Do You Know Your US Trivia?

So today for English, among other things, I quizzed the kids on American trivia. The girl did terribly, but I was impressed with the boy (maybe based on the girl’s performance). I understand though, they are French kids, so American history and everyday knowledge (to me) wouldn’t be known for them. I included the questions here, and the answers are at the bottom if you’d like to try!

U.S. Quiz questions

1.                   How many states are there? Can you name some territories?

2.                   What is the capital? (Full name!)

3.                   When is Independence Day? Independence from which country?

4.                   Why are there 50 stars and 13 stripes on the flag?

5.                   What is the national anthem?

6.                   What is the largest city? (by population)

7.                   What is the largest state?

8.                   What is the population of the United States?

9.                   Who is currently the president and vice president?

10.               What are the two major political parties?

11.               Who was the first president?

12.               Which president freed the slaves (in 1863)?

13.               What is the official language?

14.               What is the American holiday in November? And on what day?

15.               What are the most popular sports in the US?

16.               What are the least popular sports in the US?

17.               What is the legal age for drinking alcohol?

18.               What is the legal age for smoking cigarettes?

19.               What is the legal age for driving a car

But I have to admit, I don’t know all the answers if it was a France quiz, so I need to get on that and learn it since I do live here, and I would like to learn some general everyday knowledge a French person would know.

Anyway, so next week is my last week until holidays! So a week from this Sunday, I will be on my way to Mexico; so exciting! And then Dublin after that, good times are ahead.

Although, it is kinda weird because a part of me could easily wait and prolong my next break. I just feel so at home now with au pairing, and I know the first week back will be an adjustment all over again, and I just feel like I really have the hang of everything now. But it’ll be nice to have two weeks to not have to think: I need to wash the kid’s laundry because it is Monday, I need to plan my English lesson for Thursday, or piano is at 6:30 pm. I can just think and focus on me for two weeks!

Lately, my comprehension of the French language has drastically improved, with my host family at least. I hear their voices the most, so this makes sense, but finally I understand 95% of their convos, and it makes me feel so good about myself, and this has affected my speech too. I am speaking more, so this is overall just a good thing, and I am proud of myself.

This weekend, Jerome’s parents come and they are staying with us in his apartment. I thought Vincent would be there too, but I found out he’ll be in Nice this weekend, so I thought for a while there’d be me, Jerome, his fam, Vincent and his gf all in one apartment, but it will just be 4 people like norm on weekends. I am looking forward to seeing his parents, though. They are really warm and friendly with me, so it will be nice to see them again. While Jerome is at work Saturday during the day, it will just be me and his parents! I have never really been alone with them before, but it is a challenge I will be fine with.

U.S. Quiz Answers

1.       How many states are there? Can you name some territories?
50 states; Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, United States Virgin Islands

2.       What is the capital? (Full name!)
Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia)

3.       When is Independence Day? Independence from which country?
July 4, 1776; England

4.       Why are there 50 stars and 13 stripes on the flag?
50 stars = 50 states; 13 stripes = 13 colonies

5.       What is the national anthem?
The Star-Spangled Banner

6.       What is the largest city? (by population)
New York City (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, Staten Island)

7.       What is the largest state?
California (population); Alaska (size)

8.       What is the population of the United States?
320 million

9.       Who is currently the president and vice president?
Barack Obama and Joe Biden

10.   What are the two major political parties?
Democrats and Republicans

11.   Who was the first president?
George Washington

12.   Which president freed the slaves (in 1863)?
Abraham Lincoln

13.   What is the official language?
There is no official language, though English and Spanish are spoken most.

14.   What is the American holiday in November? And on what day?
Thanksgiving; 4^th Thursday in November

15.   What are the most popular sports in the US?
Football and basketball

16.   What are the least popular sports in the US?
Soccer and rugby (which are the most popular in France)

17.   What is the legal age for drinking alcohol?
Twenty-one

18.   What is the legal age for smoking cigarettes?
Eighteen

19.   What is the legal age for driving a car?
Sixteen; or fifteen with your parent