1.
Typhoon _____________ in October was the most powerful in history.
Correct Answer
B. Haiyan
2.
Thousands died in this eastern Philippine city when a typhoon slammed into it in October 2013.
Correct Answer
A. Tacloban
3.
This Republican senator conducted a 21 hour filibuster in September against Obamacare.
Correct Answer
C. Ted Cruz
4.
_______________ was a Boston gangster found guilty of racketeering, extortion, conspiracy, and murder in August 2013.
Correct Answer
A. James (Whitey) Bulger
5.
________________ was sentenced to 35 years in prison for leading over 700,000 U.S. government files to WikiLeaks in 2013.
Correct Answer
C. Bradly Manning
6.
___________________ from "Breaking Bad" ended his run with the TV show.
Correct Answer
A. Bryan Cranston
7.
This is an alias used by the principal villain in the TV show "Breaking Bad."
Correct Answer
D. Heisenberg
8.
The Affordable Care Act officially launched on which date?
Correct Answer
C. Oct. 1, 2013
9.
At the end of the first month of enrollment, the Affordable Care Act had enrolled ________ for coverage from the 36 states that had federally designed insurance markets.
Correct Answer
B. 50,000
10.
During the first month, the ACA was slowed because ___________
Correct Answer
C. Web page crashed.
11.
The 14 state exchanges for health care met ____% of their first month goal.
Correct Answer
A. 3
12.
The largest numbers of individuals signing up for insurance in the first month of the Affordable Care Act were Medicaid recipients.
Correct Answer
A. True
13.
Oil prices rose significantly in October 2013.
Correct Answer
B. False
14.
The trial of deposed Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi began during ________________
Correct Answer
D. November 2013
15.
Former Egyptian President Morsi is associated with which political organization?
Correct Answer
D. Muslim Brotherhood
16.
The general responsible for toppling Egyptian President Morsi is ______________
Correct Answer
B. Fattah al-Sisi
17.
The U.S. was accused of listening in on this German official's cell phone in October 2013.
Correct Answer
A. Merkel
18.
Philippine President _____________ has blamed the slow response of relief efforts to a collapse of local government in the face of the storms.
Correct Answer
C. Benigno Aquino
19.
Syrian President ____________ has refused to step down during the course of the civil war.
Correct Answer
A. Bashar al-Assad
20.
The new Iranian president _____________ is considered a moderate.
Correct Answer
B. Hassan Rouhani
21.
The Israeli Prime Minister ___________ continues to allow settlements to be constructed on what many consider occupied Palestinian land.
Correct Answer
C. Benjamin Netanyahu
22.
The current Israeli prime minister feels sanctions against Iran should be lifted.
Correct Answer
B. False
23.
Former IRS official ______________ has been accused of giving out confidential information about conservative organizations.
Correct Answer
C. Lois Lerner
24.
Lois Lerner has been accused of providing confidential IRS information to the ____________
Correct Answer
A. Federal Election Commission
25.
_______________ is running for Texas governor after conducting a filibuster in the Texas Legislature.
Correct Answer
C. Wendy Davis
26.
The recent filibuster in the Texas Legislature was against new _____________ laws.
Correct Answer
B. Abortion
27.
Recently, Toronto Mayor ____________ was stripped of his powers.
Correct Answer
A. Rob Ford
28.
The Toronto mayor has been accused of ____________
Correct Answer
C. Using illegal drugs.
29.
U.S. Secretary of State ____________ has negotiated a deal with Iran over nuclear Weapons.
Correct Answer
B. John Kerry
30.
The Israeli prime minister is critical of the agreement with Iran over nuclear weapons.
Correct Answer
A. True
31.
The protests going on in question #30 resulted because the people from that region wanted closer ties with Russia.
Correct Answer
B. False
Explanation
They want closer ties with Europe, not Russia.
32.
In November, a group of islands came under dispute between which two countries. What were the two countties?
Correct Answer
D. Japan & China
33.
The groups of islands being disputed in question #32 have two names. What are they?
Correct Answer
B. Senkaku & Diaoyn
Explanation
Japanese call them Senkaku and the Chinese call them Diaoyn.
34.
In December, actor ___________ was killed in a car crash.
Correct Answer
B. Paul Walker
35.
In early December, four people will killed and 63 were injured in the derailment of a __________ train.
Correct Answer
D. Bronx
36.
The recent dispute over the islands resulted from a dispute over ownership of the islands.
Correct Answer
A. True
37.
The conflict over the group of Pacific islands worsened when one country attacked the other.
Correct Answer
B. False
Explanation
The conflict worsened when the Chinese announce that no aircraft could fly over the islands.
38.
Who is the current Catholic pope?
Correct Answer
B. Francis
39.
The new Catholic pope says Catholics need to get tougher on restrictions on gay marriage.
Correct Answer
B. False
Explanation
He feels society places to much emphasis on controversy.
40.
The new Catholic pope is from which country?
Correct Answer
A. Argentina
41.
Individuals not signing up for the Affordable Care Act may be fined.
Correct Answer
A. True
42.
Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance companies may not ask applicants questions about tobacco use.
Correct Answer
B. False
43.
MSNBC host _______________ resigned in early December for making lewd comments on television.
Correct Answer
A. Martin Bashir
44.
_____________________________ was the person that MSNBC insulted in the previous question.
Correct Answer
D. Sarah Palin
45.
_______________________ an African leader who brought down discrimination in an African country, died in December.
Correct Answer
B. Nelson Mandella
46.
The civil rights leader from the previous question was from which country?
Correct Answer
C. South Africa
47.
46. The use of _______________________ gas in Syria brought a threat of intervention from President Obama.
Correct Answer
B. Sarin
48.
_______________________________ was a celebrity chef, dropped from a food network. She settled a lawsuit related to racial discrimination and sexual harassment in August.
Correct Answer
D. Paula Deen
49.
North Korean leader _________________________ continues to make nuclear threats.
Correct Answer
B. Kim Jong Un
50.
The 2014 Winter Olympics were held at _______________?
Correct Answer
B. Sochi, Russia