Here are 50 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) related to current affairs in the U.S. as of January 2025:
1. Who is the current President of the United States?
a) Donald Trump
b) Joe Biden
c) Kamala Harris
d) Mike Pence
Answer: b) Joe Biden
2. Which state legalized recreational marijuana in 2024?
a) California
b) Florida
c) Ohio
d) Pennsylvania
Answer: c) Ohio
3. What is the name of the U.S. space mission aiming to send astronauts to the Moon by 2025?
a) Mars 2024
b) Artemis
c) Apollo Next
d) Nebula
Answer: b) Artemis
4. Who is the current U.S. Secretary of Defense?
a) Mark Milley
b) Lloyd Austin
c) Antony Blinken
d) James Mattis
Answer: b) Lloyd Austin
5. Which country was the U.S. engaged in a trade war with during 2024?
a) Canada
b) China
c) Mexico
d) Japan
Answer: b) China
6. In which U.S. state was a large-scale wildfire declared a national emergency in late 2024?
a) California
b) Colorado
c) Hawaii
d) Texas
Answer: c) Hawaii
7. Which U.S. city hosted the 2024 Summer Olympics?
a) Los Angeles
b) New York
c) Chicago
d) Boston
Answer: a) Los Angeles
8. Which political party currently holds the majority in the U.S. Senate as of January 2025?
a) Republican
b) Democratic
c) Independent
d) No majority
Answer: b) Democratic
9. Who became the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in January 2025?
a) Nancy Pelosi
b) Kevin McCarthy
c) Hakeem Jeffries
d) Jim Jordan
Answer: c) Hakeem Jeffries
10. Which U.S. state saw the highest number of 2024 presidential election votes for Joe Biden?
a) California
b) Texas
c) Florida
d) New York
Answer: a) California
11. Which company launched the first successful reusable rocket in 2024?
a) SpaceX
b) Blue Origin
c) Boeing
d) Lockheed Martin
Answer: a) SpaceX
12. What is the current U.S. unemployment rate as of January 2025?
a) 3.5%
b) 4.0%
c) 5.2%
d) 6.0%
Answer: a) 3.5%
13. In 2024, which company became the first U.S. corporation to reach a $3 trillion market capitalization?
a) Apple
b) Microsoft
c) Amazon
d) Tesla
Answer: a) Apple
14. Which U.S. state passed a major climate change bill in 2024, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2035?
