St. Mark Quiz 23-6-23

Why was former UK prime minister Boris Johnson, in the news last week?

• He met with Vladimir Putin

• He became the first UK prime minister to be found to have deliberately mislead parliament

• He has been offered a top job in the United Nations

Answer explanation

He became the first UK prime minister to be found to have deliberately mislead parliament - A damning report has found Boris Johnson "deliberately" misled the UK parliament over his knowledge of parties held during COVID lockdowns at the prime minister's Downing Street residence.

Who has their headquarters in this building?

• MI5 intelligence agency  

• The FBI  

• Apple

Answer explanation

Apple - Apple Park is located in Cupertino, California. It was opened in 2017 and replaced Apple Infinite Loop as the company's corporate headquarters. The main building's scale and circular groundscraper design have earned the structure the media nickname "the spaceship". It houses 12,000 employees

How much was a driver in Finland fined for speeding recently?

• £15,000

• £37,500

• £121,000

Answer explanation

£121,000 - The man had to pay 121,000 euros when he was caught driving at 82kph in a 50kph zone. In Finland speeding fines are calculated based on the driver's daily income. The man’s company is worth more than £5 million. It is not the first time the man has been caught speeding. In 2018, he was fined 63,680 euros. And he had to cough up 95,000 euros five years earlier

This trophy is being displayed in the host country of a major 2023 sporting event. In which sport can it be won?

• Rugby

• Football

• Tennis

Answer explanation

rugby - The Webb Ellis Cup has arrived in Paris ahead of the men's Rugby World Cup in France later this year. It marks 100 days to go before the sport's flagship competition kicks off. Former South African captain in the Springboks' World Cup-winning side in 2019, Tendai Mtawarira, escorted the trophy on its journey

Controversial politician, Silvio Berlusconi, passed away last week at the age of 86. For which country did he serve as prime minister on four occasions? 

• Italy

• Spain

• Greece

Answer explanation

Italy - He was prime minister four times - He served as prime minister four times between 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006 and 2008 to 2011. Each time it seemed his political career was over, he managed to bounce back. Nine years after he was banned from public office for tax fraud, he was back in parliament, elected to Italy's Senate before he turned 86 in September 2022

True or false, the UK Government has placed a ban on ‘2-for-1’ junk food deals, that will start in October?

• True

• False

Answer explanation

False - Plans to ban two-for-one junk food deals have been delayed by the government for another two years. It would have meant shops being unable to sell food and drink high in fat, salt or sugar using multibuy deals. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said it would be unfair to restrict options when food prices remain high. The policy, part of an anti-obesity strategy, had already pushed back to this October. It has now been delayed until 2025 while a review takes place

An American man has broken the standard 3-by-3-by-3 Rubik's Cube record. How long did it take him to solve the puzzle?

• 3.31 seconds

• 6.45 seconds

• 10.12 seconds

Answer explanation

3.31 seconds - The Rubik's Cube is a 3-D combination puzzle originally invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik. Max Park beat the previous record by 0.34 of a second

What is the name of the ceremony held to celebrate the monarch’s birthday?

• The Trooping of the Colour

• The Changing of the Guard

• Ceremony of the Keys

Answer explanation

The Trooping of the Colour - Since 1748 Trooping the Colour has marked the official birthday of the British sovereign. More than 1,400 soldiers and 200 horses took part in the annual event on Horse Guards Parade to celebrate the King's first Trooping of the Colour

The second and third biggest supermarket chains, Sainsbury's and Asda, have been told not to block rivals from opening stores near their own shops. Which supermarket chain receives the most income from UK customers?

• Aldi 

• Tesco

• Morrisons

Answer explanation

Tesco - Sainsbury's and Asda have been told to stop using "unlawful" land agreements to prevent rivals from opening stores near their own shops. Tesco and Waitrose have been previously reprimanded for similar actions. Tesco is the biggest supermarket with an annual turnover for 2022 that amounted to £50 billion, and a market share of 27.5%.

What is the name of this unusual animal that has been in the news?

• Otter

• Platypus

• Seal

Answer explanation

Platypus - Scientists managed to capture footage of two male platypuses fighting. They said the animals were “ferocious” and showed no signs of stopping after 20 minutes. Male platypuses, which have venomous spurs, can become very territorial at some times of the year