NewsTracker Answers for week of Sep. 08, 2014

Q: Next week, Scotland's voters will decide whether to become an independent nation or remain part of a union formed when the parliaments of England and Scotland created the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. Where is Scotland?

Circle the area on this map


Q: What is Great Britain?

A. Archipelago

B. Island

C. Ethnic group

D. Empire


B. Great Britain is the largest island in the British Isles, largest island in Europe and the ninth-largest island in the world. The Kingdom of Great Britain became the United Kingdom in 1801 when Ireland was added to the union. The Union Jack flag is a combination of crosses of the patron saints of England, Scotland and Ireland.


Q: A new poll shows Scottish voters for the first time favoring breaking away from the United Kingdom. What is the capital of Scotland?

A. Edinburgh

B. Glasgow

C. London

D. St. Andrews


A. Edinburgh has been recognized as the capital of Scotland since at least the 15th century. Glasgow is Scotland's largest city, and the town of St. Andrews is named after the country's patron saint, Saint Andrew the Apostle. London is the capital of the United Kingdom and England.


Q: Opponents of independence say the government of the United Kingdom spends more in Scotland than it collects in taxes. Supporters argue the shortfall could be covered by Scotland's . . .

A. Auto industry

B. Fishing

C. Oil revenues

D. Shipbuilding


C. Under international maritime law, some experts expect an independent Scotland would gain ownership of about 90 percent of the United Kingdom's North Sea oil and gas fields.


Q: Which sport originated in Scotland?

A. Curling

B. Golf

C. Hammer throw

D. All of the above


D. Curling, the sport of sliding stones on ice, was invented in medieval Scotland. The origin of the hammer throw is tied to an English king's prohibition against Scotsmen possessing weapons in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. The modern game of golf originated in the 15th century, and St. Andrews is considered by many to be the "home of golf."