Current Events

1. Current Events CNN Student News

2. 8/22/12: Answer all parts of each question. This week, you will have to answer 4 out of the 5 questions • Why has the U.S. Coast Guard closed part of the Mississippi River? How has traffic on the river been affected by this closure? What might be the impact of this closure on the local and national economy? • Why did Diana Nyad stop her swim from Cuba to Florida? How far did she get? According to the program, what challenges did Nyad face in the water? If you could interview Nyad before and after her swim, what questions would you ask her? • What accomplishment did 14-year-old swimmer Annaleise Carr make recently? Why did she take on this challenge? How might swimming long distances in a lake compare and contrast to swimming in the ocean? • According to the program: What accomplishments might indicate that President Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney are each qualified to be president? What have critics said about these two candidates? What qualities are you looking for in the next president of the United States? Do either (or both) of these men meet your criteria? Explain. • How did a car accident a decade ago affect University of Texas track and field coach Beverly Kearney? How did Kearney react to this accident? What qualities do you think allowed Kearney to persevere despite the challenges she faced? What did you think about the way she faced these challenges?

3. 8/29/12: Answer all parts of each question. This week, you will have to answer 4 out of the 5 questions • What events were scheduled for the Republican National Convention yesterday? What is a delegate? How does a person become a delegate to a political convention? Why might someone want to become a delegate? • According to the program, what event has been called "the single most catastrophic natural disaster in U.S. history"? How did this disaster affect the Gulf region? How would you prepare if you knew a storm was coming to your home state? • What historic achievement did golfer Lydia Ko accomplish recently? In the report, what did Ko and others say about her accomplishment? What was your opinion about it? What impact might people have on a sport when they excel at it at a young age? • What world record does Paralympian Matt Stutzman hold? What does Stutzman say about competing for America in these games? What was your reaction to Stutzman's accomplishments and interview? If you could ask Stutzman a two questions, what would you ask him? • With the election coming up, what issues do you think need to be fixed in this country? If you were running for president, what are some ways you might raise money to pay for your campaign? If you could ask one of the candidates for president two questions, what would you ask?

4. 9/5/12: Answer all parts of each question. This week, you will have to answer 2 out of the 4 questions. • What events were scheduled for the Democratic National Convention yesterday? Do you think that undecided voters are influenced by political conventions? Explain. Why do you think that the candidates' wives, Ann Romney and Michelle Obama, spoke at this year's political conventions? What kind of impact might they have? • How would you define the American middle class? According to a recent survey: How do many Americans currently define the middle class? How and why has this definition changed since 1991? Why do you think that the concept of a middle class is important to many Americans? • According to the program: What change has Harrods department store made in its toy department? Why has Harrods made this change? What have critics said about the change? How might consumers -- adults and children -- react to this change? What is your opinion? • How might a survey about the middle class be presented differently by different organizations (such as news media or political groups)?

5. 9/17/12: Answer all parts of each question. This week, you will have to answer 2 out of the 4 questions. • How did Americans mark yesterday's anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks? What were some of the things said during these events? What do you think are some other ways in which Americans can remember 9/11? • What is a recession? How would you define an economic recovery? According to the report, what are some possible reasons why the current recovery is slow? What, if anything, do you think could be done to address these issues? Explain. • What are some of the organisms on a new list of the 100 most endangered species? What are some reasons why these species are endangered? What do you think might be the challenges of trying to save these species? What do you think might happen if these species go extinct? • How does CNN Hero Marlo Manning help dog owners? Why does she do it? What benefits can dogs provide to people? If you could create a charity for pets, what would be your organization's goal?

6. 9/11/12: Answer all parts of each question. This week, you will have to answer 2 out of the 4 questions. • What is foreign policy? Why might foreign policy be important to a government and its citizens? What are some foreign policy issues facing America right now? How might a candidate's positions on foreign policy factor into an election? • According to the report, how do President Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney differ on issues regarding Afghanistan? What is your opinion of their positions on these issues? What do you think should be done regarding the war in Afghanistan? • In American politics, what is a swing state? According to the segment: Why are swing states important in U.S. presidential elections? What are some swing states in this year's race for the White House? Why might presidential campaigns schedule events in both swing states and non-swing states? • What were the results of a new study on obesity in the U.S.? What do you think makes this issue newsworthy? Do you think action should be taken in response to this report? If so, what? If not, why not? • How and why are scientists controlling Madagascar hissing cockroaches? How might integrating computers with other organisms be useful for humans? What might be some of the ethical concerns regarding this kind of research? What is your opinion of it?

7. 9/24/12: Answer all parts of each question. This week, you will have to answer 3 out of the 4 questions. When you are done read quietly. • What is ROTC? In the report, what do people say about Harvard's ROTC program? What do you think might be the benefits and challenges of joining an ROTC program? Would you consider joining one? Why or why not? • What photos did some people take to illustrate the first day of fall for a CNN iReport assignment? What are some signs of changing seasons where you live? If you could take one photo to represent the current climate where you live, what would be the subject of your photo, and why? • What does a new study suggest about teen driving? What might be some possible reasons for the study's findings? What do you think could be done to improve driving safety? • Who is Reece Holloway? How has he overcome adversity to play the sport he loves? How has he excelled at it? Who is Holloway's favorite Major League Baseball player? How did this player react to Holloway's story? How would you react if you met a famous person you admire? What questions would you ask him or her?

