1. Toyota is recalling 412,000 cars in the United States. The majority of the cars recalled are which model?

A. Prius

B. Camry

C. FJ Cruiser

D. Avalon

2. Philanthropist Donald Shiley died recently at the age of 90. Shiley is best known as the man who invented an

A. Artificial cornea

B. Artificial heart valve

C. Artificial knee joint

D. Internal medication pump

3. The San Diego City Council has agreed to a ballot measure that would increase the sales tax by one half-cent on each dollar. The council wants the increase to pay for:

A. Convention center expansion

B. Downtown library

C. Loss of revenues forcing budget cuts

D. Downtown football stadium

4. Which popular senior-citizen celebrity will be pitching changes in health-care laws in a series of cable-TV ads funded by Medicare?

A. Angela Lansbury

B. Robert Wagner

C. Morgan Freeman

D. Andy Griffith

5. Who recently said in an interview, “’I started 22 years ago on something that nobody really wanted to know about except a few people who thought it was pretty crazy”?

A. Al Gore

B. Sean Penn

C. Prince Charles

D. Jane Fonda

6. The FDA has approved a bid by cloning company Geron to begin the first trial using embryonic stem cells on humans. The trial will be for the possible treatment of what?

A. Lung cancer

B. Brain damage

C. Advanced arthritis

D. Spinal cord injuries

7. On July 30, three convicted murderers escaped from a medium-security prison in which state?

A. Arizona

B. California

C. Nevada

D. Tennessee

8. Which retailer is reviving the Depression-era practice of a “Christmas Club” that allows shoppers to set aside money for holiday purchases?

A. Walmart

B. Macy’s

C. Sears

D. Target

9. Oceanside’s planning commission is considering a proposal to restrict Oceanside’s South Pacific Street, which would restrict

A. Beach access

B. Signs

C. Building height

D. Residential occupancy

10. Who said that Arizona governor Jan Brewer “has the cojones that our president does not have to look out for all Americans”?

A. Carly Fiorina

B. Sarah Palin

C. Ann Coulter

D. Meg Whitman

11. State senator Roderick Wright (D-Inglewood) says that California could ease its budget problems if the state could

A. Legalize betting on sports

B. Legalize marijuana

C. Legalize prostitution

D. Sell advertising on district school buses

12. UCSD has announced that a team of researchers has developed an implantable glucose sensor for diabetics after successful trials with what animal?

A. Dogs

B. Pigs

C. Chimpanzees

D. Sheep

13. Commercial real estate tracker Reis reported that out of 82 major markets surveyed, office rents fell 1.5 percent between the first and second quarter of this year in which part of California?

A. Orange County

B. Contra Costa County

C. Riverside County

D. San Diego County

14. County supervisor Pam Slater-Price was fined $2000 by the California Fair Political Practices Commission for various ethics violations during a three-year period. What is she accused of?

A. Accepting campaign contributions beyond the individual limit

B. Fixing traffic tickets issued by sheriff’s deputies

C. Giving preferential treatment to bids on public works from supporters

D. Accepting tickets to entertainment events without reporting them

15. Which rare disease has appeared in Florida this summer?

A. Dengue fever

B. Yellow fever

C. Sleeping sickness

D. Hansen’s disease (leprosy)

16. Sempra Energy announced that during the second quarter of 2010, its profits

A. Increased 5 percent

B. Increased 8 percent

C. Increased 12 percent

D. Dropped

17. Michael James Dodd, a 59-year-old American, was extradited from Cambodia to Los Angeles in order to stand trial in federal court. What is Dodd accused of?

A. Conspiring with the Cambodian government against the U.S.

B. Drug trafficking

C. Importing weapons

D. Sex tourism targeted at minors

18. Los Angeles city councilman Richard Alarcon was indicted by a grand jury when it was discovered that he

A. Did not report gifts of Lakers game tickets

B. Fraudulently listed his residence as being in Panorama City

C. Did not report illegal aliens on household staff

D. Was running a prostitution ring

19. Which independent government agency reported a second-quarter loss of $3.5 billion and forecasts a cash shortfall throughout the remainder of the year?

A. The U.S. Postal Service

B. NASA

C. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

D. The National Transportation Safety Board

20. Goodtimes Amusements, a Pennsylvania company that operates carnivals, yanked a game after a Massachusetts woman visiting a local fair was offended by it. What did the game consist of?

A. Being blindfolded and pinning a condom on an image of Tiger Woods

B. Shooting water to inflate balloons placed over the breasts of celebrity women

C. A “Going Postal” challenge to see who can shoot down the most workers in a simulated post office

D. Shooting darts at an image of President Obama

ANSWERS

1. D, Avalon

2. B, Artificial heart valve

3. C, Loss of revenues forcing budget cuts

4. D, Andy Griffith

5. C, Prince Charles

6. D, Spinal cord injuries

7. A, Arizona

8. C, Sears

9. C, Building height

10. B, Sarah Palin

11. A, Legalize betting on sports

12. B, Pigs

13. A, Orange County

14. D, Accepting tickets

15. A, Dengue fever

16. C, Dropped

17. D, Sex tourism

18. B, Fraudulently listed his residence as being in Panorama City

19. A, The U.S. Postal Service

20. D, Shooting darts at an image of President Obama