Student News Daily Questions

1. U.S. GOVERNMENT Student News Daily Questions

2. Black Day 4/20/2012 • What country had a failed rocket launch last week? What country had a successful one yesterday? How has the media's coverage of the two events differed? What are possible reasons you think that they have differed? Do you think the U.S. should be concerned about this? Why does India say they have created the missile? • What college basketball coach just retired? Why is this such a significant event? What is she being awarded? How do you think this coach has impacted sports in America? • If you could give a message to a teacher you appreciate who would it be and what would it say?

3. Red Day 4/19/2012 • What were the conditions of a February deal between North Korea and the United States? Why was this deal scrapped recently? What did both sides say about this issue? What do you think should be the next steps for the international community in dealing with North Korea? Why? • What is Down syndrome? What sports does Eric Dompierre, who has Down syndrome, play in his high school? Why might he not be allowed to play next year? Why do you think this rule exists? What is your opinion of this rule?

4. Black Day 4/18/2012 • What is NASA planning to do with the retired space shuttle fleet? How do you think that NASA and the Smithsonian are preparing Discovery for final display? If you could design a museum exhibit that includes a space shuttle, what elements would you include in the design? Would you want to visit a space shuttle exhibit? Why or why not? • What announcement did Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard make with regard to Australian troops in Afghanistan? According to the report, what conditions may have lead to Gillard's announcement? How do you think that other NATO countries, Afghan residents, Australian troops and Australian citizens might react to this announcement? What factors do you think countries consider before deciding whether to commit troops to or remove them from a NATO operation? • What circumstances lead to a physics professor delivering a four-page paper to a judge? What do you think were the potential benefits and risks of such an action? How was this case resolved? In your opinion, what unique circumstances factored in to this resolution?

5. Red Day 4/17/2012 • According to the segment: How does the U.S. government spend some of the money it collects in taxes? How do you think the government should spend this money? What are some significant events regarding the history of the federal income tax? What are some current debates over the tax code? Is there anything about income taxes that you would like to see changed? Explain. • What is the purpose of the "Free2Play" campaign? What are some ways in which the campaign raises money? In the report, what do some professional baseball players say about the issue of child trafficking? What do you think might be the pros and cons of trying to raise money using a social media app?

6. Broncho Day 4/16/2012 • How many years ago was the Titanic disaster? Why do you think that some people consider certain anniversary years more significant than others? How is life in 1912 described in the segment? In your opinion, what impact do the events and items mentioned in the segment have on American life today? • According to the program: What is the significance of a wounded veteran's "Alive Day"? What are some of the athletic events in which Cameron Kerr has participated since his Alive Day? What does Kerr say about the importance for him of running the Boston Marathon? How do you think that other wounded veterans might react to Kerr's story?

7. Black Day 4/13/2012 • What two countries have helped North Korea with their satellite launching rocket? When is it expected to launch? With the satellite being compared to 1960s technology why would N. Korea put so much technology into this launch?

8. Red Day 4/12/12 • What is autism? According to the report, what is the unemployment rate for Americans with autism? What are some ways in which this challenge is being addressed? How else do you think it could be addressed? • According to the segment: What role do some dogs play in the U.S. military? How have these dogs saved lives? What unique characteristics may make these dogs useful for military service? What strengths might different breeds have? Can you think of other ways in which animals could serve in the Armed Forces? Explain.

9. Black Day 4/11/2012 • What decision did former Sen. Rick Santorum announce yesterday with regard to his Republican presidential campaign? What factors do you think Santorum considered before making this decision? How do you think that Santorum's decision will affect the race to the White House? • Who is Fidel Castro? What did Florida Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen say about Fidel Castro? Why was this statement controversial? How did the Marlins organization react to Guillen's statement? What is your opinion of Guillen's original statement and his apology? Did you agree with the punishment? Why or why not? Have you ever said something that you later regretted? Have you ever stopped yourself from saying something because of the possible consequences? • What role did New York City's Pier 59 play in history? In the report, how were historic events involving Pier 59 described? Where do you think this information came from? What does Pier 59 look like today? What factors might determine whether a historic site is preserved throughout time?

