General Knowledge Quiz 2013

Need a fun activity for your ESL class? This 2013 general knowledge quiz is perfect for those lazy days or for end of term activity. It is a round-up of all the eventful things that happened in 2013. The categories are:

• Music/Celebrity
• Sport
• General
• History/Politics

Level: Intermediate, upper-intermediate and advanced.

Time: 60 minutes.

1. Which city in America filed for bankruptcy?

Answer: Detroit

2. Several leading supermarket chains across the U.K. discovered their frozen beef meals contained what?

Answer: Horse meat

3. Doctors in the U.S.A. made medical history when they treated and cured a baby for what disease?

Answer: HIV

4. What unexpected event occurred in central Russia, injuring over a 1000 people?

Answer: A meteorite entered the atmosphere at a speed of 333,000 mph

5. In a car park in Leicester, England the remains of a skeleton were found. The bones are believed to belong to whom?

Answer: King Richard III, who was killed in battle in 1485.

6. Super Typhoon Haiyan was one of the strongest storms recorded on the planet. What country was worst affected by it?

Answer: The Philippines

7. What did Google’s "Project Loon" involve?

Answer: It involved sending up lots of giant balloons into the sky to transmit internet access to remote regions around the globe.

8. What was the highest grossing movie of 2013?

Answer: Iron Man 3

9. Shoppers in an Ikea store in Canada were surprised to see a _________ walking around wearing a coat and nappy.

Answer: Monkey

10. Which country suffered one of the worst modern day industrial accidents in a garment factory with a death toll of over 1000 people?

Answer: Bangladesh

1. At the Honda Classic in Palm Beach, why did golfer Rory Mc Ilroy quit the game during the second round?

Answer: He had a toothache

2. One of Britain’s most famous football managers retired from the sport in 2013. His rap sheets includes: 26 years, 13 domestic league titles, 2 European Champions League crowns, 5 FA Cups and 4 League Cups. What was his name?

Answer: Alex Ferguson

3. What role model and hero admitted to taking performance enhancing drugs on the Oprah Winfrey show?

Answer: Lance Armstrong

4. In 2013 a European team won 14 of its 16 league games as well as qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League. What was the name of this team?

Answer: Bayern Munich

5. "The Little Master," as he is affectionately known, was the richest cricket player and the highest run scorer in both the five-day and limited-overs formats. After 200 Test matches, 100 international centuries, he retired. Who was he?

Answer: Sachin Tendulkar

6. Who is South Africa’s ‘Blade Runner’ and what was he accused of?

Answer: Oscar Pistorius was accused of murder

7. After 19 years in Major League, 652 saves and serving as the Yankees' closer for 17 seasons, baseball’s greatest closer retires. What was his name?

Answer: Mariano Riveira

8. A famous boxer returns something to his old opponent in a Footlocker advert. Who was it and what does he return?

Answer: Mike Tyson returns Evander Holyfield’s ear.

9. Who won the Rugby World Cup 2013?

Answer: Australia

10. Who won Wimbledon 2013?

Answer: Andy Murray, a British man.

1. What was odd about Beyoncé’s performance for President Obama’s second inauguration?

Answer: She was lip-syncing

2. Which country did Dennis Rodman visit to train basketball players?

Answer: North Korea

3. Name the duo that had an incredibly successful song in 2013? They are a French group that have never revealed their identities because they always wear masks.

Answer: Daft Punk, Get Lucky

4. Who were the 2 most pirated musicians of 2013?

Answer: Rihanna and Bruno Mars

5. This famous actor died of a heart attack. He was best known for playing the part in a hit show called the Soprano’s. What was his character called and what was his real name?

Answer: James Gandolfini played the part of Tony Soprano

6. What is the name of the royal baby who was born in 2013?

Answer: Prince George

7. This musician was well known for his influential work with the rock group The Velvet Underground and the song ‘Walk on the Wild Side.’ He died that year, who was he?

Answer: Lou Reed

8. What brave, but shocking decision did Angelina Jolie make?

Answer: The decision to have a double mastectomy

9. What famous actress, known for her role as Batwoman, tied the knot in France?

Answer: Halle Berry

10. What is the Harlem Shake?

Answer: It’s an internet meme in the form of a video. The participants perform a comedy sketch which is accompanied by a song.

1. What famous British politician and ex-prime minister died in 2013?

Answer: Margaret Thatcher

2. In 2013 Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger resigned from his job as Pope. Who took over?

Answer: Pope Francis

3. What was the name of the whistleblower who revealed some of the biggest intelligence secrets in the history of America's NSA?

Answer: Edward Snowden

4. Tamerlan Tsarnaev and his brother Dzokhar are infamous for what?

Answer: The Boston Marathon Bombing

5. Senator John McCain was doing what during a 3 hour congressional hearing on whether to bomb the Assad regime in Syria?

a) Listening intently b) Sleeping c) Texting d) Playing poker on his phone

Answer: Playing poker on his phone

6. What man passed away in 2013 after devoting his life to the fight against apartheid?

Answer: Nelson Mandela

7. What controversial leader of a Latin American country died of cancer in this year?

Answer: Hugo Chavez of Venezuela

8. Barack Obama, David Cameron and Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt were caught doing what at Nelson Mandela’s funeral?

Answer: Taking a selfie (a photograph of themselves)

9. Mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford, admitted to doing what?

Answer: Smoking crack cocaine

10. What country in Latin America elected a female president in 2013?

Answer: Chile

Fun Quiz for ESL Students. This is a quiz with a difference. It's quirky and entertaining. It's designed to get your ESL students talking and having fun. It will also give you, the teacher, a break from the old routine.

What on earth happened in 2014? Find out with this entertaining general knowledge 2014 Quiz. It's packed with loads of questions that will last an entire class (60 minutes).