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General Knowledge: Society and Current World

Canberra was chosen as Australia's capital in 1908 as a compromise between Sydney and Melbourne. The 2015 Paris Agreement targets 1.5°C, and the EU has 27 states since Brexit. Test your bearings.

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The 10 quiz questions

Question 1 : What is the capital of Australia?

Possible answers:

  • Melbourne
  • Canberra
  • Brisbane
  • Sydney

Explanation: Canberra was chosen in 1908 as the federal capital, a political compromise between Sydney and Melbourne, which were both vying for the role. The city, whose name means "meeting place" in the Aboriginal Ngunnawal language, was designed by American architect Walter Burley Griffin and inaugurated in 1913. It is home to about 430,000 people today, compared with 5.3 million in Sydney.

Question 2 : Which international organization has its headquarters in New York?

Possible answers:

  • The WHO
  • UNESCO
  • The UN
  • NATO

Explanation: The UN (United Nations) has been headquartered in New York since 1952. It has 193 member states and works for peace and international cooperation.

Question 3 : Which international agreement aims to limit global warming to 1.5°C?

Possible answers:

  • Convention de Rio
  • Protocole de Kyoto
  • Traité de Montréal
  • Accord de Paris

Explanation: The Paris Agreement, signed in 2015 at COP21, commits 196 countries to limiting global warming well below 2°C, ideally 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial levels.

Question 4 : How many countries are part of the European Union in 2024?

Possible answers:

  • 25
  • 28
  • 27
  • 30

Explanation: The European Union has 27 member states since Brexit (UK departure in 2020). The last country to join was Croatia in 2013.

Question 5 : Which river flows through Paris?

Possible answers:

  • The Rhône
  • The Seine
  • The Loire
  • The Garonne

Explanation: The Seine flows through Paris from east to west for about 13 km, with 37 bridges spanning its waters. It divides the city into the Right Bank and Left Bank, originates in Côte-d'Or, and empties into the English Channel at Le Havre after 776 km.

Question 6 : Which organization awards the Nobel Peace Prize?

Possible answers:

  • The Norwegian Nobel Committee
  • L'Académie suédoise
  • The UN
  • UNESCO

Explanation: The Norwegian Nobel Committee, based in Oslo, awards the Nobel Peace Prize. It is the only Nobel Prize not awarded in Sweden but in Norway.

Question 7 : In which country is Mecca, the holy site of Islam, located?

Possible answers:

  • Égypte
  • Émirats arabes unis
  • Arabie saoudite
  • Iran

Explanation: Mecca is in Saudi Arabia. It is the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad and the destination of the pilgrimage (Hajj) every Muslim must perform at least once.

Question 8 : What is the most populous country in the world?

Possible answers:

  • China
  • The United States
  • India
  • L'Indonésie

Explanation: India surpassed China in 2023 to become the world's most populous country with approximately 1.43 billion inhabitants.

Question 9 : Which global sporting event takes place every 4 years and brings together athletes from all countries?

Possible answers:

  • Wimbledon
  • Olympic Games
  • FIFA World Cup
  • Tour de France

Explanation: The Olympic Games bring together thousands of athletes from over 200 countries. Summer and Winter Olympics alternate every 2 years. Paris hosted the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Question 10 : What is the official currency of Japan?

Possible answers:

  • Won
  • Ringgit
  • Yuan
  • Yen

Explanation: The yen (¥) has been Japan's official currency since 1871. It is the third most traded currency in the world after the dollar and the euro.

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