Homepage > February 2, 2015 Answers

February 2, 2015 Answers

1) Last week, the Senate passed what bill that President Obama has promised to veto?

a) The Keystone XL pipeline bill

Nine Democrats joined with 53 Republicans in voting for the bill.

https://www.cnn.com/2015/01/29/politics/senate-keystone-final-vote/index.html

2) Last week, Loretta Lynch testified before the Senate. Why?

b) She is President Obama’s nominee for Attorney General

She is expected to be confirmed by the Senate this week.

https://www.cnn.com/2015/01/28/politics/loretta-lynch-attorney-general-senate-hearing-day-1/index.html

3) Last week, the CBO estimated that the 2015 deficit will be at the lowest level since President Obama took office. How much did they estimate the deficit will be?

b) $468 billion

As a percentage of the gross domestic product, the deficit will be slightly below the historical average for the last fifty years. In fact, deficits are predicted to continue falling until 2018, at which point they will start to rise again because more Baby Boomers will retire and start collecting Social Security.

https://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BUDGET_DEFICIT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

4) Last week, this state executed a man with an I.Q. of 67. What state?

c) Texas

Ladd was convicted of the 1996 killing of Vicki Ann Garner. He hit her in the head with a hammer, robbed her, and then set her on fire.

https://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-texas-executes-robert-ladd-iq-67-20150129-story.html

5) Last week, Kurdish fighters took what strategically important Syrian town from ISIS?

b) Kobani

ISIS and the Kurds have been fighting over Kobani for months.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-26/kurds-claim-victory-in-kobani-as-islamic-state-advance-is-halted

6) What anti-austerity political party won last week’s Greek parliamentary elections?

a) Syriza

Greece is desperately in need of cash, but its new prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, has vowed not to accept any bailouts that restrict Greece’s economic sovereignty.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/leftist-syriza-party-forms-government-and-looks-ahead-to-battles-over-bailout-deals/2015/01/26/8aea6dc2-3d86-43a3-b9d0-84a4cdd8e0ad_story.html

7) What company recorded the largest quarterly profit in history in the final three months of 2014?

b) Apple

The company reported a profit of $18 billion, mostly due to iPhone sales.

https://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/27/us-apple-results-idUSKBN0L02QG20150127

8) Last week, the African Union agreed to send 7,500 troops to help fight Islamic terrorists Boko Haram in what country?

c) Nigeria

Boko Haram is trying to create an Islamic state in the north-eastern corner of Nigeria.

https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2015/0202/African-troops-to-join-Boko-Haram-fight.-Is-Nigeria-s-army-all-in

9) What university banned drinking hard liquor on campus last week?

b) Dartmouth University

The move was made in an effort to reduce sexual assaults.