Quiz of the Year 2013
1. Which of the following films was the highest grossing in 2013, raking in over $1.2 billion worldwide;
a: Fast & Furious 6,
b: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,
c: Iron Man 3, or
d: Gravity?
2. Which American disclosed operations engaged by a US government mass surveillance program to news publications and fled the country, later being granted temporary asylum in Russia?
3. What was responsible for injuring 1,491 people and damaging over 4,300 buildings in Chelyabinsk back in February 2013?
4. Which country rejected a seat on the United Nations Security Council making them the first to reject a seat?
5. Who's resignation made the news headlines around the world on February 28th 2013?
6. Which two countries were most affected by typhoon Haiyan "Yolanda", one of the strongest tropical cyclones on record?
7. Which Irish/English Actor, Singer and Producer, known for his role in such classics as Lawrence of Arabia, Troy, The Last Emperor and Casino Royale, sadly passed away in December 2013?
8. Which Peter was the British theoretical physicist who picked up the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2013?
9. In July, amid mass protests across Egypt, which President was deposed in a military coup d'état, leading to widespread violence?
10. On July 1st 2013, which country became the 28th member of the European Union?
11. July 22 saw the birth of the son of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, but what are two of his first three names? One point for each.
12. The year 2013 started on a Tuesday. What will be the next year that starts on a Tuesday?
13. Tennis player Maria Sharapova changed her name for the US Open. To what did she change it:
a: Maria Milkpova,
b: Maria Coffeepova,
c: Maria Teapova, or
d: Maria Sugapova?
14. In 2013, which American singer declared: "I was the Justin Bieber of the 70s. Really. Ask your mother."?
(Hint: In 1978, five of his albums were on the best-seller charts simultaneously, a feat equalled only by Herb Alpert, The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen & Johnny Mathis.)
15. In terms of their downfall, what do Silvio Berlusconi and Alphonse Capone have in common?
16. The 2013 debut of which aircraft turned out to be hot news and a rude awakening for it's passengers?
17. At a children's event, which world leader declared that his favourite food was broccoli?
18. Andy Murray won Wimbledon in 2013 but who was the last British man to win it and when? One point for each part of the answer.
19. The proposed redevelopment of what was blamed for the rioting in Istanbul in 2013 that ultimately saw industrial quantities of tear gas used?
20. Which sports event was delayed for a total of 34 minutes thanks to a lighting blackout?
ANSWERS
1. c: Iron Man 3
2. Edward Snowden
3. A meteor (the most powerful meteor to strike Earth's atmosphere in over a century)
4. Saudi Arabia
5. Pope Benedict XVI
6. The Philippines and Vietnam
7. Peter O'Toole
8. Peter Higgs (for his prediction of the existence of a new particle, the Higgs Boson)
9. President Mohamed Morsi
10. Croatia
11. George Alexander Louis
12. 2019. (2014 started on a Wednesday, 2015 a Thursday, 2016 a Friday, 2017 a Sunday, 2018 a Monday, 2019 a Tuesday as 2016 is a Leap year thus has one more day)
13. d: Maria Sugapova
14. Barry Manilow
15. Tax fraud
16. Boeing 787 Dreamliner (thanks to a series of fires)
17. Barack Obama
18. Fred Perry in 1936
19. A park (Taksim Gezi Park to be exact)
20. The Superbowl (Superbowl XLVII)