Online League Questions and Answers
Please print out this answer sheet and use when taking the News Bowl Online League. If you have technical difficulties during the testing period, the answer sheet will serve as a backup of your answers.
World and National News
1. What Somalia sea criminals recently took a Russian cargo ship loaded with tanks and then asked for a $20 million ransom?
- brigades
- pirates
- mariners
- whalers
2. On the first day of October, what law making body became the first to pass a $700 billion economic bailout?
- House of Representatives
- U.S. Senate
- The Cabinet
- Parliament
3. China is slowly emerging into an economic and exploration superpower. China’s goal in the space program is to build their own Space station and send a man where?
- the moon
- Mars
- International Space Station
- Venus
4. In early October, what sales were listed as the lowest in 15 years?
- autos
- blue jeans
- eggs
- hamburgers
5. Iraqi leaders want national laws to allow safeguards so what religious people can be part of provincial local governments?
- Christians
- Jews
- Hindus
- Muslims
6. On October 13, the stock market had it biggest day in U.S. history when it rose how many points in one trading session?
7. What terrorist group in Afghanistan claimed responsibility for a terror attack that killed a police officer in the city of Kandahar?
- al-Qaida
- Taliban
- Hamas
- Red Guard
8. Why did the Supreme Court begin a new session on October 6?
- the economic crisis
- five weeks to the day before a presidential election
- always begins the first Monday in October
- Congress asked them to reconvene
9. Police in Mexico recently confiscated 97 tons of what illegal drug near the U.S.-Mexican border?
- opium
- marijuana
- meth
- cocaine
10. In October, a salmonella scare involved what food?
- frozen chicken dinners
- frozen chicken nuggets
- canned soup
- bagged lettuce
People News
11. In early October, memorial services were held for famous actor Paul Newman who died at age 83. Newman’s handsome face was known as _______ Eyes.
12. O.J. Simpson will go to jail for theft after he was found guilty 13 years to the day that he was found innocent of what other crime?
- murder
- burglary
- sports gambling
- fraud
13. What woman served as NASCAR’s Grand Marshall on October 11 at the Bank of America 500 race in Concord, NC?
- Michelle Obama
- Cindy McCain
- Condoleezza Rice
- Laura Bush
14. In mid-October, what well known woman was in the news after she fell and broke her pelvis?
- Hillary Clinton
- Nancy Reagan
- Sister Angelica
- Queen Elizabeth II
15. Who made news when he said to “mark my words,” an international crisis will break out if Barack Obama is elected president?
- President Bush
- John McCain
- Sarah Palin
- Joe Biden
16. What well-known military man gave his endorsement to Barack Obama for president?
- Colin Powell
- Davis Petraeus
- Alexander Haig
- Antonio Kennedy
17. Who is Joe Maddon?
- baseball manager
- a man who wants to own his own business
- Secretary of the Treasury
- Barack Obama’s campaign manager
18. What person was the star of the third presidential debate after he was mentioned twenty-five times during the debate?
- President Bush
- Sarah Palin
- Rosie the Riveter
- Joe the Plumber
19. Three European scientists shared the 2008 Nobel Prize in medicine for discoveries of viruses related to what disease?
- AIDS
- cancer
- malaria
- tuberculosis
20. Two Japanese and an American scientist won the 2008 Nobel Prize in physics for discoveries that helped explain the behavior of the smallest particles of ______.
Geography
21. The vice presidential debate between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin was held October 2nd in what state?
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Missouri
- Florida
22. Earth bedrock crust in northern Quebec was reported in Science Journal to be the oldest Earth crust ever found at four billion years old. Quebec is a province in what nation?
