The man behind Cowdenbeath Rotary Club primary school quiz

Neil Westgarth explains how much he has enjoyed setting questions for local children. <i>(Image: Supplied)</i>
Neil Westgarth explains how much he has enjoyed setting questions for local children. (Image: Supplied)
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The man behind the questions for Cowdenbeath Rotary Club's primary school quiz has spoken about the importance of getting the difficulty spot-on.

Neil Westgarth has been setting the questions for the annual quiz since 2012, but he admitted that it takes a lot of care to get the suitability of questions for quizzes right.

He explained, to Thursday’s club meeting, that he started setting quiz questions by chance, after being persuaded to organise a quiz at Dunfermline Sports Club more than two decades ago.

Mr Westgarth said: "When asked to organise that quiz night I thought that shouldn’t be too difficult, but when I got down to it there were so many things I didn’t realise was needed.

"You have to get questions that the people you are setting these for will be interested in, and at the same time, can know many of the answers.

"There is no way the questions should be so difficult that there will be hardly any correct answers, a balance is ultimately so needed."

When asked by the Cowdenbeath Rotarians to organise the questions and act as question master at the 2012 primary school quiz, he realised it would be a challenge.

He said: "Getting the level of questions right for such a quiz is so important and I discovered that by asking a friend who was a teacher, if what I had prepared was suitable.

"She discovered a few might not be appropriate and from the information received I was able to tweak the line-up and the quiz went well.

"While a quiz is a test for those taking part, they also have to be interested in the content of the questions and be able to supply answers and, most importantly, enjoy themselves."

Mr Westgarth concluded: "I have thoroughly enjoyed being involved helping the club organise the primary school quiz over the years, and I hope that St Patrick’s do well at the Fife Area final being held on Wednesday May 7 at Auchmuty High School, in Glenrothes."

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