Drinking herbal tea and walks in the countryside: How cultured are you?

Owning a library card, drinking herbal tea and being able to use chopsticks make you cultured.

Seven in 10 Brits consider themselves cultured, which the dictionary describes as “improved by education and training; possessed of or characterized by culture, esp. with reference to the arts and intellectual pursuits; refined, cultivated.”

A survey of 2,000 people showed exactly what is savoir-faire, and one in ten think owning a library card makes you sophisticated.

Going to the theatre was named the top sign of being cultured, followed by being able to recognise art, visiting local heritage sites and listening to classical music.

Also on the list was reading music, going to vintage markets and walking in the countryside.

A spokesperson for Yakult, who conducted the survey, said: “It seems that perceptions of ‘culture’ can vary, but the one thing that almost everyone has in common is a desire to experience more of it, and to become more ‘cultured’.

”Being cultured can simply be a case of showing interest in the world and experiencing new things.”

How cultured are you?

1.      Go to the theatre
2.      Can recognise paintings/art
3.      Visit local heritage sites
4.      Listen to classical music
5.      Go to the ballet
6.      Know what wine goes with what
7.      Don’t skip the news when it’s on TV
8.      Watch documentaries
9.      Can read music
10.     Take an avid interest in politics
11.     Read daily newspapers
12.     Take countryside walks
13.     Read a book before bed
14.     Choose city breaks over beach holidays
15.     Watch Question Time
16.     Host dinner parties
17.     Know about cheese
18.     Enjoy crosswords or Sudoku
19.     Go to vintage markets
20.     Know about cuts of meat
21.     Watch tennis or cricket
22.     Read a book before the film comes out
23.     Watch Antiques Road Show
24.     Own a library card
25.     Watch films with subtitles
26.     Visit farm shops
27.     Use chopsticks over a knife and fork
28.     Drink ‘proper’ coffee – not instant
29.     Know how to pronounce ‘quinoa’
30.     Grow your own fruit/veg on an allotment
31.     Go to music festivals
32.     Collect music on vinyl
33.     Read Wikipedia articles
34.     Only eat local produce
35.     Get the conundrum on Countdown
36.     Wear bow-ties or brooches
37.     Get food from supermarket ‘finer’ ranges
38.     Drink herbal tea
39.     Put on an accent to pronounce foreign words
40.     Avoid generic superstore furniture