How British are you? Fun quiz challenges your knowledge on everything from Harry Potter to UK’s ‘soggiest city’

WE Britons love a good quiz – as much as we like talking about the weather, sport and holidays.

The Very British Problems Quiz Book, by Rob Temple, ticks all those boxes, picking your brain about our beloved Blighty.

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The Very British Problems Quiz Book, by Rob Temple, picks your brain about our beloved Blighty[/caption]

Rob has spent a decade pointing out the oddities of our nation on his Very British Problems Twitter account, and has now written a book of questions on all the topics we obsess over.

He says: “You could use this book to have raucous but studious fun with friends . . . or take it to the pub quiz you run and claim you wrote it all yourself.”

Here, Natasha Harding brings you some of Rob’s questions – are you a mastermind of British trivia? Answers are at the bottom of the page.

• Edited extract from The Very British Problems Quiz Book by Rob Temple (Sphere, £12.99)

WEATHER

WE do love banging on about the weather (What’s it doing now? Chucking it down, is it? Oh gosh, the washing’s out! Oh nooooooo!).

But how much do we really know about it? Let’s find out . . . 

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We do love banging on about the weather – but just how much do we know about it?[/caption]

1. When was the last time the River Thames completely froze over?
   A) 1892
   B) 1921
   C) 1963
2. Where is the soggiest city in Britain, according to data from the Met Office?
   A) Manchester
   B) Cardiff
   C) Glasgow
3. In Ruthin, Denbighs, in 1947 the deepest snow in an inhabited area of the UK was recorded. How deep was that, according to the Met Office?
   A) 1.65 metres
   B) 4.65 metres
   C) 7.65 metres

FOOD AND DRINK

BOIL the kettle, there’s a darling, then make yourself a cup of something warm – as long as it’s tea –  and crack open that packet of Hobnob biscuits to nourish your brain for these delicious teasers . . . 

1. A Snowball is a retro cocktail traditionally enjoyed at Christmas, and containing which alcoholic beverage?
   A) Crème de menthe
   B) Advocaat
   C) Absinthe
2. According to the UK Tea and Infusions Association, how many cups of tea do we drink each year?
   A) 60.2million
   B) 60.2billion
   C) 60.2trillion
3. Which restaurant chain opened its first UK branch in Woolwich, South London, in October 1974?
   A) McDonald’s
   B) Burger King
   C) Wimpy

BOOKS

HOW well do you reckon you know your English literature? Well, let’s see.

Once you’re sitting comfortably, let us begin . . . 

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How well do you reckon you know your English literature? – pictured William Shakespeare[/caption]

1. What is the title of the second Harry Potter book?
   A) The Chamber Of Secrets
   B) The Prisoner Of Azkaban
   C) The Philosopher’s Stone
2. There and Back Again is the subtitle to which book by J.R.R. Tolkien?
   A) The Lord Of The Rings
   B) The Hobbit
   C) The Fellowship Of The Ring
3. In what year did William Shakespeare shuffle off his mortal coil?
   A) 1610
   B) 1616
   C) 1622

SLANG

COCKNEY rhyming slang was born in East London in the early 19th century, not least for criminals to confuse policemen who struggled to understand the terms used by those in the know.

It later inspired Australian and American rhyming slang, too. So what do the following Cockney terms mean?

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What do the following Cockney terms mean?[/caption]

1. “Box of toys”
   A) Noise
   B) Boys
   C) Football manager David Moyes
2. “Didn’t ought”
   A) Port
   B) Sort
   C) Abort
3. “Lump of ice”
   A) Advice
   B) Twice
   C) Mice

COUNTIES

THERE are loads of them, both little and large, aren’t there?

But just how much do you really know them? Let’s do this . . . 

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How much do you really know counties?[/caption]

1. How many counties are there in England?
   A) 28
   B) 38
   C) 48
2. In which county would you be able to visit Windsor Castle?
   A) Surrey
   B) Berkshire
   C) Suffolk
3. Which of the actors to play James Bond was born in Cheshire?
   A) Daniel Craig
   B) Pierce Brosnan
   C) Sean Connery

EVENTS

GET your shoes on, pack a brolly and a cagoule – we’re going out . . . 

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We’re testing your British events knowledge too[/caption]

1. Which of these patron saint days comes first in the year?
   A) St George’s Day
   B) St Patrick’s Day
   C) St David’s Day
2. To the nearest million, how many cards (according to research by finder.com) are sent in Britain each year for Valentine’s Day?
   A) 20million
   B) 25million
   C) 30million
3. In which county does Glastonbury Festival take place each summer?
   A) Gloucestershire
   B) Somerset
   C) Dorset

CONUNDRUMS

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Unscramble the letters in the anagrams below to reveal some very British things . . .[/caption]

WE do like a word game.

Unscramble the letters in the anagrams below and, with the help of the clues, you’ll reveal some very British things . . .  

1. Adrien Chew Succumbs
   Clue: A royal tea-time favourite
2. Pigs Slicer
   Clue: 90s pop band
3. Authentic menders
   Clue: Premiership football team

SPORT

PUT on your boots, tie up your laces, strap on your helmets, saddle up, rev your engines – and get ready for the whistle.

Let’s find out if you’re a good sport or not . . . 

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1. Which Briton was the first winner of the European Footballer of the Year award?
   A) Bobby Charlton
   B) Stanley Matthews
   C) Kevin Keegan
2. Which of these is a real sporting event?
   A) Bog-snorkelling
   B) Swamp-cycling
   C) Puddle-fishing
3. Which football team is nicknamed The Posh?
   A) Cambridge United
   B) Peterborough United
   C) Chelsea