10 Good Things That Happened in 2021 (+ Quiz)

Katy Mrvova
an illustrative header image for Slido's blog post listing the good things that happened in 2021 depicting the number 2021 cutout from paper

After the tough year that 2020 was, we thought 2021 will have to be smooth sailing.

Although we still haven’t beaten the pandemic, the end of the year is a great time to recognize all the good things that happened – and they sure did!

Here’s a list of 10 good things that have happened this year to brighten your day. We also turned these stats into a quiz.

Feel free to test your knowledge and host this quiz during your end-of-year company meeting, (virtual) holiday party, or a friendly get-together.

💡Tip
Love to get inspired? Here are more quiz ideas for your end-of-year meeting or holiday party.

10 good things that happened in 2021 quiz

#1. Vaccine against Covid-19

In 2021, more than 7.7 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered worldwide.

Quiz question: So far, what percentage of the world population received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine? Source
A: 42.7%
B: 48.7%
C: 53.8%

#2. NASA’s Perseverance rover landing on Mars

On February 18, 2021, NASA’s Perseverance rover successfully landed on Mars to scout for signs of ancient life. Among other things, the rover confirmed the existence of ancient Mars lake and river delta. Source

Quiz question: True or False? The Perseverance rover is the size of a standard car – about 10 feet (3 meters) long. Source
A: True
B: False

an image of NASA's Perseverance rover
Source: NASA

💡 Did you know?
You can add an image to your quiz question to make it stand out and give your audience a visual cue. Here are tips for using image polls.

a screenshot of a slido quiz interface with an uploaded image
Slido quiz with an uploaded image displayed on the screen.

#3. Summer Olympic Games

The 2020 Summer Olympic Games that were postponed due to Covid finally took place this year in Tokyo, Japan between 23 July and 8 August.

Quiz question: Winning 113 medals, which country saw the biggest Olympic success? Source
A: China
B: Russia
C: USA

#4. The UN Climate Change Conference

The UN Climate Change Conference 2021 took place in November in Glasgow. One of the most prominent outcomes is the action plan to make zero-emission vehicles the new normal across the world by 2030. Source

Quiz question: Which country has the highest share of electric cars in the world? Source
A: Iceland
B: Norway
C: Sweden

#5. Dune!

The long-awaited movie Dune, directed by Denis Villeneuve, reached the movie theaters in September. Lots of eyes and hearts were pleased with the breathtaking visuals and scenery.

Quiz question: In which two countries were the amazing desert scenes filmed? Source
A: Morocco & Iran
B: Jordan & United Arab Emirates

#6. Squid Game!

So many great shows were aired this year on Netflix. Among others, the Korean hit Squid Game has taken the binge-watching world by storm.

Quiz question: True or False? To date, Squid Game is the most popular show Netflix has ever made. Source
A: True
B: False

#7. The first vaccine against Malaria

In October, the World Health Organization approved the first-ever vaccine against malaria. It is estimated that it will save tens of thousands of children each year. Source

Quiz question: What is the vaccine called?
A: Mosquirix
B: Malarix
C: Glaxo

#8. Reddit users helping gorillas

In March 2021, members of a subreddit community WallStreetBets adopted 3,500 endangered gorillas in 6 days after one member shared an image of a mountain gorilla and encouraged others to support the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International. Source

Quiz question: True or False? Gorillas share around 95% of our DNA with humans. Source
A: True
B: False

#9. Fighting for the environment

To date, 77 countries in the world have passed some sort of full or partial ban on plastic bags. Also, French lawmakers have moved to ban short-haul domestic flights where train alternatives exist. Source

Quiz question: How many times LESS carbon dioxide emissions per passenger does a train emit compared to a plane?
A: 55 times
B: 66 times
C: 77 times

#10. Banksy giving millions to charity

Anonymous artist Banksy raised more than £16 million for an NHS charity by selling a painting depicting a little boy playing with a nurse doll with a superhero cape.

Quiz question: True or False? Banksy is the first anonymous person to appear on the list of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people. Source
A: True
B: False

Correct answers: 1C, 2A, 3C, 4B, 5B, 6A, 7A, 8B (it’s actually 98%), 9C, 10A

Want to play this quiz with your colleagues or friends?

Do you want to host this quiz for your teammates or friends? Great! Nothing’s easier.

With Slido Quizzes, you can easily create a full quiz experience.

Simply create your Slido account for free, add your questions and options, and you’re ready to go. Here’s a step-by-step guide for creating a stellar quiz experience.

Looking for more interactive ideas for your end-of-year meetings?

Here are 7 interactive ideas for making your end-of-year meetings more fun and special for your colleagues. For example, you can source your own highlights of 2021!

Using a Slido open text poll, ask your colleagues to submit their personal or professional highlights and then share and discuss all the good things that happened during the year.

PS: Don’t have a Slido account yet? Create one for free below.

Wishing you all a successful and peaceful wrap-up of 2021. 🎉

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