It's a quiz and a discussion trigger - and one of the most popular and eagerly awaited newsthink resources. High-quality press photographs jog the memory of the past year's news stories. Multiple choice, not entirely serious, questions are provided for a fast-moving and, sometimes, funny quiz. The pictures and stories can also be used to encourage open discussion, moving to the next question only when conversation falters.
There are two versions of the quiz powerpoint:
A recommended way to use the quiz is to divide a group into two teams, each with a captain.
For questions 1 and 2 – the fact questions – allow short conferring among the team, before taking an answer from the captain.
You can use question 3 – the argument question – methodically each time, or just drop it in randomly to create the right tempo for the group.
Ask the team captain to nominate a team member to answer each argument question. No repeated nominations of the same person should be allowed. Award points, say a mark out of ten, for the response. Or ask the opposing team to do the scoring and judge, fairly, how well their competitors dealt with the question. Ask students to bear in mind that a thoughtful and well-argued reply can be worth points, even if you don't agree with it. Then open up the discussion further.
Important note: The quiz takes a light-hearted approach. It is meant to be fun as well as educational. However, because it is news-related it refers to events that have badly affected very many people. Try to keep in mind the people behind the stories, even while enjoying the fun and argument of the quiz.
Round 1
©Info1 Why are these two men on a bike?
a They are just setting off on a round-the-world-on-a-tandem fundraising trip for charity.
b They are part of the protest movement ‘Occupy the Pavement’ which believes bankers should give up their expensive cars and pedal to work.
c They are using a fixed bicycle to generate power so people in part of New York without electricity following Hurricane Sandy can charge their phones. Correct
2 Hurricane Sandy struck the poorest country and the wealthiest country in the region. What are they?
a Haiti and the United States of America. Correct
b Liberia and Luxembourg.
c Puerto Cheapo and Costa Packet.
3 Argument
Imagine a disaster left you with no electricity, no water and no public transport. Who would be most helpful to you - aid agencies, neighbours, or your own friends and family? Why?
Round 2
©Info1 The woman with an eye-patch, Marie Colvin, died this year. Who was she and what happened?
a She was an experienced war reporter who was killed by shelling in Syria. Correct
b She was a volunteer medical worker who contracted cholera in Haiti.
c She was a needs assessor for an aid agency who died in severe flooding in Nigeria.
2 Which of the following groups are not specially protected by international law during armed conflicts?
a Prisoners of war, and injured or shipwrecked soldiers.
b Celebrities, members of the royal family and special operations forces. Correct
c Civilians, medical teams and other non-combatants including journalists.
3 Argument
How important is it that photographers and journalists provide accurate, impartial reports from war zones? Say who might suffer, and how, if they did not.
Round 3
©Info1 What is happening in this picture?
a A sprinter passes in front of a veteran athlete practising the new Olympic sport of chairobics.
b A double act perform in front of Her Majesty the Queen during the diamond jubilee celebrations.
c An athlete knocks over an official during the men's triple jump final at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Correct
2 This summer's Olympic and Paralympic games were regarded as safe and successful. How was this achieved?
a A lot of planning and co-ordination. Correct
b Hardly anybody turned up.
c Only well-behaved people managed to get tickets.
3 Argument
Bringing people together for massive sporting events is risky, disruptive and expensive. Therefore it should only happen in venues far away from where people live. Agree or disagree? Give reasons.
Round 4
©Info1 What is happening at this football game?
a The players and officials have just found someone refusing to wear a ‘Kick It Out’ t-shirt.
b Fabrice Muamba - Bolton Wanderers and England under-21 midfielder - has just suffered a cardiac arrest. Correct
c A manager has swallowed his chewing gum.
2 Whilst someone is calling 999, what can you do to help a person who is unconscious and not breathing?
a Push firmly on the person's chest to the beat of Staying Alive. Correct
b Wave the person's arm in the air to the beat of Gangnam Style.
c Wobble the person's stomach to the beat of Good Vibrations.
3 Argument
Why was Fabrice Muamba's collapse and recovery so deeply emotional for so many people? Give as many reasons as you can think of.
Round 5
©Info1 What does this picture show?
a Exceptional flooding that deluged city parks and bombarded large buildings.
b Sightseers from a memorial cruise viewing the wreck of the Titanic which sank on its maiden voyage one hundred years ago.
c Holidaymakers on a beach near the wreck of the cruise liner Costa Concordia that ran aground off the Italian coast. Correct
2 There were more than 4,000 passengers on the stricken ship. The nearby island of Giglio has just 700 inhabitants. How did those inhabitants respond as survivors came ashore?
a They put up ‘no vacancies’ signs in the hotels and politely suggested that people move on to somewhere bigger.
b They rang the 24-hour emergency travel agent service.
c They stayed up all night, offering warm drinks and food, providing blankets, clothes and shelter where they could. Correct
3 Argument
Improved safety measures introduced on cruises include safety evacuation training for passengers. Do you think nervous passengers would be reassured? Say why.
Round 6
©Info1 What are these people doing?
a Trying to find a sandwich that fell out of their picnic hamper.
b Watching a flotilla of hundreds of boats sailing down the Thames as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Correct
c Taking part in a scientific study to test whether hours and hours of continuous rain actually does dampen anyone's spirit.
2 Which of the following was a spectacle of the Diamond Jubilee weekend?
a Over four thousand corgis were given a free balloon ride from John o' Groats to Land's End.
b Over four thousand celebrity lookalikes of Her Majesty the Queen attended a service at Westminster Abbey.
c Over four thousand beacons were lit in the UK and around the world. Correct
3 Argument
What long-lasting, wider benefits are possible when communities come together to celebrate in street parties or local events? Name something from your own experience, or that you have heard from others.
Important legal note
The photographs supplied with this quiz are fully protected by copyright.
A license for educational use for each photograph has been acquired by the education unit of the British Red Cross. This allows schools and other educational organisations to use them freely, without payment, as part of the quiz package. The licence does not extend beyond this use.
This means that anyone wishing to put the images on a website, crop or edit them, or use them in any other way than for the quiz, must first contact the copyright holder and negotiate a licence for the use they require.
Picture agencies take violation of licences very seriously. Some charge punitive damages for unauthorised use of copyright photographs – in some cases up to five times the standard licence fee.
If you are unsure whether your proposed use is acceptable, please contact the copyright holder. The British Red Cross will be unable to assist anyone who violates the terms of the licence.
This quiz was written by PJ White and produced in December 2012.
