It’s time to find out! In the October issue of Viking magazine, we test your knowledge about topics from pop culture, innovative companies and the royal family. Below, check out some additional questions.
1. What Norwegian film has been chosen as the country’s entry for the 2019 Oscar nominations?
“U – July 22”
“What Will People Say”
“Now It’s Dark”
“Going West”
2. In August, Oslo hosted the 2018 World Championships for which extreme sport?
Kiteboarding
Death Diving
Mountain Biking
BASE Jumping
3. Norway is the third-largest market in the world of what sustainable product?
Solar panels
Wind turbines
Electric vehicles
Organic produce
4. Which British candy bar lost a trademark battle against Norwegian snack bar Kvikk Lunsj last year?
Twix
Almond Joy
Snickers
KitKat
5. In 2011, Norway went through a nationwide shortage of what popular baking ingredient?
Butter
Sugar
Flour
Eggs
6. Which of the following events has NOT been broadcast by Norway’s television phenomenon, Slow TV?
A train journey from Bergen to Oslo
A climb up Norway’s highest mountain, Galdhøpiggen
A 12-hour knitting marathon
A bicycle journey on Rallarvegen, one of Norway’s popular cycling routes
ANSWERS:
1. “What Will People Say”
Directed by Pakistani-Norwegian filmmaker Iram Haq, the coming-of-age film follows 16-year-old Nisha, the daughter of Pakistani immigrants living in Oslo with her family. Caught between her parents’ traditional ideals and the draw of Norway’s vibrant teenage scene, Nisha is sent back to Pakistan to experience the culture of her homeland.
2. Death Diving
Called a “glorified belly flop contest” by many news outlets, Dødsing, or Death Diving, is a Norwegian sport in which contestants leap off a 10-meter high diving board, strike a pose and smack the water face-first. Emil Lybekk was crowned champion for his corkscrew-like mid-air roll that ended in a face plant.
3. Electric vehicles
Last year, more than half of new car sales in Norway were electric or hybrid, and the country aims for all new cars to produce zero emissions by 2025. In Norway, electric cars are cheaper to run and are exempt from toll fees, import taxes and VAT, providing an incentive for Norwegians to make the sustainable switch. Check out the October 2018 issue of Viking for more on Norway’s electric car revolution!
4. KitKat
The famous Nestle chocolate bar tried and failed to trademark its four-piece shape earlier this year. One of its main competitors, Norway’s Kvikk Lunsj (“quick lunch”), has been a Norwegian staple since 1937. In a blind taste test against KitKat conducted by The Independent, the Norwegian candy bar won hands down.
5. Butter
Back in 2011, a low-carb diet fad swept through Norway, encouraging people to consume more fats rather than carbs. Coupled with a summer of poor-quality animal feed and reduced milk production, the result: a national butter crisis. For a short while, Norwegians relied on imported butter from their Scandinavian neighbors, and some were desperate enough to buy butter through online auctions.
6. A bicycle journey on Rallarvegen, one of Norway’s popular cycling routes
So far, the 82-km bike journey has not been documented on the NRK’s Slow TV, a periodical television program that broadcasts self-proclaimed “boring” events minute-by-minute for hours at a time. It’s surprisingly popular. At one point, nearly half of Norway was watching the 134-hour broadcast of a six-day cruise along the Norwegian coast. Read more about Slow TV in the upcoming February 2019 issue of Viking!