How well do you know your local business news?

Plenty went down in the local business world this year.

Big Boston companies were acquired by out-of-town suitors, highly-paid chief executive officers lost their jobs, and a major scandal hit the mutual fund industry. Along the way new products came to market and new buildings changed the landscape. The question is: Were you paying attention?

To find out, weve put together a quiz to test your knowledge of local business current events. There is no prize for high scores other than the satisfaction of knowing you are a well-informed reader.

1. By next year, which one of these local banks will still have a parent company based in Massachusetts?
FleetBoston
Eastern
Sovereign
Citizens

2. Which of these mutual fund companies has not been implicated in the growing mutual fund scandal?
Putnam Investments
Fidelity Investments
Strong Funds
MFS Investment Management

3. Which of these Boston area executives did not lose his job in 2003?
Larry Lasser
Grady Little
David Spina
Dan Goldin

4. John Hancock CEO David D'Alessandro made $22 million when he sold his company to Manulife. Is that more or less than Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez will earn in 2004?
More
Less

5. What island was the scene of the lavish birthday party former Tyco CEO Dennis Kozlowski threw for his wife?
Sardinia
Crete
Coney Island
Long Island

6. The head of the Massachusetts Securities Division, he played a key role in building cases against Wall Street bad guys. Who is he?
Matt Damon
Matt Dillon
Matt Nestor
Matt LeBlanc

7. This Boston area developer was the first and initially, the only tenant, in his brand new office building at 33 Arch Street. Who is he?
Dean Martin
Dean Stratouly
Howard Dean
John Dean

8. Boston Scientific stock soared this year on high hopes for what new medical product?
Cancer drug
Stent
Artificial heart
Artificial blood

9. FleetBoston was acquired in October by Bank of America. In what city is Bank of America headquartered?
Charlotte
San Francisco
Washington
Chicago

10. This Boston buyout king paid $2.6 billion to purchase Time Warner's music business. Who is he?
Buddy Lee
Tom Lee
Bruce Lee
Lee Marvin

11. This Springfield mayor was a pioneer in the move to buy cheap drugs from Canada. Who is he?
Vincent Albano
Lou Albano
Michael Albano
Al Michaels

12. Citizens Bank agreed to put its name on a new ballpark for which professional sports team?
New York Mets
New England Patriots
Washington Redskins
Philadelphia Phillies

13. Raytheon CEO Daniel Burnham was replaced this year. Who succeeded him?
William Miller
William Swanson
William Sonoma
Prince William

14. Schick came out with a new four blad razor to challenge Gillette. What is the new razor called?
Quattro
Quartermain
Foursquare
Tetro

15. Biogen merged with a California biotech company. What was the west coast firm?
Lifepro
Biosmith
Idec
Genzo

16. True of false. Massachusetts lost a bigger percentage of its jobs than any state in the nation between 2001 and 2003.
True
False

17. This Massachusetts technology company went on a buying spree, acquiring several software firms. Who is the company?
Analog Devices
EMC
Teradyne
Parametric

18. Which major Swiss drug company set up a big research operation in Cambridge?
Novartis
Novocaine
Nolocontendre
Nomar

19. Telephone giant Verizon offered a buyout to managers and union members. Roughly how many employees took the offer?
6,500
38,000
16,000
22,000

20. This big Boston company moved into fancy new digs at One Lincoln. What was it?
FleetBoston
Blue Cross
State Street
John Hancock