News Quiz 2017

Image source: Billboard

Not too many celebrity deaths this year, but there is a variety of science, sport, celebrity gossip and, inevitably, some politics thrown in. I've tried to vary the format slightly by including, where possible, two stories on the same topic for example, two discoveries, two pregnancies, two air travel related stories etc. to see if this can facilitate recycling of some key lexis from the quiz - more on that under Eliciting / Recycling in the Teachers' notes.



The quiz comes in two levels:
- Intermediate (B1/2-)
- Advanced (B2+/C1 or higher)

The Intermediate level quiz has a multiple choice version too (with fewer questions). Both versions can be downloaded in Word format if you want to adapt them.

The quiz is accompanied by a 10-page teachers' guide (scroll down) full of ideas on how to use the quiz in class and to exploit the language from the quiz.

As usual, follow-up activities for vocabulary review and practice will be posted in a few days. Check back in the New Year.

UPDATE: Click HERE for vocabulary review activities

Happy New Year!

Quiz

1. The cast of La La Land were all smiles when they went on stage to accept the Best Picture award at the 2017 Oscars. But their joy came to an end when the film producer took the mike and broke the news that…

2. Amid growing resentment towards immigrants, centrist Emmanuel Macron won a decisive victory in the French presidential election. His unusual marriage soon aroused the interest of the press. What’s ‘unusual’ about it?

3. In a scene captured on camera, a passenger was forcibly removed from an overbooked flight in April 2017 although he didn’t pose any security threat. On which airline did the incident occur?

4. In the deadliest attack on British soil in more than a decade, 22 people were killed after a bomb went off at Ariana Grande’s concert. In what city did the terrorist attack occur?

5. A brand new organ was discovered hiding in plain sight inside the human body. Originally identified by Leonardo Da Vinci, it was not considered an organ in its own right until 2017. What is it called?

6. The British government promised that Britain’s divorce from the EU wouldn’t be acrimonious as the country began the lengthy process of withdrawal from the bloc. How many countries will remain in the EU after Britain’s departure?

7. What pop star set the social media buzzing with excitement in 2017 and broke the record for the most liked post on Instagram (11 million likes) when she announced she was expecting twins?

8. A controversial order issued by the US government in March 2017 caused much inconvenience to airline passengers. The UK soon followed suit and placed similar travel restrictions. What did both countries ban from flights?

9. In November 2017, Prince Harry popped the question to his girlfriend of 16 months, but not before receiving the Queen’s blessing, as required by protocol. What is the lucky girl’s name?

10. When FC Barcelona added a release clause to their contract with Brazilian forward Neymar four years ago, they didn’t expect any rival club to be able to afford the €222m release fee. What football club signed Neymar paying the astronomical sum in 2017?

11. What event held in Barcelona in October 2017 turned violent after the Spanish government sent in the police?

12. Japan’s Princess Mako announced in September 2017 that she would renounce her title in order to tie the knot with a commoner. What does her fiancé do for a living?

13. NASA awarded $15,000 to Dr Thatcher Cardon, who came up with a creative solution to a very real astronaut-related problem. What problem?

14. What tennis star found out that she was eight weeks pregnant two days before the 2017 Australian Open and went on to win the coveted trophy?

15. Scientists made a startling discovery of the eighth continent submerged beneath the Pacific. What existing country does the lost continent lie under?

16. What Hollywood producer was fired from his namesake company in October 2017 following multiple allegations of sexual assault?

Advanced level with answers

or download as Word doc  

Intermediate level with answers (+ Multiple choice version)

or download as Word doc

Teachers' notes