Answer: independence

Context: The independence of the ECB is instrumental in maintaining price stability. Not only must the bank not seek influence, but EU institutions and national governments are bound by the treaties to respect the ECB's independence. To offer some accountability, the ECB is bound to publish reports on its activities and has to address its annual report to the European Parliament, the European Commission, the Council of the European Union and the European Council. The European Parliament also gets to question and then issue its opinion on candidates to the executive board.

Question: WHat is the biggest factor in the ECB maintaining price stability?


Answer: The European Parliament

Question: Who gets to interview and question prospective board members?


Answer: bound by the treaties

Question: Why do EU institutions and national governments have to respect the independence of the ECB?


Answer: bound to publish reports on its activities and has to address its annual report to the European Parliament

Question: How is the ECB held accountable for it's actions?


Answer: 2009

Context: From late 2009 a handful of mainly southern eurozone member states started being unable to repay their national Euro-denominated government debt or to finance the bail-out of troubled financial sectors under their national supervision without the assistance of third parties. This so-called European debt crisis began after Greece's new elected government stopped masking its true indebtedness and budget deficit and openly communicated the imminent danger of a Greek sovereign default. Seeing a sovereign default in the eurozone as a shock, the general public, international and European institutions, and the financial community started to intensively reassess the economic situation and creditworthiness of eurozone states. Those eurozone states being assessed as not financially sustainable enough on their current path, faced waves of credit rating downgrades and rising borrowing costs including increasing interest rate spreads. As a consequence, the ability of these states to borrow new money to further finance their budget deficits or to refinance existing unsustainable debt levels was strongly reduced.

Question: When did the European debt Crisis begin?


Answer: the ability of these states to borrow new money to further finance their budget deficits or to refinance existing unsustainable debt levels was strongly reduced

Question: What did the eurozone states that were thought to not be able to repay their debt face as a consequence?


Answer: Greece

Question: Which country was the first to be at risk for soverign default?


Answer: new elected government

Question: Who brought Greece's financial crisis to the forefront?


Answer: its true indebtedness and budget deficit

Question: What had Greece's previous government been hiding?


Answer: financially stable eurozone states like Germany

Context: There is also a widespread view[vague][who?] that giving much more financial support to continuously cover the debt crisis or allow even higher budget deficits or debt levels would discourage the crisis states to implement necessary reforms to regain their competitiveness.[citation needed] There has also been a reluctance[citation needed] of financially stable eurozone states like Germany[citation needed] to further circumvent the no-bailout clause in the EU contracts and to generally take on the burden of financing or guaranteeing the debts of financially unstable or defaulting eurozone countries.[citation needed]

Question: Which countries didn't want to go around the bail-out clause and have to shoulder the burden of backing the defaulters debts.


Answer: discourage the crisis states to implement necessary reforms to regain their competitiveness

Question: What do most see raising the debt celing as doing?


Answer: giving much more financial support to continuously cover the debt crisis or allow even higher budget deficits or debt levels

Question: What could keep the crisis states from trying to stand on their own?


Answer: Grexit

Context: This has led to public discussions if Greece, Portugal, and even Italy would be better off leaving the eurozone to regain economical and financial stability if they would not implement reforms to strengthen their competitiveness as part of the eurozone in time. Greece had the greatest need for reforms but also most problems to implement those, so the Greek exit, also called "Grexit", has been widely discussed. Germany, as a large and financially stable state being in the focus to be asked to guarantee or repay other states debt, has never pushed those exits. Their position is to keep Greece within the eurozone, but not at any cost. If the worst comes to the worst, priority should be given to the euro's stability.

Question: What term was coined when Greece left the eurozone?


Answer: If the worst comes to the worst, priority should be given to the euro's stability.

Question: What is Germany's position on wether or not Greece should be in the eurozone?


Answer: never pushed those exits

Question: As one of the financial powers, has Germany ever tried to force the crisis states into leaving the eurozone?


Answer: Greece

Question: Which eurozone country has the biggest need for financial reform?


Answer: if the debt rescheduling causes losses on loans held by European banks

Context: However, if the debt rescheduling causes losses on loans held by European banks, it weakens the private banking system, which then puts pressure on the central bank to come to the aid of those banks. Private-sector bond holders are an integral part of the public and private banking system. Another possible response is for wealthy member countries to guarantee or purchase the debt of countries that have defaulted or are likely to default. This alternative requires that the tax revenues and credit of the wealthy member countries be used to refinance the previous borrowing of the weaker member countries, and is politically controversial.

Question: What would cause the private banking system to weaken?


Answer: wealthy member countries

Question: Who purchases the debt of countries that cannot repay and are in danger of default?


Answer: pressure on the central bank to come to the aid of those banks

Question: What happens when the private banking system is weakened?


Answer: tax revenues and credit of the wealthy member countries

Question: What is to be used to guarantee the debtors repayment, by the banks assuming their debt?


Answer: is politically controversial

Question: Is using the tax revenues and credit of the more stable banks to bail out the ones in danger of default an accepted practice?


Answer: ECB

Context: In contrast to the Fed, the ECB normally does not buy bonds outright. The normal procedure used by the ECB for manipulating the money supply has been via the so-called refinancing facilities. In these facilities, bonds are not purchased but used in reverse transactions: repurchase agreements, or collateralised loans. These two transactions are similar, i.e. bonds are used as collaterals for loans, the difference being of legal nature. In the repos the ownership of the collateral changes to the ECB until the loan is repaid.

Question: Who retains ownership of the collateral until the debt is paid?


Answer: refinancing facilities

Question: Since the ECB doesn't buy bonds outright, how are they used?


Answer: repurchase agreements, or collateralised loans

Question: What is the manner in which bonds are used at refinancing facilities?


Answer: the Fed

Question: Who buys the bonds instead of using them in reverse transactions?


Answer: Spanish and Italian

Context: This changed with the recent sovereign-debt crisis. The ECB always could, and through the late summer of 2011 did, purchase bonds issued by the weaker states even though it assumes, in doing so, the risk of a deteriorating balance sheet. ECB buying focused primarily on Spanish and Italian debt. Certain techniques can minimise the impact. Purchases of Italian bonds by the central bank, for example, were intended to dampen international speculation and strengthen portfolios in the private sector and also the central bank.

Question: What debt did the ECB focus on abtaining?


Answer: a deteriorating balance sheet

Question: What risk is assumed when the ECB purchases bonds from weaker states?


Answer: intended to dampen international speculation and strengthen portfolios in the private sector and also the central bank

Question: Why were italian bonds purchased by the ECB?


Answer: Purchases of Italian bonds by the central bank

Question: What was something used to minimize the impact of the soverign-debt crisis?


Answer: highly valued assets are sold at the same time that the weaker assets are purchased

Context: On the other hand, certain financial techniques can reduce the impact of such purchases on the currency. One is sterilisation, in which highly valued assets are sold at the same time that the weaker assets are purchased, which keeps the money supply neutral. Another technique is simply to accept the bad assets as long-term collateral (as opposed to short-term repo swaps) to be held until their market value stabilises. This would imply, as a quid pro quo, adjustments in taxation and expenditure in the economies of the weaker states to improve the perceived value of the assets.

Question: How does sterilisation help to keep the money flow even?


Answer: long-term collateral

Question: What can a state do with bad assets, rather than cashing them in directly?


Answer: adjustments in taxation and expenditure in the economies

Question: How can weaker states improve the surface value of their assets?


Answer: €212.1bn

Context: As of 18 June 2012, the ECB in total had spent €212.1bn (equal to 2.2% of the Eurozone GDP) for bond purchases covering outright debt, as part of its Securities Markets Programme (SMP) running since May 2010. On 6 September 2012, the ECB announced a new plan for buying bonds from eurozone countries. The duration of the previous SMP was temporary, while the Outright Monetary Transactions (OMT) programme has no ex-ante time or size limit. On 4 September 2014, the bank went further by announcing it would buy bonds and other debt instruments primarily from banks in a bid to boost the availability of credit for businesses.

Question: By 2012, how much did the ECB spend in covering bad debt?


Answer: Outright Monetary Transactions

Question: How does the ECB plan to increase the available credit for businesses?


Answer: no ex-ante time or size limit

Question: What is the duration of the Outright Monetary Transactions program?


Answer: 6 September 2012

Question: When was the new idea for the purchasing of eurozone bonds announced?


Answer: temporary

Question: How long was the duration of the Securities Markets Programme to last?


Answer: temporarily moving bad or weak assets

Context: Rescue operations involving sovereign debt have included temporarily moving bad or weak assets off the balance sheets of the weak member banks into the balance sheets of the European Central Bank. Such action is viewed as monetisation and can be seen as an inflationary threat, whereby the strong member countries of the ECB shoulder the burden of monetary expansion (and potential inflation) to save the weak member countries. Most central banks prefer to move weak assets off their balance sheets with some kind of agreement as to how the debt will continue to be serviced. This preference has typically led the ECB to argue that the weaker member countries must:

Question: What can be shuffeled around during a soverign debt crisis to mitigate the damage?


Answer: the balance sheets of the European Central Bank

Question: Where do bad and weak assets get moved in times of soverign debt crisis?


Answer: monetisation

Question: What is shuffling around bad or weak debts from a weaker eurozone member to the ECB known as?


Answer: inflationary threat

Question: What is monetisation usually viewed as?


Answer: move weak assets off their balance sheets

Question: If the central banks can come to an agreement with the eurozone member about the continued repayment of the debt, what happens to the bad or weak debt?


Answer: the sickness of the euro

Context: The European Central Bank had stepped up the buying of member nations debt. In response to the crisis of 2010, some proposals have surfaced for a collective European bond issue that would allow the central bank to purchase a European version of US Treasury bills. To make European sovereign debt assets more similar to a US Treasury, a collective guarantee of the member states' solvency would be necessary.[b] But the German government has resisted this proposal, and other analyses indicate that "the sickness of the euro" is due to the linkage between sovereign debt and failing national banking systems. If the European central bank were to deal directly with failing banking systems sovereign debt would not look as leveraged relative to national income in the financially weaker member states.

Question: What is being caused by links between soverign debt and failing national banks?


