il Giardino Romantico

Okay...不知道為什麼我等到現在才開始寫這篇。但事實證明，這個時機實在是太妙了！The Cambridge位於校內。是學生們在課後談天說地小酌一兩杯的好地方。裡頭沒有吵鬧的音樂。也沒有吵雜的電視聲。只有朋友、朋友、朋友、跟酒。不過平時安分的pub到了周日晚上就會變得很不一樣。因為：PUB QUIZ。

I don't know why I waited until now to write this entry, but somehow the timing works out perfectly.  The Cambridge is one of the pubs on campus.  This is the place where students socialise with a glass of wine or a pint of beer.  There is no loud music.  There are no noisy telly programs to distract you from socialising with your friends.  However, this quiet pub transforms itself every Sunday night because of PUB QUIZ.


來頭可不小喔！

Pub Quiz是什麼東西？一般的pub quiz只是主持人問一堆問題，答對最多的那組人就獲勝。獲勝者可得到一些小獎品。可別小看這pub quiz唷！除了一般知識以外，還有非常刁難的問題。從歷史、地理、時事、到足球、電影都有可能被問到。不過The Cambridge的 pub quiz非常特別。因為他結合了bingo 和 pub quiz。要贏不見得一定答對最多。只要對的答案連成一條線[隨便什麼方向都可以]即可拿去給他們批改。如果有錯，回座位再接再厲。如果全對，那一回合就結束！[老師們：這是個很好的教室遊戲喔！！]

所以他們稱這為QUIZGO。一共四回合。第二回合結束後，店家會招待薯條。只要你想吃，一定吃的到！不用搶！薯條發完後，開始完Bingo。他們的 bingo也很特別。一張紙，3x10欄。上面顯示不同的數字。但不是每個欄框裡都有數字。每行大約有四到五個數字而已。分成兩回合：第一回合只要一行數字被叫到，就獲勝。第二回合要等到單子上的數字全被叫到為止。[看得懂英文的請看英文版的說明，應該會比較清楚...]

本宅女在第一次被邀請來pub quiz的時候呢：贏了！哇哈哈... 從此愛上pub quiz。

The usual pub quiz goes this way: you're asked a number of questions, and whichever team has the most correct answers wins.  The winner wins some little prize.  However, pub quiz at the Cambridge is a little different.  It combines bingo and pub quiz.  Therefore, you don't exactly need to be a genius to ace this thing.  It takes a bit of luck as well.  Write down the answers in the bubbles, and when you have a line, take the sheet up to them to be corrected.  If your answers on that line are all correct, then you win!

There are four rounds.  By the end of the second round, there will be free chips for everyone.  After the chips comes bingo!  The bingo here is a little different as well.  On a 3x10 grid, there are random numbers in random cells.  In the first round, basically you have to cross out numbers in a row.  Then after that, you cross out all the numbers on the sheet. 

I BINGOED ON MY FIRST PUB QUIZ NIGHT!!!
 


不過回歸到我前面說的好時機。會什麼是好時機呢？

因為...連續四個禮拜本宅女都沒贏。[那次bingo真的是beginner's luck...]這禮拜，因為我們人太多，被分為兩組。另外一組全都是當地的英國人。我們這組被稱為『北美組』。兩個美國人、兩個加拿大人、加上我還有一位被推過來到我們這組的當地英國人。啊啊！看到這樣的情形，我們本來相信這天晚上是不可能贏的。不是對自己的腦筋沒信心啦。因為有些題目真的是要當地人才可能知道的。第一回合結束之後，垂頭喪氣的準備跟勝利說『掰掰』。沒想到到了第二回合，連成一條線之後，竟然全部答對！贏啦！！

So, as I was saying, the timing just couldn't be better.

After a few weeks of defeat, we finally came around.  Our group was too big this week, and had to be severed into two.   Our other team consisted of only local Brits, while our team consisted of two Americans, two Canadians, a Taiwanese [moi, of course], and only one local Brit.  We were a smart team, but I honestly didn't think we were going to win, because only a local would know the answer to some of these questions.  We have only one on our team!  Well, the first round came and went.  Then, all of a sudden, we won the second round! 


用手機拍的pub內部...

Pub quiz真的很好玩。我第一次問我樓友可否帶朋友參加時，她竟然問我：他們夠聰明嗎？哈哈！可見...如果沒有兩把刷子可能會被暗地排擠喔！為什麼會這麼愛pub quiz？本來我就對機智問答的遊戲很感興趣了。又加上這是一個認識當地英國人的好機會！所以週六整天跟周日白天，我都埋頭苦讀。為的就是要參加周日晚上的pub quiz！已經成為習慣了。禮拜天晚上八點半，我不是在寢室唸書，就是在the Cambridge玩pub quiz！

Pub quiz is a great way to socialise with the locals.  Other than my MA mates, I don't think I would have gotten to know any other locals if it hadn't been for pub quiz.  When I first asked my flatmate if I could bring my friends to pub quiz, I was asked if they were smart.  Haha... You know, you do need to have a little well-rounded knowledge to participate.  They do take pub quiz quite seriously too.  If you are unable to make any contribution, you might not be welcomed...

So, we have made this into a habit now.  Every Sunday night is pub quiz night.  That is why I study hard all day on Saturday and Sunday until around early evening.  Because every Sunday at 20:30, I'm either still in my room studying, or, at the Cambridge for pub quiz!
 



Further reading:
Pub Quiz on Wikipedia

勝利啤酒與黃金薯條