10. Red Day 4/10/2012 • What information about North Korea has been released by South Korea and the U.S.? How do you think countries acquire information like this? What has North Korea said is the purpose of its scheduled rocket launch? How have some members of the international community reacted to this planned launch? Why do you think North Korea invited international journalists to tour the rocket site? What information do you think international news organizations, including North Korea's, might present regarding this rocket event? • What elected positions are three college students seeking in Prince George's County, Maryland? Why do their opponents have concerns about these college-age candidates? In the report, how do the young candidates respond to these concerns? Do you think age factors in to an election? Explain. If you had a seat on your district's school board, what issues would you want the board to address, and why?

11. Broncho Day 4/9/2012 • According to the segment: Why did the U.S. unemployment rate drop last month? Did the number of jobs in the retail sector rise or fall in March? What might this trend mean for the U.S. economy as a whole? Do you think that your community is experiencing similar employment trends to those featured in the segment? Why or why not? • What role has the Georgia 300 railroad car played in U.S. political history? What does Jack Heard, the car's owner, say about traveling in a private railcar? What is "whistle-stop campaigning"? What do you think might be the advantages and drawbacks of a presidential campaign using train travel versus other modes of transportation?

12. Red Day 4/5/2012 • Who clinched the Democratic nomination for president this week? Where were Republican primaries held on Tuesday? What were the results of these contests? How do you think that acquiring half of the delegates needed has impacted former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's campaign? What might the other Republican candidates say to their supporters at this time? • What prestigious event is held at Augusta National Golf Club? How would you describe the club? Do you think that women should or should not be admitted to it? State your rationale.

13. Black Day 4/4/2012 • Who was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.? What lessons do you think can be learned from Dr. King's life? What do you think are some appropriate ways to honor Dr. King and his legacy? • According to the program: How much money is needed to cover tuition and living expenses at the average public college in the U.S.? What are some ways to cut college expenses? Do you think that any of these measures could help you? Can you think of other ways to cut college expenses? Explain.

14. Red Day 4/3/2012 • How do you respond to hearing the word "hero" in the media? Does it influence how you perceive someone? Explain. • What issues did Mexican President Felipe Calderon, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and U.S. President Barack Obama discuss at the White House this week? Why might some issues be better addressed through a regional meeting like this one? What other issues do you think the three countries should tackle together? • Why did Jake Wood name his organization Team Rubicon? What is the purpose of this organization? What impact might Team Rubicon have on the veterans who join the organization and the people they help? What unique skills and experiences might help veterans to assist others? How might these attributes help veterans respond to natural disasters?

15. Broncho Day 4/2/2012 • What Nobel Peace Price winner was elected to a seat in Myanmar's parliament? How did some voters react to Myanmar's elections? How many political parties are running in these elections? How might a campaign in an election with many parties be different from a campaign in an election with few parties? • What reasons might an employer give for requesting access to an employee's Facebook account? How did the employee featured in today's report respond to this request? Do you think that employers should have access to potential employees' social networking accounts? Why or why not?

16. Black Day 3/23/2012 • Have a good spring break.

17. Red Day 3/22/2012 • What punishment did the NFL issue as a result of a New Orleans Saints bounty program? What is your opinion of these penalties? Do you think that these penalties will deter other teams from conducting similar bounty programs? Why or why not? • What is known about a recent neighborhood watch shooting in Florida? What was your reaction to this story? What questions might investigators have about the shooting? What do you think will happen in the days ahead? • What is significant about Kenya's Rift Valley? How might training in high altitudes help runners? What are some theories presented in the report about why Kenyan runners perform well? How do you think that a scientist could determine whether a particular food might have an effect on running ability?

18. Black Day 3/21/2012 • What happened on Tuesday in Iraq? Why are these events significant? Why do you think the international community is concerned about security in Iraq? Explain. • Who was Amelia Earhart? What do some people think happened to Earhart? Why do you think some people are interested in discovering the wreckage of her plane? What could a discovery tell us about what happened to Earhart? If this wreckage is found, what do you think should be done with it?

19. Red Day 3/20/2012 • What are the current standings in the race to become the Republican presidential nominee? Do you think that these standings indicate what the outcome will be? Why or why not? • What is the current trend for the price of gas? What might be causing this trend? What have President Obama and the Republican presidential candidates recently said about gas prices? Do you think that the federal government can influence the price of gas? If so, how? If not, why not? What is the price of gas where you live? Do you think that people in your community will take gas prices into account during the upcoming presidential election? Why or why not? • Who is PushpaBasnet, and what is her mission? What impact do you think that Basnet has on the children she helps? What needs do you think these children might have? Explain.