Answer: the German government

Question: Which country has been resistant to attempts to make the soverign debt assets more like the U.S. Treasury?


Answer: The European Central Bank

Question: Who began to increase their coverage of weaker debts?


Answer: a collective guarantee of the member states' solvency

Question: What would have to happen to make European sovereign debt assets more like what is found in the U.S. Treasury?


Answer: the crisis of 2010

Question: Why did propsals about making the European sovereign debt assets more like the US Treasury?


Answer: loaned billions of euros to banks

Context: The bank must also co-operate within the EU and internationally with third bodies and entities. Finally, it contributes to maintaining a stable financial system and monitoring the banking sector. The latter can be seen, for example, in the bank's intervention during the subprime mortgage crisis when it loaned billions of euros to banks to stabilise the financial system. In December 2007, the ECB decided in conjunction with the Federal Reserve System under a programme called Term auction facility to improve dollar liquidity in the eurozone and to stabilise the money market.

Question: What did the ECB do to help stabilise the financial system during the subprime mortgage crisis?


Answer: to stabilise the financial system

Question: Why did the ECB intervene during the subprime mortgage crisis?


Answer: Federal Reserve System

Question: Who decided, along with the ECB, to use Term auction to help stabilize the financial crisis and improve dollar liquidity?


Answer: contributes to maintaining a stable financial system and monitoring the banking sector

Question: Besides cooperating with other financial institutions, how does the ECB help to maintain stability?


Answer: December 2007

Question: When did the ECB and Federal Rserve decide to collaborate on Term auction facility?


Answer: it can make as much money as it deems needed

Context: In central banking, the privileged status of the central bank is that it can make as much money as it deems needed. In the United States Federal Reserve Bank, the Federal Reserve buys assets: typically, bonds issued by the Federal government. There is no limit on the bonds that it can buy and one of the tools at its disposal in a financial crisis is to take such extraordinary measures as the purchase of large amounts of assets such as commercial paper. The purpose of such operations is to ensure that adequate liquidity is available for functioning of the financial system.

Question: What is a perk of the central bank?


Answer: bonds issued by the Federal government

Question: What kinds of assets does the US Federal Reserve buy?


Answer: commercial paper

Question: What kind of asset will the Federal Reserve purchase in mass quantities at a time of crisis?


Answer: to ensure that adequate liquidity is available for functioning

Question: What is the purpose of buying commercial paper in a time of financial crisis?


Answer: Moody's and S&P

Context: Think-tanks such as the World Pensions Council have also argued that European legislators have pushed somewhat dogmatically for the adoption of the Basel II recommendations, adopted in 2005, transposed in European Union law through the Capital Requirements Directive (CRD), effective since 2008. In essence, they forced European banks, and, more importantly, the European Central Bank itself e.g. when gauging the solvency of financial institutions, to rely more than ever on standardised assessments of credit risk marketed by two non-European private agencies: Moody's and S&P.

Question: Which agencies have became the authority on assessing the risk of financial institutions?


Answer: 2005

Question: When was Basel II adopted?


Answer: the Basel II recommendations

Question: What said that agencies had to start using Moody's and S&P to assess financial institutions?


Answer: 2008

Question: Since when have the Basel II recommendations been in effect?


Answer: Frankfurt

Context: The bank is based in Frankfurt, the largest financial centre in the Eurozone. Its location in the city is fixed by the Amsterdam Treaty. The bank moved to new purpose-built headquarters in 2014 which were designed a Vienna-based architectural office named Coop Himmelbau. The building is approximately 180 metres (591 ft) tall and will be accompanied with other secondary buildings on a landscaped site on the site of the former wholesale market in the eastern part of Frankfurt am Main. The main construction began in October 2008, and it was expected that the building will become an architectural symbol for Europe. While it was designed to accommodate double the number of staff who operate in the former Eurotower, that building has been retained since the ECB took responsibility for banking supervision and more space was hence required.

Question: Where is the European Central bank located?


Answer: Amsterdam Treaty

Question: What decided where the bank was to be located?


Answer: 2014

Question: When did the bank move to it's new headquarters?


Answer: the former wholesale market

Question: What previously stood where the bank is now?


Answer: October 2008

Question: When did construction of the new bank begin?


Answer: Greece, Ireland, Italy and Spain

Context: On 21 December 2011 the bank instituted a programme of making low-interest loans with a term of three years (36 months) and 1% interest to European banks accepting loans from the portfolio of the banks as collateral. Loans totalling €489.2 bn (US$640 bn) were announced. The loans were not offered to European states, but government securities issued by European states would be acceptable collateral as would mortgage-backed securities and other commercial paper that can be demonstrated to be secure. The programme was announced on 8 December 2011 but observers were surprised by the volume of the loans made when it was implemented. Under its LTRO it loaned €489bn to 523 banks for an exceptionally long period of three years at a rate of just one percent. The by far biggest amount of €325bn was tapped by banks in Greece, Ireland, Italy and Spain. This way the ECB tried to make sure that banks have enough cash to pay off €200bn of their own maturing debts in the first three months of 2012, and at the same time keep operating and loaning to businesses so that a credit crunch does not choke off economic growth. It also hoped that banks would use some of the money to buy government bonds, effectively easing the debt crisis.

Question: After the loan program was announced, which countries borrowed the most?


Answer: easing the debt crisis

Question: What would happen if some of the banks were to begin buying govenrment bonds?


Answer: €200bn

Question: How much does the ECB have to have to pay off it's own debts?


Answer: keep operating and loaning to businesses

Question: How do you prevent a credit bottleneck?


Answer: longer-term refinancing operation

Context: The ECB's first supplementary longer-term refinancing operation (LTRO) with a six-month maturity was announced March 2008. Previously the longest tender offered was three months. It announced two 3-month and one 6-month full allotment of Long Term Refinancing Operations (LTROs). The first tender was settled 3 April, and was more than four times oversubscribed. The €25 billion auction drew bids amounting to €103.1 billion, from 177 banks. Another six-month tender was allotted on 9 July, again to the amount of €25 billion. The first 12-month LTRO in June 2009 had close to 1100 bidders.

Question: What is an LTRO?


Answer: six-month

Question: How long was the time to maturity on an LTRO?


Answer: March 2008

Question: When were the first supplemental LTRO's offered?


Answer: three months

Question: How long had the time to maturity been previously?


Answer: close to 1100 bidders

Question: How many bids were recorded at the auction for the first 12 month LRTO?


Answer: Canada

Context: St. John's (/ˌseɪntˈdʒɒnz/, local /ˌseɪntˈdʒɑːnz/) is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. St. John's was incorporated as a city in 1888, yet is considered by some to be the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 214,285 as of July 1, 2015, the St. John's Metropolitan Area is the second largest Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) in Atlantic Canada after Halifax and the 20th largest metropolitan area in Canada. It is one of the world's top ten oceanside destinations, according to National Geographic Magazine. Its name has been attributed to the feast day of John the Baptist, when John Cabot was believed to have sailed into the harbour in 1497, and also to a Basque fishing town with the same name.

Question: In what country is St. John's located?


Answer: Newfoundland

Question: What is the name of the island that St. John's is located?


Answer: St. John's

Question: What city is ranked 20th in largest metropolitan area for Canada?


Answer: eastern tip

Question: Where on the Avalon Peninsula is St. John's located?


Answer: 2015

Question: In what year did St. John's have a population of 214,285?


Answer: St. John's

Context: St. John's is one of the oldest settlements in North America, with year-round settlement beginning sometime after 1630 and seasonal habitation long before that. It is not, however, the oldest surviving English settlement in North America or Canada, having been preceded by the Cuper's Cove colony at Cupids, founded in 1610, and the Bristol's Hope colony at Harbour Grace, founded in 1618. In fact, although English fishermen had begun setting up seasonal camps in Newfoundland in the 16th Century, they were expressly forbidden by the British government, at the urging of the West Country fishing industry, from establishing permanent settlements along the English controlled coast, hence the town of St. John's was not established as a permanent community until after the 1630s at the earliest. Other permanent English settlements in the Americas that predate St. John's include: St. George's, Bermuda (1612) and Jamestown, Virginia (1607).

Question: Which city is considered one of the oldest settlements in North America?


Answer: 1630

Question: Around what year did settlement begin to occur in St. John's?


Answer: 1610

Question: When was Cuper's Cove colony founded?


Answer: 1618

Question: What year was Bristol's Hope colony founded?


Answer: British government

Question: Who forbade the english fisherman to setup seasonal camps in Newfoundland?


Answer: Sebastian

Context: Sebastian Cabot declares in a handwritten Latin text in his original 1545 map, that the St. John's earned its name when he and his father, the Venetian explorer John Cabot became the first Europeans to sail into the harbour, in the morning of 24 June 1494 (against British and French historians stating 1497), the feast day of Saint John the Baptist. However, the exact locations of Cabot's landfalls are disputed. A series of expeditions to St. John's by Portuguese from the Azores took place in the early 16th century, and by 1540 French, Spanish and Portuguese ships crossed the Atlantic annually to fish the waters off the Avalon Peninsula. In the Basque Country, it is a common belief that the name of St. John's was given by Basque fishermen because the bay of St. John's is very similar to the Bay of Pasaia in the Basque Country, where one of the fishing towns is also called St. John (in Spanish, San Juan, and in Basque, Donibane).

Question: What was John Cabot's sons first name?


Answer: explorer

Question: What was the occupation of John Cabot?


Answer: Avalon Peninsula

Question: Where did the French, Spanish and Portuguese start to travel to fish yearly in 1540?


Answer: Basque Country

Question: Where is the Bay of Pasaia located?


Answer: Latin

Question: In what language did Sebastian Cabot write his map from 1545?


Answer: 1527

Context: The earliest record of the location appears as São João on a Portuguese map by Pedro Reinel in 1519. When John Rut visited St. John's in 1527 he found Norman, Breton and Portuguese ships in the harbour. On 3 August 1527, Rut wrote a letter to King Henry on the findings of his voyage to North America; this was the first known letter sent from North America. St. Jehan is shown on Nicholas Desliens' world map of 1541 and San Joham is found in João Freire's Atlas of 1546. It was during this time that Water Street was first developed, making it the oldest street in North America.[dubious – discuss]

Question: What year did John Rut visit St. John's?


