CLIMATE CHANGE 1. The most widely discussed global impact of climate change is: a. Deforestation b. Increase in the average sea level c. Soil erosion 2. Though Americans make up just 4 percent of the world’s population, we produce ____ of the carbon dioxide pollution from fossil-fuel burning – by far the largest share of any country. a. 25 percent b. 8 percent c. 15 percent 3. According to the U.S. Global Change Research Program, the temperature in the U.S. has increased by _____ in the last 50 years. a. 5 degrees b. 10 degrees c. 2 degrees SOCIAL MEDIA 1. What year did Facebook introduce the “Like” button? a. 2008 b. 2009 c. 2010 2. What is the fastest growing age demographic on Twitter? a. 25-32 b. 33-54 c. 55-64 3. In the United States, government regulation of speech, regardless of how offensive or hateful, is generally held to be unconstitutional under the ___Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. a. Fourteenth b. First  c. Fourth Note: Visit sgap.org for the answers.

Student Loan Debt Q: Which student loan payment plan allows you to stick with one monthly payment amount until your loans are repaid?

1. Income-based repayment
2. Pay As You Earn
3. The standard 10-year repayment plan

Q: Where can student borrowers find out how much and what kind of federal loans they’ve borrowed?

1. A college’s net price calculator
2. The National Student Loan Data System
3. Their tax return

Q: A student borrower’s monthly loan payments eat up one-quarter of her paycheck, and she works in a public service job. What might be the best repayment option for her?

1. Public Service Loan Forgiveness
2. Entering forbearance
3. Income-contingent repayment

Q: The Pay As You Earn plan caps payments at __ percent of discretionary income and forgives remaining debt after __ years.

5. 5.5 percent, 15 years
6. 8 percent, 10 years
7. 10 percent, 20 years

ISIS – Syria Q: The Syrian population is about 90% Muslim, mostly from which sect?

1. Kurd
2. Shia
3. Sunni

Q: Syria gained independence from French control in what year?

1. 1872
2. 1946
3. 1957

Q: In March 2013, ISIS took over which Syrian city?

1. Raqqa
2. Damascus
3. Mosul

Q: In what year did Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS, change the name of his group from ISI to ISIS to include Syria?

1. 2001
2. 2013
3. 2011

(Note: Answers are in Bold Type.)

Minimum Wage Issue Q: When was the last time the federal minimum wage was raised?

1. 2012
2. 2009 (correct)
3. 2006

Q: What’s the federal minimum wage for tipped employees, such as waiters and waitresses, nail salon workers and parking attendants?

2. $2.13 (correct)
3. $4.40
4. $6.54

Q: What’s the average age of a minimum-wage earner?

1. 21
2. 28
3. 35 (correct)

  High-Speed Rail Issue Q: The first high-speed rail system was launched in Japan in what year?

1. 1964 (correct)
2. 1981
3. 1998

Q: California’s high-speed rail will be capable of speeds of more than ___ miles per hour?

1. 160
2. 200 (correct)
3. 350

Q: How much of their income does the average U.S. household spend on transportation?

1. 9%
2. 18% (correct)
3. 29%

Restore the Oath of Allegiance Act: Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress the power to establish a uniform rule of naturalization throughout the United States. Once Congress sets those laws in place the Executive Branch, specifically U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, is tasked with carrying out those laws based on the power granted to them in Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution. Q: According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services approximately how many immigrants become naturalized citizens each year?

• 500,270
• 680,000
• 720,300

Q: What is the number one barrier to becoming a U.S. Citizen for the 8.5 million immigrants who are eligible to do so?

• The amount of time it takes to go through the process
• The amount of money it takes to become a citizen
• An issue with a language barrier

Debt Ceiling: Article I, Section 9 of the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the “power of the purse.” This means that Congress alone has the ability to tax and spend public money to pay for the national government and all that includes. Q: When spending bills are introduced they have to originate in a specific House, according to the U.S. Constitution.  Which House would this be?

• The White House
• The House of Representatives
• The Senate

Q: When was the last time this country was free of public debt?

• 1836
• 1916
• 1993

Answers: Restore the Oath of Allegiance Act: Q: According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services approximately how many immigrants become naturalized citizens each year? A: Approximately 680,000 immigrants become naturalized citizens each year. It can vary from year to year, for instance, in 2014 654,949 people were naturalized and in 2013 777,416 people were naturalized. Q: What is the number one barrier to becoming a U.S. Citizen for the 8.5 million immigrants who are eligible to do so? A: The number one barrier to becoming a U.S. citizen is a language barrier. Although the $680 application fee is another commonly cited reason.   Debt Ceiling: Q: When spending bills are introduced they have to originate in a specific House, according to the U.S. Constitution.  Which House would this be? A: According to the U.S. Constitution spending bills have to originate in the House of Representatives and then go to the Senate for approval.   Q: When was the last time this country was free of public debt? A: There were three straight years of no public debt from 1834 through 1836.