How many cultures have yetis and are any animals feminist? The kids’ quiz

1. Kipp, 8, asks: how many cultures have yetis?

   1. Only one, the Bhutanese

   2. Only cultures in the Himalayas have yetis

   3. Lots of cultures across Asia, North America, Australia, Europe

   4. No cultures at all

2. George, 8, asks: what is the most dangerous plant in the world?

   1. The Venus flytrap

   2. Stinging nettles

   3. Castor bean plant

   4. Bamboo

3. Julia Camila, 10, asks: are there any animals that are feminist?

   1. Lots of animal species are matriarchal, where the women are in charge

   2. Yes, dolphins are all feminists

   3. Men are always in charge in the animal world

   4. Scientists don’t know

4. Adelaide, 6, asks: why do boy mallard ducks have green heads, but girl ducks are brown?

   1. It helps the boy ducks find a mate – girl ducks are brown to stay safe when they’re hiding in nests

   2. Green is the mallard’s favourite colour

   3. Green heads are good camouflage in water

   4. Together they blend into trees – the girls like trunks and the boys like the leaves

5. Sage, 7, asks: do great dane dogs have anything to do with Denmark?

   1. Yes, they bark in Danish

   2. Yes, they love eating Danish pastries

   3. No, they’re from Germany, not Denmark

   4. Only when they wear Viking helmets

Solutions

1:C - Lots of cultures have yetis, particularly those in the Himalayan mountains – Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and some Indian states. There’s also a “wild man” in the US, Bigfoot, and Yowie in Australia, Yeren in China., 2:C - The castor bean plant has small amounts of ricin, one of the most toxic substances for humans. A tiny bit can be deadly if you chew or swallow it. Castor oil is from the same plant, but the poison is taken out., 3:A - Animals don’t have feminism like humans, but females are in charge in lots of species. Elephants are led by a wise older female who keeps the others safe. Orcas follow their grandmothers – they lead the pod., 4:A - With mallards, boy ducks have green heads to impress girl ducks. Females are brown and speckled so they blend into grass and reeds and can hide from predators while sitting on their eggs., 5:C - No – they come from Germany! They used to be called German boar hounds because they were trained to hunt wild boar. They were renamed in the late 19th century because of political tensions between the UK, France and Germany.

Scores

1. 5 and above.

2. 4 and above.

3. 3 and above.

4. 2 and above.

5. 0 and above.

6. 1 and above.

Molly Oldfield hosts Everything Under the Sun, a podcast answering children’s questions. Do check out her books, Everything Under the Sun and the new Everything Under the Sun: Quiz Book.