GEOGRAPHY
China has two special administrative regions. One is Macau. But which of the following is the other?
A.) Taiwan
B.) Singapore
C.) Mongolia
D.) Hong Kong
E.) Tibet
D.) Hong Kong
Which two metals make up most of the Earth’s core?
A.) Copper and Lead
B.) Tungsten and Zinc
C.) Iron and Nickel
D.) Cobalt and Aluminum
E.) Chromium and Tin
C.) Iron and Nickel
Approximately what volume of total global trade do the combined economies of China and the United States account for?
A.) 25%
B.) 40%
C.) 50%
D.) 60%
E.) 75%
B.) 40%
Who is the only person to play in both the NFL Super Bowl and the MLB World Series?
A.) Bo Jackson
B.) Deion Sanders
C.) Brian Jordan
D.) Drew Henson
E.) Cal Hubbard
B.) Deion Sanders
What political term is named after a Spanish pirate?
A.) Quorum
B.) Malfeasance
C.) Tariff
D.) Bailout
E.) Filibuster
E.) Filibuster
A filibuster is a parliamentary tactic used to delay or block legislation by extending debate. Legislators use it to prevent a vote on a bill, often forcing negotiation or compromise.
Quorum - The minimum number of members required to be present in a legislative chamber for it to conduct official business. In the Indian Parliament, one-tenth of the total membership constitutes a quorum.
Malfeasance - Intentional wrongdoing by a public official in the performance of duties. It includes corruption, fraud, or abuse of office.
Tariff - A tariff policy establishes taxes or duties on imported goods to regulate trade, protect domestic industries, and generate government revenue. It influences international trade relations and market competitiveness.
Bailout - Financial assistance provided by a government or institution to prevent the collapse of a failing organization, industry, or economy.
In which country were mosquitoes first discovered due to global warming in October 2025?
A.) Estonia
B.) Iceland
C.) Norway
D.) Finland
E.) Nepal
B.) Iceland
The Japanese spider is the largest species of what marine creature?
A.) Eel
B.) Octopus
C.) Seahorse
D.) Urchin
E.) Crab
E.) Crab
Which of the top five pizza chains in the United States made the most profit in 2024?
A.) Papa Johns
B.) Domino's
C.) Marcos Pizza
D.) Little Caesars
E.) Pizza Hut
B.) Domino's - $9.5 billion
Pizza Hut - $5.5 billion
Papa Johns - $3.8 billion
Little Caesars - $3.5 billion
Marcos Pizza - $1 billion
In 2020, who became the first NBA player to ever win the NBA Finals MVP award with three different teams?
A.) Kevin Durant
B.) Kawhi Leonard
C.) LeBron James
D.) Stephen Curry
E.) Kobe Bryant
C.) LeBron James
2012+2013 (Miami Heat)
2016 (Cleveland Cavaliers)
2020 (L.A. Lakers)
In 2009, who infamously crashed his Cadillac Escalade into a fire hydrant?
A.) Justin Timberlake
B.) Kanye West
C.) Tiger Woods
D.) Sean Paul
E.) Johnny Depp
C.) Tiger Woods
Which country was the first nation to institute a visa requirement for foreign visitors in 1857?
A.) Russia
B.) United States
C.) France
D.) United Kingdom
E.) Ottoman Empire
E.) Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire began requiring visas from foreign visitors on 14 February 1857. It took two decades to implement the necessary legislation to put visa regulations in place. Foreign visitors were asked how long they were planning to stay in the Ottoman Empire and where they would stay.
Which of the following halogens is widely used as an antiseptic?
A.) Fluoride
B.) Iodine
C.) Bromine
D.) Chlorine
E.) Astatine
B.) Iodine
Halogens are a group of six highly reactive nonmetallic elements in Group 17 of the periodic table, which include fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), iodine (I), astatine (At), and tennessine (Ts). The name "halogen" means "salt former," as these elements readily react with metals to produce various salts, such as table salt (sodium chloride).
In 2017, which famous fast food outlet briefly launched a cryptocurrency in Russia?
A.) Subway
B.) KFC
C.) McDonald's
D.) Starbucks
E.) Burger King
E.) Burger King
WhopperCoin was a cryptocurrency launched by the Russian branch of Burger King as a loyalty program in the summer of 2017.
