Spring Fling

We took this quiz at church on Wednesday night, and I thought it would be interesting to see how you can do (I didn't do very well) The only rule is that you can't cheat and look them up on the internet (at least not until you've tried to answer all of them.) I will post answers tomorrow.

Spring Fling Quiz 2010

1. During March the weather in the southern hemisphere is different from our weather in the northern hemisphere because:
a) The southern hemisphere is not attached to Antarctica whereas the northern hemisphere is attached to the arctic by a land bridge.
b) The southern hemisphere is closer to the sun than the northern hemisphere is during the springtime.
c) The northern hemisphere has more bodies of water surrounding it than the southern hemisphere.

2. It is most likely the word "spring" became the name of this season because:
a) It signified melted snow flowing out of underground water sources creating "springs"
b) It signified the opening (or "springing forth") of a new leaf
c) It means to "jump" or "leap" which references a moving forward out of winter.

3. Which is true on the first day of spring?
a) The bowl of the big dipper is in the down position as if to empty out rain on the earth.
b) The north star, Polaris, moves directly over the equator.
c) The sun moves directly between the earth and the moon.

4. In Japan the first day of spring is an official national holiday celebrated by:
a) Throwing of paper mache flowers into rivers.
b) Eating tuna, as these fish begin their spawning runs in the spring, signifying new life.
c) Visiting family graves.

5. One of the spring festivals is the Christian period of "lent". This word originated from:
a) The Celtic word for "spring" in the Middle Ages
b) The Roman Catholic term for "sacrifice" signifying the passion of Christ.
c) The German word for "long" because the days of spring get longer.

6. When is the first day of Spring?
a) Always 7 days before Easter
b) When day and night are roughly the same length
c) The 3rd Monday of March

7. Technically, "spring" is defined as:
a) The spring solstice
b) The vernal equinox
c) The sun crossing the Tropic of Capricorn

8. What is it about the earth that causes "spring" to occur?
a) The earth is tilted on its axis at 23 1/2 degrees from vertical.
b) The earth's oceans are pulled by the moon's gravitational force.
c) The earth's rotation is faster at the equator than at each of the poles

9. Easter, the most famous of all spring events, has its annual date calculated by:
a) The first Sunday after the furst full moon on or after the March equinox.
b) The closest Sunday to the first day of spring.
c) The Sunday that is 50 days prior to the Jewish Feast of Penticost in a given year.

10. In Annapolis, MD, the spring equinox is celebrated by:
a) Umbrella Day--Throughout the city (rain or shine) everyone carries an umbrella signifying the coming of spring. Children's umbrellas, left by the front door, are filled with candy on the forst spring morning.
b) The Burning Of The Socks festival. Traditionally, the boating community wears socks only during the winter. These are burned at the approach of warm weather. Officially, nobody then wears socks until the next equinox.
c) Sea Dog Sunday--Originating at the United States Naval Academy, this is the day that Neptune supposedly awoke from his winter's sleep and came from the depths of the ocean to create a typhoon. Festivities include drinking of blue tea and eating shrimp gumbo and other seafood delicacies.

11. In many Arab countries the first day of spring is also the day they celebrate:
a) The islamic new year
b) Mohammed's ascension to heaven
c) Mother's Day