a) New York
b) California
c) Washington
d) Colorado
Answer: b) California
15. Which 2024 U.S. Supreme Court ruling impacted the use of affirmative action in college admissions?
a) Striking down race-based admissions
b) Expanding affirmative action policies
c) Legalizing affirmative action in federal programs
d) None of the above
Answer: a) Striking down race-based admissions
16. What was the name of the new U.S. economic stimulus plan passed in late 2024?
a) The Recovery Act
b) The Economic Growth Act
c) The Prosperity Act
d) The American Rescue Plan 2.0
Answer: b) The Economic Growth Act
17. Which social media platform faced increased scrutiny from U.S. regulators in 2024?
a) Facebook
b) Twitter
c) TikTok
d) Instagram
Answer: c) TikTok
18. In 2024, which U.S. state passed legislation to ban gender-affirming care for minors?
a) Florida
b) Texas
c) Arkansas
d) Alabama
Answer: a) Florida
19. Which U.S. city was the site of the 2024 Republican National Convention?
a) Miami
b) Cleveland
c) Charlotte
d) Milwaukee
Answer: d) Milwaukee
20. Which is the largest U.S. oil-producing state as of 2024?
a) Texas
b) Alaska
c) California
d) North Dakota
Answer: a) Texas
21. Which U.S. tech company became the largest employer in the U.S. by 2024?
a) Amazon
b) Google
c) Apple
d) Walmart
Answer: a) Amazon
22. Which U.S. city announced the launch of a major AI research hub in 2024?
a) San Francisco
b) New York
c) Boston
d) Seattle
Answer: b) New York
23. In 2024, which U.S. state became the first to implement a universal basic income program for residents?
a) California
b) Alaska
c) New York
d) Colorado
Answer: b) Alaska
24. Which U.S. senator was involved in the 2024 presidential race as a major contender for the Democratic nomination?
a) Bernie Sanders
b) Elizabeth Warren
c) Cory Booker
d) Kamala Harris
Answer: b) Elizabeth Warren
25. Which country did the U.S. engage in high-level talks with in 2024 to manage the climate crisis?
a) China
b) India
c) Brazil
d) Canada
Answer: a) China
26. What was the main focus of the 2024 U.S. infrastructure bill?
a) Healthcare
b) Transportation and renewable energy
c) Education
d) Cybersecurity
Answer: b) Transportation and renewable energy
27. Which U.S. tech giant faced a major data privacy fine in 2024?
a) Google
b) Meta
c) Microsoft
d) Amazon
Answer: b) Meta
28. Which U.S. state enacted a law in 2024 to implement ranked-choice voting in federal elections?
a) Maine
b) New Hampshire
c) California
d) New York
Answer: a) Maine
29. Which company merged with another U.S. tech giant in 2024 to become the largest video-streaming platform?
a) Netflix and Amazon
b) Disney and Comcast
c) Netflix and Hulu
d) WarnerMedia and Discovery
Answer: c) Netflix and Hulu
30. In 2024, the U.S. government launched a new initiative to combat which growing health crisis?
a) Obesity
b) Opioid addiction
c) Mental health issues
d) Diabetes
Answer: b) Opioid addiction
31. Which U.S. political figure was indicted in 2024 on charges of election interference?
a) Donald Trump
b) Kamala Harris
c) Joe Biden
d) Nancy Pelosi
Answer: a) Donald Trump
32. What was the central issue of the 2024 U.S. Supreme Court case involving the 1st Amendment?
a) Gun control
b) Freedom of speech on social media
c) Voting rights
d) Abortion rights
Answer: b) Freedom of speech on social media
33. Which U.S. company announced the creation of a fully electric autonomous car in 2024?
a) Tesla
b) Ford
c) General Motors
d) Rivian
Answer: a) Tesla
34. Which U.S. city hosted the 2024 Democratic National Convention?
a) Chicago
b) Atlanta
c) Philadelphia
d) New York
Answer: a) Chicago
35. In 2024, which U.S. state introduced a bill to provide free healthcare for all its residents?
a) California
b) Vermont
c) Washington
d) New York
Answer: b) Vermont
36. Which country did the U.S. engage in a military conflict with in 2024 due to geopolitical tensions?
a) Iran
b) China
c) Russia
d) North Korea
Answer: c) Russia
37. Which U.S. company was the largest beneficiary of the 2024 federal tax reform?
a) Amazon
b) Apple
c) Tesla
d) Microsoft
Answer: b) Apple
38. Which U.S. governor gained national attention in 2024 for his efforts to combat climate change?
a) Gavin Newsom
b) Ron DeSantis
c) Andrew Cuomo
d) Gretchen Whitmer
Answer: a) Gavin Newsom
39. Which 2024 U.S. initiative focused on improving cybersecurity for the private sector?
a) The National Cybersecurity Act
b) The American Cybersecurity Initiative
c) The Cybersecurity Modernization Plan
d) The Cybersecurity Innovation Fund
Answer: b) The American Cybersecurity Initiative
40. Which U.S. political figure announced their candidacy for the 2028 presidential election in 2024?
a) Kamala Harris
b) Ron DeSantis
c) Gavin Newsom
d) Ted Cruz
Answer: c) Gavin Newsom
41. Which U.S. city implemented a major police reform initiative in 2024?
a) Chicago
b) New York
c) Los Angeles
d) Minneapolis
Answer: d) Minneapolis
42. In 2024, the U.S. launched a diplomatic effort to mediate peace talks in which conflict zone?
a) Ukraine
b) Israel-Palestine
c) Taiwan Strait
d) Middle East
Answer: b) Israel-Palestine
43. Which U.S. state passed a law restricting the use of artificial intelligence in hiring practices in 2024?
a) California
b) New York
c) Florida
d) Washington
Answer: a) California
44. Which U.S. federal agency announced a new initiative in 2024 to address rising housing costs?
a) HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development)
b) Department of Education
c) EPA
d) FDA
Answer: a) HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development)
45. What was the outcome of the 2024 U.S. debt ceiling crisis?
a) Default on U.S. debt
b) A long-term debt reduction plan passed
c) Temporary suspension of the debt limit
d) Introduction of a new currency
Answer: c) Temporary suspension of the debt limit
46. Which new U.S. law passed in 2024 aimed at improving internet privacy?
a) The Online Privacy Protection Act
b) The Digital Privacy Protection Law
c) The Consumer Privacy and Security Act
d) The National Data Protection Act
Answer: b) The Digital Privacy Protection Law
47. Which major U.S. retailer announced significant closures in 2024 due to financial struggles?
a) Walmart
b) Target
c) Bed Bath & Beyond
d) Sears
Answer: c) Bed Bath & Beyond
48. What new federal regulation was introduced in 2024 regarding student loans?
a) Loan forgiveness for all students
b) Interest rate reductions
c) A 10-year repayment limit
d) Automatic loan discharge for certain majors
Answer: b) Interest rate reductions
49. Which major U.S. airline merged with another in 2024?
a) Delta and United
b) American Airlines and Southwest
c) JetBlue and Spirit
d) Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines
Answer: c) JetBlue and Spirit
50. Which U.S. department made significant moves toward regulating cryptocurrency in 2024?
a) Department of Justice
b) Department of the Treasury
c) Federal Reserve
d) Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Answer: d) Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
These questions cover a range of political, economic, technological, and social topics, providing a snapshot of major events and changes in the United States in early 2025.