NewsTracker Answers for week of May 28, 2018

Q: A truckers protest over diesel prices in Brazil that is stalling supplies of fuel, food and medicines continued last week even after the president ordered the military to clear blocked roads. Where is Brazil?

Circle the area on this map

Q: Major cities declared a state of emergency as gas stations and airports ran out of fuel, supermarket shelves went bare and hospitals said they were running out of supplies. What is the largest city in Brazil?

A. Brasilia

B. Buenos Aires

C. Rio de Janeiro

D. Sao Paulo

D. Brazil’s largest city Sao Paulo declared an emergency over fuel shortages that also crippled the second largest city Rio de Janeiro and the capital Brasilia. Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city in Argentina.

Q: The truckers were given a temporary diesel price cut by Brazil’s state-owned oil company. Where is most of Brazil’s oil located?

A. Amazon rain forest

B. Andes Mountains

C. Atlantic Ocean

D. Pacific Ocean

C. Most of Brazil’s oil reserves of more 13 billion barrels are located offshore in deep-water Atlantic oilfields. The oil company was involved in a corruption scandal that sent one former president to prison, led to the impeachment of another president and charges against the current president.

Q: Some protesters covered their trucks with Brazilian flags and banners reading “stop with the thieving or we’ll stop the country.” Brazil is South America’s largest country by area. Which nation is geographically smaller than Brazil?

A. Australia

B. China

C. United States

D. All of the above

A. Russia is the world’s largest nation by area and is followed by Canada, United States, China, Brazil and Australia.

Q: The blockades were slowly cleared over the weekend, but the truckers continued to refuse deliveries. Problems caused by the strike led some in Brazil to compare it with what northern neighbor that is facing severe shortages?

A. Argentina

B. Bolivia

C. Paraguay

D. Venezuela

D. Thousands of Venezuelans have fled their troubled country to find refuge in northern Brazil. Venezuela’s economy has collapsed and left its people short of food, medicine and other basic necessities. Brazil borders every nation in South America except Chile and Ecuador.