8. 9/24/12: Answer all parts of each question. This week, you will have to answer 3 out of the 5 questions. When you are done read quietly. • What were some of the memorable presidential debate moments seen in today's program? According to the report, how did the first televised presidential debate "signal a new era" for candidates? • What is a "gaffe"? Why do you think that so much attention is focused on gaffes and one-liners in televised debates? How important do you think verbal mistakes and memorable one-liners are in a debate? • Do you plan to watch tonight's debate? If so, what will you be looking or listening for? If not, why not? • What is the class in the video hoping to learn from the message in a bottle that they found? What would you want to know about the bottle or the person who wrote its message? • What sport would Jenson Daniel like to participate in at his school? Why was he benched this year? Where do Jenson and his teammates stand on this? How have they responded? Do you think that Jenson should be allowed to play on the girls' team? Why or why not?

9. 10/8/12: Answer all parts of each question. This week, you will have to answer 3 out of the 4 questions. When you are done read quietly. • What is the jobs number for September? According to experts, how many jobs need to be added each month to keep up with population growth? What is the current U.S. unemployment rate? What factors might influence both the jobs number and the unemployment rate? • What does a scientist say about the physical characteristics of a newly-described dinosaur? What do you think can be learned from fossils? Is this information useful today? Explain. • Would you pay to promote a post you made on social media? If so, how much? If not, why not? What do you think might be the arguments for and against this feature? • What is NASCAR? What is the purpose of NASCAR's "Drive for Diversity" program? What is your opinion of this program? What might be the benefits and challenges of being a trailblazer in a sport?

10. 10/17/12: Answer all parts of each question. This week, you will have to answer 2 out of the 4 questions. When you are done read quietly. • Describe the format of last night's presidential debate. How was it different from the first debate? How do you think this debate format impacted the way the candidates delivered their messages? • Did you watch last night's debate? If so, who do you think won? If not, why didn't you watch? • Who is Hillary Clinton? What did she say about who should be held accountable for security at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya? How did a group of Senate Republicans respond to her statement? What are your thoughts about her statement? • What feat was Chuck Yeager the first to accomplish? Why did he say this accomplishment was significant for the U.S.? • If you had to name a toy the "best" of all time, what would it be? Why?

11. 10/22/12: Answer all parts of each question. This week, you will have to answer 4 out of the 6 questions. When you are done read quietly. • What is currently happening in the country of Lebanon? Where is this country located? • What neighbor of Lebanon has experienced civil war in recent months? Why do you think there is concern about unrest spreading to Lebanon? • What is meant by the term "canonization"? According to the report, why was the Catholic Church's recent canonization announcement significant, especially for Catholics in the U.S.? • What special event is the Muslim world observing this week? Who makes this journey? What is the destination for this event? • What is the topic of tonight's final presidential debate? What kinds of issues could come up under that topic? • In your opinion, what are the challenges for both former Governor Romney and President Obama in this final debate? If you could ask each candidate a question about foreign policy, what would it be? How would you like each candidate to answer your question?

12. 10/31/12: Answer all parts of each question. This week, you will have to answer 3 out of the 5 questions. When you are done read quietly. • What have been some of the effects from the storm Sandy? What are the likely priorities for officials who are dealing with the aftermath of this storm? What issues are they likely to address once their priorities are resolved? • According to CNN's Tom Foreman, what happens when high winds travel through a city? Do you think that businesses, residents and city officials could do anything to lessen the potential damage from high winds? If so, what? If not, why not? • According to the video, what are some of the main points of President Obama's and former Governor Romney's positions on the U.S. economy? Do you support either of these positions? Explain. • How is a baseball team president in Japan trying to increase attendance at his team's games? What do you think of his efforts? Can you think of other ways to boost attendance at sporting events? How might a team's success impact its attendance? Can you think of any exceptions? Explain. • According to the report, why does high school sophomore Chy Johnson say she was bullied? How did some of the school's football players respond to a request by Chy's mother? What else do you think students could do to support classmates with disabilities? What is your opinion of this story?

