NewsTracker Answers for week of June 06, 2011

Q: At least 18 people have died and 1,836 have been infected by a deadly strain of E. coli bacteria. The vast majority of victims are in Germany. Where is Germany?

Circle the area on this map

Q: Spain's farmers lost tens of millions of dollars after German officials mistakenly identified Spanish produce as the source of the bug. Spain and Germany are both members of . . .

A. European Union

B. Eurozone

C. NATO

D. All of the above

D. The Eurozone is a monetary union of 17 European Union (EU) states which have adopted the Euro as their common currency. Other EU countries kept their own currencies. NATO is a military treaty group that includes the U.S., Canada and many European nations.

Q: No trace of the new "super toxic" strain of E. coli was found on Spanish produce, and the source of the outbreak was not identified before the world's largest nation banned all EU produce. Which nation stopped importing the vegetables and fruit?

A. United States

B. Russia

C. China

D. Canada

B. EU officials condemned the move by Russia as "disproportionate." But, that was no consolation to the thousands of farmers across Europe who suddenly had no market for their produce and the transport companies, wholesale markets and retailers who relied on the farmers.

Q: The outbreak was centered around the city of Hamburg in . . .

A. Northern Germany

B. Eastern Germany

C. Southern Germany

D. Western Germany

A. Many years ago, Germany's second largest city lent its name to a food product linked to a deadly E. coli outbreak in the U.S. In 1993, four children died and hundreds became sick after eating contaminated hamburgers served at Jack in the Box restaurants.

Q: German leaders said they would push the EU to compensate Spanish farmers for their losses. Which language can the most people speak in the 27 nations of the EU?

A. French

B. English

C. German

D. Spanish

B. A 2005 survey found that 51 percent of EU adults could converse in English. However, German had the most native speakers at 18 percent. In all, the EU has 23 official and working languages.