Czech Republic Trivia: 90s Slang Quiz – Can You Pass?
Here’s a breakdown of the data from the text, along with the answers to the quiz questions:
Key Information from the Text:
* “Plastic colored pieces”: These were originally door hangers but became collectible items in the 1980s and were even mentioned in songs. (The text doesn’t specify what these were, but it’s a detail.)
* Tuzex: A special store in Czechoslovakia that sold goods from abroad (Western products) not available in regular stores. You couldn’t pay with regular money; you needed vouchers.
* Vouchers: Obtained by exchanging foreign currency (like US dollars or German marks) for them. In the 1980s, 1 voucher = 5 CZK, while the average salary was 2,000 CZK.
* Tuzex’s Origin: Founded in July 1957. The name is an abbreviation of “tu” (domestic) and “ex” (export).
* Goods Available at Tuzex: Food, cosmetics, clothes, appliances (washing machines, radios, tape recorders, etc.).
* VB: The abbreviation used by the police at the time.
Answers to the Quiz:
- 1. What was Tuzex?
* b) foreign trade enterprise (The text explicitly states Tuzex was a foreign trade company.)
- 2. What was hidden under the abbreviation RaJ?
* a) Ráj drugstore and other goods (The text doesn’t directly answer this, but it’s implied that RaJ was a place to find goods.)
- 3. When an acquaintance told you that he “found something under the counter”, what was he implying?
* c) secret profit of goods that were not normally available to ordinary customers (this refers to obtaining goods through unofficial channels, likely the black market.)
- 4. Who was the moneylender?
* a) a person who exchanged vouchers for crowns and vice versa (The text describes this as the role of the “moneylender.”)
- 5. What was the name of the association that almost all elementary school children joined?
* c) Pioneer (The text states almost all elementary school children joined the Pioneer organization.)