Current Events Quiz Nov/2011

It’s that time of the year again.  Students in my 4th year International Health class are being treated to their one-per-semester Current Events quiz.  As always, I share the questions in this space immediately after, and ask that you, the reader, enter your score in the Doodle link below, so that we can gauge what a member of the general public typically knows about global current events.

Like the last quiz, this one was based on the BBC global news podcasts for the period from Nov 13 to Nov 20, 2011.

You know the drill.  If you’d like to participate, try to be honourable about it.  Take the multiple choice test below.  The answer key is at the bottom of this post.  Then, share your results with the rest of the world by clicking on the following Doodle.com link:

http://www.doodle.com/iax96e2pq46m5fnd

Keep in mind that the answers are relevant to the date of the quiz (Nov 20, 2011), and are according to the facts as presented by the BBC.

As always, remember: this is not a contest.  And feel free to share the quiz widely.

1.    A new, un-elected Prime Minister has ascended to rule the Eurozone’s third biggest economy, a nation beset with a serious debt crisis.  What is this nation?

a.    Spain
b.    Greece
c.    Italy
d.    Ireland
e.    France

2.    Due to its government’s violent actions against political protestors, this nation was suspended and sanctioned by the Arab League this past week.

a.    Egypt
b.    Libya
c.    Morocco
d.    Syria
e.    Tunisia

3.  Leading up to its general elections next week, this violent Central African country has seen many atrocities, including more reports of the sexual assault of men.

a.    Burundi
b.    Democratic Republic of Congo
c.    Rwanda
d.    Chad
e.    Cote d’Ivoires

4.    In recognition of its recent steps toward democracy and openness, this country has been rewarded with chairing the ASEAN bloc of nations in 2014, as well as with an upcoming visit from Hillary Clinton, the first US Secretary of State to visit in 50 years.
a.    Burma
b.    Indonesia
c.    Malaysia
d.    Brunei
e.    North Korea

5.    Due to a new law, all symbols of the Soviet Union and Josef Stalin are being removed from Tblisi, which is the capital city of this country.

a.    Lithuania
b.    Ukraine
c.    Azerbaijan
d.    Georgia
e.    Mongolia

6.    The new Prime Minister of this economically challenged European nation just won a crucial vote of no confidence, after promising to hold power-sharing talks with his political opposition.

a.    Italy
b.    Spain
c.    Ireland
d.    France
e.    Greece

7.    Border skirmishes between these two African nations may soon lead to full war, which is drawing international attention due to unexploited oil reserves.

a.    Rwanda and Uganda
b.    Chad and Burundi
c.    Somalia and Ethiopia
d.    Sudan and South Sudan
e.    Tanzania and Kenya

8.    This past week, protestors briefly succeeded in occupying the Parliament of this ostensibly democratic Middle Eastern country.

a.    Kuwait
b.    Syria
c.    Lebanon
d.    Iraq
e.    Dubai

9.    Which African nation has begun military action against the terrorist group “al-Shabab”, which mostly operates in neighbouring Somalia?

a.    Morocco
b.    Egypt
c.    Kenya
d.    South Africa
e.    Benin

10.    Who is Aung San Suu Kyi?

a.    Head of the World Health Organization
b.    Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations
c.    Kidnapped Chinese diplomat
d.    Burmese opposition politician
e.    Asian spokesperson for Medecins Sans Frontieres


The answers are here:

1. c
2. d
3. b
4. a
5. d
6. e
7. d
8. a
9. c
10. d

1. A new, un-elected Prime Minister has ascended to rule the Eurozone’s third biggest economy, a nation beset with a serious debt crisis. What is this nation?

  1. Spain
  2. Greece
  3. Italy
  4. Ireland
  5. France

2. Due to its government’s violent actions against political protestors, this nation was suspended and sanctioned by the Arab League this past week.

  1. Egypt
  2. Libya
  3. Morocco
  4. Syria
  5. Tunisia

3. Leading up to its general elections next week, this violent Central African country has seen many atrocities, including more reports of the sexual assault of men.

  1. Burundi
  2. Democratic Republic of Congo
  3. Rwanda
  4. Chad
  5. Cote d’Ivoires

4. In recognition of its recent steps toward democracy and openness, this country has been rewarded with chairing the ASEAN bloc of nations in 2014, as well as with an upcoming visit from Hillary Clinton, the first US Secretary of State to visit in 50 years.

4.

  1. Burma
  2. Indonesia
  3. Malaysia
  4. Brunei
  5. North Korea

5. Due to a new law, all symbols of the Soviet Union and Josef Stalin are being removed from Tblisi, which is the capital city of this country.

  1. Lithuania
  2. Ukraine
  3. Azerbaijan
  4. Georgia
  5. Mongolia

6. The new Prime Minister of this economically challenged European nation just won a crucial vote of no confidence, after promising to hold power-sharing talks with his political opposition.

  1. Italy
  2. Spain
  3. Ireland
  4. France
  5. Greece

7. Border skirmishes between these two African nations may soon lead to full war, which is drawing international attention due to unexploited oil reserves.

  1. Rwanda and Uganda
  2. Chad and Burundi
  3. Somalia and Ethiopia
  1. Sudan and South Sudan
  2. Tanzania and Kenya

8. This past week, protestors briefly succeeded in occupying the Parliament of this ostensibly democratic Middle Eastern country.

  1. Kuwait
  2. Syria
  3. Lebanon
  4. Iraq
  5. Dubai

9. Which African nation has begun military action against the terrorist group “al-Shabab”, which mostly operates in neighbouring Somalia?

  1. Morocco
  2. Egypt
  3. Kenya
  4. South Africa
  5. Benin

10. Who is Aung San Suu Kyi?

  1. Head of the World Health Organization
  2. Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations
  3. Kidnapped Chinese diplomat
  4. Burmese opposition politician
  5. Asian spokesperson for Medecins Sans Frontieres

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