Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

A river that divides and defines a city

Budapest owes much of its identity to the Danube, which separates the hilly Buda side from the flatter Pest side. The two halves were separate towns for centuries before being united in 1873, along with Obuda. Eight bridges now span the river within the city, and the riverside panorama - including the Parliament building and Buda Castle - is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Vitamins and the body's repair work

Vitamin C is best known for its role in producing collagen, the protein that gives skin, blood vessels and connective tissue their structure. That is why a deficiency can show up as slow-healing wounds and bleeding gums. Long before the vitamin itself was identified, sailors learned that citrus fruit prevented scurvy, a discovery that shaped naval diets for generations.

The grasslands of South America

The Pampas are vast, fertile lowlands stretching across central Argentina and into Uruguay. The region's deep soils made it ideal for cattle ranching and, later, for growing wheat and soy. Buenos Aires sits at the edge of the Pampas, and the gaucho - the South American cowboy - became a lasting symbol of life on these plains.

Venice's many names

Venice has long carried grand nicknames, and La Dominante - "the dominant one" - reflects the republic's centuries of power in the Adriatic and eastern Mediterranean. The city was also called La Serenissima, "the most serene", a title tied to its system of government. Its canals, lagoon setting and merchant history have made it one of Europe's most recognisable cities.

The oboe and the woodwind family

The oboe belongs to the woodwind family, a group defined by how sound is produced rather than by the material of the instrument. In an oboe, a double reed vibrates to create the tone, giving it a clear, penetrating voice. That sound is why orchestras traditionally tune to the oboe's A before a performance begins.