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Straits Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
What's The News? S'pore students face off in ST's quiz competition
Organised as part of ST's 180th anniversary celebrations, the What's The News? competition brought together students across secondary and tertiary levels to take part in an interactive quiz that merged current affairs with fun team-based physical challenges and creativity. Quiz host Rishi Budhrani interacting with students in the preliminary round of the competition at St Gabriel's Secondary School on April 15. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI ST's What's The News travelling showcase at St Gabriel's Secondary School on April 15. The showcase will be visiting schools and public spaces until June 16. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Temasek Junior College emerged as the champion when the competition ended on May 23 at NUS University Cultural Centre. Members of the winning team from Temasek Junior College (in green) shaking hands with the other finalists from Outram Secondary School, St Joseph's Institution and Presbyterian High School at NUS University Cultural Centre on May 23. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY The competition is supported by the Ministry of Education with the Central Narcotics Bureau as a partner. ST editor Jaime Ho speaking to attendees at the finals of the competition at NUS University Cultural Centre on May 23. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Guo Yatian, 16, who was part of the winning team, said: 'This competition has definitely inspired us to continue our habit of reading the news and to keep abreast of current affairs around the world. 'It enriches not just our knowledge but also how we approach daily life. It is helpful not just in our studies but also how we interact with people from different backgrounds.' (From left) Winners Rayner Ng, 16, Melody Keiko Chua, 17, Chloe Natalie D' Mello, 16, and Guo Yatian answering a question about the Lapu Lapu festival tragedy during the short answer question round at the finals on May 23. The answers were judged by (big screen from left) ST managing editor Murali Subramaniam, ST editor Jaime Ho, and Ms Leah Aw, director, Humanities Curriculum Planning and Development 2, Ministry of Education. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Citing concerns like the unpredictability of the second Trump presidency, Yatian added: 'As Singaporeans, we shouldn't be so insular. We should look beyond our country to know what's happening beyond our borders. ST VIDEO: MATILDA AQUILA CHIA, AZIM AZMAN, JACEN TAN, JORDAN LEE, JOEL CHNG & AILEEN TEO The journey to the finals began with an online individual quiz in April. ST editor Jaime Ho interacting with St Gabriel's Secondary School students during the preliminary round, which requires the participants to answer a 30-question quiz in 30 minutes on May 15. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI More than 6,000 students from 50 schools – across secondary and tertiary institutions – taking part in the competition. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI The top 16 schools then advanced to the semi-finals on May 21, each sending a team of six representatives. The Ballpits and Blindfolds game being held during the semi-finals of ST's What's The News? competition at Our Tampines Hub on May 21. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Zhonghua Secondary School students playing a game with merchandise to be won at one of the travelling showcase booths prior to the semi-finals on May 21. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH The 16 teams were divided into four zones, where only one team from each zone would secure a spot in the finals. Naval Base Secondary School supporters cheering their schoolmates on during the semi-finals at Our Tampines Hub on May 21. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH During the arena-style semi-finals – consisting of four telematch games – the sports hall at Our Tampines Hub was filled with a tense and exciting atmosphere. Raffles Institution students (from left) Han Peng Hao, 16, Xie Yundi, 18, and Li Houzhe, 18, holding on to one another to keep their balance on a foam mat as they compete in the Go The Distance game during the semi-finals on May 21. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH Loyang View Secondary School student Jumao-As Nicholas Lim, 16, holding his stance on two foam mats as he competes in the Go The Distance game during the semi-finals at Our Tampines Hub. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH Alexis Eng, 16, from Naval Base Secondary School holding up her team's answer to a true or false question while competing in the Go The Distance game during the semi-finals on May 21. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH Challenges included finding answers hidden in a ball pit while blindfolded, and illustrating social issues such as drug abuse and mental health through drawing. A Pasir Ris Secondary School student resting during a break in the Ballpits and Blindfolds game at the semi-finals at Our Tampines Hub on May 21. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Yishun Innova Junior College students guiding their teammate – sitting in a ball pit blindfolded – to find the placard with the correct answer as quickly as possible. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Victoria School student Joshua Krisnanto, 16, said the competition was an 'eye-opening experience'. Victoria School students participating in a Pictionary-style contest, which tested their creativity and presentation skills. The game was part of the semi-finals at Our Tampines Hub on May 21. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY 'The competition got us to know more about current affairs, not only in Singapore but also on an international scale, which we felt was really beneficial as it's important to know what's happening around us at this moment,' he added. Yishun Innova Junior College students presenting to ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo and SPH Media's managing editor of English, Malay and Tamil Media Dominic Nathan during the semi-finals at Our Tampines Hub on May 21. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY The members of the Victoria School team – one of the youngest teams in the semi-finals – said they felt like the 'underdogs of their zone'. Judges assessing the student presentations for the Pictionary-style game. During the semi-finals at Our Tampines Hub on May 21, the 16 teams were divided into four zones, where only one team from each zone would go on to the finals. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Despite not making it to the finals, team members said they had fun and hope to join the contest again. Outram Secondary School students (from left) Liam Hu, 16, Didi Chua, 15, Kara Anne Ringling, 15, Laris Ho, 16, Sonya Koh, 15, and Abburu Sai Daksha, 16, jumping for joy on May 21 after finding out they qualified for the finals of the competition. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY ST VIDEO: MATILDA AQUILA CHIA, AZIM AZMAN, JACEN TAN & JOHNBOY IYPE JOHN Intensity grew at the finals, where four schools went up against one another in a game show format. Teams, consisting of four members, chose questions of varying difficulty and could redirect one question to an opponent. Correct answers earned points for both teams, but wrong answers meant only the receiving team lost points. The four teams at ST's What's The News? finals held at NUS University Cultural Centre on May 23. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Presbyterian High School, which was gunning for second place, found itself on the losing end after two difficult questions were redirected its way. The team ultimately finished fourth. Presbyterian High School students (from left) Zoe Tan, Cherisse Kow, Daven Voo and Lee Yu Xin, who are all aged 15, reacting after getting a challenging question during the short answer question round at the finals on May 23. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Team member Zoe Tan, 15, said: 'There is a sense of regret, because we had asked our friend to check (one of the questions) for us, but we still didn't get it right.' Presbyterian High School students comforting each other after the finals at NUS University Cultural Centre on May 23. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY The team said the experience taught them lessons in strategy and presentation skills. St Joseph's Institution (SJI), which took second place, credited its success to strong teamwork. SJI students (from left) Ethan Chong, Wang Xuanwen, Nathan Henry Asikin and Krishay Gautam Patel, all aged 16, preparing their responses for the presentation round at the finals of the competition at NUS University Cultural Centre on May 23. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Though well-versed in global affairs from participating in Model United Nations, the team admitted to initially underestimating the depth of local news. St Joseph's Institution students using a 'redirect' card to deflect a question during the short answer question round. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Supporters of St Joseph's Institution cheering their team on during the finals at NUS University Cultural Centre on May 23. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY 'Prior to What's The News?, we felt that as a small country, (Singapore's news) would be quite mundane. But after this competition, we have found that it's far more than what we had envisioned,' said SJI team member Ethan Chong, 16. His teammates agreed that they now have a newfound interest in learning more about local politics, especially after the recent general election. ST VIDEO: MATILDA AQUILA CHIA, AZIM AZMAN, JORDAN LEE, JACEN TAN & AILEEN TEO
Straits Times
23-05-2025
- General
- Straits Times
Temasek JC wins first place and $4,000 cash prize at ST's What's The News? quiz competition
Temasek Junior College was crowned champions of at the finals of the ST What's The News? competition at NUS University Cultural Centre on May 23. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY SINGAPORE - While others were stunned, the four-member team from Temasek Junior College (TJC) were praying for the question on newly elected Pope Leo XIV's first words when he first appeared in public in Vatican City to be given to them. Rayner Ng, 16, said: '(The Pope's quote) had come out in ST's daily reports. I read about it from there and so, we answered correctly (when it was redirected to us).' In the past few weeks, the team of four from TJC had made reading the news a daily habit. Their efforts paid off, when they emerged the winner at The Straits Times' current affairs quiz competition on May 23. Temasek Junior College students answering the redirected question on Pope Leo XIV correctly during the short answer question round at the finals of the competition at NUS University Cultural Centre on May 23. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY 'It was more about applying what we had learnt in our day-to-day lives in this competition,' said one of the team members, 16-year-old Guo Yatian. Both excited and surprised to have won the competition, the team expressed their gratitude to the teachers and friends who had supported them throughout their journey. They took home a $4,000 cash prize for coming in first. The schools that finish second, third and fourth won $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 respectively. Presbyterian High School students during the multiple choice question round at the finals of the competition at NUS University Cultural Centre on May 23. