1. A string of mass raids and looting-like-robberies, including a Nordstrom department store which was attacked by 80 people on Nov. 20, recently broke out in what area of the U.S.?

a. New York City

b. San Francisco Bay

c. The Wasatch Front

d. Miami Beach

2. Five people are dead and more than 40 are injured after a vehicle sped through what event near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Nov. 21?

a. Vaccine mandate protest

b. Christmas parade

c. Flea market

d. Music festival

3. The U.S. Department of Labor announced on Nov. 22 that workers on federal government contracts will be guaranteed a minimum wage of at least what amount starting on Jan. 30?

a. $12

b. $13

c. $14

d. $15

4. The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance think tank added the United States for the first time to its annual list of what?

a. Happiest democracies

b. Most divided democracies

c. Backsliding democracies

d. Poorest democracies

5. Police in India charged Amazon executives for allegedly smuggling mass amounts of what?

a. Pharmaceuticals

b. Marijuana

c. Diamonds

d. Gold

Answers:

1. The correct answer is B, San Francisco Bay. According to CBS, the San Francisco Bay Area has seen a rise in these mass robberies. The most recent occurred on Nov. 21, when 40 to 50 robbers stormed Southland Mall and looted a jewelry store. A dozen retail stores were targeted in a separate incident in San Francisco’s Union Square.

2. The correct answer is B, Christmas parade. According to the New York Times, a red SUV barreled past barricades and into the parade in the Milwaukee suburb of Waukesha, Wisconsin, striking dozens of people.

3. The correct answer is D, $15. According to CNBC, the increased wage will only be required in new contracts, and the hike will not apply to workers on existing federal contracts, which can be three to five years long.

4. The correct answer is C, Backsliding democracies. According to CBS News, the think tank’s data points to visible deterioration of democracy that began in 2019, including declines in civil liberties and checks on government. The ranking indicates there are serious problems with the fundamentals of democracy in the U.S.

5. The correct answer is B, Marijuana. According to Fox Business, police estimate about 1,000 kg of marijuana, worth roughly $148,000, were allegedly sold by senior Amazon executives through the online platform under the guise of stevia leaves, a natural sweetener.