Why is there nothing Welsh on the union jack? The kids’ quiz

1. Odysseus, 9, asks: why is there nothing Welsh on the union jack?

   1. When the union jack was created, Wales didn’t want to be involved

   2. Because the dragon was too tricky to fit in

   3. When the flag was created, Wales had been conquered by England for so long, they were considered as one

   4. There is something Welsh on the back of the flag

2. Asa, 6, asks: do fish pee?

   1. Yes

   2. No

   3. Only on special occasions

   4. Only a few fish can pee

3. Adara, 7, asks: can flowers be rainbow coloured?

   1. They can grow naturally but the chances are low

   2. Not naturally, but they can be artificially made

   3. They grow when different seeds are planted together

   4. They only grow in the mountains, where intense sun makes rainbow colours

4. Otis, 5, asks: how does the sun stay up in the sky?

   1. The sun and the moon have an agreement

   2. Nobody knows

   3. It’s too hot to move

   4. The force of gravity keeps the sun on its course, orbiting the Milky Way

5. Lydia, 5, asks: how is sleepy dust made?

   1. Your body produces it when you have a bad dream

   2. While you sleep, mucus, skin cells, blood cells and dust collect in the corners of your eyes

   3. Your body produces it when you go to bed too late

   4. Good dreams produce sleepy dust

Solutions

1:C - In 1606 the union jack was created (known as the flag of Great Britain) when King James I brought England, Scotland and Ireland under a single monarch. Wales was invaded by Prince Edward a long time before this, in the 13th century, so in the 17th century it was considered part of England., 2:A - Yes, fish pee! Coral reefs use nutrients from fish urine to survive and flourish. When we overfish, coral reefs suffer due to fewer nutrients from fish urine., 3:B - Flowers can sometimes grow into a few colours on the same stem, depending on the type, but never all the colours of the rainbow. Rainbow flowers can be created through dyeing., 4:D - Gravity ensures that the sun orbits the Milky Way. The sun’s own gravity holds the solar system together, as the Earth and everything in our solar system orbits around the sun., 5:B - The sleepy dust that collects in the corners of your eyes while you sleep is a combination of mucus, blood cells, skin cells and dust. It builds up at night when you’re not blinking to wash it away.

Scores

1. 5 and above.

2. 4 and above.

3. 3 and above.

4. 2 and above.

5. 0 and above.

6. 1 and above.

Molly Oldfield hosts Everything Under the Sun, a podcast answering children’s questions. Do check out her books, Everything Under the Sun and Everything Under the Sun: Quiz Book, as well as her new title, Everything Under the Sun: All Around the World.