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Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz. Good luck!
1. How many candidates are running in the Afghan presidential elections next April?
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]27 candidates have submitted the necessary paperwork to run for the Afghan presidency. Current president Hamid Karzai will not be able to run because of term limits.[/toggle]
2. Which U.S. state has recently become the fourteenth to recognize gay marriage?
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]New Jersey. In September, a Superior Court judge ruled that the state had to allow gay couples to marry. Governor Chris Christie cancelled his appeal of that decision this week.[/toggle]
3. Who are the Roma?
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]The Roma are an ethnic group that lives primarily in Europe and are commonly referred to in the press as Gypsies. They face discrimination throughout Europe and are deemed as social outcasts.[/toggle]
4. This European nation is demanding answers from the United States over spying activities by the National Security Agency.
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]France. Based on documents leaked by Edward Snowden, it has been revealed that the NSA has carried out extensive survelliance operations in France. The timing is embarassing for the United States because Secretary of State John Kerry has just gone there for an official visit.[/toggle]
5. Last week, Hillary Clinton campaigned for this gubernatorial candidate.
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Terry McAuliffe, who is the Democratic candidate for governor in Virginia. McAuliffe was co-chairman of Bill Clinton’s re-election campaign in 1996 and chairman of Hillary’s 2008 presidential campaign.[/toggle]
6. Canada is set to finalize a free trade agreement with this multinational organization.
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]The European Union.[/toggle]
7. Why was Argentinean president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner recently hospitalized?
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Ms. Kirchener suffered from a subdural haematoma on her brain after a head injury, which forced doctors to drain blood for her head. She will not be able to participate in congressional election campaigning because of the injury.[/toggle]
8. This reviewer of consumer products and services has advised its readers to avoid the federal government’s healthcare exchange for another month.
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Consumer Reports. The reviewer of consumer products and services explained that the government still needs to fix glitches in the software and that its site is “barely operational.”[/toggle]
9. Why did Saudi Arabia recently reject a seat on the UN Security Council?
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Saudi Arabia, a day after winning a vote for a seat on the UN Security Council, which it has campaigned for since 1998, said that it would not take the seat because of disagreements with the international community (and especially the United States) concerning Iran and Syria.[/toggle]
10. Name the four conditions of the compromise that ended the recent government shutdown and debt ceiling crisis.
[toggle title_open=”Close Me” title_closed=”Open Me” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]The government will be funded through January 15th, the debt ceiling has been raised until February 7th, a bipartisan committee will try to craft a new budget plan (headed by Representative Paul Ryan of WI and Senator Patty Murray of WA), and the government will more carefully scrutinize the incomes of those applying for ObamaCare subsidies.[/toggle]