaths by incompetent generals during the trench warfare of World War I?

Answer: Lions led by donkeys

In his book titled "The Donkeys", Alan Clark attributed the phrase to Max Hoffman, a German soldier. The soldiers (the lions) were courageous in their duty when sent into German machine guns to gain a few yards of territory by generals (the donkeys) whose tactics were outdated.

10. A common saying is that "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it ______". What is the missing word?

Answer: Drink

This is one of the oldest English proverbs that is still in regular use; it was first recorded in 1175. It is used in a situation where you can't make someone do what they don't want to do.

Source: Author shuttlemania

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor looney_tunes before going online.
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