[For Seniors] Lively True-or-False Quiz: Fun Questions You Think You Know but Don’t

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Winter melon is written with the character for “winter,” but it is actually a vegetable that’s in season in summer. It is mainly harvested from June to September. The name “winter melon” comes from the fact that, if stored in a cool place after harvest, it keeps well until winter. In other words, it can be stored from harvest all the way to winter. It’s important not to be misled by the name and to understand its seasonality and characteristics. Chilled on a hot summer day, it’s absolutely delicious.

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The Great Buddha of Nara, formally known as the Tōdai-ji Vairocana Buddha, is posed with the right palm raised forward in the “Semui-in” (abhaya mudra), which signifies “Do not be afraid.” The left hand rests on the knee. In other words, since the Great Buddha of Nara has his right hand raised, the correct answer is O (true). Many older people may have actually seen it in person.

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Botanically speaking, strawberries are fruits, but according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries classification in Japan, they are categorized as vegetables (fruit-type vegetables). Vegetables mainly refer to annual edible plants grown in fields, distinguished from plants like fruit trees that are cultivated over multiple years. Since strawberries are grown in fields, they are considered vegetables. However, because they are generally treated as fruits, this often becomes a fun topic for quizzes. Strawberries are interesting foods whose names change not only based on appearance and use but also on how they are classified.

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Playing dead is not always the best approach when encountering a bear. In particular, with brown bears, pretending to be dead can actually increase the risk of being attacked. As a general rule, it is recommended to back away quietly without provoking the bear, keep your eyes on it, and increase your distance. Some say that playing dead can be effective as a last resort if you are being severely attacked, but doing so from the start is dangerous. Learn accurate information about bears and act safely.

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The correct answer is “true.” Giant pandas mainly eat bamboo and bamboo grass, but it’s said they also sometimes eat fruits and vegetables, and occasionally even fish or small animals. In zoos, they love not only bamboo but also vegetables like apples and carrots. Wild pandas, too, may supplement their nutrition by eating insects and other foods when bamboo isn’t available. In fact, they do have an omnivorous side!

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There are two ways to pronounce the country name “Japan” in Japanese: ‘Nippon’ and ‘Nihon.’ Both are used officially. For example, in international sports competitions it’s often pronounced ‘Nippon,’ while in everyday life and on television it’s frequently ‘Nihon.’ Since the government recognizes both pronunciations as correct, saying that ‘Nihon’ is wrong is not accurate. Therefore, the correct answer is ‘False.’

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The correct answer is “false.” Broccoli did not originate from Chinese cabbage. While both broccoli and Chinese cabbage belong to the Brassicaceae family, broccoli arose as a mutation from the cabbage lineage and was later refined through selective breeding. It is a vegetable that has been eaten since ancient times around the Mediterranean and is taxonomically distinct from Chinese cabbage. Incidentally, broccoli and cauliflower are also close relatives.