Champcraft
Current Events Test
February 15, 2014
1. Ariel Sharon, former _____, died during January 2014.
a. United States Senator c. deputy secretary general of the United Nations
b. prime minister of Israel d. chairman of NATO
2. China declared an “air defense identification zone” over several islands in the South China
Sea that are also claimed by _____.
a. Vietnam c. Malaysia
b. the Philippines d. Japan
3. Goodluck Jonathan, president of _____, has taken steps, including replacement of high-ranking
government officials, to solidify his control over the nation’s political system.
a. Ivory Coast c. Zimbabwe
b. Nigeria d. Central African Republic
4. A settlement agreement with the U.S. Justice Department resulted in a payment of $ 1.7 billion
by _____ in response to charges that the company ignored signs of “Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi
scheme in its role as his banker.”
a. J.P. Morgan Chase c. Bank of America
b. Capital One d. Wells Fargo
5. FARC rebels in _____ announced they would end their practice of kidnapping civilians.
a. Bolivia c. Venezuela
b. Peru d. Colombia
6. The European Union announced its first joint, full scale military operation in six years will begin
with troops being sent to _____.
a. Mali c. Democratic Republic of the Congo
b. Central African Republic d. South Sudan
7. Chris Van Hollen of _____ is the ranking Democrat on the U.S. Budget Committee.
a. Maryland c. New Jersey
b. Connecticut d. Indiana
8. The nation of _____ announced that its one-child policy, based on a law that is more than thirty
years old, has been modified and some couples will now be allowed to have two children.
a. India c. South Africa
b. Pakistan d. China
9. Whitey Bugler, who headed the Winter Hill Gang in _____ for nearly thirty years, was convicted and
sentenced to two life terms by a federal court.
a. Los Angeles c. Boston
b. Detroit d. Philadelphia
10. In spite of skepticism in many parts of the world, the United States has agreed to relax some of
its economic sanctions against _____ in the wake of an recent agreement regarding the nation’s
nuclear program.
a. North Korea c. Pakistan
b. Iran d. Malaysia
11. According to both the USDA and the Wall Street Journal, _____ has the highest percentage of its
population receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, federal relief program
associated with distribution of an array of benefits including food stamps.
a. Mississippi c. Kansas
b. Alabama d. Wyoming
12. Former British Prime Minister _____ called for a windfall tax on power companies while opposition party
leaders have called for a cap on consumer energy prices for the nation.
a. Tony Blair c. John Major
b. Gordon Brown d. David Cameron
13. Former _____ Governor Bob McDonnell and his wife Maureen were indicted on multiple counts
of corruption for allegedly accepting gifts from campaign donors.
a. Kentucky c. Mississippi
b. Virginia d. South Carolina
14. On Super Bowl Sunday President Obama appeared in an interview with Bill O'Reilly of _____.
a. CNN c. ABC
b. MSNBC d. Fox News
15. As violence in Syria is both continuing and escalating, the number of refugees seeking temporary
asylum in neighboring _____ is steadily increasing.
a. Iraq c. Egypt
b. Turkey d. Libya
16. Former defense secretary Robert Gates gained attention with the release of his book _____.
a. Duty c. Conflict, Challenge, and Resolve
b. America at the Crossroads d. Honor
17. When national debt is measured as a percent of gross domestic product, the nation with the highest debt
in the world is _____.
a. Greece c. Japan
b. Germany d. the United States
18. All of the following are true regarding U.S. Senator Ted Cruz EXCEPT_____.
a. his father was from Cuba c. he attended high school in the Houston area
b. his law degree is from Princeton d. he is a former Texas Solicitor General
19. The nation of _____ recently marked three years since its last polio case making it likely that the World
Health Organization will declare the nation “polio free” oin the near future.
a. China c. India
b. South Africa d. France
20. Who is the prime minister of Britain?
a. Nick Clegg c. Tony Blair
b. David Cameron d. Gordon Brown
21. According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) more than 1800 firearms were seized at
airport security checkpoints during 2013 with the highest number being confiscated in _____.
a. Dallas c. Atlanta
b. Los Angeles d. Houston
22. The water supply for an estimated 300,000 _____ residents was threatened as the result of a
toxic chemical leak caused by a ruptured tank at a privately owned company.
a. North Carolina c. Alabama
b. West Virginia d. Tennessee
23. President Evo Morales of _____ continues facing problems caused by the growing protests in his nation.
a. Colombia c. Ecuador
b. Panama d. Bolivia
24. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel formerly represented _____ in the U.S. Senate.
a. Iowa c. Nebraska
b. Alabama d. Louisiana
25. Mercosur is a major South American trade group led by Brazil and _____.
a. Venezuela c. Peru
b. Chile d. Argentina
26. U.S. Senator _____, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, has publicly supported the
National Security Agency in the wake of criticism for gathering information on U.S. allies and the
leaders of those nations.
a. Dianne Feinstein c. Patrick Leahy
b. Charles Schumer d. Kelly Ayotte
27. Prime Minister Ali Zeidan of _____ ordered the nation’s military to use force if necessary in
ending blockades of his nations oil terminals caused by massive protests.
a. Bahrain c. Yemen
b. Libya d. Kuwait
28. Who is Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court?
a. David Souter c. Antonin Scalia
b. Clarence Thomas d. John Roberts
29. Which member of President Obama’s cabinet was selected to observe the 2014 State of the
Union address from an undisclosed location as part of emergency preparedness plan?
a. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell c. Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack
b. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz d. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx
30. Trey Radel, who represents Florida in the U.S. House of Representatives, pleaded guilty to ___.
a. shoplifting from a small grocery store c. purchasing cocaine from undercover police
b. fraudulent use of campaign funds d. insider stock trading
31. Who is the chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve?
a. Janet Yellen c. Kevin Warsh
b. Ben Bernanke d. Alan Greenspan
32. A research ship from _____ became trapped ice near Antarctica and a second rescue ship
experienced a similar fate, although both vessels managed to break free within two weeks.
a. New Zealand c. Russia
b. China d. the United States
33. The research ship, referred to in the previous question, was in Antarctica region to study _____.
a. salinity content of seawater c. penguin migratory patterns
b. ocean currents d. effects of climate change on ice caps
34. The host nation for the 2014 Winter Olympic games is _____.
a. Japan c. Russia
b. Canada d. Norway
35. Struggles continue in the African nation of _____ following the recent ouster of President Michel Djotodia.
a. Central African Republic c. Somalia
b. Ivory Coast d. Sudan
36. According to the latest International Mathematics and Science Study test data, the highest math and
science scores for 4th and 8th graders internationally are shared by Singapore and _____.
a. the United States c. Japan
b. England d. South Korea
37. Amanda Knox, who was convicted of murder by an Italian court in 2009 but later found not guilty
by another Italian court in 2011, currently lives in _____ and was recently found guilty once again
by a court in Italy.
a. San Diego c. Miami
b. Denver d. Seattle
38. Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal will be destroyed at sea during a dangerous and costly
naval operation carried out by _____.
a. France c. Britain
b. the United States d. Russia
39. After legalizing marijuana, the South American nation of _____ is experiencing an influx of
visitors from neighboring Argentina.
a. Uruguay c. Brazil
b. Chile d. Paraguay
40. Corey Booker, a rising star in the Democratic Party will leave his current post of _____ to become
A member of the U.S. Senate following his recent special election victory.
a. New Jersey Attorney General
b. appointed member of the Securities and Exchange Commission
c. Speaker of the New Jersey House of Representatives
d. mayor of Newark, New Jersey
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Champcraft