Q 01/05

What do Americans carve into jack-o'-lanterns at Halloween, in place of the turnips used in Ireland?

A) Potatoes

B) Pumpkins

C) Beets

D) Cabbages

Answer · why

B) Pumpkins

Pumpkins, a crop native to North America, took over when immigrants brought the Irish and British custom of carving root vegetables to the United Stat...

Q 02/05

Which treat served in America's Chinese restaurants was probably invented by Japanese immigrants?

A) Fortune cookie

B) Sesame seed ball

C) Egg custard tart

D) Almond jelly

Answer · why

A) Fortune cookie

Fortune cookies are not Chinese in origin: they most likely grew out of cookies baked by Japanese immigrants, and California bakers popularized them i...

Q 03/05

Which dessert, first recorded in medieval England, features in a saying about all things American?

A) Cheesecake

B) Brownies

C) Banana split

D) Apple pie

Answer · why

D) Apple pie

Apple pie reached America with English, Dutch and Swedish colonists, who had to bring the trees as well: the only native apples were small, sour craba...

Q 04/05

In which order do Americans usually write the parts of a date, unlike nearly all other countries?

A) Day, month, year

B) Month, day, year

C) Year, month, day

D) Year, day, month

Answer · why

B) Month, day, year

Month, day, year is the traditional American order, so 5/6 means May 6, where a British reader would see the fifth of June.

Q 05/05

Which championship game is played on America's second-biggest eating day, behind only Thanksgiving?

A) World Series

B) NBA Finals

C) Super Bowl

D) Stanley Cup Final

Answer · why

C) Super Bowl

Super Bowl Sunday is the second-largest food consumption event in the US, and the game frequently draws the largest TV audience of the American year.