Answer: John Rut

Question: Who sent the first known letter from North America?


Answer: Norman, Breton and Portuguese

Question: What three countries ships did John Rut find in 1527?


Answer: King Henry

Question: Who did John Rut write a letter to in 1527?


Answer: William Payne

Context: By 1620, the fishermen of England's West Country controlled most of Newfoundland's east coast. In 1627, William Payne, called St. John's "the principal prime and chief lot in all the whole country". The population grew slowly in the 17th century and St. John's was the largest settlement in Newfoundland when English naval officers began to take censuses around 1675. The population would grow in the summers with the arrival of migratory fishermen. In 1680, fishing ships (mostly from South Devon) set up fishing rooms at St. John's, bringing hundreds of Irish men into the port to operate inshore fishing boats.

Question: Who referred St. John's as St. "the principal prime and chief lot in all the whole country" ?


Answer: 1675

Question: When did censuses start being conducted in St. John's?


Answer: 1680

Question: When did Irish men begin to operate inshore fishing boats in St. John's?


Answer: population

Question: What grew during the summers in St. John's?


Answer: fishermen

Question: Who controlled most of Newfoundland's east coast by 1620?


Answer: Michiel de Ruyter

Context: The town's first significant defences were likely erected due to commercial interests, following the temporary seizure of St. John's by the Dutch admiral Michiel de Ruyter in June 1665. The inhabitants were able to fend off a second Dutch attack in 1673, when this time it was defended by Christopher Martin, an English merchant captain. Martin landed six cannons from his vessel, the Elias Andrews, and constructed an earthen breastwork and battery near chain Rock commanding the Narrows leading into the harbour. With only twenty-three men, the valiant Martin beat off an attack by three Dutch warships. The English government planned to expand these fortifications (Fort William) in around 1689, but actual construction didn't begin until after the French admiral Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville captured and destroyed the town in the Avalon Peninsula Campaign (1696). When 1500 English reinforcements arrived in late 1697 they found nothing but rubble where the town and fortifications had stood.

Question: Who briefly seized St. John's in 1665?


Answer: 1673

Question: In what year did the dutch attack St. John for a second time?


Answer: twenty-three

Question: How many men defended the attack from the Dutch in 1673?


Answer: Pierre Le Moyne

Question: Who destroyed Fort William in 1696?


Answer: three

Question: How many Dutch warships were fended of by Christopher Martin in 1673?


Answer: Alcock and Brown

Context: St. John's was the starting point for the first non-stop transatlantic aircraft flight, by Alcock and Brown in a modified Vickers Vimy IV bomber, in June 1919, departing from Lester's Field in St. John's and ending in a bog near Clifden, Connemara, Ireland. In July 2005, the flight was duplicated by American aviator and adventurer Steve Fossett in a replica Vickers Vimy aircraft, with St. John's International Airport substituting for Lester's Field (now an urban and residential part of the city).

Question: Who flew the first non-stop transatlantic aircraft flight?


Answer: Vickers Vimy IV bomber

Question: What aircraft did Alcock and Brown use in 1919 for their flight?


Answer: Lester's Field

Question: Where in St. John's did Alcock and Brown depart from in June 1919?


Answer: Steve Fossett

Question: Who duplicated Alcock and Brown flight in 2005?


Answer: replica Vickers Vimy

Question: What aircraft did Steve Fossett use for his flight in July 2005?


Answer: 1990s

Context: St. John's, and the province as a whole, was gravely affected in the 1990s by the collapse of the Northern cod fishery, which had been the driving force of the provincial economy for hundreds of years. After a decade of high unemployment rates and depopulation, the city's proximity to the Hibernia, Terra Nova and White Rose oil fields has led to an economic boom that has spurred population growth and commercial development. As a result, the St. John's area now accounts for about half of the province's economic output.

Question: When did the Northern cod fishery collapse?


Answer: Hibernia, Terra Nova and White Rose oil fields

Question: What led to an economic boom in St. John's?


Answer: hundreds of years

Question: For how long did the Northern cod fishery provide a stable economy for St. John's?


Answer: decade

Question: How long did unemployment rates and depopulation suffer in St. John's?


Answer: Atlantic Ocean

Context: St. John's is located along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, on the northeast of the Avalon Peninsula in southeast Newfoundland. The city covers an area of 446.04 square kilometres (172.22 sq mi) and is the most easterly city in North America, excluding Greenland; it is 295 miles (475 km) closer to London, England than it is to Edmonton, Alberta. The city of St. John's is located at a distance by air of 3,636 kilometres (2,259 mi) from Lorient, France which lies on a nearly precisely identical latitude across the Atlantic on the French western coast. The city is the largest in the province and the second largest in the Atlantic Provinces after Halifax, Nova Scotia. Its downtown area lies to the west and north of St. John's Harbour, and the rest of the city expands from the downtown to the north, south, east and west.

Question: Near what body of water is St. John's located by?


Answer: 172.22

Question: How many Square miles is St. John's?


Answer: Alberta

Question: In what providence is Edmonton located?


Answer: Halifax

Question: What is the largest Atlantic Province city?


Answer: humid

Context: St. John's has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb), with lower seasonal variation than normal for the latitude, which is due to Gulf Stream moderation. However, despite this maritime moderation, average January high temperatures are actually slightly colder in St. John's than it is in Kelowna, British Columbia, which is an inland city that is near the more marine air of the Pacific, demonstrating the cold nature of Eastern Canada. Mean temperatures range from −4.9 °C (23.2 °F) in February to 16.1 °C (61.0 °F) in August, showing somewhat of a seasonal lag in the climate. The city is also one of the areas of the country most prone to tropical cyclone activity, as it is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, where tropical storms (and sometimes hurricanes) travel from the United States. The city is one of the rainiest in Canada outside of coastal British Columbia. This is partly due to its propensity for tropical storm activity as well as moist, Atlantic air frequently blowing ashore and creating precipitation.

Question: How is the climate in St. John's?


Answer: British Columbia

Question: In which province is Kelowna located?


Answer: British Columbia

Question: Which Canadian city is the most rainiest?


Answer: Atlantic Ocean

Question: What body of water is to the east of St. John?


Answer: United States

Question: From where do tropical storms travel from to St. John's?


Answer: St. John's

Context: Of major Canadian cities, St. John's is the foggiest (124 days), windiest (24.3 km/h (15.1 mph) average speed), and cloudiest (1,497 hours of sunshine). St. John's experiences milder temperatures during the winter season in comparison to other Canadian cities, and has the mildest winter for any Canadian city outside of British Columbia. Precipitation is frequent and often heavy, falling year round. On average, summer is the driest season, with only occasional thunderstorm activity, and the wettest months are from October to January, with December the wettest single month, with nearly 165 millimetres of precipitation on average. This winter precipitation maximum is quite unusual for humid continental climates, which most commonly have a late spring or early summer precipitation maximum (for example, most of the Midwestern U.S.). Most heavy precipitation events in St. John's are the product of intense mid-latitude storms migrating from the Northeastern U.S. and New England states, and these are most common and intense from October to March, bringing heavy precipitation (commonly 4 to 8 centimetres of rainfall equivalent in a single storm), and strong winds. In winter, two or more types of precipitation (rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow) can fall from passage of a single storm. Snowfall is heavy, averaging nearly 335 centimetres per winter season. However, winter storms can bring changing precipitation types. Heavy snow can transition to heavy rain, melting the snow cover, and possibly back to snow or ice (perhaps briefly) all in the same storm, resulting in little or no net snow accumulation. Snow cover in St. John's is variable, and especially early in the winter season, may be slow to develop, but can extend deeply into the spring months (March, April). The St. John's area is subject to freezing rain (called "silver thaws"), the worst of which paralyzed the city over a three-day period in April 1984.

Question: What is the foggiest Canadian city?


Answer: 15.1 mph

Question: What is the average wind speed in miles per hour for St. John's?


Answer: British Columbia

Question: What Canadian city has the mildest winter temperature?


Answer: summer

Question: What is the driest season on average in St. John's?


Answer: silver thaws

Question: What is another word for freezing rain?


Answer: wood

Context: Starting as a fishing outpost for European fishermen, St. John's consisted mostly of the homes of fishermen, sheds, storage shacks, and wharves constructed out of wood. Like many other cities of the time, as the Industrial Revolution took hold and new methods and materials for construction were introduced, the landscape changed as the city grew in width and height. The Great Fire of 1892 destroyed most of the downtown core, and most residential and other wood-frame buildings date from this period.

Question: What are wharves in St. John's constructed out of?


Answer: 1892

Question: In what year was the Great Fire?


Answer: downtown core

Question: What was the most affected area of The Great Fire of 1892?


Answer: San Francisco

Context: Often compared to San Francisco due to the hilly terrain and steep maze of residential streets, housing in St. John's is typically painted in bright colours. The city council has implemented strict heritage regulations in the downtown area, including restrictions on the height of buildings. These regulations have caused much controversy over the years. With the city experiencing an economic boom a lack of hotel rooms and office space has seen proposals put forward that do not meet the current height regulations. Heritage advocates argue that the current regulations should be enforced while others believe the regulations should be relaxed to encourage economic development.

Question: What US city is St. John's often compared to?


Answer: height of buildings

Question: What does the city council have restrictions on in downtown?


Answer: controversy

Question: What have the restrictions on the height of buildings caused over the years?


Answer: hotel rooms and office space

Question: What is the city lacking because of the height restrictions?


Answer: heritage regulations

Context: To meet the need for more office space downtown without compromising the city's heritage, the city council amended heritage regulations, which originally restricted height to 15 metres in the area of land on Water Street between Bishop's Cove and Steer's Cove, to create the "Commercial Central Retail – West Zone". The new zone will allow for buildings of greater height. A 47-metre, 12-storey office building, which includes retail space and a parking garage, was the first building to be approved in this area.

Question: What was amended to provide more office space in downtown?


Answer: 15 metres

Question: What height was the original restriction in downtown for ?


Answer: 47-metre

Question: How tall was the first office building to be approved in the on Water Street between Bishop's Cove and Steer's Cove?


