Smart Ass
CLEVER CLOG CITY
Portsmouth is home to the smartest people in the UK, a study revealed yesterday (Wed).
Those living in the south coast city scored higher than any other city in a general knowledge quiz, with an average of 73 per cent.
Almost three quarters knew the Nile is the longest river in the world, while two thirds knew the Orion constellation is also known as 'The Hunter'.
Second place went to the university city of Oxford, where residents scored an average of 72 per cent, followed by Newcastle's 71 per cent.
The statistics emerged in a study commissioned by the Smart Ass family board game, which tests players' knowledge and pits them against each other.
A spokesman said: ''Many people like to consider themselves intelligent, but it seems this isn't always the case.
''However, people living in Portsmouth seem to be better than most and are top of the table when it comes to their general knowledge.
''While many people are experts in sport or celebrities thanks to the rise of magazines and sports shows, some seem to struggle when it comes to traditional general knowledge.
''Perhaps those living in cities which haven't featured too highly in the poll should start reading up a bit more on their everyday facts.''
Fourth place in the poll of 3,000 people went to Coventry, with an average score of 70 per cent followed by its midlands neighbour Wolverhampton.
Residents in the city scored an average of 70 per cent, with more than two thirds knowing that Na is the chemical element for sodium.
Plymouth folk came seventh, followed by those who live in Southampton with 69 per cent.
Leeds, Edinburgh and London completed the top ten.
Aberdeen struggled, with people from the Scottish city scoring an average of just 53 per cent.
Almost a quarter of people had no idea that Washington DC is the capital of North America, while just four in ten knew that 'Zulu' stood for Z in the international radio code.
Belfast came second in the not so smart list, with just 58 per cent, followed by Birmingham, where residents scored 63 per cent.
Norwich and Cardiff completed the top five.
Researchers found the average Brit scored 67 per cent on the quiz, but just 57 per cent of people knew that the Pacific Ocean was the largest in the world.
And just 58 per cent of people were aware Captain John Cook discovered Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
However, a staggering 91 per cent knew the Olympics originated from Greece and 93 per cent correctly named the rose as the national flower of England.
The study also revealed that 62 per cent of people consider themselves to be a smart person, with 12 per cent claiming to be very intelligent.
Another 52 per cent reckon they are quite intelligent.
Despite this, 83 per cent wish they were smarter than they are.
Top ten smartest cities
1. Portsmouth
2. Oxford
3. Newcastle
4. Coventry
5. Wolverhampton
6. Plymouth
7. Southampton
8. Leeds
9. Edinburgh
10. London
Top ten not so smart cities
1. Aberdeen
2. Belfast
3. Birmingham
4. Norwich
5. Cardiff
6. Sheffield
7. York
8. Swansea
9. Manchester
10. Brighton
The questions were:
Which of the following is the longest river in the world?
The Thames
The Danube
The Nile
The Amazon
What is the world's oldest city?
Bethlehem
Jerusalem
Amman
Damascus
What is the world's biggest Island?
Great Britain
Greenland
Iceland
New Zealand
What is the name of the largest ocean in the World?
Pacific
Atlantic
Indian
Southern
What is the national flower of England?
Tulip
Lily
Rose
Daffodil
Na is the symbol for which chemical element?
Nitrogen
Sodium
Neon
Sulphur
Which constellation is often referred to as the hunter?
Sagittarius
Ursa Major
Pegasus
Orion
What is the term used to describe the most powerful type of tornado?
F5
F6
F10
F50
Which famous painter painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel?
Van Gogh
Michelangelo
Monet
Picasso
Which city is the capital of the United States of America?
New York
Los Angeles
Washington DC
Chicago
Who discovered Penicillin?
James Penicillin
Alexander Graham Bell
John Logie Baird
Alexander Fleming
Where do the Olympics originate from?
Italy
Great Britain
Greece
USA
In Enid Blyton's Famous Five books, what was the name of the dog?
George
Timmy
Fred
Tom
What is the international radio code for the letter Z?
Zebra
Zig-Zag
Zoo
Zulu
How many years, does a silver wedding anniversary celebrate?
10
25
50
65
Which nation of people invented fireworks?
English
American
Chinese
Australian
What is the lightest wood used commercially?
Oak
Balsa
Beech
MDF
Where in the body is the Eustachian tube?
Nose
Ear
Toe
Stomach
Which English mariner discovered Australia's Great Barrier Reef?
Christopher Columbus
Captain John Cook
Napoleon
Frances Drake
Which country donated the Statue of Liberty to the people of the US?
Germany
Great Britain
Australia
France
