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100
Hurricane ________ slammed into Puerto Rico and knocked out power to this entire island of more than 3 million people. A. Harvey B. Irma C. Maria D. Jose
What is C. Maria? For Puerto Rico, long crippled by enormous debt and an essentially bankrupt financial system, the road to recovery just went from long to seemingly endless. Still reeling from Hurricane Irma, which knocked out 70 percent of the power when it grazed the island two weeks ago, it faces a mountain of need in the coming months just as the federal government is stretched to the limit grappling with the destruction left by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. And unlike Texas and Florida, politically powerful states on the mainland, Puerto Rico is an impoverished, Spanish-speaking commonwealth. It is an island to boot, making aid delivery all the more cumbersome and expensive.
100
In a statement written in the first person, published on the front pages of state newspapers and read on national television, North Korea's leader, ________, called Mr. Trump a "mentally deranged U.S. dotard" who had "denied the existence of and insulted me and my country in front of the eyes of the world." A. Moon Jae-in B. Xi Jinping C. Shinzo Abe D. Kim Jong-un
Who is D. Kim Jong-un? North Korea has long cultivated an image of defiant belligerence, punctuating its propaganda and diplomacy with colorful threats, insults and bluster. But by addressing President Trump in a personal statement on Sept. 22, Mr. Kim has pushed his government’s brinkmanship to a new, potentially more perilous level.
100
Which celebrity is rumored to be pregnant? A. Pink B. Melania Trump C. Kylie Jenner D. Lady Gaga
Who is C. Kylie Jenner?
100
Which European capital has banned ride-sharing Uber from doing business? A. Berlin B. Athens C. Madrid D. London
What is D. London? Officials concluded that the app and its drivers are "not fit and proper" to operate in London.
100
Rick Pitino, Louisville's ____________ head coach, told his staff he expects to lose his job following the news that the school is part of a federal investigation into corruption. A. football B. basketball C. soccer D. volleyball
What is B. basketball?
200
A powerful earthquake struck which nation on Sept. 19, toppling buildings, killing children in a school that collapsed, rattling the capital and sending people flooding into the streets for the second time in just 2 weeks? A. Peru B. Turkey C. Mexico D. India
What is C. Mexico? More than 200 people were killed in the 7.1-magnitude earthquake, about half of them in the capital. The epicenter was 75 miles from Mexico City. While Mexico City’s physical recovery following the earthquake is well underway, as streets and businesses open and the heaving rhythm of the capital returns, the mental recovery is only just starting. A manic dread hangs over the city as people wrestle with the lost comforts they once enjoyed in their neighborhoods and, more broadly, their lives. There are reminders everywhere: buildings buckling, floes of concrete and brick spilling across sidewalks, familiar streets bifurcated by strands of red and yellow emergency tape and patrolled by soldiers in uniform. Service tents brim with volunteers, looking for ways to help, to turn angst into action.
200
Pres. Trump addressed the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 19 vowing to "totally destroy ______" if it threatened the U.S. and denounced the nuclear agreement with ______ as "an embarrassment" that he may abandon. A. Germany; Japan B. North Korea; Iran C. Russia; Pakistan D. ISIS; North Korea
What is B. North Korea; Iran? The bombastic flourishes that generate approving roars at political events were met by stony silence, interrupted a few times by a smattering of applause, as Mr. Trump promised to “crush loser terrorists,” mocked North Korea’s leader as “Rocket Man” and declared that parts of the world “are going to hell.” The president’s tone carried real-world implications for the future of the United Nations and the escalating confrontations with international outliers. In the space of 42 minutes, he upended decades of rhetorical support by the United States for the collective philosophy of the United Nations as he defended his America First policy. He repeatedly extolled “sovereignty” in a setting where the term traditionally has been brandished by nations like Russia, China, Iran and North Korea to deflect criticism.
200
Which major U.S. toy retailer filed for bankruptcy protection as it struggles with $5 billion in long-term debt? A. FAO Schwartz B. KB Toys C. Toys "R" Us D. Ambassador Toys
What is C. Toys "R" Us? Toys R Us declared bankruptcy protection so it could restructure more than $5 billion in long-term debt. It became the latest brick-and-mortar retailer pushed into bankruptcy by tough online competition and other pressures. Toys R Us plans to keep most of its 1,600 stores around the world open for business as usual.
200
how did NASA's Cassini spacecraft end its 20-year mission last week? A. It flew into the sun. B. It flew into Saturn's atmosphere. C. It flew out of communication and solar power range. D. It crashed into Jupiter.
B. It flew into Saturn's atmosphere. Cassini plunged into Saturn on a planned "suicide dive." Before ending its work, Cassini streamed back 635 gigabytes of data, including 400,000 photos of the ringed planet. Cassini revealed two of Saturn's moons as possible locations of extraterrestrial life.
200
Pres. Trump, in a weekend tweet, criticized which former NBA Most Valuable Player by name? A. Derrick Rose B. Kevin Durant C. LeBron James D. Stephen Curry
Who is D. Stephen Curry? After Curry said he would not go to the White House with his champion Golden State Warriors, the president withdrew the invitation.
300
Arizona Senator John McCain said he will be voting against the latest GOP bill to replace Obamacare, called the ____________ health care bill. A. Graham-Cassidy B. Shelby-Thune C. Flake-Collins D. Gardner-Sullivan
What is A. Graham-Cassidy? For Mr. McCain, it was a slightly less dramatic reprise of his middle-of-the-night thumbs-down that killed the last repeal effort in July. This time, the senator, battling brain cancer and confronting his best friend in the Senate, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, issued a statement saying that he could not “in good conscience” support the proposal by Senators Graham and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.