13. 11/7/12: Answer all parts of each question. This week, you will have to answer 3 out of the 4 questions. When you are done read quietly. • What were the results of yesterday's presidential election? Did anything about the outcome surprise you? Explain. Did you make any predictions about the presidential election? If so, were you right? • Which party won the most seats in the House of Representatives? Which party won the most in the Senate? Why is control of each of these chambers of Congress important? What does the term "balance of power" mean? • What is the name of the top office in state government? How many of these offices were up for election last night? Can you think of any responsibilities of state governments? Why do you think that state elections are important? • Do you think that it's important to vote? Why or why not? What do you think are some reasons why some people choose not to vote? In your opinion, are any of these good reasons? Explain

14. 11/14/12: Answer all parts of each question. This week, you will have to answer 3 out of the 4 questions. When you are done read quietly. • What do you know about the conflict in Syria? What happened to Abdulrahman, the Syrian boy featured in the report? How did Abdulrahman and his brother escape from Syria? What do you think will be their next actions? If you could interview these brothers, what questions would you ask them? • What is unique about Venice, Italy? What natural disaster struck the city recently? How might a tourist react differently to this kind of disaster than a resident of the city? • What are some positions in the U.S. presidential Cabinet? What criteria do you think a president might use when nominating members of the Cabinet? Other than the vice president, how do members of the Cabinet get their jobs? Why do you think that the Founding Fathers set up this method of selection, known as "advice and consent"? • What medical condition affects Hakam Daley? According to the program, what adversity has he faced? What was he nominated for at his school? What happened afterward? What was your reaction to this story?

15. 1/10/13: Answer all parts of each question. This week, you will have to answer 3 out of the 4 questions. When you are done read quietly. • What viewpoints are being sought by a U.S. government task force that's trying to reduce gun violence? What different perspectives do you think that Vice President Biden's task force will hear in these meetings? If you were invited to one of these meetings, what contributions would you make? • What do you know about your state's government? What are some duties of a state legislature? How might these duties compare and contrast with those of the federal government? Why do you think that this multi-tiered system of government was created? What do you think might be the pros and cons of this system? • What was significant about this year's Baseball Hall of Fame selection? According to the program, what might have influenced this outcome? What do you think that the eligible players -- those who have been accused and those who haven't been accused of wrongdoing -- might say about this? What criteria would you use for selecting an athlete to a hall of fame? Would your selection be influenced if the athlete had been accused of using performance-enhancing drugs? Explain. • What new rule has the U.S. Department of Transportation proposed regarding hybrid and electric cars? What have government officials said about this proposal? How might car manufacturers, auto dealers, consumers and pedestrians react to these proposals? What is your opinion?

16. 2/6/2013: Answer all parts of each question. This week, you will have to answer 3 out of the 4 questions. When you are done read quietly or work on your homework. • What is the current average price for a gallon of gas in the U.S.? How does that price compare to last week's price? According to the report, what are some ways to get better gas mileage? Can you think of other ways to save money on gas? Explain. • What is an asteroid? What have scientists said about Asteroid 2012 DA14? Why are some companies considering missions to asteroids? What factors might companies consider before deciding whether to explore a particular asteroid? • According to the program: Why were some Israeli fans angry at their own soccer team? What different perspectives on the situation did you hear from fans, the team's coach, and the players at the center of the controversy? How did you react to these statements? What do you think could be learned from them? What, if anything, do you think could be done to reduce the tension in this situation? • What was your impression of the video of the flock of birds in synchronized flight? Can you think of other animals that might exhibit similar behavior? What do you think might be the advantages and disadvantages of this kind of behavior?

17. 2/13/2013: Answer all parts of each question. This week, you will have to answer 3 out of the 4 questions. When you are done read quietly or work on your homework. • What is the purpose of a State of the Union address? What did President Obama discuss in last night's address? What is the purpose of the opposite party's response to the president's address? What did Republican Sen. Marco Rubio discuss in his speech? • What reason did North Korea's government give for conducting a nuclear test? Why do you think the country broke U.N. rules to carry it out? How has the international community reacted to a North Korean nuclear test? Why do you think that the international community is concerned about North Korea's nuclear program? • Why did a cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico lose engine power? How has this situation affected life aboard the ship? What do you think that people on the ship are doing to cope with the situation? How is the cruise line planning to address this situation? What do you think that passengers might say about the cruise line's response? • What information about cancer is included in today's program? What does it mean when cancer is in remission? What kind of cancer did CNN producer James Curry have? What does Curry say about his cancer diagnosis and treatment? If you could interview a cancer patient, what questions would you ask? Do you know anyone who was affected by cancer? If so please share your story by writing it

18. 2/20/2013: Answer all parts of each question. This week, you will have to answer 3 out of the 4 questions. When you are done read quietly. • What scandal is unfolding in Europe regarding food products? According to the report, what issues does it bring up? Why do you think that some foods that are commonly eaten in one country (or culture) might be considered taboo in others? What was your reaction to this story? • According to the program, how often are planes struck by lightning? How do scientists simulate the effects of weather on airplanes? What information do you think scientists get from these simulations? What might be the benefits and drawbacks of using simulations rather than using full-sized planes? • According to the segment: Why don't scientists know how long it takes some types of plastic to break down? What has Sacramento, California's city council proposed regarding plastic grocery bags? How have some people reacted to this proposal? When grocery shopping, would you prefer to use plastic bags, paper bags, or bags that you bring in yourself, and why? • What might be the benefits and challenges of learning personal finance at a young age? What questions do you have about earning, saving and spending money? How important do you think it is to save money? Would that change depending on your age? Explain.