Around the World

Thailand: Misbehaving Thai police officers are required to wear ________ as a punishment.

• Pokemon hats

• A red sticker

• A pink bow

• Hello Kitty armbands

Answer explanation

If a police office in Thailand parks illegally, arrives late to work, or is caught littering, they don't get a slap on the wrist-- they get Hello Kitty on their bicep! Misbehaving cops have to wear a pink, heart-covered Hello Kitty armband over their official uniform.

Great Britain: What is the name of Britain's most famous clock tower?

• The Clock Tower

• Big Ben

• Elizabeth Tower

• Victoria Tower

Answer explanation

You may have thought this iconic clock tower was Big Ben, but that name only refers to the big bell inside! If you guessed "The Clock Tower," you were actually pretty close. Believe it or not, that was its true name up until 2012, when it was renamed to Elizabeth Tower to honor Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee (60th anniversary of her reign).

South Korea: What is a popular gift during the Lunar New Year?

• Baby shoes

• Refrigerators

• Gucci Sunglasses

• Spam

Answer explanation

Believe it or not, receiving Spam is an honor in Korea! The canned meat was a vital source of nutrition for locals when food was scarce during WW2andthe Korean War, resulting in wartime recipes like Budae JJigae (army stew), made with kimchi, ham, sausage, and Spam.

Russia: Russia is roughly the same size as:

• Pluto

• Africa

• The moon

• The Pacific Ocean

Answer explanation

Russia is the largest country in the world, with a surface area of 6.6 million square miles- which is just a bit larger than the surface area of Pluto, at 6.4 million square miles.

On the first day of Ramadan, residents of Istanbul are woken up at 2:30am by

• a 30-minute firework display

• an amber alert on their phones

• 2,000 drummers

• a wailing siren from every mosque

Answer explanation

One thing's for certain, you don't need an alarm clock during Ramadan, Throughout this holy month, thousands of brightly-dressed drummers wander the streets of Istanbul waking residents for Sahur, the last pre-dawn meal before fasting begins, Participants in this festive affaire are often descended from families who have been drumming for centuries.

Israel: Which of the following is Israel's largest EXPORT?

• Honey

• Diamonds

• Sapphires

• Milk

Answer explanation

Cut diamonds are Israel's largest export, constituting 23.2% of Israel's total exports and a whopping 12% of the world's production. That's a whole lot of bling for a country that's just about as big as the state of New Jersey!

What's considered bad luck if you do it in the two days after Taiwanese New Year?

• Eating Leftover Food

• Cleaning the house

• sharing a meal with strangers

• wearing new clothes

Answer explanation

After the Lunar New Year, it's believed the house is blessed with good fortune. So, throwing anything away-even trash or dust-could get rid of all your good luck! Instead, you're supposed to wait a few days to let the good fortune sink in before doing any cleaning.

Russia: Which of the following was banned by Peter the Great?

• Beards

• Swimwear

• Coffee

• Dancing

Answer explanation

Hoping to modernize Russia to be more European, Peter the Great implemented a ban on beards in 1698. He soon softened his stance, instead imposing a beard tax- so if you wanted a beard, you had to pay a portion of your earnings.

Talk about Fashion Police.

South Korea: Jeju Island is home to:

• Fish Whisperers

• Poisonous snails

• mermaids

• waterbenders

Answer explanation

The divers of Jeju are women traditionally called haenyeo (sea women), but their feats have garnered another nickname: mermaids. These incredible women, many of whom can hold their breaths for over 3 minutes, dv down thirty feet into chilly waters without oxygen tanks and catch shellfish with only a knife and their hands. Even more remarkable? Some are 80 years old!

United Kingdom: In 2001, the UK named ___________ as its national dish.

• Shepherd's Pie

• Fish and chips

• Chicken Tikka Masala

• Beans on toast

Answer explanation

Wait---What? While fish and chips was a hot contender, the country voted chicken tikka masala as its official national dish. Believe it or not, this spiced curry was actually invented in Britain. As the story goes a restaurant guest received a dry chicken dish and demanded a gravy to accompany it, so the chef quickly prepared a sauce with tomatoes and spices.