Answer: 2006

Context: As of the 2006 Census, there were 100,646 inhabitants in St. John's itself, 151,322 in the urban area and 181,113 in the St. John's Census Metropolitan Area (CMA). Thus, St. John's is Newfoundland and Labrador's largest city and Canada's 20th largest CMA. Apart from St. John's, the CMA includes 12 other communities: the city of Mount Pearl and the towns of Conception Bay South, Paradise, Portugal Cove-St. Philip's, Torbay, Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove, Pouch Cove, Flatrock, Bay Bulls, Witless Bay, Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove and Bauline. The population of the CMA was 192,326 as of 1 July 2010.

Question: In what year where there 100,646 inhabitants in St. John's?


Answer: 12

Question: How many communities does the CMA include?


Answer: 192,326

Question: What was the population of the CMA in 2010?


Answer: St. John's

Question: What is Newfoundland and Labrador's largest city?


Answer: Christian

Context: Predominantly Christian, the population of St. John's was once divided along sectarian (Catholic/Protestant) lines. In recent years, this sectarianism has declined significantly, and is no longer a commonly acknowledged facet of life in St. John's. St. John's is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of St. John's, and the Anglican Bishop of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador. All major Christian sects showed a decline from 2001–2011 with a large increase in those with no religion from 3.9% to 11.1%.

Question: What is the largest religion in St. John's?


Answer: sectarianism

Question: What has declined in the recent years on St. John's?


Answer: Christian

Question: What sects declined from 2001-2011?


Answer: civil service

Context: St. John's economy is connected to both its role as the provincial capital of Newfoundland and Labrador and to the ocean. The civil service which is supported by the federal, provincial and municipal governments has been the key to the expansion of the city's labour force and to the stability of its economy, which supports a sizable retail, service and business sector. The provincial government is the largest employer in the city, followed by Memorial University. With the collapse of the fishing industry in Newfoundland and Labrador in the 1990s, the role of the ocean is now tied to what lies beneath it – oil and gas – as opposed to what swims in or travels across it. The city is the centre of the oil and gas industry in Eastern Canada and is one of 19 World Energy Cities. ExxonMobil Canada is headquartered in St. John's and companies such as Chevron, Husky Energy, Suncor Energy and Statoil have major regional operations in the city. Three major offshore oil developments, Hibernia, Terra Nova and White Rose, are in production off the coast of the city and a fourth development, Hebron, is expected to be producing oil by 2017.

Question: What is supported by the federal, provincial and municipal governments?


Answer: The provincial government

Question: Who is the largest employer in the city?


Answer: Memorial University

Question: Who is the second largest employer in the city?


Answer: 1990s

Question: What years did the fishing industry fall in Newfoundland and Labrador?


Answer: 2017

Question: What year is Hebron projected to start producing oil in St. John's?


Answer: economy

Context: The economy has been growing quickly in recent years. In both 2010 and 2011, the metro area's gross domestic product (GDP) led 27 other metropolitan areas in the country, according to the Conference Board of Canada, recording growth of 6.6 per cent and 5.8 per cent respectively. At $52,000 the city's per capita GDP is the second highest out of all major Canadian cities. Economic forecasts suggest that the city will continue its strong economic growth in the coming years not only in the "oceanic" industries mentioned above, but also in tourism and new home construction as the population continues to grow. In May 2011, the city's unemployment rate fell to 5.6 per cent, the second lowest unemployment rate for a major city in Canada.

Question: What has been growing in the recent years?


Answer: May 2011

Question: When did the unemployment rate fall to 5.6 per cent?


Answer: 5.6 per cent

Question: What was the city's unemployment rate in May 2011?


Answer: $52,000

Question: What is the city's per capita GDP?


Answer: The LSPU Hall

Context: The LSPU Hall is home to the Resource Centre for the Arts. The "Hall" hosts a vibrant and diverse arts community and is regarded as the backbone of artistic infrastructure and development in the downtown. The careers of many well-known Newfoundland artists were launched there including Rick Mercer, Mary Walsh, Cathy Jones, Andy Jones and Greg Thomey. The St. John's Arts and Culture Centre houses an art gallery, libraries and a 1000-seat theatre, which is the city's major venue for entertainment productions.

Question: Where is the Resource Centre for the Arts?


Answer: 1000

Question: How many seats does the St. John's Arts and Culture theatre have?


Answer: downtown

Question: Where in the city is the LSPU Hall?


Answer: Newfoundland

Question: Where is Rick Mercer from?


Answer: east end

Context: Pippy Park is an urban park located in the east end of the city; with over 3,400 acres (14 km2) of land, it is one of Canada's largest urban parks. The park contains a range of recreational facilities including two golf courses, Newfoundland and Labrador's largest serviced campground, walking and skiing trails as well as protected habitat for many plants and animals. Pippy Park is also home to the Fluvarium, an environmental education centre which offers a cross section view of Nagle's Hill Brook.

Question: Where is Pippy Park located in the city?


Answer: 3,400

Question: About how many acres is Pippy Park?


Answer: two

Question: How many golf courses does Pippy Park have?


Answer: skiing

Question: What other trail besides walking trails does Pippy Park have?


Answer: Pippy Park

Question: Where is the Fluvarium located?


Answer: downtown

Context: Bannerman Park is a Victorian-style park located near the downtown. The park was officially opened in 1891 by Sir Alexander Bannerman, Governor of the Colony of Newfoundland who donated the land to create the park. Today the park contains a public swimming pool, playground, a baseball diamond and many large open grassy areas. Bannerman Park plays host to many festivals and sporting events, most notably the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival and St. John's Peace-a-chord. The park is also the finishing location for the annual Tely 10 Mile Road Race.

Question: What part of the city is Bannerman Park located by?


Answer: 1891

Question: What year was Bannerman Park opened?


Answer: Sir Alexander Bannerman

Question: who was the Governor of the Colony of Newfoundland in 1891?


Answer: Bannerman Park

Question: Where does the Tely 10 Mile Road Race end?


Answer: Sir Alexander Bannerman

Question: Who donated land to create a Victorian-style park in 1891?


Answer: St. John's

Context: Signal Hill is a hill which overlooks the city of St. John's. It is the location of Cabot Tower which was built in 1897 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of John Cabot's discovery of Newfoundland, and Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. The first transatlantic wireless transmission was received here by Guglielmo Marconi on 12 December 1901. Today, Signal Hill is a National Historic Site of Canada and remains incredibly popular amongst tourists and locals alike; 97% of all tourists to St. John's visit Signal Hill. Amongst its popular attractions are the Signal Hill Tattoo, showcasing the Royal Newfoundland Regiment of foot, c. 1795, and the North Head Trail which grants an impressive view of the Atlantic Ocean and the surrounding coast.

Question: What city does Signal Hill overlook?


Answer: Signal Hill

Question: Where exactly is Cabot Tower located in St. John' ?


Answer: 1897

Question: What year was Cabot Tower built?


Answer: 1897

Question: In what year was Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee?


Answer: Guglielmo Marconi

Question: Who recieved the first transatlantic wireless transmission?


Answer: Swilers Rugby Park

Context: The rugby union team The Rock is the Eastern Canadian entry in the Americas Rugby Championship. The Rock play their home games at Swilers Rugby Park, as did the Rugby Canada Super League champions for 2005 and 2006, the Newfoundland Rock. The city hosted a Rugby World Cup qualifying match between Canada and the USA on 12 August 2006, where the Canadians heavily defeated the USA 56–7 to qualify for the 2007 Rugby World Cup finals in France. The 2007 age-grade Rugby Canada National Championship Festival was held in the city.

Question: Where do The Rock play their home games at?


Answer: Newfoundland Rock

Question: Who won the the Rugby Canada Super League championship in 2005?


Answer: France

Question: In what country was the 2007 Rugby World Cup finals?


Answer: 2006

Question: In what year did Canada beat USA 56–7 in a Rugby World Cup qualifying match?


Answer: 2007

Question: In what year did France host the Rugby World Cup finals?


Answer: Newfoundland

Context: St. John's served as the capital city of the Colony of Newfoundland and the Dominion of Newfoundland before Newfoundland became Canada's tenth province in 1949. The city now serves as the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, therefore the provincial legislature is located in the city. The Confederation Building, located on Confederation Hill, is home to the House of Assembly along with the offices for the Members of the House of Assembly (MHAs) and Ministers. The city is represented by ten MHAs, four who are members of the governing Progressive Conservative Party, three that belong to the New Democratic Party (NDP), and three that belong to the Liberal Party. Lorraine Michael, leader of the NDP since 2006, represents the district of Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

Question: What was Canada's tenth province?


Answer: 1949

Question: In what year did Newfoundland become a province?


Answer: St. John's

Question: What is the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador?


Answer: The Confederation Building

Question: Where is the House of Assembly?


Answer: Lorraine Michael

Question: Who has been the leader of the NDP since 2006?


Answer: 4%

Context: St. John's has traditionally been one of the safest cities in Canada to live; however, in recent years crime in the city has steadily increased. While nationally crime decreased by 4% in 2009, the total crime rate in St. John's saw an increase of 4%. During this same time violent crime in the city decreased 6%, compared to a 1% decrease nationally. In 2010 the total crime severity index for the city was 101.9, an increase of 10% from 2009 and 19.2% above the national average. The violent crime severity index was 90.1, an increase of 29% from 2009 and 1.2% above the national average. St. John's had the seventh-highest metropolitan crime index and twelfth-highest metropolitan violent crime index in the country in 2010.

Question: By how much did crime in St. John's increase in 2009?


Answer: St. John's

Question: What city had the seventh-highest metropolitan crime index in 2010?


Answer: 4%

Question: How much did crime in the country drop in 2009?


Answer: 10 minutes

Context: St. John's is served by St. John's International Airport (YYT), located 10 minutes northwest of the downtown core. In 2011, roughly 1,400,000 passengers travelled through the airport making it the second busiest airport in Atlantic Canada in passenger volume. Regular destinations include Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, as well as destinations throughout the province. International locations include Dublin, London, New York City, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Glasgow and Varadero. Scheduled service providers include Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz, Air Saint-Pierre, Air Transat, United Airlines, Porter Airlines, Provincial Airlines, Sunwing Airlines and Westjet.