- Australia
- Russia
- China
- Canada
23. Scientists say the Phoenix Lander has found minerals on what planet that suggest water was there in the past?
- the moon
- Mars
- Pluto
- Jupiter
24. On October 11, #1 ranked Oklahoma lost to Texas in a college football game nicknamed the _______ _______ Rivalry.
- South Border
- Copper Jug
- Tex Okie
- Red River
25. The third and last presidential debate was held on the campus of Hofstra University in what state?
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- South Carolina
26. One of the world’s most influential voices and leaders comes from the world’s smallest nation. What nation is it?
- Sicily
- Italy
- Georgia
- Vatican City
27. An October earthquake took seventy lives in the nation of Kyrgyzstan. The quake occurred on what continent?
- Africa
- Asia
- South America
- Europe
28. For many decades, the greatest marathon runners in the world have hailed from what continent?
- Africa
- Europe
- Asia
- South America
29. Late in October, what U.S. state capital city will host their first regular season NBA game?
- Jefferson City
- Charleston
- Topeka
- Oklahoma City
30. A United Nations humanitarian leader says that drought and famine in the Horn of Africa afflicts 17 million people, up from 9 million earlier in 2008. On which part of the continent of Africa is the Horn located?
Arts/Entertainment and Sports News
31. A top single iTunes download in October was Kanye West’s _______ Lockdown.
32. What team won the WNBA title?
- Detroit Shock
- New York Liberty
- San Antonio Silver Stars
- Los Angeles Sparks
33. What is the name of the school in “High School Musical?”
- East High
- West High
- North High
- South High
34. The Tampa Bay Rays played the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. How many times have the Rays been in the World Series?
- first time
- twice
- three times
- four times
35. What was the #1 film at the box office for two consecutive weekends in October?
- The Express
- City of Ember
- Beverly Hills Chihuahua
- Max Payne
36. What college volleyball team held the #1 ranking throughout October?
- Nebraska
- Texas
- USC
- Penn St.
37. High School Musical is the highly anticipated movie that opened in theaters the last weekend in October. What is the name of the third film?
- Jump Ball
- Senior Year
- Freshman Year
- Summer Vacation
38. Through Week 7 of the NFL, what was the only unbeaten NFL team?
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Tennessee Titans
- Dallas Cowboys
- New York Giants
39. “The Snowball” is a top nonfiction selling book authored by Alice Schroeder. The book is a biography of what influential American?
- Warren Buffett
- John McCain
- Barack Obama
- David Petraeus
40. Through Week 7 of the NFL, how many head coaches had been fired?
Mr. News Owl’s Top Ten Questions
41. On October 22nd, the first cell phone was introduced that runs what company’s software?
- Apple
- Sprint
- Google
- Microsoft
42. On October 9th, Jewish people observed the Day of Atonement, a day for fasting, prayer and repentance. The day is named what?
- Rosh Hashana
- Sukkot
- Chanukah
- Yom Kippur
43. How many times in U.S. history have a man and a woman squared off against each other in a presidential election year debate?
- once
- twice
- three times
- five times
44. What caused NASA to cancel the Atlantis shuttle mission for seven astronauts to fix the Hubble telescope?
- Hubble entered the stratosphere
- Hubble entered the ionosphere
- Hubble had problems the astronauts were not trained to fix
- all shuttle mission money was cut off because of the financial crisis
45. Hofstra University hosted the third presidential debate. What do colleges do in order to get to host a presidential debate?
- fill out an application
- fill out an application with a $5000 fee
- they are picked randomly
- write a letter to the candidates
46. In mid October, amid the economic turmoil, gas prices went down to what national average price?
47. Banks, post offices and other federal buildings were closed one day in October in honor of explorer Christopher Columbus. Which day of the week was Columbus Day celebrated?
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
48. The second presidential debate was held in early October. The second debate was a town hall-style format held on what college campus in Tennessee?
- Belmont
- Vanderbilt
- Memphis University
- University of Tennessee
49. If John McCain is elected president, at age 72, he would be America’s oldest president to begin a first term. What president was the oldest elected at age 69?
- Franklin Roosevelt
- Rutherford B. Hayes
- Ronald Reagan
- Zachary Taylor
50. If Barack Obama is elected president, at age 47, he would not be America’s youngest president because what man was president at age 42?
- Theodore Roosevelt
- John F. Kennedy
- Bill Clinton
- George Bush