20. Broncho Day 3/19/2012 • Describe the relationship between the U.S. and Pakistan. What events in recent years have put a strain on the relationship? Why do you think that Pakistan's parliament is debating how to handle that relationship? How do you think that the U.S. should address its concerns with Pakistan? • Who is Barbara Mikulski? What distinction among elected officials does she now have? Who was the only other woman in the Senate when she was elected to that body in 1988? How do the women senators interviewed in the story say that their approach to legislation is different from that of the men? What do you think the women senators mean when they talk about a "zone of civility"? Do you think that civility should be a priority in the political process? Why or why not?

21. Red Day 3/15/2012 • What were the results of Tuesday's Republican presidential primaries and caucuses? How might these results affect the race going forward? What qualities are you looking for in a presidential candidate? Do any of the current candidates (or the incumbent president) appeal to you? If so, who and why? If not, why not? • According to the report: What is the size of the video game industry? How does that figure compare with the American film and music industries? What did one expert say about the growth of the video game industry in recent years? Why do you think that this industry has been able to grow? Do you enjoy video games? Why or why not? What benefits and drawbacks can you see regarding video games?

22. Black Day 3/14/2012 • What information is given in the program about the "Deep Sea Challenger"? Where does film director James Cameron plan to dive with this vehicle? What does Cameron hope to accomplish during his dive? How do you think that someone would prepare for a ten-hour dive? • According to the program, what was Tanner Smith's third wish in the fourth grade? What did Smith say was his inspiration for this wish? What organization did Tanner found? What kinds of items do you think go into one of Tanner's Totes? If you could start your own foundation, what would be its purpose, and why?

23. Black Day 3/9/2012 • What event takes place this weekend? Who originally thought of this idea and what is the purpose of it today? What country first used the idea, and how many will be participating in it this weekend? • What event happened a year ago in Japan? Why do you think journalists travel to disasters like this and report on them? Following a disaster like this what would your reaction be if you lived there?

24. Go to this website: • http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/candidate-match-game

25. Red Day 3/8/2012 • How many delegates are needed to win the Republican presidential nomination? What does CNN's John King say about the current delegate totals and possible outcomes ahead? What factors might candidates consider when planning their strategies going forward? What are your predictions for the future of this race? • How did you react to the story of a Rhode Island teenager's car crash? Why did a judge ban the teenage driver from ever again holding a Rhode Island driver's license? What is your opinion about this ruling? How do you think that young drivers in Rhode Island might react to this ruling?

26. Black Day 3/7/2011 • What is known about the results of yesterday's Super Tuesday political contests? Why do you think it takes less time to determine the results of some contests than it does for others? How might the results of these contests affect the race for president? • Approximately how much of the world's population could be affected by elections in 2012? According to the segment, how have election campaigns affected national economies in the past, and why might 2012 be different? In what other ways might the global economy factor in to elections around the world?

27. Red Day 3/6/2012 • What is "Super Tuesday"? What are some states that will hold contests today? How might a candidate's campaign strategy be different on a day when many contests are held versus a day with only one contest? What state is described as a "battleground" state in today's program? What factors do you think might make a state a battleground state? • What kinds of warnings did the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandate for all tobacco products and advertising? What action did a federal judge recently take with regard to these warnings, and why? How did tobacco companies and tobacco industry critics react to this ruling? What is your opinion of this ruling? What are your opinions about the current, written warnings on tobacco products and the images that the FDA proposed? Explain.

28. 3/5/2012 Broncho Day • How might international news organizations cover the U.S. presidential election process? How might this differ from the way in which this process is covered in the U.S.? • What percentage of African-American voters voted for President Obama in 2008? Why do some of those voters say they may or may not vote for President Obama in this year's presidential election? What else do you think voters might take into account in advance of this year's presidential election?

29. Black Day 3/2/2012 • What state concluded its primary yesterday? What type of primary did they have? How long did it last? How are the delegates distributed in that state? Who won? What event is next Tuesday? How many states are involved? What do you expect to happen following next Tuesday’s results?

