GERMANY: WORLD CUP 2006

These sweepstakes to the World Cup this summer in Germany really make you work. The first one I entered required a 250-word essay. (For details, see my WORLD CUP post of March 22.) Now this latest one includes a quiz. As I understand it, entrants must answer 11 questions correctly to qualify for the drawing. The pressure's on: Some travel sweepstakes that include quizzes do not disqualify less-than-perfect scores. On top of a perfect score, entrants must put the matching letter in a box at the bottom of the entry form. So, one more step that entrants could flub. Ergo the hodgepodge of letters next to the multiple choices below. This will be clear when you see the sweepstakes site.

Here’s the link to the contest itself:
www.magazine-deutschland.de/wm-quiz/index.php?lang=eng

To spare you the task of clicking around for the right answer, I’ve annotated the quiz below with helpful and, if I say so myself, informative hints. In the spirit of fair play, I have not provided answers.

THE PRIZE: Two World Cup tickets for the quarter final on July 1 in Gelsenkirken’s AufSchalke and a one-week trip to Germany for two (plus 99 other prizes, including scarves!).
SPONSORS: Continental Airlines (Official Partner of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany) and media partner Deutschland.
DEADLINE: April 30, 2006

QUIZ

1. Which World Cup is being held in Germany?
[B] The 15th World Cup
[D] The 18th World Cup
[W] The 20th World Cup

HINT: The first World Cup was held in 1930 in Uruguay. (Uruguay took the cup.) This website, Soccer Ball World, www.soccerballworld.com, has a photograph of the soccer ball used in the Uruguay-Argentina game, at www.soccerballworld.com/1930%20Soccer%20Ball.htm
On the same page, don't miss the oldest known soccer ball, Charles Goodyear’s 1855 vulcanized soccer number; it’s on display at the National Soccer Hall Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, New York. www.soccerballworld.com/Oldestball.htm
This link also has some amazing soccer history. The U.S. sent a team to this, the first, World Cup. The team, a handsome lot of players at that, advanced to the semifinals.
In addition to more history, the site has a link on the physics of the soccer ball. www.soccerballworld.com/Physics.htm
Be sure to check out the Beckham goal. As for the correct answer, remember that the World Cup has been held every four years since 1930, save for 1942 and 1946, due to World War II. (So, 76 minus 8 divided by ... )

2. How many teams are taking part in the World Cup in Germany?
[R] 16 teams
[S] 24 teams
[E] 32 teams

HINT: The U.S. is in Group E with Italy, Ghana and the Czech Republic. (Ouch. For a blogger fixated on luck, this was definitely not a lucky draw.)
There are Groups A through H, or 8 groups altogether. (Yes, this is another classic word problem, 8 times ...)

3. What is the motto of the 2006 World Cup?

[C] The ball is round
[T] You must be eleven friends
[U] A time to make friends

HINT: You should be able to answer this correctly through the process of elimination. One would be a celebration of the ridiculously obvious, another would be testing the outer limits of absurdity with a lovely prime but otherwise meaningless number. P.S. The correct answer has a Trademark. What is the World Cup coming to?

4. How many international sponsors are supporting the 2006 World Cup?

[T]15 sponsors
[M] 20 sponsors
[V] 25 sponsors

HINT: You can count for yourself at http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/partners.html.
Interesting, nary a non-G-7 official partner.

5. In which industry is World Cup sponsor Continental active?

[F] Aviation
[S] Automotive
[K] Travel

HINT: Don’t you hate when there is more than one correct answer. Which answer is more correct here, folks? Comments appreciated.

6. In how many cities will matches take place?

[L] In 8 cities
[C] In 12 cities
[N] In 16 cities

HINT: To see for yourself, check out the Official Partner Yahoo! map to the right of the screen on this link. Latin teachers and English grammar geeks everywhere will appreciate the proper plural form of stadium here. Here, here.
http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/d/v/hamburg.html

7. Where is the final being held?

[G] In Munich
[H] In Berlin
[P] In Dortmund

HINT: Talk about history, soccer and otherwise. The World Cup final will be held in the same stadium where the German Cup Final is held. It is also where Jesse Owens, that great American sprinter, won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic Games.

8. How many times has Germany (men´s) won the World Cup?

[B] 1 time
[L] 3 times
[S] 5 times

HINT: It’s the median and the mode! (With a nod to my son’s new math curriculum, Everyday Math.) Here’s a cool summary of World Cups past. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_World_Cup#World_Cup_summaries

9. How many times has Germany hosted a World Cup tournament?

[A] 1 time
[T] 2 times
[K] 3 times

HINT: There were four contenders besides Germany to host the world cup in 2006 - South Africa, Morocco, England, Brazil. Many observers (and stakeholders, too) thought it should go to South Africa or Morocco, since Africa has never hosted a World Cup and Europe has played host nine times before.
See HOST column in this summary table.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_World_Cup#World_Cup_summaries

10. What is the name of the German national coach?

[M] Franz Beckenbauer
[N] Jürgen Klinsmann
[B] Rudi Völler

HINT: He’s a trained baker. His nickname, back in his professional soccer playing days, was the “Golden Bomber.” He got his start in Stuttgart soccer clubs.

11. Where will the next World Cup be held in 2010?

[L] In Japan
[K] In Brazil
[D] In South Africa

HINT: It will be the first time a country on this continent will host a World Cup. See the trusty summary table. It’s a very exciting choice, in fact. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_World_Cup#World_Cup_summaries