NewsTracker Answers for week of Nov. 24, 2025

Q: Extreme temperatures in Italy linked to global warming are causing cows to produce less and lower-quality milk, worrying cheesemakers in a country with the largest variety of cheeses in the world. Where is Italy?

Circle the area on this map

Q: While Italy has more than 2,500 traditional varieties of cheese, it produces less cheese than its western neighbor ...

A. Austria

B. France

C. Slovenia

D. Switzerland

B. Italy shares land borders with France to the west, Switzerland and Austria to the north, and Slovenia to the east. Italy is the third-largest cheese producer in the European Union, behind the more populous and larger nations of France and Germany.

Q: Italy is the world’s top producer of dried pasta, another cornerstone of its cuisine. However, Italian pasta makers are facing problems with the world’s second-largest pasta producer ...

A. Brazil

B. Egypt

C. Turkey

D. United States

D. The United States was the second-largest pasta producer in 2022, followed by Turkey, Egypt, and Brazil. More than a dozen Italian pasta-makers have been accused of dumping their product in the United States and face tariffs of over 100 percent.

Q: Italy was also the world’s largest producer of wine last year. Which nation ranked second?

A. Argentina

B. France

C. Spain

D. United States

B. The top wine-producing nation, Italy, is followed by France, Spain, the United States, and Argentina. When it comes to consuming wine, the United States drank the most, followed by France, Italy, and Germany.

Q: Cheese, pasta, and wine have been made in Italy for thousands of years. When were tomatoes added to Italian cuisine?

A. 12th century

B. 14th century

C. 17th century

D. 19th century

C. Tomatoes are native to the Americas and did not show up in Europe until the 16th century. In Italy, tomatoes were first used for decoration and grown in flower gardens. Tomatoes were not incorporated into Italian cuisine until the late 17th century and early 18th century.