Questions

"Answers by Email" resumes September 4th.
(This week's Friday's News Quiz Answers will be posted at the bottom of this page on Monday afternoon.)

1.  For what reason has Australian Prime Minister John Howard's government introduced a test for immigrants applying for citizenship?
a)  to address a concern about extremist views among some Australian Muslims
b)  to advance the institution of sharia law (Islamic law) in Australia
c)  to deny citizenship to any immigrants who have a low literacy level
d)  to be more in line with European countries that require immigrants take a test as part of their citizenship application

2.  For what reason did Burma's ruling junta arrest approximately 100 Burmese citizens in the past week?
a)  they were caught looting buildings abandoned after a flood
b)  they attacked several police stations in the capital city to protest harsh treatment by the government
c)  they were protesting a 500% rise in government-controlled gasoline prices that has made bus rides to work unaffordable for most Burmese
d)  they were Christians sharing their faith with Muslims

3.  What feature will the redesigned $100 bill have that should make it counterfeit proof?
a)  it will be made from special paper that can be detected by drawing on it with an invisible marker
b)  it will have varying colors printed on the front and the back of the bill
c)  it will contain a new security thread
d)  it will have an invisible serial number on the back of the bill

4.  For what purpose has the U.S. security coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian territories unveiled a plan to deploy several new battalions of Palestinian security personnel in the West Bank?
a)  to support the Palestinian Authority in their fight against Israel
b)  to bolster Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh
c)  both a and b
d)  to bolster Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas

5.  Why are Orthodox Jewish communities in Israel calling on the military to ease a blockade of the Gaza Strip?
a)  to attempt to form a lasting peace with the Palestinians
b)  to enable them to import food from Gaza so they can observe "shmita"
c)  to enable them to be able to celebrate the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah)
d)  to thwart Hamas' efforts to destroy any hope for peace

ANSWERS:
1.  a)  to address a concern about extremist views among some Australian Muslims
2.  c)  they were protesting a 500% rise in government-controlled gasoline prices that has made bus rides to work unaffordable for most Burmese
3.  c)  it will contain a new security thread
4.  d)  to bolster Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas
5.  b)  to enable them to import food from Gaza so they can observe "shmita"