Group 1
The Covid-19 pandemic, which spread across the world in 2020, has drawn many comparisons to the deadly flu pandemic which broke out in 1918. What was the 1918 flu pandemic known as?
a. the swine flu
b. the bird flu
c. the Spanish flu
d. the Mexican flu
The Spanish flu
The comedy-thriller Parasite became the first foreign-language film to win the Oscar for best picture in February 2020 marking a watershed moment in Oscar history. What country is it from?
a. Japan
b. South Korea
c. Iran
d. Portugal
South Korea
Which European country became the first to impose a strict lockdown in an attempt to curb the spread of the coronavirus in March 2020?
a. Spain
b. France
c. Sweden
d. Italy
Italy
The Tokyo Olympics didn’t go ahead as planned in summer 2020 because of the raging pandemic. It’s not the first time the Olympic Games have faced a disruption.
How many times have the Olympics been cancelled?
a. never
b. 1
c. 2
d. 3
3
Which aircraft was cleared to return to the skies in 2020 after undergoing a root-and-branch review of its design and safety?
a. Boeing 737 Max
b. Boeing 777
c. Boeing 747-8
d. Airbus A380
Boeing 737 Max
While many world leaders immediately realized the gravity of the pandemic, some politicians brushed off the threat of Covid-19 until they were taken ill themselves.
Which politician did not come down with the coronavirus in 2020?
a. Donald Trump (USA)
b. Jair Bolsonaro (Brazil)
c. Vladimir Putin (Russia)
d. Emmanuel Macron (France)
Vladimir Putin
K-pop sensation BTS broke the YouTube record in August 2020 when their song attracted more than 100 million views within 24 hours of its premiere. What’s the song called?
a. I need you
b. Dynamite
c. Idol
Dynamite
A wave of protests against racial inequality broke outin the USA and other countries following the death of George Floyd in police custody in...
a. Miami
b. Minneapolis
c. Chicago
Minneapolis
Lewis Hamilton received a standing ovation after winning the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Portugal. With seven world championship titles under his belt he has now matched the record held by...
a. Michael Schumacher
b. Niki Lauda
c. Sebastian Vettel
Michael Schumacher
While many countries imposed strict measures in order to contain the spread of the coronavirus, one European nation went against the grain by adopting a more relaxed approach. Which one?
a. Denmark
b. Sweden
c. Switzerland
Sweden
President Trump caused an outcry in April 2020 after making a remark about a possible coronavirus treatment. What did Trump suggest could fend off the virus?
a. drinking vodka
b. injecting disinfectant
c. using high-temperature saunas
injecting disinfectant
Sports stars and celebrities paid tribute to basketball great Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash in January 2020. Which team did Bryant spend his entire career with?
a. Chicago Bulls
b. Miami Heat
c. Los Angeles Lakers
LA Lakers
A disputed election result led to a wave of civil unrest in August 2020 in a country often referred to as ‘the last dictatorship in Europe’. Which one?
a. Azerbaijan
b. Bulgaria
c. Belarus
Belarus
In November 2020,the Danish government ordered the slaughter of a certain type of animal to prevent the spread of a new dangerous strain of coronavirus. Which type of animal was culled in Denmark?
a. mink
b. fox
c. red deer
mink
Which country passed a ban on assault weapons after a gunman went on a shooting spree in a rural community killing more than 20 people?
a. Canada
b. Germany
c. USA
Canada
Sean Connery, who achieved fame as the ‘original’ Agent 007, James Bond, died at
the age of 90 in October 2020. Which of these Bond films did not star Connery in the title role?
a. Diamonds are Forever
b. No Time to Die
c. Goldfinger
No Time to Die
SpaceX made a giantleap for space travel in 2020 when it became the first private company to launch a space mission. The company was founded by...
a. Bill Gates
b. Jeff Bezos
c. Elon Musk
Elon Musk
Australian Open was one of the few sporting competitions to go ahead as normal in 2020. Which tennis player won the prestigious tournament for the 8th time?
a. Roger Federer (Switzerland)
b. Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
c. Rafael Nadal (Spain)
Novak Djokovic