Question: How far is St. John's International Airport from the downtown core?


Answer: 1,400,000

Question: About how many passengers travelled through St. John's International Airport in 2011?


Answer: YYT

Question: What is the airport code for St. John's International Airport?


Answer: St. John's International

Question: What airport is approximately 10 minutes northwest of the downtown core?


Answer: St. John's

Context: St. John's is the eastern terminus of the Trans-Canada Highway, one of the longest national highways in the world. The divided highway, also known as "Outer Ring Road" in the city, runs just outside the main part of the city, with exits to Pitts Memorial Drive, Topsail Road, Team Gushue Highway, Thorburn Road, Allandale Road, Portugal Cove Road and Torbay Road, providing relatively easy access to neighbourhoods served by those streets. Pitts Memorial Drive runs from Conception Bay South, through the city of Mount Pearl and into downtown St. John's, with interchanges for Goulds, Water Street and Hamilton Avenue-New Gower Street.

Question: Where is the eastern terminus of the Trans-Canada Highway?


Answer: The divided highway

Question: Outer Ring Road is a another name for what?


Answer: relatively easy access to neighbourhoods

Question: What does the divided highway provide?


Answer: 19

Context: Metrobus Transit is responsible for public transit in the region. Metrobus has a total of 19 routes, 53 buses and an annual ridership of 3,014,073. Destinations include the Avalon Mall, The Village Shopping Centre, Memorial University, Academy Canada, the College of the North Atlantic, the Marine Institute, the Confederation Building, downtown, Stavanger Drive Business Park, Kelsey Drive, Goulds, Kilbride, Shea Heights, the four hospitals in the city as well as other important areas in St. John's and Mount Pearl.

Question: How many routes does the Metrobus have?


Answer: 53

Question: How many buses does the region have for public transit?


Answer: four

Question: How many hospitals does the city have?


Answer: Metrobus

Question: Who is responsible for public transit in the region?


Answer: three

Context: St. John's is served by the Eastern School District, the largest school district in Newfoundland and Labrador by student population. There are currently 36 primary, elementary and secondary schools in the city of St. John's, including three private schools. St. John's also includes one school that is part of the province-wide Conseil Scolaire Francophone (CSF), the Francophone public school district. It also contains two private schools, St. Bonaventure's College and Lakecrest Independent. Atlantic Canada's largest university, Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN), is located in St. John's. MUN provides comprehensive education and grants degrees in several fields and its historical strengths in engineering, business, geology, and medicine, make MUN one of the top comprehensive universities in Canada. The Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland (MI) or simply Marine Institute, is a post-secondary ocean and marine polytechnic located in St. John's and is affiliated with Memorial University of Newfoundland. MUN also offers the lowest tuition in Canada ($2,644, per Academic Year)

Question: How many private schools are in St. John's?


Answer: 36

Question: How many primary schools are in St. John's?


Answer: two

Question: How many private schools are in the Francophone public school district?


Answer: Memorial University of Newfoundland

Question: What school offers the lowest tuition in Canada?


Answer: $2,644

Question: What is the tuition per academic year at Memorial University of Newfoundland?


Answer: St. John's

Context: CJON-DT, known on air as "NTV", is an independent station. The station sublicenses entertainment programming from Global and news programming from CTV and Global, rather than purchasing primary broadcast rights. Rogers Cable has its provincial headquarters in St. John's, and their community channel Rogers TV airs local shows such as Out of the Fog and One Chef One Critic. CBC has its Newfoundland and Labrador headquarters in the city and their television station CBNT-DT broadcasts from University Avenue.

Question: Where does Rogers Cable has its provincial headquarters?


Answer: CBNT-DT

Question: What is the name of CBC's television station in St. John's?


Answer: Rogers TV

Question: What channel in St. John's airs Out of the Fog?


Answer: University Avenue

Question: Where does CBNT-DT broadcast from?


Answer: 15

Context: The city is home to 15 am and FM radio stations, two of which are French-language stations. St. John's is the only Canadian city served by radio stations whose call letters do not all begin with the letter C. The ITU prefix VO was assigned to the Dominion of Newfoundland before the province joined Canadian Confederation in 1949, and three AM stations kept their existing call letters. However, other commercial radio stations in St. John's which went to air after 1949 use the same range of prefixes (CF–CK) currently in use elsewhere in Canada, with the exception of VOCM-FM, which was permitted to adopt the VOCM callsign because of its corporate association with the AM station that already bore that callsign. VO also remains in use in amateur radio.

Question: How many radio station does the city have?


Answer: two

Question: How many French-language stations does the city have?


Answer: 1949

Question: When did the province join the Canadian Confederation?


Answer: 2006

Context: The console was first officially announced at E3 2005, and was released at the end of 2006. It was the first console to use Blu-ray Disc as its primary storage medium. The console was the first PlayStation to integrate social gaming services, included it being the first to introduce Sony's social gaming service, PlayStation Network, and its remote connectivity with PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita, being able to remote control the console from the devices. In September 2009, the Slim model of the PlayStation 3 was released, being lighter and thinner than the original version, which notably featured a redesigned logo and marketing design, as well as a minor start-up change in software. A Super Slim variation was then released in late 2012, further refining and redesigning the console. As of March 2016, PlayStation 3 has sold 85 million units worldwide. Its successor, the PlayStation 4, was released later in November 2013.

Question: What year was the PlayStation 3 released?


Answer: PlayStation Network

Question: What social gaming service was integrated into the PlayStation 3?


Answer: Slim

Question: What was the thinner version of the PS3 called?


Answer: 2012

Question: What year did the Super Slim model hit stores?


Answer: 85 million

Question: How many PlayStation 3 units had been purchased as of early 2016?


Answer: boomerang

Context: Sony officially unveiled PlayStation 3 (then marketed as PLAYSTATION 3) to the public on May 16, 2005, at E3 2005, along with a 'boomerang' shaped prototype design of the Sixaxis controller. A functional version of the system was not present there, nor at the Tokyo Game Show in September 2005, although demonstrations (such as Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots) were held at both events on software development kits and comparable personal computer hardware. Video footage based on the predicted PlayStation 3 specifications was also shown (notably a Final Fantasy VII tech demo).

Question: What shape was the Sixaxis prototype in?


Answer: E3 2005

Question: What event did Sony choose for the PS3 unveiling?


Answer: Final Fantasy VII

Question: What popular game was demoed in a video at the game shows?


Answer: Tokyo Game Show

Question: What event did Sony take the PlayStation 3 to four months after E3?


Answer: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Question: What was one game Sony debuted on a modified PC so gamers could get a look?


Answer: six

Context: The initial prototype shown in May 2005 featured two HDMI ports, three Ethernet ports and six USB ports; however, when the system was shown again a year later at E3 2006, these were reduced to one HDMI port, one Ethernet port and four USB ports, presumably to cut costs. Two hardware configurations were also announced for the console: a 20 GB model and a 60 GB model, priced at US$499 (€499) and US$599 (€599), respectively. The 60 GB model was to be the only configuration to feature an HDMI port, Wi-Fi internet, flash card readers and a chrome trim with the logo in silver. Both models were announced for a simultaneous worldwide release: November 11, 2006, for Japan and November 17, 2006, for North America and Europe.

Question: How many USB ports did the original PS3 prototype have?


Answer: one

Question: By the time the system appeared at E3 2006, how many Ethernet ports was it down to?


Answer: to cut costs

Question: Why might Sony have reduced the number of ports on the PlayStation 3 before production?


Answer: 60 GB

Question: In addition to the 20 GB model, what larger model did Sony offer?


Answer: silver

Question: What color is the logo on the 60 GB PS3?


Answer: PAL

Context: On September 6, 2006, Sony announced that PAL region PlayStation 3 launch would be delayed until March 2007, because of a shortage of materials used in the Blu-ray drive. At the Tokyo Game Show on September 22, 2006, Sony announced that it would include an HDMI port on the 20 GB system, but a chrome trim, flash card readers, silver logo and Wi-Fi would not be included. Also, the launch price of the Japanese 20 GB model was reduced by over 20%, and the 60 GB model was announced for an open pricing scheme in Japan. During the event, Sony showed 27 playable PS3 games running on final hardware.

Question: Which region experience a setback that pushed back the release of the PlayStation 3?


Answer: Blu-ray drive

Question: What part of the system was Sony having trouble getting supplies for?


Answer: 20 GB model

Question: Which Japanese PS3 model got a 20%-plus price cut before hitting the market?


Answer: Japan

Question: Where did Sony offer the 60 GB model with an open pricing scheme?


Answer: 27

Question: How many playable games did the PlayStation 3 by the time it arrived at the 2006 Tokyo Game Show?


Answer: March

Context: The console was originally planned for a global release through November, but at the start of September the release in Europe and the rest of the world was delayed until March. With it being a somewhat last-minute delay, some companies had taken deposits for pre-orders, at which Sony informed customers that they were eligible for full refunds or could continue the pre-order. On January 24, 2007, Sony announced that PlayStation 3 would go on sale on March 23, 2007, in Europe, Australia, the Middle East, Africa and New Zealand. The system sold about 600,000 units in its first two days. On March 7, 2007, the 60 GB PlayStation 3 launched in Singapore with a price of S$799. The console was launched in South Korea on June 16, 2007, as a single version equipped with an 80 GB hard drive and IPTV.

Question: Instead of November, for what month of the following year was the release rescheduled?


Answer: South Korea

Question: What country had to wait until June of 2007 for their PS3?


Answer: 80 GB

Question: How big was the hard drive in the single South Korean version?


Answer: S$799

Question: What did customers in Singapore pay for the 60 GB PS3?


Answer: March 23, 2007

Question: On what date did the PlayStation 3 go on sale in Africa?


Answer: CECH-2000

Context: Following speculation that Sony was working on a 'slim' model, Sony officially announced the PS3 CECH-2000 model on August 18, 2009, at the Sony Gamescom press conference. New features included a slimmer form factor, decreased power consumption, and a quieter cooling system. It was released in major territories by September 2009. As part of the release for the slim model, the console logo ceased using the "Spider-Man font" (the same font used for the title of Sony's Spider-Man 3) and the capitalized PLAYSTATION 3. It instead reverted to a more traditional PlayStation- and PlayStation 2-like 'PlayStation 3' logo with "PS3" imprinted on the console. Along with the redesigning of the console and logo, the boot screen of all consoles changed from "Sony Computer Entertainment" to "PS3 PlayStation 3", with a new chime and the game start splash screen being dropped. The cover art and packaging of games was also changed.

