The Netherlands & Sinterklaas
What does Sinterklaas arrive on when he comes to the Netherlands?
A steamboat (“Pakjesboot”)
What 1840 document, signed between Māori chiefs and the British Crown, remains central to legal and political debate in NZ?
Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi
What simple machine is a seesaw an example of?
A lever
What Italian dish consists of dough, sauce, and toppings baked in an oven?
Pizza
In the song “The 12 Days of Christmas,” how many golden rings are given?
Five
What city is the capital of the Netherlands?
Amsterdam
Which New Zealand poet wrote The Luminaries, winner of the 2013 Booker Prize?
Eleanor Catton
What branch of engineering focuses on analysing and improving the flow of heat and energy, and includes concepts like entropy and the Carnot cycle?
Thermodynamics / Thermal engineering
Which fruit is known as the “king of fruits” in Southeast Asia?
Durian
Which country is credited with starting the tradition of the Christmas tree?
Germany
What sweet treat is traditionally left in shoes for Sinterklaas?
Pepernoten or kruidnoten
In the early 20th century, New Zealand became the first country to give women the vote. In what year was women’s suffrage won?
1893
What unit measures electrical resistance?
Ohm
What country invented hummus?
Lebanon / the Levant region
How do you say Merry Christmas in te Reo Māori?
Meri Kirihimeti
What is the name of Sinterklaas’s white horse?
Amerigo (formerly), now Ozosnel
What is the Māori name for the Chatham Islands?
Rēkohu / Wharekauri
The “Moore’s Law” prediction relates to the doubling of what every two years?
Transistors on a microchip (computing power)
What chemical reaction gives browned food its flavour?
The Maillard reaction
What parasitic species is associated with Christmas?
Mistletoe - is actually a parasitic species that grows on trees.
What is the Dutch word for “Santa Claus,” inspired by Sinterklaas?
“Kerstman”
Which Māori iwi is traditionally associated with the Whanganui River, the first river in the world to be granted legal personhood?
Te Ātihaunui-a-Pāpārangi
In structural engineering, what is the term for the point in a beam where the internal bending moment changes sign?
The point of contraflexure
What is the Japanese term for vinegared rice used in sushi?
Shari
What Christian holiday ends the Christmas season on January 6?
Epiphany