The Wall Street Journal Weekly Quiz
Answer Key
Covering front-page articles from Feb 14 – 18, 2005
Developed by: Scott R. Homan Ph.D., Purdue University
1. The boards of Verizon Communications Inc. and MCI Inc. last night approved the
acquisition of the nation's No. 2 long-distance carrier for about $________ in cash, shares
and dividends
a. 1 million
b. 6 million
c. 6.8 billion Correct
d. 600 billion
2. Identify which company launched its own bid for MCI before the weekend, and who
could still try to break up any deal between MCI and Verizon.
a. Sprint Corp
b. Nextel Communications Inc
c. AT&T Corp
d. Qwest Communications International Inc Correct
3. More middle-class American workers are choosing to enroll their children in _________funded health-insurance programs.
a. parent
b. taxpayer Correct
c. workplace
d. grandparent
4. Private health insurance premiums may rise as people enter the public insurance system
since the public system often ________ providers who pass costs back to consumers
a. cancels
b. denies
c. overpays
d. underpays Correct
5. Japan claims ownership of Okinotori Shima, an uninhabited coral reef that sits isolated in
the deep blue Pacific Ocean 1,100 miles south of Tokyo. What country also wants to claim
ownership of Okinotori Shima?
a. China Correct
b. Korea
c. North Korea
d. Russia
6. For years, Japan has called Okinotori an island, which allows Japan to claim not only
sovereignty but also exclusive economic control of waters extending out ______.
a. 3 miles
b. 1 mile
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WSJ Answer Key: Page 1 of 5
c. 100 miles
d. 230 miles Correct
7. In New Jersey four years ago Domino's Pizza store managers were leaving every
________ months.
a. 36 to 42
b. 20 to 26
c. 1 to 2
d. 3 to 6 Correct
8. Without a steady boss, workers who answered phones, made pizzas and delivered orders
had a turnover rate as high as _____ % a year.
a. 120
b. 50
c. 20
d. 300 Correct
9. Congress sent President Bush a landmark bill that will reshape the American legal
landscape by making it easier for defendants to move many multi-state class actions into
_______ court.
a. traffic
b. local
c. state appeals
d. federal Correct
10. The ______ lobby, has spent millions of dollars in a seven-year campaign to prevent
plaintiffs' lawyers from shopping among local jurisdictions in search of big awards.
a. business Correct
b. retail
c. consumer
d. legal industry
11. Lawrence H. Summers was hired more than three years ago to retool Harvard for the
21st century. The former Treasury secretary has found the hierarchical management style
common in corporations and cabinet agencies to be a ______ for a storied university.
a. great change
b. welcomed change
c. perfect fit
d. tough fit Correct
12. Lawrence H. Summers has met strong resistance from the _____________.
a. students
b. alumni
c. board of directors
d. Harvard faculty Correct
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Questions 13 – 17 from Marketplace, Section B
13. J.C. Penney Co. will set out to better target the tastes of middle-income ____.
a. children between ages 2 and 16
b. men between ages 50 and 70
c. women between ages 15 and 25
d. women between ages 35 and 54 Correct
14. With the demise of long-distance stalwarts MCI and AT&T, most agree that SBC and
Verizon will turn into nationwide giants that will go to battle against ____ companies.
a. internet phone
b. radio
c. movie
d. cable TV Correct
15. Mr. Sampath's Mercora Inc. helps people swap free music with each other with what he
calls ________.
a. peer-to-client TV
b. client to client TV
c. client to client radio
d. peer-to-peer radio Correct
16. According to Walter Mossberg of the WSJ those who use their computers
overwhelmingly for common, mainstream consumer tasks such as e-mail, instant messaging
and Web browsing; word processing, spreadsheets and presentations; working with photos,
home videos and digital music; and playing and creating CDs and DVDs. Should consider
using a ______ computer.
a. Windows XP
b. Unix
c. Linux
d. Macintosh Correct
17. Name the company that compiles and sells private records on Americans who recently
sold information to an identity-theft ring.
a. WeScamU Inc
b. NoChoice Inc
c. ChoicePoint Inc Correct
d. BadChoices Inc
Questions 18 – 22 from Money & Investing, Section C
18. Typically January is a time when retirement money and other new cash floods ___the
investment market.
a. among
b. thru
c. out of
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d. into Correct
19. The January retail-sales figures are to come out today and economists think that as long
as car sales don't get counted in the box score, the news will be ____.
a. good Correct
b. bad
c. average
d. critical
20. Gillette CEO James Kilts is slated to receive an over $______ million pay package for
having offloaded the razor maker to Procter & Gamble.
a. 5
b. 10
c. 50
d. 170 Correct
21. Generally the cost of imported goods in the U.S. has been ____.
a. decreasing dramatically
b. staying exactly the same
c. falling
d. rising Correct
22. Raymond James economist Scott Brown thinks that consumer surveys ___.
a. aren't very confusing
b. are very confusing
c. are very useful
d. aren't very useful Correct
Questions 23 – 25 from Personal Journal, Section D
23. From 1983 to 2000, the National Transportation Safety Board investigated 26 major
commercial accidents involving 2,739 people. ______ % of the passengers survived.
a. 36
b. 50
c. 56 Correct
d. 75
24. A new generation of artists and gallery owners wants you to think of flat screen TV’s as
_____.
a. art deco sculptures
b. boring design elements
c. dust collectors
d. picture frames Correct
25. In photography SLR stands for _______
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WSJ Answer Key: Page 4 of 5
a. Standard long return
b. Standard-lens relay
c. Six-lens reducing
d. Single-lens reflex Correct
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