Question: What was the model number of the slim version of the PlayStation 3?


Answer: Spider-Man font

Question: What font was discontinued with the release of the slim model?


Answer: quieter

Question: What would customers notice about the sound of the new, improved cooling system?


Answer: "Sony Computer Entertainment"

Question: What did the boot screen on the game consoles read before Sony changed it to "PS3 PlayStation 3"?


Answer: cover art

Question: What did Sony change about the PS3 games along with the packaging in 2009?


Answer: Tokyo Game Show

Context: In September 2012 at the Tokyo Game Show, Sony announced that a new, slimmer PS3 redesign (CECH-4000) was due for release in late 2012 and that it would be available with either a 250 GB or 500 GB hard drive. Three versions Super Slim model were revealed: one with a 500 GB hard drive, a second with a 250 GB hard drive which is not available in PAL regions, and a third with a 12 GB flash storage that was only available in PAL regions. The storage of 12 GB model is upgradable with an official standalone 250 GB hard drive. A vertical stand was also released for the model. In the United Kingdom, the 500 GB model was released on September 28, 2012; and the 12 GB model was released on October 12, 2012. In the United States, the PS3 Super Slim was first released as a bundled console. The 250 GB was model was bundled with Game of the Year edition of Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception and released on September 25, 2012; and the 500 GB model was bundled with Assassin's Creed III and released on October 30, 2012. In Japan, the black colored Super Slim model was released on October 4, 2012; and the white colored Super Slim model was released on November 22, 2012. The Super Slim model is 20 percent smaller and 25 percent lighter than the Slim model and features a manual sliding disc cover instead of a motorized slot-loading disc cover of the Slim model. The white colored Super Slim model was released in the United States on January 27, 2013 as part of the Instant Game Collection Bundle. The Garnet Red and Azurite Blue colored models were launched in Japan on February 28, 2013. The Garnet Red version was released in North America on March 12, 2013 as part of the God of War: Ascension bundle with 500 GB storage and contained God of War: Ascension as well as the God of War Saga. The Azurite Blue model was released as a GameStop exclusive with 250GB storage.

Question: At what event did Sony tell everyone about the CECH-4000?


Answer: 500 GB

Question: What size was the largest hard drive available on the Super Slim PS3?


Answer: Three

Question: How many versions of the CECH-4000 were made?


Answer: October 12, 2012

Question: On what date was the 12 GB version of the Super Slim released in the UK?


Answer: Garnet Red

Question: What color was the PlayStation 3 that was included in the God of War: Ascension bundle in the States?


Answer: 14

Context: PlayStation 3 launched in North America with 14 titles, with another three being released before the end of 2006. After the first week of sales it was confirmed that Resistance: Fall of Man from Insomniac Games was the top-selling launch game in North America. The game was heavily praised by numerous video game websites, including GameSpot and IGN, both of whom awarded it their PlayStation 3 Game of the Year award for 2006. Some titles missed the launch window and were delayed until early 2007, such as The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, F.E.A.R. and Sonic the Hedgehog. During the Japanese launch, Ridge Racer 7 was the top-selling game, while Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire also fared well in sales, both of which were offerings from Namco Bandai Games. PlayStation 3 launched in Europe with 24 titles, including ones that were not offered in North American and Japanese launches, such as Formula One Championship Edition, MotorStorm and Virtua Fighter 5. Resistance: Fall of Man and MotorStorm were the most successful titles of 2007, and both games subsequently received sequels in the form of Resistance 2 and MotorStorm: Pacific Rift.

Question: How many games could you buy to go with your PS3 when it launched in North America?


Answer: Resistance: Fall of Man

Question: What game won GameSpot's Game of the Year title for 2006?


Answer: Namco Bandai Games

Question: What company developed the game Ridge Racer 7?


Answer: MotorStorm: Pacific Rift

Question: What's the name of the sequel game to MotorStorm?


Answer: 24

Question: How many titles did the PS3 launch with in Europe?


Answer: Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

Context: At E3 2007, Sony was able to show a number of their upcoming video games for PlayStation 3, including Heavenly Sword, Lair, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, Warhawk and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune; all of which were released in the third and fourth quarters of 2007. They also showed off a number of titles that were set for release in 2008 and 2009; most notably Killzone 2, Infamous, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, LittleBigPlanet and SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation. A number of third-party exclusives were also shown, including the highly anticipated Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, alongside other high-profile third-party titles such as Grand Theft Auto IV, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Assassin's Creed, Devil May Cry 4 and Resident Evil 5. Two other important titles for PlayStation 3, Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII, were shown at TGS 2007 in order to appease the Japanese market.

Question: Which Ratchet & Clank title debuted at E3 2007?


Answer: 2007

Question: What year was Warhawk released for the PlayStation 3?


Answer: TGS 2007

Question: At what event were two new Final Fantasy games for PS3 first shown to the Japanese market?


Answer: Gran Turismo 5 Prologue

Question: What Gran Turismo game was shown in 2007 but not released until after 2007?


Answer: Devil May Cry 4

Question: Which much anticipated third-party game with the name of a month of the year in it did Sony show at E3 2007?


Answer: The Best

Context: Sony have since launched their budget range of PlayStation 3 titles, known as the Greatest Hits range in North America, the Platinum range in Europe and Australia and The Best range in Japan. Among the titles available in the budget range include Resistance: Fall of Man, MotorStorm, Uncharted: Drakes Fortune, Rainbow Six: Vegas, Call Of Duty 3, Assassin's Creed and Ninja Gaiden Sigma. As of October 2009 Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, Devil May Cry 4, Army of Two, Battlefield: Bad Company and Midnight Club: Los Angeles have also joined the list.

Question: What's Sony's budget line of PS3 games called in Japan?


Answer: Platinum

Question: If you live in Australia and want affordable PlayStation 3 games, what range would you shop for?


Answer: Greatest Hits

Question: What words would you see in the United States or Canada on a PS3 game that would signify its lower price?


Answer: Call Of Duty 3

Question: Which Call of Duty title does Sony include in their low-end price range?


Answer: 2009

Question: In what year was Devil May Cry 4 added to the budget game offerings for PS3?


Answer: Blitz Games

Context: In December 2008, the CTO of Blitz Games announced that it would bring stereoscopic 3D gaming and movie viewing to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 with its own technology. This was first demonstrated publicly on PS3 using Sony's own technology in January 2009 at the Consumer Electronics Show. Journalists were shown Wipeout HD and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue in 3D as a demonstration of how the technology might work if it is implemented in the future. Firmware update 3.30 officially allowed PS3 titles to be played in 3D, requiring a compatible display for use. System software update 3.50 prepared it for 3D films. While the game itself must be programmed to take advantage of the 3D technology, titles may be patched to add in the functionality retroactively. Titles with such patches include Wipeout HD, Pain, and Super Stardust HD.

Question: What company said it would bring 3D technology to the PS3?


Answer: Gran Turismo 5 Prologue

Question: Along with Wipeout HD, what game did the press view in 3D in early 2009?


Answer: 3.30

Question: What version of firmware update gave the PlayStation 3 its 3D capability?


Answer: patched

Question: What word describes what happens to a game when is edited to add functions not originally programmed?


Answer: 3D films

Question: What was the PS3 console able to play after the system software was updated to 3.50?


Answer: Yellow Dog Linux

Context: PS3's hardware has also been used to build supercomputers for high-performance computing. Fixstars Solutions sells a version of Yellow Dog Linux for PlayStation 3 (originally sold by Terra Soft Solutions). RapidMind produced a stream programming package for PS3, but were acquired by Intel in 2009. Also, on January 3, 2007, Dr. Frank Mueller, Associate Professor of Computer science at NCSU, clustered 8 PS3s. Mueller commented that the 256 MB of system RAM is a limitation for this particular application and is considering attempting to retrofit more RAM. Software includes: Fedora Core 5 Linux ppc64, MPICH2, OpenMP v 2.5, GNU Compiler Collection and CellSDK 1.1. As a more cost-effective alternative to conventional supercomputers, the U.S. military has purchased clusters of PS3 units for research purposes. Retail PS3 Slim units cannot be used for supercomputing, because PS3 Slim lacks the ability to boot into a third-party OS.

Question: What operating system does Fixstars Solutions offer for the PlayStation 3?


Answer: Terra Soft Solutions

Question: What company sold Yellow Dog Linux before Fixstars Solutions?


Answer: Intel

Question: What company bought RapidMind in 2009?


Answer: 8

Question: How many PlayStation 3 consoles was Dr. Frank Mueller able to cluster together?


Answer: the U.S. military

Question: Who is buying PS3 clusters instead of supercomputers in order to save some money?


Answer: Cell

Context: PlayStation 3 uses the Cell microprocessor, designed by Sony, Toshiba and IBM, as its CPU, which is made up of one 3.2 GHz PowerPC-based "Power Processing Element" (PPE) and eight Synergistic Processing Elements (SPEs). The eighth SPE is disabled to improve chip yields. Only six of the seven SPEs are accessible to developers as the seventh SPE is reserved by the console's operating system. Graphics processing is handled by the NVIDIA RSX 'Reality Synthesizer', which can produce resolutions from 480i/576i SD up to 1080p HD. PlayStation 3 has 256 MB of XDR DRAM main memory and 256 MB of GDDR3 video memory for the RSX.

Question: What type of microprocessor is in a PS3?


Answer: Power Processing Element

Question: What does PPE stand for?


Answer: Graphics processing

Question: What function is the NVIDIA RSX responsible for in a PlayStation 3?


Answer: eight

Question: How many Synergistic Processing Elements are in a PS3's CPU?


Answer: 256 MB

Question: How much XDR DRAM is on board a PS3?


