Q 01/05

How many continents are there on Earth?

A) 3

B) 7

C) 15

D) 30

Answer · why

B) 7

7 continents is the count most English-speaking schools teach, but much of Latin America teaches six, counting North and South America as one.

Q 02/05

Which explorer named the Pacific Ocean, meaning 'peaceful', after finding its waters calm?

A) Christopher Columbus

B) Ferdinand Magellan

C) James Cook

D) Vasco da Gama

Answer · why

B) Ferdinand Magellan

Ferdinand Magellan didn't finish the trip: he was killed in battle in the Philippines in 1521, and his crew completed the first voyage around the worl...

Q 03/05

Which is the smallest US state by area?

A) Connecticut

B) Rhode Island

C) Hawaii

D) New Jersey

Answer · why

B) Rhode Island

Rhode Island is the smallest state, and in 2020, 53% of its voters chose to drop 'and Providence Plantations' from its long official name.

Q 04/05

Which US state is the biggest by area?

A) Texas

B) Alaska

C) California

D) Montana

Answer · why

B) Alaska

Alaska was sold to the US in 1867 for $7.2 million because its owner feared Britain would seize the hard-to-defend land in a future war.

Q 05/05

Which is the longest river in the world?

A) Congo

B) Yangtze

C) Nile

D) Mississippi

Answer · why

C) Nile

The Nile is usually ranked the longest river, though some measurements favor the Amazon; its yearly floods left rich soil that let ancient Egyptians f...