NewsTracker Answers for week of Nov. 03, 2014

Q: Hungary has decided to shelve a proposed tax on Internet data traffic after mass protests against the plan. Where is Hungary?

Circle the area on this map


Q: The protests began with demonstrators in the nation's capital throwing old computer parts at the headquarters of the ruling political party. What is the capital of Hungary?

A. Amsterdam

B. Budapest

C. Copenhagen

D. Dublin


B. With about 1.7 million people, Budapest is also Hungary's largest city and one of the largest cities in the European Union. Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Dublin are capitals of other nations in the 28-member economic and political union which also opposed Hungary's Internet tax plan.


Q: Thousands of protesters later filled the Elisabeth Bridge which connects the two sides of the capital, Buda and Pest, across the second longest river in Europe. What is the name of that river?

A. Volga

B. Thames

C. Seine

D. Danube


D. The cities of Buda and Pest on either side of the Danube were united in 1873 to form Budapest which is the largest city on the river. In Europe, only the Volga is longer than the Danube which connects Budapest to three other European capitals. The Volga, Thames and Seine run through the national capitals of Moscow, London and Paris.


Q: In dropping the tax plan, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said: "We are not Communists. We don't go against the will of the people.” Hungary has a unicameral parliament. What does that mean?

A. One legislative chamber

B. One political party

C. One vote per person

D. One elective district


A. A unicameral parliament or legislature has only one chamber or house of elected representatives . A unicameral system  offers more efficient lawmaking and avoids deadlocks where different chambers disagree on legislation. But, unicameral systems place little restraint on the majority party. The U.S. has bicameral system with the Senate and House of Representatives.


Q: During the demonstrations, protesters waved flags with the likenesses of Orban and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. Which of Hungary's neighbors has been having trouble recently with Putin?

A. Austria

B. Slovakia

C. Ukraine

D. Romania


C. The desire of many Ukrainians for closer relations to the European Union brought the country into conflict with Russian leaders. Hungary is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west.