South Korea - General Knowledge Quiz 4 compiled by Thor May
[Quiz 4 Answer Key] return to main Korean Study Index
Contacts: thormay@yahoo.com; http://thormay.net || http://www.meetup.com/brisbanekorea/ || https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/brisbanekoreameetup/
I have begun to make a Korea General Knowledge Quiz every week. This is one way to give the Brisbane Korea Meetup a little focus. A link to questions and answers will also be posted on the Brisbane Korea Meetup Facebook page each week. I discuss the reason for quizzes in more detail on another page. For anyone who is interested, I am also making a China General Knowledge Quizz each week for the Brisbane China Meetup (answers linked to the Brisbane China Meetup Facebook page). Note that the answers to the quiz questions represent my own understanding and are of course open to challenge (bring your evidence!).
- Quiz 4 -
1. In Korean culture there is a strong belief that people should try to keep up a good atmosphere amongst everyone in a group (e.g. at a party). That idea is not special to Korea of course, but it is a formal part of Korean culture with a special name. What is the Korean name for “social atmosphere”?
2. “Destiny philosophers” are a new name for a very old and common profession in Korea. What is a destiny philosopher?
3. Korean has two systems of numbers, one from Chinese and one indigenous Korean. When you count objects, like “six eggs” in a market, which system do you use?
4. Two Japanese invasions of Korea took place between 1592 and 1598. They devastated the Korean economy (it never really recovered until the 1970s) and cultural life was undermined (e.g. many artisans were abducted). The emperor of newly unified Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi had actually considered Korea a way-stop before attacking Ming dynasty China. Eventually Korea was saved by a brilliant general who got little thanks from the Joseon dynasty rulers. Who was that?
5. Which S.E. Asian country have South Koreans gone to in large numbers to learn English in recent years?
6. Young South Korean women often don’t see Korean guys as “fully grown men” until the men have gone through a certain “rite of passage”. What is that “rite of passage”?
7. Korean cities and towns have many kinds of markets. What are the two most famous markets in Seoul?
8. South Koreans are usually hopeless at giving you directions by street names. They use another method. What is it?
(c) Thor May 2012 material on this page is essentially for Thor's private study return to main Language Study Index return to homepage contact: thormay AT yahoo.com