Answer: DualShock 3

Context: At its press conference at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show, Sony announced DualShock 3 (trademarked DUALSHOCK 3), a PlayStation 3 controller with the same function and design as Sixaxis, but with vibration capability included. Hands-on accounts describe the controller as being noticeably heavier than the standard Sixaxis controller and capable of vibration forces comparable to DualShock 2. It was released in Japan on November 11, 2007; in North America on April 5, 2008; in Australia on April 24, 2008; in New Zealand on May 9, 2008; in mainland Europe on July 2, 2008, and in the United Kingdom and Ireland on July 4, 2008.

Question: What did Sony name their vibrating PS3 controller?


Answer: press conference

Question: At what event at the Tokyo Game Show was the DualShock 3 first announced?


Answer: heavier

Question: What did many people who handled the DualShock 3 say it was compared to the Sixaxis?


Answer: Japan

Question: What was the first country to be able to buy the new DualShock 3 in stores?


Answer: April 24, 2008

Question: On what date was the DualShock three released in Australia?


Answer: XMB

Context: The standard PlayStation 3 version of the XrossMediaBar (pronounced Cross Media Bar, or abbreviated XMB) includes nine categories of options. These are: Users, Settings, Photo, Music, Video, TV/Video Services, Game, Network, PlayStation Network and Friends (similar to the PlayStation Portable media bar). TheTV/Video Services category is for services like Netflix and/or if PlayTV or torne is installed; the first category in this section is "My Channels", which lets users download various streaming services, including Sony's own streaming services Crackle and PlayStation Vue. By default, the What's New section of PlayStation Network is displayed when the system starts up. PS3 includes the ability to store various master and secondary user profiles, manage and explore photos with or without a musical slide show, play music and copy audio CD tracks to an attached data storage device, play movies and video files from the hard disk drive, an optical disc (Blu-ray Disc or DVD-Video) or an optional USB mass storage or Flash card, compatibility for a USB keyboard and mouse and a web browser supporting compatible-file download function. Additionally, UPnP media will appear in the respective audio/video/photo categories if a compatible media server or DLNA server is detected on the local network. The Friends menu allows mail with emoticon and attached picture features and video chat which requires an optional PlayStation Eye or EyeToy webcam. The Network menu allows online shopping through the PlayStation Store and connectivity to PlayStation Portable via Remote Play.

Question: How is "XrossMediaBar" abbreviated?


Answer: nine

Question: How many options categories display in the standard PS3 XrossMediaBar?


Answer: Crackle

Question: One of Sony's streaming services is the PlayStation Vue; what's the other one called?


Answer: What's New

Question: When you start up your PS3, what's the first section of the PS Network you see?


Answer: Friends

Question: What menu would you use to set up a video chat?


Answer: Network Digital Rights Management

Context: PlayStation 3 console protects certain types of data and uses digital rights management to limit the data's use. Purchased games and content from the PlayStation Network store are governed by PlayStation's Network Digital Rights Management (NDRM). The NDRM allows users to access the data from up to 2 different PlayStation 3's that have been activated using a user's PlayStation Network ID. PlayStation 3 also limits the transfer of copy protected videos downloaded from its store to other machines and states that copy protected video "may not restore correctly" following certain actions after making a backup such as downloading a new copy protected movie.

Question: What does the abbreviation "NDRM" represent?


Answer: 2

Question: How many different PS3s can one user access?


Answer: PlayStation Network ID

Question: What identifier allows a player to activate a PlayStation 3?


Answer: copy protected

Question: PlayStation has safeguards in place to prevent illegal use of what type of movies or video?


Answer: Photo Gallery

Context: Photo Gallery is an optional application to view, create and group photos from PS3, which is installed separately from the system software at 105 MB. It was introduced in system software version 2.60 and provides a range of tools for sorting through and displaying the system's pictures. The key feature of this application is that it can organize photos into groups according to various criteria. Notable categorizations are colors, ages, or facial expressions of the people in the photos. Slideshows can be viewed with the application, along with music and playlists. The software was updated with the release of system software version 3.40 allowing users to upload and browse photos on Facebook and Picasa.

Question: What application lets PS3 users view and organize photographs?


Answer: 2.60

Question: What version of PS3 contained Photo Gallery?


Answer: Facebook

Question: After version 3.4, Picasa was integrated into Photo Gallery along with what social networking site?


Answer: separately

Question: Is Photo Gallery automatically or separately installed?


Answer: facial expressions

Question: Photo Gallery includes the ability to sort by age, color, or what other unusual criteria for photo software?


Answer: June

Context: Since June 2009 VidZone has offered a free music video streaming service in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. In October 2009, Sony Computer Entertainment and Netflix announced that the Netflix streaming service would also be available on PlayStation 3 in the United States. A paid Netflix subscription was required for the service. The service became available in November 2009. Initially users had to use a free Blu-ray disc to access the service; however, in October 2010 the requirement to use a disc to gain access was removed.

Question: In what month of 2009 did VidZone start free service to some countries?


Answer: paid Netflix subscription

Question: What do you have to agree to with Netflix before you can use their service on PlayStation 3?


Answer: 2009

Question: What year did the announcement come about Netflix becoming available on PS3 in the U.S.?


Answer: Blu-ray

Question: What type of disc was initially used to connect access to Netflix for PS3?


Answer: October 2010

Question: When were users able to discard the disc and access Netflix directly through their PS3s?


Answer: 'OtherOS'

Context: The 'OtherOS' functionality was not present in the updated PS Slim models, and the feature was subsequently removed from previous versions of the PS3 as part of the machine's firmware update version 3.21 which was released on April 1, 2010; Sony cited security concerns as the rationale. The firmware update 3.21 was mandatory for access to the PlayStation Network. The removal caused some controversy; as the update removed officially advertised features from already sold products, and gave rise to several class action lawsuits aimed at making Sony return the feature or provide compensation.

Question: What functionality did the PlayStation 3 lose in version 3.21 of its firmware update?


Answer: security concerns

Question: What reason did Sony give for taking out OtherOS?


Answer: mandatory

Question: Was firmware update 3.21 optional or mandatory if users wanted to continue accessing the PS Network?


Answer: PS Slim

Question: Which PS3 model never included OtherOS?


Answer: class action lawsuits

Question: What legal action did some disgruntled OtherOS users take against Sony?


Answer: internal system clock

Context: On March 1, 2010 (UTC), many of the original "fat" PlayStation 3 models worldwide were experiencing errors related to their internal system clock. The error had many symptoms. Initially, the main problem seemed to be the inability to connect to the PlayStation Network. However, the root cause of the problem was unrelated to the PlayStation Network, since even users who had never been online also had problems playing installed offline games (which queried the system timer as part of startup) and using system themes. At the same time many users noted that the console's clock had gone back to December 31, 1999. The event was nicknamed the ApocalyPS3, a play on the word apocalypse and PS3, the abbreviation for the PlayStation 3 console.

Question: What part of the original model PS3s starting causing problems in March of 2010?


Answer: PlayStation Network

Question: What essential network were some users unable to connect to because of the error?


Answer: December 31, 1999

Question: What erroneous date did some users start seeing on their consoles?


Answer: ApocalyPS3

Question: What humorous nickname was given to the situation with the console system clock errors?


Answer: apocalypse

Question: The name "ApocalyPS3" combines "PS3" with what other word?


Answer: March 2 (UTC), 2010

Context: Sony confirmed that there was an error and stated that they were narrowing down the issue and were continuing to work to restore service. By March 2 (UTC), 2010, owners of original PS3 models could connect to PSN successfully and the clock no longer showed December 31, 1999. Sony stated that the affected models incorrectly identified 2010 as a leap year, because of a bug in the BCD method of storing the date. However, for some users, the hardware's operating system clock (mainly updated from the internet and not associated with the internal clock) needed to be updated manually or by re-syncing it via the internet.

Question: By what date did Sony correct the issue with the system clock?


Answer: a leap year

Question: What were the broken models mistakenly classifying 2010 as?


Answer: BCD

Question: What storage system for dates led to the system clock error?


Answer: operating system clock

Question: What clock unrelated to the error in the PS3 had to be updated in some cases in order to fix the bug?


Answer: Formula One Championship Edition

Context: PlayStation Portable can connect with PlayStation 3 in many ways, including in-game connectivity. For example, Formula One Championship Edition, a racing game, was shown at E3 2006 using a PSP as a real-time rear-view mirror. In addition, users are able to download original PlayStation format games from the PlayStation Store, transfer and play them on PSP as well as PS3 itself. It is also possible to use the Remote Play feature to play these and some PlayStation Network games, remotely on PSP over a network or internet connection.

Question: What PS3 game can integrate a PlayStation Portable to use as a rear-view mirror?


Answer: racing

Question: What kind of game is Formula One Championship Edition?


Answer: PlayStation Store

Question: If users want to download original PlayStation games, where do they go online?


Answer: PSP

Question: Games in plain PlayStation format can be played both on the PS3 console and what other device?


Answer: Remote Play

Question: What's the name of the feature that would let you play a game on your PSP without having it with you?


Answer: Tokyo

Context: PlayStation Network is the unified online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service provided by Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable, announced during the 2006 PlayStation Business Briefing meeting in Tokyo. The service is always connected, free, and includes multiplayer support. The network enables online gaming, the PlayStation Store, PlayStation Home and other services. PlayStation Network uses real currency and PlayStation Network Cards as seen with the PlayStation Store and PlayStation Home.

Question: In what city did Sony hold their 2006 PlayStation Business Briefing?


Answer: real

Question: Does PlayStation Network use artificial or real currency for purchases?


Answer: multiplayer support

Question: Along with being free and providing constant connectivity, what other feature does PS Network offer users?


Answer: PlayStation Portable

Question: PlayStation Network is only available for PS3 and what other device?


Answer: PlayStation Plus

Context: PlayStation Plus (commonly abbreviated PS+ and occasionally referred to as PSN Plus) is a premium PlayStation Network subscription service that was officially unveiled at E3 2010 by Jack Tretton, President and CEO of SCEA. Rumors of such service had been in speculation since Kaz Hirai's announcement at TGS 2009 of a possible paid service for PSN but with the current PSN service still available. Launched alongside PS3 firmware 3.40 and PSP firmware 6.30 on June 29, 2010, the paid-for subscription service provides users with enhanced services on the PlayStation Network, on top of the current PSN service which is still available with all of its features. These enhancements include the ability to have demos, game and system software updates download automatically to PlayStation 3. Subscribers also get early or exclusive access to some betas, game demos, premium downloadable content and other PlayStation Store items. North American users also get a free subscription to Qore. Users may choose to purchase either a one-year or a three-month subscription to PlayStation Plus.

