ANSWERS

1) B.

OUr sense of smell tends to be more acute due to higher levels of moisture in the air, which helps to carry odours to our noses.

2) 1D, 2A, 3B, 4C

the quotes are from: the trees by Philip Larkin (1967); endymion by John Keats (1818); Shakespeare’s play, As You Like it (1599); Locksley hall by Alfred, Lord tennyson (1835)

3) True

the annual shin-kicking contest, part of the Olimpick Games, has taken place near Chipping Campden since 1612. Competitors stuff their trouser legs with straw before hurling kicks. it was cancelled last year due to ‘dwindling numbers of attendees’, but will be back on June 1.

4) B. 1848

the first citation for the phrase in the Oxford english Dictionary comes from a letter by Charlotte Brontë, who wrote: ‘i hope by this time you have got your “Spring Clean” over and are more settled.’

5) A. A lust brought on by spring

VerNAL is an adjective to describe something that is ‘appearing, or occurring’ in the spring. Another great spring word is ‘reverdie’, which is a song or dance celebrating the arrival of the season.

6) False

SNOW or sleet falls on average for 2.3 days in April, compared with 3.9 days in December, according to the Met Office. But you are more likely to see snow over easter when it falls in March (a month with an average 4.2 days of sleet or snow).