Welcome to Slate’s weekly news quiz. It’s Friday, which means it’s time to test your knowledge of the week’s news events. Your host, Ray Hamel, has concocted questions on news topics ranging from politics to business, from culture to sports to science. At the end of the quiz, you’ll be able to compare your score with that of the average contestant, as well as that of a Slatesterwho has agreed to take the quiz on the record. This week’s contestant is head of communications Katie Rayford.

Can you ace the quiz and beat Rayford? Good luck!

As gardening season comes to a close in the Northern Hemisphere, trees in the Amazon rainforest are growing at a faster rate than before, due to the rising amount of carbon dioxide available in the atmosphere. And a sunflower, the national flower of Ukraine, was grown by a Ukrainian immigrant in Indiana to a record high of 35 feet. This week’s Slate News Quiz is more than your garden-variety diversion.

If this is your first time playing, read the rules here. The quiz may require you to turn on cookies in your browser for it to function properly.