Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

A fanfare that became a household sound

Richard Strauss composed "Also sprach Zarathustra" in 1896, inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophical novel of the same name. Its opening sunrise section, built around a rising trumpet figure, later became famous worldwide through Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film "2001: A Space Odyssey". Strauss wrote it as a tone poem, a single-movement orchestral work that tells a story or paints a scene without words.

The golden phase of a Viennese painter

Gustav Klimt painted "The Kiss" around 1907-1908, at the height of his so-called golden phase, when he used real gold leaf in his work. The painting shows a couple locked in an embrace, wrapped in richly patterned robes. Klimt was a founding member of the Vienna Secession, a movement that broke away from traditional academic art in the late 19th century.

Water polo's long Olympic history

Water polo is the oldest continuous team sport at the Olympic Games, having featured at every Summer Olympics since 1900. It was played in open water in the early years before moving to pools. Hungary has historically dominated the men's game, winning numerous Olympic gold medals. The sport combines swimming stamina with the ball-handling and tactical play of a team game.

Riga and the Baltic states

Riga is the capital of Latvia and the largest city in the Baltic region. It sits near the mouth of the Daugava River on the Baltic Sea, and its historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, noted for a remarkable collection of Art Nouveau architecture. Latvia regained independence in 1991 as the Soviet Union dissolved.

A river with many names and borders

The Jordan River flows through the Middle East, running from its sources near Mount Hermon down through the Sea of Galilee and on toward the Dead Sea. It forms part of the border between Jordan and Israel, and also touches the West Bank. Because it is so significant to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the river has been a site of pilgrimage for centuries.