Autumn 1
No film with Autumn in its title has ever won an Oscar; all the other seasons have. True or false?
True
Halloween has been celebrated for about:
a) 1000 years
b) 1500 years
c) 2000 years
d) 2200 years
Most scholars agree that Halloween originated around 2,000 years ago
In ancient mythology, Autumn began when which Goddess is kidnapped by Hades and taken to the underworld?
a) Demetr
b) Hera
c) Athena
d) Persephone
e) Aphrodite
The story of Hades and Persephone is the Greek myth that explains the seasons, where Hades, the god of the underworld, abducts Persephone, the daughter of the agricultural goddess Demeter. Demeter's grief causes a famine until Zeus intervenes, leading to a compromise where Persephone spends half the year as queen of the underworld and the other half on Earth, bringing spring and fertility with her return.
What's the name for a species of tree that doesn't lose its leaves during autumn?
Evergreen
Lately, Halloween has become one big treat for businesses, with US consumers spending an estimated ... on this one-night holiday in 2024 compared to $12.2 billion in 2023.
a) $9.4 billion
b) $11.6 billion
c) $13.8 billion
$11.6 billion
When is the first day of Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere?
The autumnal equinox, usually occurs on September 22 or 23, and in the northern hemisphere the date marks the end of summer and beginning of autumn.
What is said to help keep evil spirits out of your house on Halloween?
Sprinkle salt on your doorstep
What is the term for the clear days of fall that are warm but not too hot?
Indian Summer
Is it true that there are more heart attacks on the Monday in fall after the shift to Daylight Saving Time?
Fale, there are fewer
Research from Coupon Follow in 2020 found the average American eats around ... kg of candy on Halloween, and children eat ... calories, which equals three cups of sugar on Halloween.
a) 0.5 and 4900
b) 1 and 5500
c) 1.5 and 7,000
the average American eats around 1.5 kg of candy on Halloween and children eat 7,000 calories
What is the Autumn crop ‘Vitis vinifera’ more commonly known as?
a) garlic
b) beetroot
c) grapes
d) potato
e) spinach
Vitis vinifera is the species of grapevine from which most of the world's wine is made.
Each state in the US has its own Halloween traditions. In Alabama it's illegal to dress up as:
a) a zombie
b) a nun
c) a prostitute
d) a clown
e) a ghost
a nun (and also as a priest)
People born in autumn tend to ...
a) live longer
b) have more kids
c) cheat on their partners more often
d) be prone to depression
e) have supernatural abilities
Good news for autumn babies: those born between September and November are more likely to live to 100 than those born in other months of the year..
The term 'Petrichor' [ˈpetrɪkɔː]refers to which beloved Autumn-time phenomenon?
a) the changing colour of leaves
b) the smell of bonfires
c) the crunch of leaves underfoot
d) the smell of rain
the smell of rain
20% of pet owners in the US dress up their pets for Halloween. Name at least three popular costumes for pets.
1. Pumpkin
2. Hot Dog
3. Bumblebee
4. Ghost/Superhero
5. Bat
What does 'September' mean in Latin?
September comes from the Latin word septem, which means "seven". The name reflects its original position as the seventh month on the ancient Roman calendar, which began with March. Later, when the calendar was revised to include January and February, September became the ninth month but kept its original name.
Last year, over one million people visited Salem, Massachusetts in October. Between which years did the Salem Witch Trials occur?
a) 1632 – 1633
b) 1674 – 1675
c) 1692 – 1693
d) 1702 – 1703
c) 1692-1693
The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. More than 200 people were accused. Thirty people were found guilty, nineteen of whom were executed by hanging.
What do these autumn idioms mean?
1. to squirrel away
2. to reap what you sow
3. a bad apple
4. to get wind of something
1. to save or hide something for future use (like a squirrel collecting food for the winter).
2. to experience the results, either positive or negative, of your own actions. (This is linked to autumn because “sow” means to plant seeds and “reap” means to gather a crop.)
3. a person whose negative behavior or actions harm a group
4. to hear a piece of information that someone else was trying to keep secret
Since 1997, ... has been one of the top 100 names for girls in the United States.
a) Hazel
b) Ruby
c) Autumn
d) Amber
e) Maple
Autumn
Some US cities and towns have names befitting Halloween. However, one is non-existent and was made up specifically for the quiz. Which one?
a) Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina
b) Tombstone, Arizona
c) Slaughter Beach, Delaware
d) Scarville City, Iowa
e) Coffin Ridge, Indiana
Coffin Ridge, Indiana
What natural phenomenon is most active around the Autumn and Spring equinoxes, making September one of the best months to see it?
Aurora Borealis (The Nothern Lights)
Can you fill in all the missing words?
The witch's ... is another superstition that has its roots in medieval myths. The elderly, introverted women that were accused of ... were often poor and could not afford ... , so they navigated through the woods on foot with the help of ... ..., which were sometimes substituted by ... .
The witch's broomstick is another superstition that has its roots in medieval myths. The elderly, introverted women that were accused of witchcraft were often poor and could not afford horses, so they navigated through the woods on foot with the help of walking sticks, which were sometimes substituted by brooms.
What weed pollen causes the most common fall allergies?
a) Pigweed (лебеда)
b) Goldenrod (золотарник)
с) Sagebrush (полынь)
d) Ragweed (амброзия)
Ragweed is the most common allergy trigger in the fall with pollen levels highest in early to mid-September.
What was autumn originally called?
Autumn was originally called harvest, from the Old English word hærfest, which meant "picking" or "reaping" crops. The name "fall" emerged around the 16th century as a shortened version of the phrase "fall of the leaf," while "autumn" came from the Latin word autumnus and became dominant in British English.