30. Red Day 3/1/2012 • What were the results of Tuesday's Republican presidential primaries in Arizona and Michigan? How did these states allocate their delegates? How do you think a candidate's campaign strategy might change depending on how a state determines its delegates? What do you think that the results from these two contests might mean for the presidential race going forward? • Approximately how deep is the Mariana Trench? Who is leading the expedition to explore this trench? How do you think that technology used in film productions might also be used in scientific research? What do you think might be the risks and benefits of exploring the bottom of the ocean? Can you think of other places on Earth that scientists might want to study? Explain.

31. Black Day 2/29/2012 Leap Day • How large is the "evacuation zone" around Japan's damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant? How do you think that officials determined the size of this zone? What safety precautions do you see people take within the evacuation zone? What work is being done in and around the damaged reactors? What benefits and risks might a reporter face in gaining access to this site? • Who are some of the notable black figures mentioned by students on today's show? Why are they historically significant? In your opinion, what are some ways in which history makers can be recognized? If you could honor a prominent historical figure, whom would you choose, and how would you honor that individual?

32. Red Day 2/28/2012 • According to the program, what incident happened at an Ohio high school yesterday? What did one student there say about how his school prepared for such an emergency? How do you think a school can best prepare for a possible emergency? • What does Beverly Bond say about the images of African-American women in the media? What organization did Bond found, and why? What do the young people in the report say about Bond's foundation? Why do you think that Bond focused on mentoring through music? If you could create a mentoring program for young people, what activities would you use to reach them?

33. Broncho Day 2/27/2012 • What is the purpose of the vote that began Sunday in Syria? What have the Syrian government and its critics each said about this vote? Do you think that the result of this vote will affect the situation there? Why or why not? • Who is Vladimir Putin? What position is he expected to regain in the Russian government? Why are some Russians holding rallies and others holding protests? Do you think the demonstrations will have an impact? Explain.

34. Black Day 2/24/2012 • What has caused the most recent unrest in Afghanistan? How would you feel if a this was done to something that you loved and cherished? Do you feel that President Obama was right to apologize for this “error”? Explain your answer. • The other night the Republican candidates for president participated in a debate in what state? How many times have they debated this primary season? Do you feel that so many debates are necessary? Explain. Where are the next primary elections taking place? Who do you think will win those states?

35. Red Day 2/23/2012 • Why do you think that some journalists are willing to potentially put themselves in harm's way to cover news stories? How might news reports about a conflict impact the people directly affected by the situation? Explain. • How did scientists reportedly use 30,000-year-old seeds to revive an ancient plant species? Why do you think that they performed this experiment? What challenges do you think scientists might face when working with samples that are thousands of years old? What do you think might be the benefits and drawbacks of this type of research?

36. Black Day 2/22/2012 • What international situation may soon contribute to higher gas prices? Do you think anything can be done about this situation? Explain. What options do you think might be available to consumers if gas prices increase dramatically? Would you or your family do anything differently? Explain. • According to the report: What might cause problems with U.S. cell phone service as early as next year? What kinds of problems may potentially occur? Do you think that these issues will affect you? If so, how?

37. Red Day 2/21/2012 • Why are inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency investigating Iran's nuclear program? What does Iran say is the purpose of this program? What has Israel said about the situation? Why do you think that the U.S. has advised against an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities? How do you think that Iran and the international community might each react if Iran's nuclear facilities are attacked? • What is the purpose of the lights seen in the segment about Hong Kong? What have some people described as the benefits of these lights? What do some people in the report say about the impact of the lights on residents? What action does Hong Kong's chief executive propose regarding the lights? What do you think could be done to minimize the impact of these lights? How do you think that business owners might react to these proposals? Explain.

38. Black Day 2/17/2012 • What is the good news being celebrated by GM? What is the controversy over this news? What other form of regulation is the government attempting concerning the auto industry? How do you fell about distracted driving? • What percentage of a penny is copper? How much does it currently cost to make a penny? What is a nickel actually made of? Do you think we should take the penny out of circulation, or change its composition? Why?

39. Red Day 2/16/2012 • What have Iran and the international community said about Iran's nuclear program? What milestone did this program reportedly reach yesterday? Why do you think that the international community is concerned about Iran's nuclear program? • According to the program, under what conditions do students at a charter school in Ohio get paid? What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of this plan? How do you think that parents and students might react to this idea? Do you think that paying students to attend school is a good idea? Why or why not? Can you think of other ways to encourage students to come to class?

