News quiz for week of May 9

1. Drivers along the East Coast rushed to gas stations as pumps emptied after Colonial Pipeline temporarily shut down operations due to a system hack. The company paid how much in ransom to the hackers?

A. Nothing.

B. Nearly $1 million.

C. Nearly $5 million.

D. Nearly $10 million.

2. Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York was selected by Republican House leaders to replace Liz Cheney in the party conference after Cheney’s refusal to back down of her criticism of former President Trump. Which seat will Stefanik hold?

A. Fundraising chairwoman.

B. Committee chairwoman.

C. Minority leader.

D. Conference chair.

3. Florida, Georgia and Iowa have all enacted laws to restrict voting access after the 2020 election. Another state just passed a law that limits distribution of mail ballots; which state did this?

A. Arizona.

B. Idaho.

C. Indiana.

D. Arkansas.

4. What touched off the days of tension and armed conflict between the Israel military and Hamas militants?

A. Killing of civilians at a newly opened market.

B. Mounting COVID death toll due to unvaccinated residents.

C. Police raid on Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem.

D. None of the above.

5. China has been heavily criticized for “reckless” activity in its space program, and NASA Administrator Bill Nelson says the country isn’t meeting “responsible standards for its space debris.” Most recently, most of a Chinese rocket burned up on reentry to the Earth’s atmosphere while a large portion of the vehicle landed where?

A. Off the coast of Oregon.

B. Splashdown in the Baltic Sea.

C. Near the Maldives in the Indian Ocean.

D. In Russia.

6. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, surprised Saturday Night Live viewers by announcing what?

A. He’s a concert-level pianist.

B. He has Asperger’s syndrome.

C. His marriage proposal to the singer Grimes.

D. His recent recovery from COVID-19.

7. The pandemic with its work-from-home and safety restrictions has had people reconsidering what habit?

A. Daily showers.

B. Recycling.

C. Family dinners.

D. None of the above.

8. The Italian Culture Ministry has announced that what was found in a cave near Rome?

A. Prized artwork hidden but lost since World War II.

B. A knife believed to date back to the killing of Julius Caesar.

C. Fossilized remains of nine Neanderthals.

D. Gold bracelet believed to be Cleopatra’s.

9. Singer-songwriter Lloyd Price, an enduring rock ‘n’ roll star whose hits included “Lawdy Miss Clawdy,” “Personality” and “Stagger Lee,” has died at the age of 88. The engaging entertainer and maverick in the music field was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998. He was known by what nickname?

A. Double L.

B. Mr. Lawdy.

C. The Elvis of his Era.

D. Mr. Personality.

10. Despite a failed drug test, Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit will be allowed to race in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes. After the horse failed the test, the trainer blamed a number of things, including racing officials out to get him and so-called “cancel culture,” before admitting what might have led to the result?

A. Mold in a nearby stall caused an allergic reaction.

B. An ointment for dermatitis.

C. Medication to treat an ulcer.

D. Possible exposure to COVID-19 case.

Answers: 1. (C); 2. (D); 3. (A); 4. (C); 5. (C); 6. (B); 7. (A); 8. (C); 9. (D); 10. (B)