300
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Sept. 22 scrapped a key part of government policy on ______, saying she was giving colleges more freedom to balance the rights of accused students with the need to crack down on serious misconduct. A. hazing B. campus sexual assault C. plagiarism D. hate crimes
What is B. campus sexual assault? The move, which involved rescinding two sets of guidelines several years old, was part of one of the fiercest battles in higher education today, over whether the Obama administration, in trying to get colleges to take sexual assault more seriously, had gone too far and created a system that treated the accused unfairly.
300
A private language school in Zagreb, Croatia posted 5 billboards depicting whom? A. Zsa Zsa Gabor B. Kendall Jenner C. Melania Trump D. Kanye West
Who is C. Melania Trump? The billboards read, "Just imagine how far you can go with a little bit of English."
300
_______ has become the first national pharmacy chain to limit opioid prescriptions to a 7-day supply. A. Walgreen's B. Rite Aid C. Target D. CVS
What is D. CVS?
300
On Friday, Pres. Trump called for the NFL to fire players who protest during the national anthem; on Sunday ___% of teams that played took part in some form of demonstration during the anthem. A. 50 B. 75 C. 90 D. 100
What is D. 100? It was an unusual, sweeping wave of protest and defiance on the sidelines of the country’s most popular game, generated by Mr. Trump’s stream of calls to fire players who have declined to stand for the national anthem in order to raise awareness of police brutality and racial injustice. What had been a modest round of anthem demonstrations this season led by a handful of African-American players mushroomed and morphed into a nationwide, diverse rebuke to Mr. Trump, with even some of his staunchest supporters in the N.F.L., including several owners, joining in or condemning Mr. Trump for divisiveness.
400
Pres. Trump issued updated travel restrictions on 8 countries, including three new ones: Chad, North Korea, and ______. A. Saudi Arabia B. Cuba C. Egypt D. Venezuela
What is D. Venezuela? The new order is more far-reaching than the president’s original travel ban, imposing permanent restrictions on travel, rather than the 90-day suspension that Mr. Trump authorized soon after taking office. But officials said his new action was the result of a deliberative, rigorous examination of security risks that was designed to avoid the chaotic rollout of his first ban. And the addition of non-Muslim countries could address the legal attacks on earlier travel restrictions as discrimination based on religion.
400
Federal agents last year got a secret court order to wiretap what Trump associate? A. Paul Manafort B. Michael Flynn C. Jared Kushner D. Steve Bannon
Who is A. Paul Manafort? Federal agents obtained a secret court order to wiretap former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, before and after the 2016 election, CNN reported this week. The details of Manafort's communications are now in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's hands. The FBI started monitoring Manafort in 2014 in connection with his consulting work for a former Ukrainian regime.
400
What well-known magazine just went up for sale as its 50th anniversary nears? A. Vanity Fair B. Sports Illustrated C. Rolling Stone D. GQ
What is C. Rolling Stone? Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner is selling his company's controlling stake in the music magazine. Described by The New York Times as a one-time "counterculture bible" and musical tastemaker, the magazine has been hurt by circulation and advertising declines that have hammered the publishing industry. Its credibility also took a hit after a botched 2014 story about an unproven gang rape at the University of Virginia.
400
Scientists are warning about a "super" version of which disease in Southeast Asia that can't be killed with current drugs? A. malaria B. tuberculosis C. HIV/AIDS D. hepatitis
What is A. malaria?
400
Prior to an NFL game played Sunday in London, dozens of Baltimore Ravens players took a knee for the National Anthem, but stood at attention for which song? A. O Canada B. God Bless America C. God Save the Queen D. I Vow to Thee, My Country
What is C. God Save the Queen? They paid their respects during the playing of the national anthem of the United Kingdom.
500
The Russian military staged exercises on NATO's eastern border this week in Russia and what other country? A. Belarus B. Ukraine C. Armenia D. Georgia
What is A. Belarus? Russia held war games in Russia and neighboring Belarus. Moscow said the drills would involve no more than 12,700 troops, just below the number that would require Russia to let in NATO observers under an international treaty. NATO said up to 100,000 troops were involved.
500
German Chancellor Angela Merkel won another four-year term in Sunday's election, but her ____________ party only got 33% of the vote. A. Social Democratic B. Christian Social Union C. Christian Democratic Union D. Free Democratic Party
What is C. Christian Democratic Union? Germany may be a “reluctant hegemon,” but it is a hegemon nonetheless, the largest, richest and most important country in Europe, itself the richest region on the globe. It is often said that Germany is too big for Europe and too small for the world. But with the presidency of Donald J. Trump and the newly aggressive and authoritarian leaders of Russia, Turkey, Hungary and Poland — and now a rearing of the far-right in Germany’s election on Sunday — Ms. Merkel has had leadership thrust upon her.
500
Which talk show host has banned Pres. Trump from every appearing? A. Jimmy Fallon B. Conan O'Brien C. Jimmy Kimmel D. Ellen DeGeneres
Who is D. Ellen DeGeneres? Declaring the president "dangerous," she said he would not be welcome on her eponymous show.
500
NASA named a new facilty after _______, the now 99-year-old mathematician who was one of the three black women featured in the hit movie "Hidden Figures." A. Shirley Jackson B. Katherine G. Johnson C. Dorothy Vaughan D. Mary Jackson
Who is B. Katherine G. Johnson?
500
WNBA Rookie of the Year winner Aliisha Gray plays for which team? A. Dallas Wings B. Atlanta Dream C. Los Angeles Sparks D. Washington Mystics
What is A. Dallas Wings? In April, Gray helped South Carolina win its first NCAA women's basketball championship.
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