Quiz of the week: 19-25 September

1. Which former prime minister will be adding a £50,000 pool to their Cotswolds home?

a. David Cameron

b. Theresa May

c. Tony Blair

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d. John Major

2. Actor Ryan Reynolds this week announced his interest in investing in Wrexham A.F.C. this week, which could lead to £2m being poured into the football club. Which other star, best known for starring in a popular US sitcom, was also named as a potential investor?

a. David Schwimmer from Friends

b. Larry David from Curb Your Enthusiasm

c. Jerry Seinfeld from Seinfeld

d. Rob McElhenney from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

3. Indonesia’s economy is set to contract for the first time since the Asian Financial Crisis. What year did southeast Asia’s largest economy last see a recession?

a. 1999

b. 2001

c. 1998

d. 2008

4. Zambia could be the first African nation to default on its sovereign debt due to the Covid-19 crisis. Which countries have already done so this year?

a. Argentina, Ecuador, and Bolivia

b. Argentina, Ecuador, and Brazil

c. Argentina, Panama, and Lebanon

c. Argentina, Ecuador, and Lebanon

5. Sales of furniture and spending on pets have boosted retail sales in the UK, but sales of what continue to lag?

a. Clothing

b. Beer and wine

c. Spirits

d. Food

6. Microsoft announced this week it is buying ZeniMax, the owner of the video-game publisher behind hit games such as Fallout and The Elder Scrolls, for $7.5bn in cash. What is the name of the publisher?

a. Ubisoft

b. Bethesda

c. Electronic Arts

d. Natsume

7. Thousands of people in Taiwan, Japan and Australia have started booking flights that offer a unique travel experience. Where do these flights land?

a. Neighbouring, Covid-secure countries

b. The Arctic

c. The country’s second biggest city

d. The same place they departed from

8. Keeping Up With The Kardashians, the “pseudo-documentary” that follows the celebrity family, announced it is producing its last season, after which the family will walk away with a collective $2bn between them. How many series did the show run for?

a. 14

b. 16

c. 18

d. 20

9. UK firms have voluntarily returned over £215m to the government in furlough scheme payments they did not need. What companies are not among the ones to have returned money they claimed as part of the coronavirus job retention scheme?

a. Ikea and Kingfisher

b. Games Workshop and Asos

c. Primark and John Lewis

d. All of the above

10. UK royals are set for cutbacks after the palace confirmed a projected £35m financial blow due to Covid-19. What is the biggest expense to come out of the royal accounts this year so far?

a. Prince Andrew’s flight to a Northern Ireland golf tournament

b. The Sussexes’ flights to southern Africa

c. Prince Charles’ last-minute trip to Oman to pay condolences on the death of Sultan Qaboos bin Said

d. Prince Charles’ return trip from Kemble to Carlisle on the royal train

Answers

1. a. David Cameron.

2. d. Rob McElhenney from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

3. c. 1998.

4. c. Argentina, Ecuador, and Lebanon. Argentina defaulted on foreign creditors for the ninth time in May, Ecuador did so in April and Lebanon in March.

5. a. Clothing. Sales of clothing were down 40%, while department store sales were down 23% compared to a normal month as customers shift their spending towards home improvement.

6. b. Bethesda.

7. d. The same place they departed from. Royal Brunei Airlines is the latest airline to offer “scenic flights” or “flights to nowhere” that offer passengers the opportunity to take off, have dinner on the plane, and land back where they started.

8. d. 20.

9. c. Primark and John Lewis. Both stores announced, however, that they will not be claiming the £1,000 bonus firms are entitled to under the coronavirus job retention scheme for each furloughed employee returned to work and kept employed.

10. b. The Sussexes’ flights to southern Africa. The Sussexes’ tour of southern Africa cost £245,643 in flights. Prince Andrew spent £16,000 on chartered flights to the Open golf championships in Portrush, Northern Ireland, while Prince Charles’ trip to Oman ran a £210,345 bill. His journey on the royal train, mile-for-mile the most expensive form of transport, ran up a £20,822 bill.