1) Last week, the Senate released a controversial report on what?
a) The torture of suspected terrorists after 9/11
The report, prepared by Senate Democrats, details the interrogation methods used by the CIA during the Bush administration
2) Last week, the United States and NATO officially ended their joint combat mission in what country?
c) Afghanistan
Approximately 13,000 troops will remain there to train Afghan security forces.
3) Last weekend, the House and Senate agreed on a budget for fiscal year 2015. How much spending does it include?
b) $1.1 trillion
Some liberal House Democrats objected to the bill because it includes some Wall Street-friendly provisions and some conservative Senate Republicans objected because it contained funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which is the department charged with carrying out President Obama’s recent executive order delaying deportation for certain illegal immigrants.
https://www.cnn.com/2014/12/13/politics/senate-passes-spending-bill/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
4) On Tuesday, the Department of Energy estimated that the average price of a gallon of gasoline will be what in 2015?
c) $2.60
The price of gas has been falling recently because of increased production in America, slowing demand in Europe and Asia, and increased production levels in the Middle East.
5) According to a recent report, what percentage of teenagers is sleep-deprived?
d) 90%
It is recommended that teenagers get 9 to 10 hours of sleep per night.
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-health/burning-candle-most-us-kids-lack-sleep-n266451
6) Last week, a time capsule from 1795 was discovered in Boston. What founding fathers out the capsule in the ground?
a) Sam Adams and Paul Revere
The box is going to be x-rayed later this week in an effort to determine the contents of the box before it is opened.
7) Last week, a group of 190 nations agreed on a draft treaty on dealing with climate change that will form the basis of a formal treaty to be signed in Paris next year. Where did the representatives from the 90 nations meet to negotiate the draft?
d) Lima, Peru
The treaty will go into effect in 2020.
8) According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, the wealth of white households in America is how many times greater than the wealth of black households in America?
d) 13 times
This is the highest gap since 1989.
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/12/12/racial-wealth-gaps-great-recession/
9) According to a recent study, how many people use Instagram per month?
c) 300 million
Instagram now has more users than Twitter.
https://techcrunch.com/2014/12/10/not-a-fad/
10) Who won the 2015 NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship?
b) The University of Virginia
The Cavaliers won in penalty kicks after a scoreless regulation and overtime.