Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

Why iron hides behind two letters

Iron's chemical symbol, Fe, comes from ferrum, the Latin word for the metal. That is why the symbol looks nothing like the English name: chemists inherited the Latin label, not the Anglo-Saxon one. Iron has been smelted for thousands of years, and its strength and abundance made it central to tools, weapons and, eventually, steel-framed buildings.

A country with two official languages

Ireland has two official languages: Irish, a Celtic language also called Gaeilge, and English. Irish is taught in schools and appears on road signs and official documents, but English is the everyday language for most people. The Irish language has a long literary tradition, and its survival is supported by state policy and Gaeltacht regions where it remains the community language.

The Louvre's long journey from fortress to museum

The Louvre in Paris began life in the late 12th century as a fortress built under King Philip II. Over the centuries it was rebuilt and expanded, becoming a royal residence before opening as a public museum during the French Revolution. Today it houses one of the world's largest art collections, including the Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, who was born in 1452.

A name change in southern Africa

Rhodesia was the name used for the territory that became Zimbabwe. The name honoured Cecil Rhodes, the British imperialist whose company and policies shaped the region's colonial history. After years of conflict and political change, the country gained independence and adopted the name Zimbabwe in 1980, drawn from the Shona term for the stone structures of Great Zimbabwe.