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY What's The News?, is an interschool interactive quiz competition organised by ST as part of its 180th anniversary outreach, and is supported by the Ministry of Education (MOE). The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) is a partner. The preliminary round kicked off in April, where more than 6,000 students across 50 schools participated individually in an online current affairs quiz. Following an intense competition during the semi-finals on May 21, which featured four telematch games, four schools entered the finals – Presbyterian High School, Outram Secondary School, St Joseph's Institution and TJC. The finals were held at the event's campus partner, the National University of Singapore's University Cultural Centre. Temasek JC came in first, followed by St Joseph's Institution, Outram Secondary School and Presbyterian High School. Students answering questions during the quickfire multiple choice question round at the finals of the competition at NUS University Cultural Centre on May 23. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY On a stage modelled after a television game show set, the four finalist teams were pitted against each other in a game show. Students were given three challenges with a focus on current affairs. Teams first competed in a rapid fire multiple choice round consisting of ten questions. Their critical thinking and presentation skills were then tested in the next round, when students had 15 minutes to create one slide showing their answer to questions on different future trends in areas like healthcare and jobs. They had three minutes to present their answers. The final round was a trivia quiz where teams took turns to pick questions worth varying number of points based on their difficulty levels. Topics ranged from environment and health to sports and pop-culture. Ourtram Secondary School students during the presentation round at the finals of the competition at NUS University Cultural Centre on May 23. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY The Outram Secondary School team said they were extremely nervous coming into the finals. 'As a neighbourhood school, we were not expecting to be standing up here (on stage at the finals)' said one of the teammates when asked by the host Rishi Budhrani how they were feeling during the competition. Nonetheless, the team showed their worth, scoring the most points in the quick fire questions round. When asked about their biggest takeaways from the competition, Outram Secondary School student Kara Ringling, 15, said: 'I feel that in our generation, primary, secondary and JC schoolers, they find news very uninteresting. It's just something that is seen more as a task rather than something they could do in their leisure time. 'This competition has really opened our eyes that news can actually be interesting and something fun.' ST editor Jaime Ho speaking to attendees at the finals of the competition at NUS University Cultural Centre on May 23. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY ST editor Jaime Ho said : 'The finals today were a capstone to our event for young audiences as part of The Straits Times' 180th anniversary, and, really another milestone for our work with some of the youngest of our audiences. 'From Day 1, the participants showed just how ingenious, critical, and thoughtful they were. While I'm sure the students took away some lessons about the news from this experience, we also learnt a lot from the students.' He added: 'They taught us about how young people want to be reached and what makes them sit up and take note. It's also given us a chance to introduce contemporary issues in a more friendly way to those who may have found it quite daunting in the past. 'This event was one of my favourites of the ST180 events, and we hope we can bring it back year after year in some form. I'd also like to thank our various partners for helping us bring this event to life.' St Joseph's Institution students during the presentation round at the finals of the competition at NUS University Cultural Centre on May 23. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Mr Kangtai Zhong, assistant director of planning and development at the DrugFreeSG office , said: 'ST's aim of encouraging youth to think critically about current affairs whilst having fun aligns with our approach at CNB DrugFreeSG Office. 'We aim to equip youth with essential life skills and critical thinking abilities, enabling them to learn more and think more about the world we live in, specifically about the issue of drugs, so that they can grow into their roles as future leaders of our society and advocate for a drug-free Singapore.' Mr Shawn Huang attended the event on May 23 in his capacity as the outgoing senior parliamentary secretary in MOE. He has since been appointed the same role in manpower along with his current finance portfolio. ST's What's The News competition 'promotes media literacy and raises awareness on current affairs among our students', he said . 'Participants get to analyse news stories and understand complex global issues through interactive and fun activities. This not only sharpens their critical thinking skills but also encourages our youth to become more discerning and engaged citizens.' Mr Huang encouraged students to keep on learning. 'Be curious in your pursuits, and wherever you travel to, whomever you interact with, always ask good questions,' he said. 'Most important of all is when we come together in such competitions, is to make good friends, because in the future, all of you will be working together to build the future of Singapore.'
Straits Times
21-05-2025
- General
- Straits Times
Four schools including Outram Secondary and Temasek JC advance to ST's What's The News? quiz finals
Judges and contestants at the semi-finals of ST's quiz competition What's The News? at Our Tampines Hub on May 21. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH SINGAPORE - All it took was a simple drawing of stick men that showed how drug abuse could cause strains within a family. That illustration helped the team from Presbyterian High School in winning a ticket to the finals in ST's quiz competition, What's The News? on May 21. The interschool interactive quiz competition, organised by The Straits Times as part of its 180th anniversary outreach, is supported by the Ministry of Education. The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) is a partner. Secondary 3 student Daven Voo, 15, from Presbyterian High School, said: 'That game was the hardest as it required us to draw a picture, and since none of us here are particularly good at drawing, we had some trouble with that. 'The most important (insight we gained) is that group effort is the key to overcoming our challenges,' he said, adding that the team is nervous but excited for the upcoming finals. His team is one of the four finalists that are on track to become the champion in ST's current affairs quiz competition, What's The News? during the finals on May 23 to be held at the NUS University Cultural Centre. The other finalists include Outram Secondary School, St Joseph's Institution and Temasek Junior College, who will all be vying for a S$4000 cash prize for the first place winners. Presbyterian High School students taking part in a Pictionary contest during the semi-finals of ST's What's The News? quiz competition on May 21. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH The schools that finish second, third and fourth will win $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000, respectively. The competition, which kicked off with a preliminary round in April, drew more than 6,000 participants across 50 schools. Contestants had to answer a 30 question online current affairs quiz within 30 minutes. Students aged 15 and above from local secondary schools, junior colleges, polytechnics, and the Institutes of Technical Education were tested on their knowledge of news and current affairs. A total of 96 students from the top 16 schools then advanced to the semi-finals, which happened on May 21 at Our Tampines Hub. The semi-final stage was conducted in an arena-style team game, where contestants engaged in four telematch games. Questions ranged from topics like sports and crime to popular culture and local and international news. Yishun Innova Junior College students taking part in a game during the semi-finals of ST's What's The News? quiz competition. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Students were first tasked to work in groups to guide their teammate – standing in a ball pit blindfolded – to find the placard with the correct answer as soon as possible. They then moved on to a challenge, where teams were given 10 seconds to move forward to score more points for every correct answer to true-or-false questions. Students' creativity and presentation skills were also tested in a Pictionary contest where they were given five minutes to create one drawing and three short answers to illustrate the impact of a given social issue on different stakeholders. At the last stage, students were asked to answer questions by physically running to one of four zones - each representing one option. Points were awarded based on the number of team members in the correct zone. ST editor Jaime Ho with Outram Secondary School students during the semi-finals of ST's What's The News? quiz competition. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY ST editor Jaime Ho said: 'What a power-packed afternoon it was. This semi-final was unlike other quiz games we've organised. Besides being familiar with current affairs, the teams needed to play strategically, have teamwork, think critically, and even enjoy a spoonful of luck. 'With Gen Zs and Gen Alphas, we know they are consuming media and news differently from their parents and grandparents, and we need to reach them differently. While we have had publications like Little Red Dot and IN for students, and current affairs programmes for junior college, polytechnic and ITE students for years, we need to continually evolve our offerings so that we continue to speak the language of our young people.' ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo and Mr Dominic Nathan, SPH Media's managing editor of English, Malay and Tamil Media, viewing a presentation by Victoria School students. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Students who took part in the semi-finals said the mix of physical activity and brain-racking questions was fun and thoroughly engaging. Victoria School's Kenneth Pang, 16, a Secondary 4 student, said his most memorable question was being asked during the last game for the increasingly popular Korean term used to describe a middle-aged man - 'ajeossi'. Faced with competition from three other junior colleges in their zone, Kenneth's team of six - who were all aged 15 to 16 - unfortunately did not make it to the finals. But th ey hope to be part of the competition the next round to challenge themselves again. For Yishun Innova Junior College semi-finalist Zane Leow, 18, his biggest takeaway is to 'always be curious'. Just seven points shy of the winning team in their zone, Zane's team still impressed spectators when they topped the charts after the second game, strategising as a team to move forward quickly. Yishun Innova Junior College students taking part in a game during the semi-finals of ST's What's The News? quiz competition. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY On the other side of the competition, CNB's representative and competition judge, Mr Kangtai Zhong, found the Pictionary game most memorable. Mr Zhong, who was one of the judges for the zone that was given a question on drug abuse, said: 'It is actually very heartening to see that all the groups that participated on the topic actually mentioned that drugs harm not only the abuser, but to their family members and loved ones.' Mr Zhong, who is assistant director of planning and development at the DrugFreeSG Office, added: 'We believe that our youth have the ability to think critically, exercising their cognitive ability to glean information and come to decisions about issues that matter to their generation, including issues on climate change, cybersecurity, mental health and drug abuse.' ST managing editor Murali Subramaniam (right) and Mr Kangtai Zhong, assistant director of planning and development at the DrugFreeSG Office, with Nanyang Girls' High School students during the Pictionary contest. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH CNB works with schools and partners to educate students on the issue of drug abuse. Its DrugFreeSG office works with MOE to design curricula that helps students understand drug abuse, for instance, how it harms brain development and the nervous system in lower secondary science classes. In junior college, General Paper classes cover the topic of drugs and drug laws, while the economics subject includes the cost of drug abuse that society bears.
Straits Times
19-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Books, brains and breaking news: 16 schools move to the semi-finals in ST's What's The News? Quiz
Students participating in the first preliminary round of The Straits Times' quiz competition What's The News at St Gabriel's Secondary School on April 15. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Books, brains and breaking news: 16 schools move to the semi-finals in ST's What's The News? Quiz SINGAPORE – From global headlines on the tariff war to news about sports and popular culture, more than 6,000 students recently put their current affairs knowledge to the test. A total of 16 schools, including Nanyang Girls' High School and Naval Base Secondary School, have made it to the semi-finals of the current affairs quiz competition organised by The Straits Times, after preliminary rounds kicked off in April. What's The News? is an inter-school interactive quiz competition organised by ST as part of its 180th anniversary outreach, and is supported by the Ministry of Education. The Central Narcotics Bureau is a partner. Students aged 15 and above from local secondary schools, junior colleges, polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education were tested on their knowledge of news and current affairs. The competition consists of an individual online quiz in the preliminary round, followed by arena-style team games in the semi-finals based on current affairs questions. Four best-performing teams will then head to the final contest with a game show format, with a $4,000 cash prize for the team in first place. The final will be held at the NUS University Cultural Centre on May 23. The schools that finish second, third and fourth will win $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000, respectively. Through this, ST aims to encourage young people to be more balanced consumers of the media through regular discourse on current affairs with friends and family, allowing them to step out of 'echo chambers' present in the polarised media landscape, said the competition's organising team. More than 6,000 students from 50 schools – across secondary and tertiary institutions – took part in the preliminary round. Teams from the top 16 schools have earned a spot in the semi-finals – a series of four telematch games – which is taking place on May 21 at Our Tampines Hub. ST editor Jaime Ho with Secondary 3 student Ammar Emran Putra Sulaiman during the inter-school interactive quiz competition, What's The News?, on April 15. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI ST editor Jaime Ho said: 'We don't give our youth and children enough credit. We sometimes think all they want to read about is K-pop or memes, but we found through our interactions with them that they were very interested in things happening in our community, like the shophouse fire in River Valley, or global issues, like how tariffs would affect us in Singapore. 'Reaching more than 6,000 students through the preliminaries is something that we're really excited about. We are so glad that the schools and students lent their support, and are our partners in improving news and media literacy among our young.' Students have been preparing for the semi-finals – which will require physical activity and teamwork – by reading the news daily across different platforms. Some students have even come together with teammates to quiz each other using Kahoot!, an interactive quiz tool. Tampines Meridian Junior College student Yew Shang Hong, 17, said he has been reading up on current affairs, including global news. He added: 'There have been a lot of headlines (on politics) or even when it comes to trade, especially with Trump's tariffs. These articles have a lot of interesting points, like whether it's a good thing for those countries or is it actually hurting their economy?' What's The News? travelling showcase at Naval Base Secondary School on April 25. ST PHOTO: WHAT'S THE NEWS? ORGANISING COMMITTEE For Naval Base Secondary School student Alexis Eng, 15, preparing for the semi-finals has seen her reading more widely to be exposed to different viewpoints and broaden her understanding of unfamiliar topics. 'I know the quiz isn't just about having the right answers, but about staying curious and passionate about learning... To me, it's about improving, not being perfect,' she said. Her positive disposition towards learning heartened her teachers, who found the competition to be about more than just current affairs. Mr Daniel Troy, 32, the teacher leading the team of students from Naval Base Secondary, said: 'I think (the students have) been actually quite passionate in developing not just their knowledge, but also their critical thinking skills, and appreciate some of the complexities of real-world issues.' Regardless of the outcome, the school is proud of the effort that the students have put in, he added. Read the news and slay the quiz: A recap First preliminary round of The Straits Times' quiz competition What's The News? at St Gabriel's Secondary School on April 15. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI The preliminary round tested students on their knowledge of news and current affairs via a 30-question online quiz with a 30-minute limit. This included topics from local issues such as how much in SG60 vouchers seniors will get, to wider questions about Oxford English Dictionary's word of the year and the kidnapping of Chinese actor Wang Xing in Thailand in January 2025. Students who took part in the quiz said they found that the wide range of topics tested went beyond topics usually discussed at school, opening their eyes to how current affairs can be applicable to their daily lives. Temasek Junior College student Chloe D'Mello, 16, found that the quiz exposed her to content on topics like politics, science and technology, which are covered in her General Paper lessons. 'The quiz tested us on very current bits of current affairs, which made me realise how much is going on in the world beyond the classroom. One example that stood out to me was the question about Chinese academics naming newly discovered spider species after Jay Chou's songs.' she said. What's The News? host Rishi Budhrani (left) with ST Schools editor Serene Luo. ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN Out of the 50 schools, six schools, including Pasir Ris Secondary and Nanyang Junior College, had their preliminary round hosted by local stand-up comedian Rishi Budhrani, who turned out to be a highlight of the competition, said ST Schools editor Serene Luo. Ms Luo, whose team produces publications and content like IN, Little Red Dot and TL;DR for students, said that students were very focused on getting a ticket to the semi-finals. 'In some schools, teachers led the charge by giving their students articles to read; in others, the students did their own preparation by reading news sites, following news sites on social media, or sending articles to their own friends, too,' said Ms Luo. At one school, students gathered outside the lecture theatre to take a photo with their prelim quiz scores, showing it off like a badge of honour, she added. Feeling Fomo? Catch the heat of the prelims here More learning through fun A travelling showcase, designed to look like a bookcase, will visit schools and public spaces from April to June. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI A travelling showcase, designed to look like a bookcase, will visit schools and public spaces from April to June. Hoping to spark further discourse on current affairs among young people, the interactive showcase features informative panels and fun activities, such as the Catch the Lie panel, which gets participants to identify which statements are fake news. By completing an activity sheet at the showcase, visitors stand a chance to win exclusive merchandise such as keychains, laptop stickers, notebooks and a Nalgene water bottle. Key objectives of the display include showing how staying in touch with current affairs helps young people make better decisions, and to encourage them to maintain a balanced and healthy diet of media consumption. It will also be available to the public at Our Tampines Hub on May 21 and outside Punggol Regional Library from Jun 2 to 16. Try out the quiz Members of the public can have a taste of what students went through in the preliminary round here: Here are some questions. 1. How much in SG60 vouchers will seniors 60 and above receive in 2025, as announced in Budget 2025? a. $600 b. $800 c. $1,000 2. Chinese TV actor Wang Xing was rescued on Jan 7 after disappearing in Mae Sot, a Thai town bordering Myanmar. Who kidnapped him? a. Jealous fans of a rival b. Criminals running a fraud farm c. Wildlife poachers 3. In October 2024, two amateur photographers stumbled upon a rare snake, which had not been seen in Singapore in 64 years. The snake is called _________. a. The Peters' keelback snake b. Banded krait c. Oriental whip snake 4. Oxford University Press, publisher of the Oxford English Dictionary, chose __________ as its 2024 Word of the Year. a. demure b. lore c. brain rot 5. According to career and recruitment experts, fresh graduates in Singapore starting their careers in 2025 can look out for growing job opportunities in the following two areas: a. Aeronautics and shipping b. Green energy and artificial intelligence (AI) c. Fintech and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) 6. The Central Narcotics Bureau rescued _______________ during drug raids in homes in 2024. Who did they rescue? a. at least 10 neglected children b. at least 10 neglected pets c. at least 10 neglected elderly or disabled people ANSWERS: Q1. b, Q2. b, Q3. a, Q4. c, Q5. b, Q6. a
