The October Quiz

Starting this month, I’ll be posting a monthly current affairs quiz for B&M students and teachers. It’s common knowledge that IB examiners prefer (and in some cases require) answers that use real world examples. There are 30 questions in this month’s current affairs quiz…

The October Current Affairs Quiz

1. Name the company that has overtaken Apple as number 1 in the global sales for smartphones.

2. The US has placed anti-dumping tariffs of up to 37% on some fridge freezers from Mexico and which Southeast Asian nation?

3. Parents from across the world are outraged by which girls’ toy launched by Mattell?

4. Which US toy maker has announced a deal to buy HIT Entertainment, owner of Thomas the Tank Engine and other popular children’s brands, for $680m (£438.7m)?

5. Which EU nation has found itself 55bn euros (£48bn) richer after discovering an accounting error at Hypo Real Estate (HRE), the troubled bank it nationalised in 2009?(!)

6. It finally happened… which cash-strapped Swedish carmaker has signed a deal to be taken over by two Chinese firms for 100m euros (£87,666,000)?

7. Name the Australian airline that said the ongoing labour strikes (due to end this week) are costing the company AUD15m (£9.95m) per week.

8. Which Chinese internet giant has seen its third quarter profits surge by 80%?

9. Which BRIC economy has launched the world’s first cash machine to dispense diamonds as well as gold and silver coins?

10. A Spanish consortium has won a contract to build a high-speed rail link in which oil rich nation for 6.7bn euros (£5.87bn)?

11. Which US technology giant has announced that it will now keep its personal computer division (PCs, laptops and tablets) after reviewing a plan by its former chief executive to sell it?

12. Name the software giant that has reported a record quarterly revenue of $17.4bn (£10.9bn)?

13. Which internet giant was reported 14% increase in its quarterly profits, driven by increased activity on its online marketplaces and greater use of its PayPal payments network?

14. Which luxury car maker has recalled 18,000 vehicles due to safety concerns over its cruise control function (with claims that it cannot be switched off)?

15. Which Japanese electronics giant has been forced to delay the launch of its NEX-7 camera and the Reflex Alpha 65 camera due to severe flooding in Thailand?

16. Despite food-price inflation, which BRIC economy has yet again cuts interest rates to 11.5% from 12%, citing the continuing slowdown in the global economy?

17. Which mobile phone giant has made a loss of 151m euros (HK$1.61bn) in the third quarter as it continues to come under pressure from other phonemakers?

18. The world’s biggest food group has raised its sales growth outlook for the year with an expected 5 – 6% growth. Name the European food company that owns brands such as Perrier, Kit Kat and Häagen-Dazs.

19. Which fast-food giant has reported third quarter profits rising by 9%, the ninth increase in a row, following its introduction of cheaper food items (which helped to boost sales during the global recession)?

20. Which airline, the flag carrier of Bahrain, has struck a deal with Panasonic to offer live TV, broadband and mobile phone coverage across its entire fleet of planes?

21. Name the European phone giant that has announced a further 3,500 job cuts.

22. For the first time since 1996, which US hi-tech company’s market value has exceeded Microsoft’s, making it the world’s 2nd largest in the industry?

23. Which struggling US camera and printing group’s share price dropped by over 54% as investors fear the company is on the brink of bankruptcy?

24. Which internet giant has unveiled the company’s much-anticipated rival to the iPad, called the Kindle Fire?

25. Minmetal Resources has agreed to buy copper miner Anvil Mining for $1.3bn (£812.5m), giving it three copper mines in Africa. Which country is Minmetal Resources from?

26. After years of delays, Boeing at last dispatched the first of its new 787 Dreamliners to which Asian airline company?

27. Which US airline company’s shares dropped 33% on Monday on bankruptcy fears?

28. Which sports shoe maker has paid out $25m (£15.63m) following claims in the US about alleged health benefits of using its toning shoes?

29. The default retirement age of 65 in which EU country has been fully abolished?

30. Europe’s FirstGroup has announced the sale of its German operations for 5.5m euros (£3.5m). What service does the company provide?

Answers

1. Samsung (Nokia is now number 3)

2. South Korea

3. A tattooed Barbie doll

4. Mattell

5. Germany

6. Saab

7. Qantas

8. Baidu

9. India

10. Saudi Arabia

11. HP

12. Microsoft

13. eBay

14. Jaguar

15. Sony (Sony has shut production at two of its three units in Thailand)

16. Brazil

17. Nokia

18. Nestlé

19. McDonald’s

20. Gulf Air

21. Nokia

22. IBM

23. Kodak (it has not made a profit since 2007)

24. Amazon

25. China

26. All Nippon Airways (ANA)

27. American Airlines

28. Reebok

29. UK

30. Rail and bus services.