Question: What's the name of Sony's exclusive PlayStation Network subscription service?


Answer: PS+

Question: How is PlayStation Plus often abbreviated?


Answer: Jack Tretton

Question: Who was the President and CEO of SCEA in the year 2010?


Answer: June 29, 2010

Question: On what date did the PlayStation Plus service officially launch?


Answer: one-year

Question: Duration options for subscription to PS+ are either three months or what period of time?


Answer: The PlayStation Store

Context: The PlayStation Store is an online virtual market available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3 (PS3) and PlayStation Portable (PSP) game consoles via the PlayStation Network. The Store offers a range of downloadable content both for purchase and available free of charge. Available content includes full games, add-on content, playable demos, themes and game and movie trailers. The service is accessible through an icon on the XMB on PS3 and PSP. The PS3 store can also be accessed on PSP via a Remote Play connection to PS3. The PSP store is also available via the PC application, Media Go. As of September 24, 2009, there have been over 600 million downloads from the PlayStation Store worldwide.

Question: Where can you buy downloadable content for the PSP and PS3?


Answer: an icon

Question: What do you click on in the PS3 interface to get to the PlayStation Store?


Answer: Remote Play

Question: What connection would you go through to go to the PS3 store from a PSP?


Answer: over 600 million

Question: How many unique downloads had there been from the PlayStation Store by late 2009?


Answer: Media Go

Question: From a PC, what application can you use to visit the PlayStation Store?


Answer: What's New

Context: What's New was announced at Gamescom 2009 and was released on September 1, 2009, with PlayStation 3 system software 3.0. The feature was to replace the existing [Information Board], which displayed news from the PlayStation website associated with the user's region. The concept was developed further into a major PlayStation Network feature, which interacts with the [Status Indicator] to display a ticker of all content, excluding recently played content (currently in North America and Japan only).

Question: What new feature for PS3 was released in September of 2009?


Answer: Gamescom

Question: At what event did Sony announce What's New?


Answer: Information Board

Question: What did What's New replace?


Answer: news

Question: What type of information is disseminated through What's New?


Answer: region

Question: What's geographical area does What's New tailor information to for each user?


Answer: four

Context: The system displays the What's New screen by default instead of the [Games] menu (or [Video] menu, if a movie was inserted) when starting up. What's New has four sections: "Our Pick", "Recently Played", latest information and new content available in PlayStation Store. There are four kinds of content the What's New screen displays and links to, on the sections. "Recently Played" displays the user's recently played games and online services only, whereas, the other sections can contain website links, links to play videos and access to selected sections of the PlayStation Store.

Question: How many different sections does What's New have?


Answer: "Recently Played"

Question: What section of What's New would a user visit to find the games they've played lately?


Answer: Video

Question: Before What's New existed, what default screen would show when a user put a movie in their PS3?


Answer: "Recently Played"

Question: What section of What's New can't show links to websites?


Answer: Games

Question: Other than the Video default screen for movies, what menu would the PS3 default to before What's New?


Answer: PlayStation Home

Context: PlayStation Home is a virtual 3D social networking service for the PlayStation Network. Home allows users to create a custom avatar, which can be groomed realistically. Users can edit and decorate their personal apartments, avatars or club houses with free, premium or won content. Users can shop for new items or win prizes from PS3 games, or Home activities. Users interact and connect with friends and customise content in a virtual world. Home also acts as a meeting place for users that want to play multiplayer games with others.

Question: What does Sony call their social network?


Answer: avatar

Question: What is the customizable representation of a user in PS Home called?


Answer: premium

Question: Home has free, won, and what third type of content?


Answer: apartments

Question: Users employ the content to decorate club houses, their avatars, or what virtual dwelling space?


Answer: multiplayer

Question: What type of games can users find participants for in Home?


Answer: city

Context: Life with PlayStation, released on September 18, 2008 to succeed Folding@home, was retired November 6, 2012. Life with PlayStation used virtual globe data to display news and information by city. Along with Folding@home functionality, the application provided access to three other information "channels", the first being the Live Channel offering news headlines and weather which were provided by Google News, The Weather Channel, the University of Wisconsin–Madison Space Science and Engineering Center, among other sources. The second channel was the World Heritage channel which offered historical information about historical sites. The third channel was the United Village channel. United Village was designed to share information about communities and cultures worldwide. An update allowed video and photo viewing in the application. The fourth channel was the USA exclusive PlayStation Network Game Trailers Channel for direct streaming of game trailers.

Question: Life was able to personalize information for users by what location division?


Answer: November 6, 2012

Question: On what date was Life with PlayStation shut down?


Answer: World Heritage

Question: What's was Life's channel that delivered information about history topics?


Answer: Live Channel

Question: For weather updates from The Weather Channel, which of Life's channels would you have visited?


Answer: April 20, 2011

Context: On April 20, 2011, Sony shut down the PlayStation Network and Qriocity for a prolonged interval, revealing on April 23 that this was due to "an external intrusion on our system". Sony later revealed that the personal information of 77 million users might have been taken, including: names; addresses; countries; email addresses; birthdates; PSN/Qriocity logins, passwords and handles/PSN online IDs. They also stated that it was possible that users' profile data, including purchase history and billing address, and PlayStation Network/Qriocity password security answers may have been obtained. There was no evidence that any credit card data had been taken, but the possibility could not be ruled out, and Sony advised customers that their credit card data may have been obtained. Additionally, the credit card numbers were encrypted and Sony never collected the three digit CVC or CSC number from the back of the credit cards which is required for authenticating some transactions. In response to the incident, Sony announced a "Welcome Back" program, 30 days free membership of PlayStation Plus for all PSN members, two free downloadable PS3 games, and a free one-year enrollment in an identity theft protection program.

Question: What was the date Sony shut down the PS Network because of a security breach?


Answer: 77 million

Question: How many users did Sony say might have been affected by the intrusion?


Answer: "Welcome Back"

Question: What did Sony call the special offer they handed out to respond to the breach?


Answer: 30

Question: How many free days of PlayStation Plus were included in the offer?


Answer: two

Question: How many free game downloads were included in the "Welcome Back" program?


Answer: Wii

Context: Although its PlayStation predecessors had been very dominant against the competition and were hugely profitable for Sony, PlayStation 3 had an inauspicious start, and Sony chairman and CEO Sir Howard Stringer initially could not convince investors of a turnaround in its fortunes. The PS3 lacked the unique gameplay of the more affordable Wii which became that generation's most successful console in terms of units sold. Furthermore, PS3 had to compete directly with Xbox 360 which had a market head start, and as a result the platform no longer had exclusive titles that the PS2 enjoyed such as the Grand Theft Auto and Final Fantasy series (regarding cross-platform games, Xbox 360 versions were generally considered superior in 2006, although by 2008 the PS3 versions had reached parity or surpassed), and it took longer than expected for PS3 to enjoy strong sales and close the gap with Xbox 360. Sony also continued to lose money on each PS3 sold through 2010, although the redesigned "slim" PS3 has cut these losses since then.

Question: What was PlayStation 3's toughest competitor in the video game market?


Answer: unique gameplay

Question: What did Wii offer that PS3 couldn't compete with?


Answer: Xbox 360 versions

Question: In 2006, did most people prefer the Xbox 360 or PS3 versions of cross-platform games?


Answer: 2010

Question: Until what year was Sony seeing a loss on each PlayStation 3 console it sold?


Answer: Wii

Question: Which cost less in stores: PS3 or Wii?


Answer: US$805.85

Context: PlayStation 3's initial production cost is estimated by iSuppli to have been US$805.85 for the 20 GB model and US$840.35 for the 60 GB model. However, they were priced at US$499 and US$599 respectively, meaning that units may have been sold at an estimated loss of $306 or $241 depending on model, if the cost estimates were correct, and thus may have contributed to Sony's games division posting an operating loss of ¥232.3 billion (US$1.97 billion) in the fiscal year ending March 2007. In April 2007, soon after these results were published, Ken Kutaragi, President of Sony Computer Entertainment, announced plans to retire. Various news agencies, including The Times and The Wall Street Journal reported that this was due to poor sales, while SCEI maintains that Kutaragi had been planning his retirement for six months prior to the announcement.

Question: How much did it cost to make one 20 GB PS3?


Answer: US$499

Question: In contrast to the production cost, what was the retail price for a 20 GB PlayStation 3?


Answer: $306

Question: Assuming iSuppli got the numbers right, how much of a loss did Sony take for every 20 GB PS3 sold in the U.S.?


Answer: Ken Kutaragi

Question: What was the name of Sony's President who announced his retirement amid rumors in April 2007?


Answer: US$1.97 billion

Question: In U.S. dollars, how much was the enormous loss Sony reported the month before Kutaragi's retirement announcement?


Answer: Kaz Hirai

Context: In January 2008, Kaz Hirai, CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, suggested that the console may start making a profit by early 2009, stating that, "the next fiscal year starts in April and if we can try to achieve that in the next fiscal year that would be a great thing" and that "[profitability] is not a definite commitment, but that is what I would like to try to shoot for". However, market analysts Nikko Citigroup have predicted that PlayStation 3 could be profitable by August 2008. In a July 2008 interview, Hirai stated that his objective is for PlayStation 3 to sell 150 million units by its ninth year, surpassing PlayStation 2's sales of 140 million in its nine years on the market. In January 2009 Sony announced that their gaming division was profitable in Q3 2008.

Question: Who was Sony's CEO at the start of 2008?


Answer: early 2009

Question: When did Hirai think the PS3 might start making the company some money?


Answer: Nikko Citigroup

Question: What market analyst firm said Sony could make the PlayStation 3 profitable by August 2008?


Answer: 150 million

Question: How many PS3 did Hirai set a public goal to sell by the time the product was nine?


Answer: PlayStation 2

Question: What other Sony gaming console was Hirai setting his sales goal to beat?