40. Black Day 2/15/2012 • What is the status of the crisis in Syria? What have some Syrian civilians said about the situation there? What has the government said? According to the program: What kind of information has U.S. intelligence gathered with regard to Syria? How might the U.S. government use this information? Do you think that the international community should take action regarding this crisis? If so, how? If not, why not? • What goal did the town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado set for itself three years ago? What procedures have been established in an attempt to reach this goal? What are some uses for the town's composted dirt? Do you think Steamboat Springs' recycling program would work in your community? Why or why not?

41. TEST • Do Not Write On Test! • Put answers on answer sheet • Turn in test and answer sheet when finished, you do not need to tear off the bottom half. • Homework Pg. 75 & Pg. 83 #2-4 both due Thursday/Friday, you can use 1 sheet of paper for both

42. Red Day 2/14/2012 • According to the program: How much is President Obama's proposed 2013 federal budget? What did President Obama say about his budget, and what items are included in it? How did Republican leaders react to this budget? Why? What would you include in a budget for the nation, and what would you leave out? Explain. • Who is Kyle Maynard? What mountain did Maynard summit recently, and why? Do you think that you are, as Maynard says, "capable of living more"? Explain. Would you change anything about your life? If so, what action would be your first step?

43. Broncho Day 2/13/2012 • Who won the Maine Republican caucuses and the Conservative Political Action Committee straw poll over the weekend? Do you think these events will impact the Republican race for president? Explain. What factors do you think candidates might take into account when deciding whether to campaign in a specific state? • What has been the trend in global sea levels over the past 100 years? What do scientists say might be causing this trend? What is one explanation why last year's global sea level didn't follow this trend? How have some coastal communities reacted to the changes in sea level? What options do you think are available to coastal communities with regard to sea level?

44. Black Day 2/10/2012 • What is a foreclosure? What was the deal struck between the government and the mortgage companies? What does the deal allow mortgage holders to do? What are the pros and cons of the policy?

45. Red Day 2/9/2012 • What were the results of Tuesday's Republican presidential contests in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri? According to the program: What did each candidate say about his campaign? How do you think the results of these contests might affect these candidates' campaigns, if at all? • According to the report: Why are video games increasing in popularity among many of Japan's elderly? What do the senior citizens featured in the report say about video games? Can you think of other activities that might have similar benefits? Can you think of any drawbacks to playing video games? Explain.

46. Black Day 2/8/2012 • What event did the White House host yesterday? What was the purpose of the event? What factors do you think might contribute to a successful science, technology, engineering or math project? Have you ever entered a competition in these fields? If so, describe the experience. • According to the report: What is one way in which biologists in the Everglades measure the population of local wildlife? Why have the numbers of some mammalian species in the region declined? What challenges does the biologist featured in the program say he faces in addressing this issue? Why do you think that Burmese pythons have been successful in the Everglades, while other species have declined? How were these snakes introduced into the wild in the first place?

47. Red Day 2/7/2012 • What is genealogy? What is the purpose of the genealogy project featured in the segment? What kinds of documents are contained in the project's database? What do you think are some of the challenges that genealogists face? How might knowing your family history affect your life? What do you know about your family's history, and who in your family's past would you want to know more about?

48. Broncho Day 2/6/2012 • According to the program: Who won the Nevada Republican presidential caucuses on Saturday? What other candidates are in the race for the Republican nomination? What factors do you think a candidate might consider before deciding whether to stay in or drop out of this race? Explain. What questions do you have about the race for the White House? • What is the current trend in multi-generation families in America? What factors may be contributing to this trend? What do the family members in the report say about having three generations living in one house? If you live in a similar situation, describe the experience. Otherwise, how might living in a multi-generation household affect you and your family?

49. Black Day 2/3/2012 • What country is the U.S. military preparing to leave after a 10 year engagement? When will they make their exit? What are the pros and cons of making this decision? What would you like to see happen with the U.S. military in Afghanistan over the next couple of years? Explain your reasoning.

50. Red Day 2/2/2012 • What is an IPO? Why might a company want to go public? What do you think might be the pros and cons of being a public versus private company? What do you think are the benefits and risks for an individual who buys stock in a public company? What have experts predicted with regard to a possible Facebook IPO? Why do you think that the Securities and Exchange Commission forces some companies to go public? • Who currently has the most delegates in the Republican presidential race? What hypothetical scenarios does CNN's John King present with regard to future primaries and caucuses? What kinds of information do you think could be used to try to predict which candidate will win a particular state's contest?