By winning Super Bowl LIV in 2020, which team became the first to ever come back from a deficit of 10 or more points in three NFL post-season games?
A.) New England Patriots
B.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
C.) Philadelphia Eagles
D.) Los Angeles Rams
E.) Kansas City Chiefs
E.) Kansas City Chiefs
Located in Kuwana, Japan, "Steel Dragon 2000" is the world’s longest what?
A.) Rollercoaster
B.) Pedestrian suspension bridge
C.) Zip wire course
D.) Revolving Sushi Bar Counter
E.)
A.) Rollercoaster
Which country has the most sanctions against it in the world?
A.) Somalia
B.) Iran
C.) Cuba
D.) North Korea
E.) Russia
E.) Russia
What type of ounces are used to measure gold?
A.) Troy ounce
B.) Avoirdupois ounce
C.) Fluid ounce
D.) Metric ounce
E.) Apothecaries' ounce
A.) Troy ounces
A Troy ounce weighs 31.1035 grams. Troy ounces date from 15th century England.
Avoirdupois ounce - Commonly used in the United States for everyday items, such as food and general goods. 1 avoirdupois ounce = 28.3495 grams / 16 avoirdupois ounces = 1 pound.
Fluid ounce - Used for measuring liquids. 1 US fluid ounce approximately = 29.5735 milliliters.
Metric ounce - Some countries have defined ounces in metric terms, such as the Dutch "ons", which is 100 grams.
Apothecaries' ounce - Historically used in pharmacy, approximately 30 grams.
Named the World's Most Powerful Woman by Forbes Magazine in 2021, MacKenzie Scott's roughly $50 billion fortune is thanks to her 4% stake in which of the "Big Five" tech companies?
A.) Amazon
B.) Meta (Facebook)
C.) Apple
D.) Microsoft
E.) Alphabet (Google)
A.) Amazon
Which of the following is the fastest ever sporting projectile with a recorded speed of 351mph (493 km/h)?
A.) Tennis Ball
B.) Badminton shuttlecock (a.k.a. birdie)
C.) Frisbee
D.) Squash rubber ball
E.) Golf Ball
B.) Badminton Shuttlecock (a.k.a. birdie)
While testing out new racket technology in 2013, Malaysia’s Tan Boon Hoeng set a new world record with a 493 km/h smash.
Whose only non-US concerts were three dates in Canada in 1957?
A.) Johnny Cash
B.) Elvis Presley
C.) Chuck Berry
D.) Ray Charles
E.) The Everly Brothers
B.) Elvis Presley
What country was home to the Western Desert art movement?
A.) Australia
B.) United States
C.) Chile
D.) Mexico
E.) Senegal
A.) Australia
Relative to its size, which bird has the longest beak?
A.) Toucan
B.) Stork
C.) Pelican
D.) Sword-Billed Hummingbird
E.) Kingfisher
D.) Sword-Billed Hummingbird
The Sword-Billed Hummingbird boasts a beak longer than its entire body! This extraordinary bird, found in the Andes Mountains of South America, has a beak measuring up to 10 cm (4 inches) which is perfectly designed to reach deep into the long, tubular flowers that other hummingbirds simply can’t access.
First opened in 1966 by Richard Schulze and his business partner, “Sound of Music” was the original name of what retailer that specializes in selling tech and electronics?
A.) Best Buy
B.) Staples
C.) Newegg
D.) Micro Center
E.) B&H Photo Video
A.) Best Buy
What was the first martial art to become an Olympic sport?
A.) Judo
B.) Karate
C.) Taekwondo
D.) Jujitsu
E.) Kendo
A.) Judo (1964)
In 1525, which famous religious figure wrote a pamphlet entitled "Against the Murderous, Thieving Hordes of Peasants"?
A.) John Calvin
B.) Erasmus
C.) Martin Luther
D.) Niccolò Machiavelli
E.) Petrarch
C.) Martin Luther
"Against the Murderous, Thieving Hordes of Peasants" was written by Martin Luther in response to the German Peasants' War. Luther's writings are often considered to be one of the foundations for this revolt. He penned the pamphlet to distance himself from their violence and maintain his allegiance to the German princes. In the pamphlet, Luther adopts an unusually bloodthirsty position against the rebels.