This intercultural communication quiz has 20 questions, with the answers provided further down the page. You can use it as a quick activity when teaching cultural awareness or running a workplace training session.
It works particularly well as an icebreaker, with people working together in small groups. Allow around 15–20 minutes, including a few minutes at the end to discuss the answers.
What Do You Need for This Intercultural Communication Quiz?
All you really need for this communication and icebreaker activity is a copy of the culture quiz questions and answers, and these are listed lower down on this post.
You can choose to print off the questions as a handout, or for a more environmentally friendly option, you can create a PowerPoint slide and have the questions on a projector in the classroom.
Whether you are looking for a cross-cultural communication quiz activity or looking for a cultural awareness quiz for a workshop, this activity below should be suitable.
How Long Does the Quiz Take?
This intercultural communication quiz takes approximately 15–20 minutes and works best with participants in pairs or small groups of three.
Participants can work in pairs or groups of three, with approximately 8–10 minutes to complete the quiz and 5–7 minutes to review and discuss the answers.
If you wish to, you can ask participants to work on this task individually, although this is a task that, if done in pairs or bigger groups, provides the additional option of helping the participants to get to know each other.
The only risk of participants doing this task together is that one person might be very well-traveled and know all of the answers and not give others a chance to answer.
Can You Run This Quiz Online or In Person?
This activity is designed such that it can be used in a classroom in person or in virtual classrooms (using breakout rooms).
- Online teaching: When using this activity for online teaching, we recommend sharing the questions on a digital document before the class, i.e., by email. A PDF called ‘Classroom activities’ or ‘Student Activity handbook’ can be suitable; ask the participants to open it, but try to avoid looking at the activities beforehand.
- In-person training: You can have the questions displayed via a projector (saves on printing) or print a copy of the questions for each group (email us if you need a copy).
How Do You Run the Intercultural Communication Quiz?
For this exercise, participants can work in pairs or in small groups.
If you run this exercise in groups, you can organize it as a competition and give a small prize (such as a box of candy) to the winning group.
Give each pair or each group of participants a copy of the ‘Quiz’ handout and give them 8 to 10 minutes to answer the questions.
Next, give them a copy of the ‘Quiz answers’ handout and go through the answers with them for about 5 to 7 minutes.
The aim of this exercise is to start introducing participants to intercultural communication topics, such as:
- use of gestures and touch
- color symbolism
- general etiquette
- perception of time
- language differences and power distance.
If you are using this quiz as part of intercultural communication training, introduce these concepts during the discussion. You can return to individual quiz questions later to reinforce the topics covered in your workshop.
Intercultural Communication Quiz
The Quiz Questions
As you go through the quiz, remember that there isn’t always one way of doing things in a particular country. People have different habits and customs, even within the same culture. The idea here is to get everyone talking and thinking about these differences.
1. When conducting business in Germany, is it best to:
- Buy local beer and take it to a meeting as a gift?
- Not waste anyone’s time; be punctual and direct?
- Give out your business cards to everybody?
2. Is the OK sign offensive in Japan?
- Yes?
- No?
3. You have arrived at a business meeting in South Korea, and you are meeting the company’s president. You should:
- Look him in the eye and extend your hand for a handshake?
- Nod your head slightly?
- Bow and wait for him to initiate the handshake?
4. In which of these countries is it expected that you always raise your glass lower than your senior manager?
- Italy?
- Argentina?
- South Korea?
5. A prospective client in Japan gives you her business card. You should:
- Receive it with both hands and carefully study its details before putting it away?
- Take it with one hand and quickly put it away in your wallet or pocket?
- Copy the information and leave the card on the table?
6. During a visit to a Buddhist temple in Thailand with business colleagues, which action should you avoid?
- Removing your shoes before entering a temple building?
- Speaking quietly and respectfully?
- Pointing your feet toward a Buddha statue?
7. In Chinese business culture, which color is traditionally associated with prosperity and may be used as an accent on business cards?
- Green?
- Black?
- Gold?
8. When meeting someone in a business context in France, what should you avoid doing?
- Using first names, if meeting someone for the first time?
- Making eye contact?
- Asking about family?
9. Which of these should you avoid in China?
- Silence during conversations?
- Touching and physical contact?
- Speaking about family?
10. You’re at a business meeting in Dubai, and your host mentions that they need to take a short break for prayer. What would be the best way to handle this?
- Ask whether the break can wait until the meeting is finished?
- Assume the meeting is over and start packing up your things?
- Respect the break and carry on with the discussion afterward?
- Continue with your presentation while your host is away?
11. During a meeting with a colleague in India, they say “yes” when you explain a task. What should you do next?
- Ask an open-ended question to confirm their understanding and agreement?
- Assume they have understood and agreed to every detail?
- Avoid asking further questions because doing so would be disrespectful?
12. Slurping noodles is NOT considered rude in:
- France?
- Japan?
- The United Kingdom?
13. In which of these countries might guests at a traditional banquet leave the last bite of food uneaten to show they are satisfied?
- Italy?
- China?
- India?
14. In South Korea, you should never write people’s names in which color?
- Red?
- Green?
- Purple?
15. In which country does nodding your head up and down mean ‘no’?
- Bulgaria?
- Russia?
- Thailand?
16. You are speaking at a business meeting in Japan, and a delegate closes their eyes. What is the most appropriate interpretation?
- They are definitely tired, possibly from jet lag?
- They are definitely disengaged?
- They may be concentrating and listening carefully, but you cannot know from this gesture alone?
17. In which country is the number 4 considered unlucky?
- Iran?
- Brazil?
- China?
18. When communicating with team members whose first language differs from yours, what should you do?
- Speak more loudly and slowly than usual to avoid misunderstandings?
- Speak naturally but avoid using jargon, colloquial language, and idioms that may be difficult to understand?
- Find someone who speaks their language and ask them to translate?
19. You’re visiting a company in Latin America for a business meeting. Someone mentions that meeting times can be quite flexible. How would you handle this?
- Stick to the agreed time and aim to arrive slightly early?
- Give yourself another 30 minutes because the meeting probably won’t start on time?
- Plan to arrive a little late to fit in with the locals?
20. In which country is it generally not customary to leave a tip after a meal?
- USA?
- Japan?
- Brazil?
Quiz Activity Answers
| 1.b | 2. b | 3. c | 4. c |
| 5. a | 6. c | 7. c | 8. a |
| 9. b | 10. c | 11. a | 12. b |
| 13. b | 14. a | 15. a | 16. c |
| 17. c | 18. b | 19. a | 20. b |
Looking for more activities to use in your workplace workshops? See our DEI workplace guides and training activities for HR professionals and trainers.
In addition to this intercultural communication quiz, if you are interested in other activities, you might want to use in your lesson planning:
