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Brian Lehrer: It's The Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC. Good morning again, everyone. Mets broadcaster Gary Cohen coming up later this hour in advance of the Subway Series this weekend. First, again this membership drive, we're doing a 10-question quiz each day at around this time during the eleven o'clock hour. Get two in a row right and today you'll win a Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap or the WNYC centennial tote about to become a collector's item as our centennial year ends.
Again, it's a 10-question quiz, drawing questions from the United States government citizenship test, like we did the last two days. Questions from the actual published list of questions that people are given to study from before they take the naturalization test. We read that more than 70% of US adults would fail a basic civics test. Let's see how Brian Lehrer Show listeners measure up. Even if you grew up here, you had to take the citizenship test today. Two in a row right and you'll win one of those prizes. Let's see how it goes.
Randi in Manhattan, you're up first. You're on WNYC. Ready to play?
Randi: Good morning. Yes.
Brian Lehrer: All right. I think this may be the hardest question of the 10, which happens to come up as number one in the order that we have. What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
Randi: Louisiana.
Brian Lehrer: That is right. Very good. Number two: What did Susan B. Anthony do? They write it like it's an essay question. If you know just basically in a few words what Susan B. Anthony did for the prize.
Randi: Embarrassingly, I'm going to ask for a hint.
Brian Lehrer: Oh, gee.
Randi: Is that possible?
Brian Lehrer: For a hint. Well, let's see. I guess. Oh, what can I give you that's a hint that won't actually give it away? Well, Susan's usually a woman's name. Maybe that's a hint.
Randi: The right to vote?
Brian Lehrer: I'm going to take that as close enough because she fought for women's rights and fought for civil rights generally. Those are the two answers that the citizenship test gives. Fought for women's rights and fought for civil rights. With a little bit of a hint, you got-- I thought Louisiana was going to be the hard one and Susan B. Anthony was going to be the easy one. Randi, do you want the centennial tote or The Brian Lehrer Show hat?
Randi: The tote, please.
Brian Lehrer: Hang on, we'll get your address off the air. Stephen in Westchester, ready to play?
Stephen: I'm ready to play, Brian.
Brian Lehrer: Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s. There are four to choose from. One.
Stephen: Could I do the War of 1812?
Brian Lehrer: Absolutely. That was the first one. There was also the Mexican-American War, Civil War, and Spanish-American War. Whoops, I just clicked to the next caller. Stephen, you're still there, right?
Stephen: Yes, I'm here.
Brian Lehrer: For the prize, who was the president during World War I?
Stephen: President Wilson?
Brian Lehrer: Is correct. You want the centennial tote or The Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap? That's the easy question.
Stephen: Yes, I'm debating. The centennial hat's a limited edition.
Brian Lehrer: Tote.
Stephen: I'll take the hat.
Brian Lehrer: All right, Stephen, hang on. We'll get your address off the air. Here's Adrienne in Astoria. Hi, Adrienne. Ready to play?
Adrienne: Hi, Brian. I'm ready.
Brian Lehrer: Question 5. Who was president during the Great Depression and World War II? I told you, some of these are ridiculously easy. That's right.
Adrienne: During World War II?
Brian Lehrer: No, it's the same.
Adrienne: Is it FDR?
Brian Lehrer: Yes, FDR. Question 6, for the prize. During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States? They give a one-word answer here. How would you describe--
Adrienne: Communism.
Brian Lehrer: Communism is the word. That's two in a row correct. Do you want a-
Adrienne: [cheers]
Brian Lehrer: -centennial tote or a Brian Lehrer Show baseball hat?
Adrienne: [laughs] I'll take the hat, please. Oh, my God, it's so thrilling. Love you, Brian.
Brian Lehrer: Thank you, Adrienne. Lachish in Princeton Junction, you're on WNYC. Ready to play?
Lachish: Yes.
Brian Lehrer: Question 7. I think we've given away a prize on each of these pairs so far. This third set of 10 is proving much easier than the first or the second set by the luck of the draw. Question 7, maybe a little harder. Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States. Either one of the two longest rivers in the United States.
Lachish: Mississippi.
Brian Lehrer: Mississippi is right. The other one is the Missouri River. Question eight: Name one US territory. Not a state, but a territory.
Lachish: Puerto Rico.
Brian Lehrer: Puerto Rico is absolutely right. Do you want the centennial tote or The Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap?
Lachish: I'll take the cap.
Brian Lehrer: That is cool. Hang on, Lachish. We'll get your address off the air. Let's go next to Jonathan in Woodside. Hi, Jonathan. You're on WNYC. Ready to play?
Jonathan: Hi, Brian. Yes.
Brian Lehrer: Let's see. You'll probably be the last contestant if you get both of these right.
Jonathan: Oh, boy.
Brian Lehrer: This is like ridiculously easy. I say that before, people get them wrong sometimes, but you're going to get this right. Name one state that borders Canada.
Jonathan: Oh, New York.
Brian Lehrer: Yes, and Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Alaska. For the prize, in the end of the quiz, why does the flag have 13 stripes, the American flag?
Jonathan: The first 13 states to join.
Brian Lehrer: Absolutely right. Called colonies at the time.
Jonathan: Oh, wow.
Brian Lehrer: Of course, they became the first 13 states. We have run the table here. Five sets of two questions and five prizes given. Do you want The Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap or the WNYC centennial tote?
Jonathan: As a New Yorker flush with totes, I'll take the hat.
Brian Lehrer: All right. Jonathan, hang on. Thank you, everybody, for playing the quiz. We're going to have more quizzes on other topics when the drive continues for a few days next week. Baseball hat is a good segue to say our next guest is going to be New York Mets broadcaster Gary Cohen ahead of the Subway Series. Stay with us.
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